logo
The Summer I Turned Pretty 3 Review: A dull ride through a cringe summer rom-com

The Summer I Turned Pretty 3 Review: A dull ride through a cringe summer rom-com

India Today16-07-2025
At this point, 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' feels less like a coming-of-age romance and more like deja vu in a sundress. Season 3 is here, and sadly, it brings back the same recycled drama wrapped in beachy aesthetics and predictable love triangles. Honestly, we've turned too pretty, too many times, and it's getting exhausting.The storyline, at least in the first two episodes, is all over the place. It can't decide whether it wants to go deep and emotional or just stick to surface-level angst. For a change, Belly (Lola Tung) isn't torn between the Fisher brothers but is now juggling her blooming relationship with Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno) and her career. And the stakes are practically non-existent. The emotional beats feel forced, the conflicts are eye-roll-inducing, and the pacing drags like a bad summer hangover.The ending of Episode 1 plays out like a 'FRIENDS' rerun. That 'we were on a break' Ross-and-Rachel moment is just slightly rebranded. The dialogues feel borderline copied. The season also dips deeper into Taylor, Belly's best friend (Rain Spencer) and Steven's (Sean Kaufman) relationship, which, thankfully, offers a brief reprieve from the usual love triangle fatigue.advertisementWatch the trailer for 'The Summer I Turned Pretty 3' here:
We get it - college drama, heartbreak, poolside confessions, and longing stares - but how many more slow-mo beach walks and lazy couch heart-to-hearts can we sit through before it all just feels cringe? These tropes have been done to death, and Season 3 brings nothing new to the table. It's like watching your favourite 2013 Tumblr fanfic loop on autoplay.Sure, the soundtrack slaps (shoutout to Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey's iconic chartbusters), occasionally swooping in like a knight in shining armour to save the weak script. And yes, the cast looks great. But vibes alone can't carry a show forever.When it comes to teen rom-coms, audiences are craving more than pretty faces and worn-out love triangles. We're bored. Season 3 proves the show might've peaked during its very first summer. Episode 2 ends on a cliffhanger meant to be poetic - but it just lands flat. Low-key, it's cringe. And it still has a long way to go.'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Season 3 is now streaming on Prime Video.The review is based on the first two episodes.- Ends2 out of 5 stars for 'The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ross and Rachel to Randall and Beth: Top 7 iconic US series couples and what they can teach us about love
Ross and Rachel to Randall and Beth: Top 7 iconic US series couples and what they can teach us about love

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Time of India

Ross and Rachel to Randall and Beth: Top 7 iconic US series couples and what they can teach us about love

From coffee shop meet-cutes to hospital corridors, US series have provided us with some of the most memorable love affairs. These couples haven't only had audiences tuned in with their attraction, but also taught us surprisingly unexpected things about love, compromise, and endurance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Let's have a bit of fun exploring 7 iconic couples and what their romance can teach us. Ross and Rachel from 'Friends' Ross and Rachel's relationship is as chaotic as it is iconic. From the infamous "we were on a break" drama to the airport goodbye that made everyone cry, they prove that relationships are not straightforward. What they learn is that love can survive sloppy mistakes, but that it is communication that holds it all together. Jim and Pam from 'The Office' Jim and Pam's romance is an example that proves the strongest relationships start as friendship. From stolen glances at the office to the hugging scenes outside the office, they remind us it's the little things, good humour, and silent nods that, at times, speak more loudly than grand gestures of love. Meredith and Derek from 'Grey's Anatomy' Meredith and Derek tell a tale of passion with romance and heartbreak. Theirs is a love affair that shows that no matter what life throws the unimagined you, being honest, vulnerable, and committed is what sustains love. Marshall and Lily from 'How I Met Your Mother' Marshall and Lily give us relationship inspiration in the form of humour and authenticity. They show us that they become better when together and not separately, and love works if both partners are each other's biggest supporter. Randall and Beth from 'This Is Us' Randall and Beth are today's power couple. They teach us that a good relationship is built on respect for each other, mutual responsibilities, and laughter in the middle of daily chaos, even during tough times. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Carrie and Big from 'Sex and the City' Carrie and Big's romance is tangled, complicated, and irresistibly addictive. Their ride teaches us that knowing one's value and being true is every bit as important as loving. Luke and Lorelai from 'Gilmore Girls' Luke and Lorelai's slow-burn romance shows that the best love stories sometimes start right under your nose. Their banter, friendship, and unwavering support for each other prove that love is as much about laughter as it is about passion.

What Hulk Hogan meant for Indians, and America in India
What Hulk Hogan meant for Indians, and America in India

