‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Is A Gen-Z Teenage Dream
Sweet and a little saccharine, Jenny Han knows what it is like to be sixteen.
Teenagers are often misunderstood. Frequently dismissed as ignorant, overemotional and out of touch, the younger generation is familiar with having their problems belittled. Whether intentional or not, adults tend to forget what it is like to be young and experiencing everything for the first time. And with the world ever-changing, the disconnect only grows bigger.
When teenagers are not being patronised, they are hyper-sexualised. Despite an overwhelming amount of entertainment media being set in high school, this representation is at best inaccurate and at worst harmful. With shows like Riverdale and Euphoria casting actors who are clearly in their mid-to-late-twenties to act out their extreme plots, there’s a clear disconnect between the on-screen and off. Uninterested in exploring the unglamorous reality of adolescence — academic stress, college applications, awkward phases of puberty — , these shows are pure fantasy. And while Euphoria excels in other ways (sorry Riverdale), the fantasy it produces only draws attention to a distinct gap within popular culture: stories which aim to accurately reflect the struggles of growing up.
Fortunately, it’s a gap which American author Jenny Han is trying to fill; and it is not her first time doing so. Although Netflix’s adaptation of the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise fell in popularity with the second and third films’ release, its initial success launched its leads into stardom as the world fell head over heels for Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky’s (Noah Centineo) fluffy romance. Before the world discovered Centineo’s twitter account and backlog of ‘basic white boy tweets’, there was a time when teenage girls everywhere were swooning for Kavinsky’s ‘whoa, whoa, whoa’s.
But before Lara-Jean, there was Belly. Written in 2009, The Summer I Turned Pretty book highlights just how much the world has changed for adolescents — for better, and for worse. Fortunately, this generation is more openly accepting of diversity, and is quick to call out injustice or hypocrisy. The show for instance points out the ‘fake wokeness’ amongst the upper social class and their implicit discrimination against minorities. It portrays an openly bisexual boy on-screen without so much as batting an eyelid (and as a main character, too!).
Yet with everything being digital, everything being cringe or ‘cheugy’, this generation suffers a burden which its parents did not (to such an extreme). With ninety-nine percent of adolescents using social media, and eighty-four percent being bullied through said platforms, the constant jokes about teenagers being tied to their phones take on a different meaning (Ofcom).
The Summer I Turned Pretty is not a social commentary, but what it has to say is worthy of being listened to. Its name might suggest this show is a cheesy, run-of-the-mill love story. In a few ways, it is. Its blasting of pop tracks in the show’s pivotal moments detracts from the dialogue, and is too on the nose for my taste. There are moments throughout the show where the acting feels stilted and staged. And as you can expect from most shows these days, there was the not so subtle product placement of ‘Amazon Alexa’.
Despite this, the show’s material is not shallow. Far from it. Without spoiling anything, the show deals with more serious and sad topics against its rose-tinted backdrop of the whimsically wealthy Cousins Beach. It’s a story of change, of firsts and lasts. It’s a story about growing up, and what that even means. In the centre of this tale is Belly Conklin, played by the charming Lola Tung who transformed a decidedly irritating character amongst readers, into an endearing one.
Praise must also be extended to leading-man Conrad Fisher, portrayed by Christopher Briney, who captures both the mysterious allure that draws Belly in, and his darker, inner turmoil. Their chemistry together is one to watch, and so I only hope Briney is better at using Twitter than his predecessor.
It’s a love that’s good, and bad — as the show’s title track sings so clearly (Taylor Swift, ‘This Love’). This oxymoron not only reflects the romantic tensions within the show, but the show’s quality itself. Within one episode, the show can ignite and kill its magic. It dives into deeper topics, and swims at a surface-level pace. The potential is there. It’s no Heartstopper, but it is something promising.
The Summer I Turned Pretty, for all the ways it could be improved, is an enjoyable show. It captures the burden of adolescence and the dizzy excitement of being young and in love spectacularly. If you liked To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, then I am sure that Han will win your heart once more. And if you enjoy screaming the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s discography and are a sucker for a good love story, then add this series to your list.
Consider it a love letter to the new generation of romantics.
