The least one would expect from a summer romance is what its title promises. The Summer I Turned Pretty delivers on its title: it’s breezy, beautiful and fun. But the leads have no chemistry at all. The show is as messy as its lead’s emotional state. Here is our review of Season 1 of the show.
You Could Either Like or Dislike This Show
The coming-of-age part of the show is done well. The actors also portray the teenagers going through all sorts of complexities well.
The best thing about this series is the lead actor Lola Tung, who easily plays Belly. Ironically, Belly is the worst-written character and you wouldn’t feel a bit for her even though the actor is convincing enough.
Though an Asian-American character is at the centre we do not see their experience explored enough which is a bummer. It’s almost as marginal as the community itself as it is said through the character Steven (Belly’s brother). Also, why does the Asian-American female protagonist always fall for White men?
The series is essentially a romance. But the way it is explored, love has to take a back seat because the real winner here is friendship.
In the series, we see three kinds of friendships that hold more emotional weight than Belly’s convoluted feelings. Fairly enough, Belly says in the final episode that all she cared about was herself. As viewers, we couldn’t care less about her and her need to find love.
The series is easy to watch, its gorgeous visuals will hook you in. But the final episode punches a huge emotional package with a fairly satisfying ending though we are as confused as Belly is as she finally gets the love she wanted. And we cannot help but ask; what’s up with this girl?
I am about to watch Season 2. Hope it doesn’t disappoint. If you are looking for something light-hearted to watch, The Summer I Turned Pretty could be a choice.
Arya is a curious soul and nerd who loves books and cinema. You can read her articles on Medium. You can also follow her on Instagram where she talks about her favourite books and movies.