The Summer I Turned Pretty

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hated the ending. Spoilers if anyone cares…

1. The boys convincing their mom to do the cancer trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them mature to a point that they could respect their mom’s wish to die with dignity. Instead we get the same tired trope with Belly hinting at the end that miracles are possible.

2. Belly and Conrad. Ugh. He’s going off to college and dating a girl who JUST turned 16? Good luck with that.

You expect them to have been mature enough to respect her decision to die when they are in high school? Man, you DCUMers are really rough on kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated the ending. Spoilers if anyone cares…

1. The boys convincing their mom to do the cancer trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them mature to a point that they could respect their mom’s wish to die with dignity. Instead we get the same tired trope with Belly hinting at the end that miracles are possible.

2. Belly and Conrad. Ugh. He’s going off to college and dating a girl who JUST turned 16? Good luck with that.

You expect them to have been mature enough to respect her decision to die when they are in high school? Man, you DCUMers are really rough on kids.

But in the books she does die after that summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated the ending. Spoilers if anyone cares…

1. The boys convincing their mom to do the cancer trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them mature to a point that they could respect their mom’s wish to die with dignity. Instead we get the same tired trope with Belly hinting at the end that miracles are possible.

2. Belly and Conrad. Ugh. He’s going off to college and dating a girl who JUST turned 16? Good luck with that.

You expect them to have been mature enough to respect her decision to die when they are in high school? Man, you DCUMers are really rough on kids.

No, I clearly wrote that asking her to do the trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them wrestle with the horrible fact of the inevitable, and then help her die with dignity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it and found every one of the characters completely loathsome (except for Cam, who was written off early on).

Op here.

I found Belly annoying. She started off cool and I had high hopes for her in the first episode where she gives Conrad grief for smoking weed. I thought she would be confident and cool. But she turned out to be boring, immature, and self-centered. No clue how she’s the heroine in a book series.

I also thought she wasn’t pretty or interesting enough for all the attention she received. Her friend was way more confident and interesting.

Her older brother was similarly insecure despite his false bravado. He seemed very shallow.

No clue why they felt compelled to have a bisexual character. The insertion of that scene seemed rather gratuitous and a big departure from the storyline/crush.

I liked the Asian mom. She was interesting. The white mom made me cry.

Conrad seemed genuine and interesting. He just seemed much older than Belly, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he liked her.

Does the book do a better job making Belly more interesting?

The entire point of LGBTQ+ representation in media is about normalizing it. Their existence is not gratuitous and it doesn’t have to be a big deal or major plot point. He’s bi; the end. Coming out stories are important, but so are stories about AFTER coming out and seeing a bi teen live his life with acceptance by his friends and family.

Very good point about normalizing! Our sexual orientation is one of many characteristics and aspects of our identity. To share the fact without “centering” it is powerful in its own right. Just like hetero characters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hated the ending. Spoilers if anyone cares…

1. The boys convincing their mom to do the cancer trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them mature to a point that they could respect their mom’s wish to die with dignity. Instead we get the same tired trope with Belly hinting at the end that miracles are possible.

2. Belly and Conrad. Ugh. He’s going off to college and dating a girl who JUST turned 16? Good luck with that.

So my mom died when I was 24. She never did chemo, because it only gave her a 5% chance. I accepted it. I mean I didn't ask her for more. But it has been 15 years and every day the thought is always in my mind "what if" and I WISH beyond anything I had just asked her to try. So I don't know, I don't think I was more mature for not asking her. She certainly didn't die with dignity just because she refused treatment. She died in a horrible horrific manner.

[Anonymous]

The title annoys me so much I won't watch it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated the ending. Spoilers if anyone cares…

1. The boys convincing their mom to do the cancer trial was expected, but it would’ve been powerful to see them mature to a point that they could respect their mom’s wish to die with dignity. Instead we get the same tired trope with Belly hinting at the end that miracles are possible.

2. Belly and Conrad. Ugh. He’s going off to college and dating a girl who JUST turned 16? Good luck with that.

So my mom died when I was 24. She never did chemo, because it only gave her a 5% chance. I accepted it. I mean I didn't ask her for more. But it has been 15 years and every day the thought is always in my mind "what if" and I WISH beyond anything I had just asked her to try. So I don't know, I don't think I was more mature for not asking her. She certainly didn't die with dignity just because she refused treatment. She died in a horrible horrific manner.

NP and just wanted to say I am sorry for your loss and send you a virtual hug.

[Anonymous]

I guess I liked it as an adult but I felt like the obscenity and drinking and drugs were exaggerated for real kids. Flask at the rich girls’ tea party for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I liked it as an adult but I felt like the obscenity and drinking and drugs were exaggerated for real kids. Flask at the rich girls’ tea party for example.

All teen shows:
“If I don’t have enough drugs and sex it’s not cool enough or not genuine enough.”
“If I have too much of it, it will seem cooler, even though it’s not *quite* accurate.”

