‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Season 2 Review: A Nightmare Dressed Like A Daydream

As The Summer I Turned Pretty’s choice artist Taylor Swift once said: It’s a cruel summer.

Isabella “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung) heads back to the beach in Season 2 of Prime Video’s hit YA series, adapted from Jenny Han’s popular coming-of-age romance novels. But as she, Conrad (Christopher Briney), Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), Steven (Sean Kaufman), and Taylor (Rain Spencer) encounter heartbreaking changes, navigate messy love triangles, and unpack raw grief down at Cousins, they quickly realize their safe space and sacred season are forever altered.

Season 2’s eight episodes, all of which were available for review, bring It’s Not Summer Without You — the second book in Han’s series — to screen in an emotionally jarring fashion. Picking up a year after Belly and Conrad shared a long-awaited kiss on the beach, the season explores the aftermath of Susannah’s (Rachel Blanchard) recent death, made even more painful by her sister Julia’s (Krya Sedgwick) mysteriously unshakable desire to sell the family beach house. When Conrad goes missing and Belly and Jeremiah unite to track him down, they embark on a turbulent, hazy summer haunted by a swirl of what-ifs, words left unsaid, and stirring core memories.

If Season 1 of The Summer I Turned Pretty was a dream, Season 2 can only be described as a nightmare dressed like a daydream. The palpable tragedy of Susannah’s death, the ripple effects her loss and absence have on characters and relationships, and the fear of losing her paramount possession understandably fuel a darker season. But aside from its vital shift in tone, Season 2 also devises a narrative nightmare by relying on a flood of flashbacks to answer the many questions viewers (especially those who haven’t read the books) will have when the series returns.

Though the tricky time jumps start to subside after Episode 3 and the show thankfully reclaims its prized watchability, Belly’s trip down memory lane crosses the line from confusing to maddening on more than one occasion. Just when you find yourself fully immersed in one timeline, you’re randomly yanked to another in a mirror image of Belly’s real-time nostalgia. The artful intention behind the storytelling technique is clear, and the flashbacks are equally compelling and necessary. But tiresome teases, drawn-out reveals, and chaotic transitions between present and past — signaled by the sound of a wind chime that I wanted to physically fight by the end of the premiere — undoubtedly distract, muddling the early viewing experience.

Despite the flawed execution and sad subject matter, Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty still exudes Han’s signature charm with picturesque settings, intense young love, and intimate friendships that capture all the enchantment of a Taylor Swift song — or nine! The show’s comforting score swells to successfully heighten dramatic moments and evoke emotions, and though I can’t get into specifics, rest assured the soundtrack and music moments still slap.

Somber Season 2 realities are both lived in and offset with fun escapes to the boardwalk, the country club, and a party in episodes that are delightfully reminiscent of beloved early 2000s dramas. The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s second installment brings back a few familiar faces while introducing several new characters, such as Conrad and Jer’s non-binary cousin, Skye (Elsie Fisher). And the cast resumes its seemingly effortless chemistry while exploring new emotional depths. Tung regularly shakes off Belly’s gentle, soft-spoken demeanor in scenes of conflict. Casalegno portrays a more jaded, self-aware, outspoken Jeremiah who’s understandably sick of smiling through the pain and sacrificing his happiness for others. (In case you couldn’t tell, I’m Team Jer in Season 2.) And Briney takes Conrad’s brooding immaturity to a new level in the present, while flashbacks show a dreamy, funny, softer side to him that we caught fleeting glimpses of in Season 1.

Aside from the brotherly love triangle — which is more painful to watch than ever — Kaufman returns as a recently dumped, Princeton-bound Steven. And Spencer is back as Belly’s spirited bestie Taylor, who’s now madly in love with a musician with a penchant for covering late ’90s hits. With college on the brain, one of Season 2’s major themes is independence, which unfortunately means less of the iconic Laurel (Jackie Chung). But we still check in as she deals with the death of her best friend and finds ways to honor her memory at her own pace.

Just like Cousins, The Summer I Turned Pretty will never be the same post-Susannah, but it remains a quintessential summer watch nonetheless. Season 2’s emotional roller coaster serves as a harsh reminder that life isn’t always a beach, but its unique mix of “miserable and magical” will keep you hooked until the end.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 premieres on Prime Video Friday, July 14 with three episodes. After that, new episodes will be available to stream weekly.