In the inaugural season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty", the charming beachfront home at Cousins Beach served as a picturesque setting for our protagonist, Belly (Lola Tung). The house belonged to Susannah, the best friend of Belly's mother, Laurel. Amid this beautiful backdrop, Belly grappled with her blooming feelings for Conrad (Christopher Briney), Susannah’s son. At the same time, she is trying to comprehend the nuances of affection. Meanwhile, her romantic entanglement with Conrad’s sibling, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), resembled a typical adolescent love drama. Susannah (Rachel Blanchard), intriguingly, harbored a secret wish for Belly to end up with one of her boys. The situation seemed innocent, right?
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However, the second season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" commences with a grim twist: Susannah has passed away. We knew from the previous season that she was fighting cancer for the second time. However, there was hope for a miracle from a clinical trial. As Belly's voiceover reveals in the second season premiere, her hopes were dashed, and Belly lost her second maternal figure.
Belly's deep sorrow becomes the driving force of the first episode, narrated in a dual timeline format. Belly explains that it's easier to retreat into her dreams than confront her memories. Thus, one timeline traces her nostalgic journey to the previous summer, providing context to the events following the first season finale. The other timeline illustrates her present struggles to make sense of it all.
In an emotionally charged scene, Belly breaks off her relationship with Jeremiah, following a passionate summer-ending kiss with Conrad. Although this decision may not seem surprising, given her obvious feelings for Conrad, Jeremiah reacts poorly and severs ties with Belly. Amid the mourning for Susannah, Belly refrains from widening the rift between the grieving brothers, even as Conrad presents her with the infinity necklace he purchased in the first season, hinting at a potential relationship once he heads to college. The episode uses flashback sequences to portray Conrad's efforts to reignite their relationship.
However, the current-day Belly is far from being in a relationship or even in communication with Conrad, hinting at another impending fallout. It's suggested that her actions at Susannah's funeral are the reason for her estrangement from the brothers. The loss of the idyllic beach house is compounded by Belly's grieving over Susannah and the heartache over Conrad.
This season takes a commendable approach by recognizing Belly's depression and her struggle for control over her life. Although she's trying to maintain her composure, her deteriorating grades, escalating conflicts with her brother, and constant rumination over her losses reveal her struggles. Her friend Taylor steps in, encouraging her to socialize and even attend her brother Steven's graduation party. However, Belly's attempt to connect with a peer at the party backfires, adding to her troubles.
Parallel to Belly's story, Steven grapples with his emotional turmoil. His frustrations over missing his graduation due to Belly's involvement with the brothers, sorrow over Susannah's passing, and envy over Taylor dating a new boy, hint at his own inner conflicts. Despite his imminent departure for Princeton, it appears Steven has more to express before he leaves.
Laurel, in the meantime, channels her grief into a book about her late best friend, Susannah. She dreads the impending book tour and the rehashing of emotions it entails. The bond between Laurel and Susannah was a major plot anchor in the first season, and how the series addresses Laurel's loss is crucial.
The episode concludes with Belly receiving a call from Jeremiah, their first conversation since their break-up. But this call isn't about mending bridges. Jeremiah inquires if she is with Conrad, and upon her denial, he informs her of Conrad's sudden departure. As we await the unveiling of the events surrounding Susannah's death, it's evident that Conrad's disappearance is due to his grief.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
