“The Summer I Turned Pretty” (TSITP) returned to Prime Video this summer after a yearlong gap with a season packed full of highly anticipated drama, heartbreak, and romance. This season appeased both the loyal fans of the book series by Jenny Han who wanted a season true to its origins, as well as the new fans by including various new characters and plot twists that did not surface in the books. However, in contrast to the first light-hearted season, TSITP season 2 had a much darker mood as it grappled with death, loss, and depression.
I thoroughly enjoyed this season as I have been a fan of the books since middle school when I initially read them. Although I think the actors were great, the dialogue was sometimes unrealistic and seemed obvious. The script was far better in the first season, but the overall personality of each character this season improved.
As for the plot, this is a show that I and many others enjoy for it feels like summer, and it is easy to get invested in each of the characters’ lives and aspirations. Yet this season brought out the worst in some of the characters and made many of them quite unlikeable and agitating. It is hard to watch and be invested if you do not like the main characters. Furthermore, this season was set before the official start of summer. Even though this was the case in the books, the season was released purposely in the middle of the summer, which threw off the overall vibe associated with watching the show.
The storyline of this season was incredibly intriguing and captivating as it followed the characters’ journey upon losing Susannah and the potential of their summer house and connection to her being sold. Whereas the book resolved this conflict quickly and focused more on the individual characters and the drama/romance between them. I felt as if the show dragged out this aspect of the plot and only showcased the worst/most dramatic interactions between the characters, something that took away from each character having a beautiful and realistic arc throughout the season.
Although the plot, characters, and execution declined in excellence since last season, the show’s drama, romance, and affiliation with summer kept me drawn in. My loyalty to my adoration of the books has me excitedly awaiting the next season.
Grade: B
