Truth or Jere: The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 2
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have affected nearly every piece of Hollywood entertainment, and The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 is no exception. With plenty of pre-promo in anticipation of the strike, the world has been anticipating a return of their favorite love triangle since April. Thankfully (for readers of our blog) reviews and critique media are exempt from the strike. The first three days of Season 2, Amazon says, doubled the viewership of all of Season 1.
I was worried at the end of Season 1, after Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) convinced Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) to attempt an experimental cancer treatment, that she was going to survive throughout Season 2. That sounds harsh. It’s not that I wanted her dead. Susannah’s friendship with Laurel (Jackie Chung) is a nostalgic masterpiece. And yet, the entire series and cast of characters would have changed entirely if not for the transformative grief experienced. It’s simply cannon. It’s the leading force for the second titular book “It’s Not Summer Without You” and Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty Amazon TV series, which is modeled after the novel. Thankfully, this change became a non-issue and Conrad still manages to screw things up with Belly (Lola Tung), creating the core conflict of Season 2.
Another major difference between the books and the series is Conrad and Belly’s relationship. While secret and short in Jenny Han’s first rendition of the story, the TV series adds more connection, openness, and sexual intimacy. It’s a full-on relationship, whereas the books give a deniability to their romance that makes it easier to push Conrad aside for Jeremiah. Again, Jenny Han has modernized the series for current viewers in a way that feels so natural, though I will admit I screamed when Conrad and Belly had sex at the Counsin’s Beach house fireplace. One of those high-pitched “OMG!” screams. I was not expecting it at all. Prom was bad. Conrad wasn’t really there, but it did give their relationship some backbone for plot-sake.
Similarly, while in the book Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Taylor (Rain Spencer) seem to act only as plot devices and reminders of another life for Belly away from Cousin’s Beach, the two of them start their own love triangle in the TV series. We also meet Skye (Elsie Fisher) and witness Cam (David Iacono) revival, though I’ll argue their characters are an unnecessary distraction from the conversation that needs to happen between Susannah and her sister that never can. Aunt Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) uses her own child as a pawn to inflict pain on dead Susannah through her sons. It’s absolutely horrible and taints Skye’s character for me.
I can understand Aunt Julia not liking her stepmom, but she was terrible to Susannah. She called out Susannah’s husband in a mean-seeded way and created unnecessary sides. They were both there during the holidays. Susannah is not Aunt Julia’s mother and expecting her to create closure for her parents’ marriage is unfair.
The choice to make Aunt Julia the villain sparked my curiosity because it’s a seemingly unnecessary shift. In the book, it’s their dad (Colin Ferguson) who wants to sell. And yet Han still made him the last line of defense against the keeping the house. His extramarital affair and general mistreatment of Susannah which we know about from Season 1 never comes up. Perhaps the choice was to signal a healthier relationship between the boys and their father in Season 3, but it’s unclear for now.
Something incredibly obvious is the added emphasis on the main love triangle throughout the series. It’s in nearly every scene. It’s weaved in nearly everyone’s motivations and thoughts (even Steven picked a side!). The writing tells a story of raw emotion and uncertainty. Belly doesn’t really know what she wants. She’s a teenager. She’s not in the headspace to be making long-term relationship decisions, which seems to be what everyone is pushing her to do. Pick one guy for the rest of your life.
Through flashbacks, we see Jeremiah’s distance while Belly and Conrad are together. He’s hurt. It’s understandable. And yet, once rolls become reversed, he’s mad at Conrad for sulking, for still having feelings because he thinks it can take her heart away.
For teenage Belly, Jeremiah is exactly what she wants. It’s all she can really think about. Skye dared them to kiss in front of everyone (including her ex!) and Belly definitely takes a moment to think about it. She trips in her rollerblades at the part and he says “You don’t need a trip to get my attention.” Are you KIDDING me! Even when admitting she loved Conrad, it’s past tense. She’s imagining herself with Jeremiah.
“I dreamed my whole life of Conrad,” Belly says. “But dreams aren’t real. And I want something real.” I.e. Jeremiah. They’re so playful and passionate, and it feels right for Belly in the moment. That’s my take. Conrad girls can come for me. Conrad has a lot of baggage to comb through, therapy to go to, and she wants to make out with the tanned and blonde 2000s Justin Timberlake remake. Sue her!
Conrad decides the perfect time to tell Belly that he still loves her is in the dead of night sleeping next to his brother. What the hell is wrong with these men? It doesn’t do much. She is still into Jeremiah. He is where her heart is right now. It’s the right move for Belly at this point in her life (We’ll see about Season 3). Jeremiah and Belly go to volleyball camp and he watches her play from the bleachers. It’s adorable. They’re adorable. Conrad is sad. The end. For now.
5 stars
While the series has been renewed for Season 3 (which one can assume is the final season, if continuing to follow the books), filming will not begin until the SAG-AFTRA strike is over, with multiple actors actively participating in the strike.
Until then, check out our review of Season 1 and our Spotify profile, which has four themed playlists for this series to get you through the wait.