Indian Express

time2 days ago

  • Indian Express

What Hulk Hogan meant for Indians, and America in India

Around 1993-94, a six-year-old was hanging on for dear life onto the railing with one hand and the other clutching his mother lest he fall out the door of one of Delhi's once-infamous Red Line buses. Terrified, but unwilling to show it, the boy shouted, 'Hulk Hogan ki yahi pehchan, peeli kacche, phati banyaan'. Everyone in earshot, including the driver and conductor, burst out laughing and soon, the kid had pride of place – sitting on the large covering over the gear stick, next to the driver. Hulk Hogan (the stage name Terry Bollea was known by), who died on July 24 at the age of 71, likely didn't realise the impact he – and the WWF, later WWE – had on a country that had just been opened up to the American. But for a generation, particularly the boys among them, wrestling was our soap opera and our cultural context. It shaped how we saw the US in much the way Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan moulded our view of mythology. And America was, at least back then, a mythical place. Liberalisation – both in terms of how it pushed up upper-middle-class incomes and impacted culture – didn't truly hit till the 2000s. In the early '90s, most of us were much more 'local', still struggling to be part of the flattening of culture that shows like Friends and Seinfeld would later bring about. Today, Americanisms are a part of the vocabulary for most Indian English speakers. 'My bad' (instead of my fault) and 'I'm good' (not as a moral assessment but to say 'I am well') are thrown about without a thought for the poor English teacher who taught us the basics of grammar. It wasn't so when Hulkamania – and Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon and Yokozuna – came into the lives of today's millennials. Nonsense rhymes like the one uttered on the bus were the most common form of comedy: 'Yokozuna went to Poona, eating Choona' or 'Undertaker, ice cream maker', etc. WWF Trump cards were the card game of choice, and recreating wrestling matches was practically a sport. The first 'fancy' birthday parties were wrestling-themed – with masks and championship belts. The first designer cakes were shaped like wrestlers. As the kids grew up, WWF-WWE kept up. The risque 'attitude era' meant boys kept imitating Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H – giving the middle finger and the 's***k it' gesture. It was dangerous, feeding the proto-adolescent's desire for risk-taking and masculine assertion. Wrestling – and most of all Hulk Hogan – clearly had a deep cultural impact. And this impact became a weapon for the assertion of American soft power and propaganda. Hogan, 'a good guy' for much of his career (he did 'turn heel' and become 'Hollywood Hogan' for a while), was the first global wrestling superstar. And he was an all-American hero. His nemesis was the Iron Sheik (an evil, conniving character from West Asia). His theme song was 'I am a Real American' and justified military intervention in the name 'fighting for the rights of every man'. And we swallowed it all up, as kids, without knowing better. Blond American, good guy. Brown and Black, not as much. Through soap-opera plots, Hulk and the WWF kept us hooked. Wrestling today no longer pretends to be 'real'; it has many more stars and looks way more slick. In deference to the Indian market, it made superstars of the Great Khali and Jinder Mahal. Hulk Hogan had his share of controversies, a reality show and something of a sordid personal life. But for those who idolised him when they were five, who remembered the rhyme about his costume when hanging out of the door of a bus, there will always be a soft spot for Hulkamania.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Review: Growing up, going in circles again
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Review: Growing up, going in circles again

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Review: Growing up, going in circles again

Story: Two years later, Belly is in college and engaged to Jeremiah, while Conrad, her first love, remains distant in med school. As old emotions resurface, the love triangle rekindles one last time, forcing Belly to decide what—and who—she truly wants. Review: The third season of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' picks up two years later and brings with it a quieter, more mature tone. Belly (Lola Tung) is now in college, navigating academic pressures and slowly inching her way into adulthood. She's in a steady relationship with Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), while Conrad (Christopher Briney) is away in med school, largely keeping to himself. On the surface, the characters seem older, but emotionally, not much has changed. The series continues to rely on the love triangle that has anchored it since the beginning. It's less about who Belly will choose and more about how long the question can linger. This season leans into emotional weight, attempting to show characters coming to terms with the grief of Susannah's (Rachel Blanchard) loss while also grappling with the growing pains of early adulthood. Belly, no longer the impulsive girl from earlier summers, is now quieter, more reflective. Some moments—like a flashback that shakes her—stand out for their emotional clarity. Lola Tung matches the tone with a subdued, internalized performance that carries the weight of someone learning to process rather than react. The writing, though occasionally insightful, often retreats into the familiar territory of unresolved feelings and romantic conflict. Things start to shift when Jeremiah proposes in the second episode of the season. While the moment should have landed with more impact, it feels hurried—more of a narrative beat than a truly earned emotional turning point. Belly says yes, but the decision sparks a return to old patterns, especially with Conrad's re-entry. The show dives back into stolen glances, awkward confrontations, and quiet heartbreaks. Jeremiah's arc, despite Gavin Casalegno's presence, feels thinner this time—limited mostly to insecurity and reaction. In contrast, Conrad's storyline is more emotionally layered. His therapy sessions, quiet struggles, and visible restraint bring much-needed depth and mark a subtle evolution from where he began. Based on the three episodes streamed so far, the series shifts away from the breezy aesthetic of Cousins Beach and now unfolds across college dorms, hospital corridors, and therapy rooms. While the sunlit charm is missed, the new backdrops complement the show's attempt to grow up. The soundtrack continues to do heavy lifting—featuring tracks from Taylor Swift, The Cranberries, and Radiohead. At times, the music overshadows the scene, but it usually adds the emotional dimension that the script sometimes lacks. A welcome addition is Zoé de Grand'Maison as Agnes, a calming presence from Conrad's present life who shifts the dynamic in small but meaningful ways. Ultimately, Season 3 attempts to strike a balance between closure and comfort. It gives its characters a sense of direction and growth, yet it remains shackled to the same emotional loop that defined the earlier seasons. There are a few touching moments—especially those involving siblings and parents—but the central love triangle, once full of possibility, now feels like it's simply going in circles. While longtime fans of Jenny Han's books may find satisfaction in how things unfold, others might feel like they're watching the same summer story dressed in fall clothes.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store