Salt air… and the rust on your door… this summer isn’t like the ones before.
Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Creator: Jenny Han
Streaming service: Amazon Prime Video
Format: Live-action TV series
Genre(s): Drama
Release date: 2022
Rating: TV-14
Starring: Lola Tung as Belly Conklin, Christopher Briney as Conrad Fisher, Gavin Casalegno as Jeremiah Fisher
Plot summary: The summer before her sixteenth birthday is a big one for Belly Conklin. Throughout her childhood, Belly has spent her summers on the shores of Cousins Beach, with her mother’s best friend Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. She’s always been the geeky little kid, desperately tagging along behind the boys when they’re not raucously launching her into the water for a “Belly Flop.”
But now, something’s changed. Belly observes that both of the Fisher boys can’t keep their eyes off of her, and she’s realizing that she can’t exactly pull away either. She finds herself falling for both boys – Conrad is sensitive and soulful.
But Jeremiah is charming and charismatic.
The forecast for this crazy summer calls for plenty of blazing sun, a sea breeze, first kisses, and first heartbreak, too.
About the creator: Han is the author of two bestselling book series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, which was adapted into the eponymous TV show, and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which were adapted for film as well as a spinoff series called XO, Kitty. Though she began her career as a writer of young adult and middle-grade fiction, Han has successfully pivoted to the entertainment industry and been heavily involved in the screen adaptations of her work as a showrunner, writer, and executive producer (Han, n.d).
Critical review: The pilot begins with a montage of Belly’s previous summers in Cousins Beach and it is a satisfying dose of nostalgia. Shots of the beautiful shore, scored by a soundtrack full of fun pop songs, only add to the escapism.
I was struck by the natural-sounding dialogue and the actors’ effortless delivery of their lines, especially during an introductory scene with Belly and her best friend. The conversation between the teen characters sounded similar to real ones I’ve overheard at the library. I was less convinced by the adult actors playing Belly’s mother Laurel and her best friend Susannah, who have a manner of speaking that just seems too rehearsed and unnatural to my ear. However, I also really liked that, unlike the book, the show seems to delve deeper into the lives of the adults in the story and contrast their fears, wishes, and dreams against those of their children (Laurel is struggling as an author and a new divorcee). I also loved that Steven and Taylor, Belly's brother and best friend, respectively, had bigger roles in the show than they did in the books. For me, it only added to the drama and made the show all the more intriguing. I also appreciated that the pilot didn’t over explain plot points and only provided subtle hints towards characters’ health issues and complex internal lives through their behaviors and body language. Overall, the show certainly teases enough drama to keep teen and adult viewers hooked.
Related programming ideas: The TV show expands the cast of characters beyond the book, so I am envisioning some light-hearted passive programming asking teens to vote for their favorite love interest or relationship in this show during a watch party.
Brief trailer: Salt air… and the rust on your door… this summer isn’t like the ones before.
Almost sixteen, Belly is about to experience the summer of a lifetime, and finds herself pulled towards dreamy boys, first kisses, and of course, the romantic lull of the ocean. If you love Taylor Swift’s music and lazy, hazy beach days, this is definitely the show for you.
Actual trailer:
Potential challenges: Like many teen dramas, The Summer I Turned Pretty contains some strong language and scenes involving underage drinking, drug use, and sexual encounters. Despite the mature topics, I don’t anticipate any serious challenges against this series since it follows in the footsteps of wildly popular predecessors like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill, which pushed the envelope first. The show might ruffle some feathers among some caregivers, but I doubt it would prompt an outright ban.
Reason for inclusion: Honestly, I’m including this because I would’ve eaten this up as a teen, just as I did with the books (I was 13 when the first came out). Everyone needs a good drama to sink their teeth into, and if it can provide a bit of beachy escapism, even better. Young patrons of Asian descent or mixed heritage might also appreciate that Belly and her brother Steven are portrayed by biracial actors.
Check this out: Just for fun, a fanedit of the cast being goofy!
References:
Han, J. (n.d.). Jenny Han. https://www.jennyhan.com/
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