And then there is the . Jenny Han has a superpower for picking music. Season 1 famously features multiple Taylor Swift songs (“This Love (Taylor’s Version)” is practically the theme song), alongside Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers, and Billie Eilish. The music doesn't just accompany the scenes; it narrates the internal monologue of a teenage girl falling apart and falling in love simultaneously. The Verdict: Is It Worth the Hype? Yes. If you go into The Summer I Turned Pretty expecting a high-stakes thriller, you will be bored. This is a character study wrapped in a summer blanket.

Her relationship with Belly’s mother, Laurel (Jackie Chung), is the show’s secret weapon. Their friendship—one flighty and artistic, the other grounded and pragmatic—feels real, messy, and deeply loving. It grounds the teenage drama in adult stakes. Let’s be honest: half the reason people watched Season 1 was to live in it. The production design is impeccable. The worn-in beach house, the string lights, the bonfires on the sand, the morning pancakes, the vintage volleyball game. It is escapism at its finest.

By the final shot of Conrad standing alone in the empty house, you will understand why fans waited impatiently for Season 2. It hurts to grow up. But it looks beautiful doing it.