Yes

By Nami G. ’28

No

By Natalie G. ’28

Amid the releases of Wednesday Season 2, Ginny and Georgia Season 3, and all the typical summer-themed shows students watch, only one stands out  — The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Set during the summers at the fictional Cousins Beach based on inspirations such as Cape Cod, the show details the life of Isabel Conklin and her two love interests, who conveniently happen to be brothers. Season three aired over the summer, with the final few episodes released early this September.

Like it or hate it, even if you’ve never watched it, you’ve definitely heard of it. Most other shows released this summer were entirely forgotten about, partially because many weren’t summer-themed and partially because they lacked The Summer I Turned Pretty’s perfect character ratio of irritating to interesting. No other show has caused the internet to spark with avid debates on the show’s various love triangles and the characters’ questionable choices. And though some may view the characters as ridiculous, even they have to admit that nothing sparks a heated debate more than someone posing the simple question “Jeremiah or Conrad?” Dr. Kimura, a Lakeside English teacher and an avid The Summer I Turned Pretty fan who is up to date on all seasons and even teaches the first book in some classes, comments that the show is “…a really accurate representation of the ‘ideal teenage life,’ and a lot of my students see themselves in the book.” 

Meanwhile, the setting of The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t like the brooding dark halls of Wednesday or the small-town vibes of Ginny and Georgia. Instead of spooking viewers or making them feel cozy — both of which I admit are coveted emotions, if not the most appropriate for summer — it makes viewers yearn for sunlit beaches, seaside carnivals, and nighttime bonfires. On top of this, the show utilizes popular songs that perfectly fit the setting of the scene, unlike other shows that use less well-known or relatable songs. Overall, The Summer I Turned Pretty nails the pure bliss of summer in a way no other show has accomplished.

Finally, the show’s plot includes a few fan-favorite tropes along with unpredictable plot wrenches that invite readers to guess at every twist and turn, all while also sparking the internet’s interest. Few (spoiler alert) who watched the show without reading the books predicted Susanna’s diagnosis, the selling of the summer house, or Belly’s and Jeremiah’s engagement. And no one could have possibly expected bakers to suddenly become fascinated with filming videos of their three-tiered mirror-glazed chocolate cake or the internet’s enragement of Belly’s devourment of a peach.

Overall, whether you like it or hate it, everyone has heard of The Summer I Turned Pretty. With some of the most cringey, coveted, and enraging characters the internet has to offer; the perfect picture of summer; and an unpredictable and distinctive plot, The Summer I Turned Pretty is undeniably the show of the summer.

Many changes have marked the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year for the Lakeside community: the controversial invisible device policy, the loud ringing of construction during classes, the impossible parking situation, and of course, the endless chatter about season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty, a young adult romcom television series with underlying themes of love, growth, grief, and family. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the name probably rings a bell, either because you’ve been unapologetically binge-watching it every Wednesday when a new episode comes out, or because you heard it from your friends, your advisory, or the rambunctious group of underclassmen screaming about how the new episode was “not up to par.” 

Despite its popularity, opinions about the show are mixed: according to the 63 respondents on the Tatler Poll, approximately 38% of Lakesiders dislike or strongly dislike it, 28% are impartial, and 34% like or strongly like it. Is it necessarily the worst show to watch? No. Is it a masterpiece of cinematography, hooking you in from start to finish because of its intriguing plot, nuanced characters, and humor? Absolutely not. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. “It’s like ragebait,” Chelsea W. ’28 remarks, “There’s no sense of plot, it’s overdone, it’s super cringe, and it’s honestly super toxic. Like, why are you bouncing around between two brothers? It makes no sense.” 

Other than the shallow plot, there are some huge character inconsistencies, especially Jeremiah’s crazy switch-up from kind, selfless, funny golden retriever to jealous, attention-seeking, desperate cheater between seasons two and three, and the appearance of a fan not-so-favorite, Benito, who isn’t as fully fleshed out in the book and is somehow still hanging on Belly’s arm until the very last episode. This made the ending rushed, insincere, and very cheesy, and we don’t get to see nearly as much chemistry and growth on-screen as the main couple should have.

Overall,  The Summer I Turned Pretty had great potential; it drew in people from across the nation to reminisce on their adolescence or relate to their current struggles. But ultimately, it fell short due to subpar writing and unrelatable characters. Although it is a fun show to laugh at with friends, it’s nothing special or original, all of which takes it out of the running for show of the summer.