The new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty surpasses the already impressive first season. It elevates the show to its true essence, making the initial season feel like a prequel. If you loved the delightful summer gatherings and nostalgic yearnings of teenagers in a picturesque New England beach house, fear not! Those elements remain intact. However, they are now intertwined with the unimaginable sorrow of losing a loved one to cancer. Additionally, a profoundly affecting love triangle inevitably concludes with someone's heartbreak.
In the initial episode, set in the late spring/early summer of the following year, the show swiftly unravels the previous season's happy endings. Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Belly (Lola Tung) share their first kiss, which surprises and infuriates Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), leading them to put any potential relationship on hold. Through a series of flashbacks, we revisit the end of the previous summer and witness the passage of time until the present day. The characters are all coping with the loss of Susannah in their own ways: Laurel (Jackie Chung) is barely functioning, Steven (Sean Kaufman) is trying to keep everyone together, and Belly's grades, volleyball career, and social life are deteriorating. In episode one, the boys exist solely in Belly's memories, absent from the present tense.
In the suburban landscapes of Pennsylvania, Belly finds it hard to fathom that she will be spending her first summer away from the familiar shores of Cousins Beach. It is not until the conclusion of episode two that the second season truly springs to life, as we are finally transported back to that cherished location. Conrad makes a startling discovery that their mother's house, now under the ownership of their Aunt Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) and cousin Skye (Elsie Fisher), is up for sale. Consequently, our entire group gradually reunites at the scene, united in their mission to preserve the place that holds the remarkable ability to bring them together. Sedgwick is a highlight as Aunt Julia, and while the kids see her as their enemy for taking the house they soon learn there is more to the story.
Immersed in Taylor Swift melodies and accompanied by copious tears, Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty doesn't aim to replicate the enchantment of its predecessor. In fact, it deliberately emphasizes the transient nature of seasons, reminding us that futilely chasing fleeting emotions cannot resurrect them. Instead, this season delves deeper into the profound hurdles, sorrows, and joys that accompany the journey of teenage self-discovery and navigating love alongside the people who hold immeasurable significance, all within the cherished realm that holds immeasurable significance as well. Though it encounters stumbling blocks along the way, as life often does, as a whole, it remains a tumultuous season that revolves around Belly and her choices, even in the face of genuinely challenging chapters of existence.
The first three episodes of Season 2 are now available on Prime Video.
