The Summer I Turned Pretty - TV Show Review

Wow - it's been a long time since I've been hooked on a weekly TV show, but I'm fairly certain that I'm not the only one The Summer I Turned Pretty has in a chokehold. Fair disclosure - this review will be updated at the end once we have reached the finale, but there's still plenty to discuss.

Normally, the reviews posted here are only up once the end of the season has aired. However, The Summer I Turned Pretty deserves an exception.

So many of us love this show, and there are so many reasons why. The music choice is perfect, there are references to other films/shows that give us a sense of nostalgia, and the cinematography is captivating.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is originally a YA novel trilogy (one that I haven't read). The TV show, however, seems to appeal to all ages. It blends all the elements of cinema that make something magical, as well as showcasing a storyline that many of us can relate to, at least on some level.

We've got a love triangle between a girl and two brothers; a trope that has been shown many times before (Vampire Diaries, I'm looking at you). But we've got the coming-of-age story and the power of first loves. The reason that the love story is so powerful in this TV show is that it feels real and provokes the viewer to reflect on what is truly important.

Right off the bat, I'll say that I'm Team Conrad. To me, that seems the way the story is going, and that's how I hope it ends. Online, though, there's a strong debate, and I think the main reason for that is different life experiences.

To talk about the story for a minute, The Summer I Turned Pretty tackles many heavy subjects. We see young characters dealing with the grief of losing Susannah to cancer. Cancer affects so many of us that it's not hard to imagine what those characters are going through.

That grief then leads to the impact on the love story. Conrad copes by shutting down. Jeremiah and Belly cope by supporting each other. Watching the TV show, it seems that the love Belly and Jeremiah share is safe. They do truly love each other, and it makes sense that most people would explore that romantically. They are each other's family, and they make sense in such a capacity.

The people online trying to say that Jeremiah wants Belly just to compete with Conrad is unfair, in my opinion. Of course, there is a level of competition between Jeremiah and Conrad, but not to the point that there would be a four-year relationship.

The next part we have is that Conrad has loved Belly this entire time but has wanted the best for her. It's easy to watch from afar and think that Conrad wants what he can't have or that he's selfish, but that's not the truth. The scene of him professing is love for Belly before the wedding makes sense. He finally saw that his 'sacrifice' didn't work and in my humble opinion, I think it is better that he told Belly the truth before she was married than either hiding it or confessing it after they are married (and that is something I've seen happen in real life).

Finally, it's important to remember these are all young characters. They've only just entered their twenties. It makes sense that they will make mistakes, but that they will think they are mature adults. In truth, we never stop growing. We always have lessons to learn, and ways that we can improve our reaction and behaviour in certain situations. Being able to communicate clearly and honestly is not as easy as it seems, especially when big feelings are involved.

To touch on the production side of the show rather than the plot. As mentioned earlier, the music in the show has a wonderful combination of new music and nostalgic music. On top of that, the older music used has been previously used in impactful moments of older romantic shows and films. Jenny Han knows her audience, and the music plays a crucial role in eliciting certain feelings. The Summer I Turned Pretty would not be nearly as impactful if music didn't play such a big part.

The second part to mention is the use of colour throughout. There is the very obvious colour-grading in season two when Jeremiah is blue and Conrad is red. Many fans have pointed out the use of colour in Belly's outfits to indicate who is endgame. At this point, we can only speculate, as we've still got another three episodes to go.

Ultimately, this show is so profound and captivating at the moment because of its ability to tap into emotions we have all felt and probably buried deep down. How often do we let ourselves explore love so openly? How often do we revisit periods of our life where we've dealt with grief? How often are we completely honest with ourselves?

It's easy to point out the obvious when you're not living it, but living life is complicated, and that's what The Summer I Turned Pretty is all about. The complexities of life and the love that comes with it.