Freeform’s original TV series, Cruel Summer, has made its mark in the television industry. With its debut on Hulu shortly after Freeform, the show had many opportunities to gain traction, views and fans.
Cruel Summer is a ten-episode thriller series that is already set to release a second season. It follows two main characters, Kate Wallis and Jeanette Turner. Kate is the golden girl of her high school and someone that many people envy and wish to be due to her popularity and charm. Jeanette Turner attends the same high school as Kate, and has always had an admiration for her and a desire to be her friend.
The show unfolds the story of Kate Wallis going missing, and Jeanette Turner taking over Kate’s life after the fact. Jeanette embodies essentially everything Kate was, from her clothing style, personality, friendships and even relationships. Cruel Summer raises the question: Is Jeanette somehow responsible or a part of the reason Kate Wallis went missing? And, regardless of Jeanette’s potential involvement in Kate’s disappearance, what actually happened to Kate?
I personally watched the whole season on Hulu in two days. I was so invested in the show because each episode shows three years of time and how much has changed during those years. Flashbacks are shown from the previous two years, with the third year being the present time and life of the characters. I love how the show was set up because it gives viewers the opportunity to see the changes in the lives of those involved in both Kate and Jeanette’s life. Having a different time span in each show made it easy to watch because there was never a dull moment, and each year revealed hidden dialogue between characters that gets the viewers to construct their own theories about what truly happened in Kate and Jeanette’s lives.
If you are looking for a show that is mysterious, dramatic and thrilling, Cruel Summer is for you.