By: Sasha Deans

The show is a coming-of-age story that follows Belly, who is no longer the awkward little girl she once was. Now that she has grown up, she begins to catch the attention of boys around her, including her longtime crush and family friend, Conrad. However, she soon finds herself in a complicated love triangle.

I believe the show features strong performances. Lola Tung brings a lot of depth to the character of Belly, while Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno shine as the Fisher brothers, effectively portraying their contrasting personalities.

The cinematography is also stunning. The show’s coastal setting at Cousins Beach, combined with its warm color palette, enhances the nostalgic and summery feeling.

The soundtrack, featuring artists like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, perfectly complements the emotional tone of the series. Songs like “Cruel Summer” and “August” from Taylor Swift brought so much to the whole entire vibe of the show’s scenery and they are also just so significant to the entire show. Like, “August” in the last scene as they are leaving in August and the “Cruel Summer” it really was with that intriguing love triangle. It also has so many fun songs like “Summer Nights” from ‘Grease’ at a party giving it a certain vibe of nostalgia. And there are also ones that just really tell the scenes story like “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS” by Tyler the Creator and it really is definitely asking are we still friends! That’s for sure.

However, the show does have some weaknesses. Some side characters, like Belly’s best friend Taylor, feel underdeveloped. Like, you kind of just see her really as a side character but I feel it only really represents her as a mean annoying best friend which wouldn’t exactly make sense since Belly is portrayed as a very kind, sweet, and shy girl. So, if they have been friends since childhood I don’t think that she is actually all that mean as the show shows her as the whole season one. Additionally, the pacing is quite slow at times, with unnecessary filler episodes that drag the storyline.

Final Verdict:

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Season One is a nostalgic, warm, and heartfelt coming-of-age drama that captures the magic of youth and romance realistically. With strong performances, beautiful cinematography, and good storytelling, it is an enjoyable watch.

Rating: 4/5

You can watch ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ on Netflix