I’m not saying that doesn’t happen IRL, it just seems so concentrated. The one summer’s worth is like a year’s worth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I liked it as an adult but I felt like the obscenity and drinking and drugs were exaggerated for real kids. Flask at the rich girls’ tea party for example.

I have two teens. I can tell you that the obscenity was not exaggerated at all. If anything it was muted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else think it is was implied the moms had some kind of relationship in college or after college? I kept thinking that was implied. Especially when laurel said I was love once but it wouldn’t have worked out? And Susannah said we know bisexuality existed?

I BINGED the whole thing and my teen thought it was stupid and awful.

During that scene between Laurel and Belly when Laurel said she'd once had a relationship that had so many fireworks she knew it would burn both of them, I just assumed she was referring to Susannah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched it and found every one of the characters completely loathsome (except for Cam, who was written off early on).

Op here.

I found Belly annoying. She started off cool and I had high hopes for her in the first episode where she gives Conrad grief for smoking weed. I thought she would be confident and cool. But she turned out to be boring, immature, and self-centered. No clue how she’s the heroine in a book series.

I also thought she wasn’t pretty or interesting enough for all the attention she received. Her friend was way more confident and interesting.

Her older brother was similarly insecure despite his false bravado. He seemed very shallow.

No clue why they felt compelled to have a bisexual character. The insertion of that scene seemed rather gratuitous and a big departure from the storyline/crush.

I liked the Asian mom. She was interesting. The white mom made me cry.

Conrad seemed genuine and interesting. He just seemed much older than Belly, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he liked her.

Does the book do a better job making Belly more interesting?

The entire point of LGBTQ+ representation in media is about normalizing it. Their existence is not gratuitous and it doesn’t have to be a big deal or major plot point. He’s bi; the end. Coming out stories are important, but so are stories about AFTER coming out and seeing a bi teen live his life with acceptance by his friends and family.

Very good point about normalizing! Our sexual orientation is one of many characteristics and aspects of our identity. To share the fact without “centering” it is powerful in its own right. Just like hetero characters.

I’m not sure it fit this story though. He was in love with Belly and never strayed from it when any other girl flirted with him. Then at a party, he flirts with and initiates a kiss with a dude. It throws the viewer off because it contradicts his feelings for Belly. If he kissed lots of guys and girls that would’ve made more sense but instead he strayed from his feelings for Belly once and that was with a guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else think it is was implied the moms had some kind of relationship in college or after college? I kept thinking that was implied. Especially when laurel said I was love once but it wouldn’t have worked out? And Susannah said we know bisexuality existed?

I BINGED the whole thing and my teen thought it was stupid and awful.

During that scene between Laurel and Belly when Laurel said she'd once had a relationship that had so many fireworks she knew it would burn both of them, I just assumed she was referring to Susannah.

Read into it what you will. I don’t see it that way. You don’t think Laurel has had any other people in her life??
Why would she come that close to “fireworks” and have to walk away, and then remain best friends for 20 years.

Fireworks was someone else.

Laurel and Susannah have been friends since they were kids / younger teens. I re-iterate, that doesn’t seem like fireworks entered that friendship arc. Just a long-lasting loyalty. Which laurel’s husband (right?) suggests has been her real love. Friendship, in this world, being a potentially more lifelong partnership than marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else think it is was implied the moms had some kind of relationship in college or after college? I kept thinking that was implied. Especially when laurel said I was love once but it wouldn’t have worked out? And Susannah said we know bisexuality existed?

I BINGED the whole thing and my teen thought it was stupid and awful.

During that scene between Laurel and Belly when Laurel said she'd once had a relationship that had so many fireworks she knew it would burn both of them, I just assumed she was referring to Susannah.

Me too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else think it is was implied the moms had some kind of relationship in college or after college? I kept thinking that was implied. Especially when laurel said I was love once but it wouldn’t have worked out? And Susannah said we know bisexuality existed?

I BINGED the whole thing and my teen thought it was stupid and awful.

During that scene between Laurel and Belly when Laurel said she'd once had a relationship that had so many fireworks she knew it would burn both of them, I just assumed she was referring to Susannah.

Read into it what you will. I don’t see it that way. You don’t think Laurel has had any other people in her life??
Why would she come that close to “fireworks” and have to walk away, and then remain best friends for 20 years.

Fireworks was someone else.

Laurel and Susannah have been friends since they were kids / younger teens. I re-iterate, that doesn’t seem like fireworks entered that friendship arc. Just a long-lasting loyalty. Which laurel’s husband (right?) suggests has been her real love. Friendship, in this world, being a potentially more lifelong partnership than marriage.

OP here. I mean yes, if this was a real life conversation between a mom and daughter I wouldn't assume anything, but it just seemed like a checkov's gun trope, since this was based on a YA novel. YMMV. I haven't read the books so I have no idea if anything other than a friendship between Laurel and Susannah ever gets discussed.