The Summer I Turned Pretty, The adapted series measures up to its novel equivalent

 The Bottom Line A solid coming-of-ager wrapped in a not-so-good romance.

Airdate: Friday, June 17 (Amazon)

Cast: Lola Tung, Jackie Chung, Rachel Blanchard, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Sean Kaufman, Alfredo Narciso, Minnie Mills, Colin Ferguson, Tom Everett Scott

Creator: Jenny Han

Sensing the potential for a love triangle? Ding, ding, ding! But it doesn’t reveal itself as quickly as you’d think. The Summer I Turned Pretty reinforces over and over that Belly has been in love with the elder brother, Conrad, since she was young, but he has suddenly adopted a moody, misunderstood attitude that serves as a bit of a mystery in the season’s first half. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is a sunny, bisexual party boy, happy to follow the fun and an “equal opportunity” flirt. The show never quite makes it a fair fight between the brothers, yet it still manages to make you feel very attached to both of them.

In fact, the show is careful about framing typically gendered coming-of-age tropes. A debutante ball is an “opportunity to network”, a challenge for a self-assured Belly, touted as “a feral alley cat” by her own mother, Laurel, to glow up into a graceful swan, the last wish for a perfect summer for a beloved, ailing second mother, Susannah. The debutantes of the season aren’t catty till you give them a reason to be. In the first big show of camaraderie, the ladies pass each other a hip flask at high tea, when introductory speeches are being made about a history of elegance, and the productive potential of the ball. Still, the girls listen attentively, full of school spirit. It’s not just ladies' choice for partners, but also before the main dance, there’s an indulgent BTS-inspired performance by their chosen escorts, enthusiastically cheered on by the thirsty debs and amused relatives.

As we eventually find out over the course of the series, there’s actually a tragic reason for why this summer in Cousins feels so pivotal for both Laurel and Susannah’s families—and why each character is so deeply invested, consciously or not, in projecting a protective aura over the season. If heartache, both of the teenage and the existential variety, is a fact of life, doesn’t that make some good, frothy fantasy all the more essential?

To turn a slow-burn romance into a weekend marathon, you need actors who can captivate their viewers’ fluctuating attention span. That’s where this army of uber-cool actors come in—Tung’s a gifted little two goodie-shoes, Briney is most likely to be the next hotshot romcom king and the other two pull you in with their confidence alone. That, and good looks.

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ is typical fluff content but with toned-down teenage-y idiocy and cinematic class. Take out that fedora, clean up well, apply some sunscreen and dive into the world of Belly and her babes… head first, please!