Cruel Summer

I think this show had a lot going on for it but after watching the entire season I think there were a few things that ruined it. The concept was interesting, it got my attention at first but as I kept on watching I liked it less and less. I think the writing was too messy, the pace was too slow (some episodes had nothing interesting going on in them), the characters development was all wrong (especially from a psychological perspective), some really unlikable characters (Mallory for example was getting on my nerves a lot and I must point out she doesn't look like a teen either) and lastly there was too much unexplained behavior. By the time I got to the end I felt the time invested in the show was not worth it. I was expecting it to be more mature. It had a teen show feel to it and by the end even the twists were not impressive. It's watchable but not as good as it should have been.

Her character is bad in 1993, 1994 and 1995. I get anxious when her scenes are on. No one should use their mouth that much to talk, adding to the over-acting even more.

Decent, had the potential to be amazing, but ended up failing to live up to its own potential with a disappointing soap-opera level ending.

At its strongest in it's nuanced and sensitive depiction of grooming. Mostly convincing in showing the awkwardness and changes of adolescence.

The changes in character appearance and cinematography between years helped to reduce confusion about what year each scene is happening in. But it did mean that the 1993 hair, fashion and style looked a lot more like the 80s than the 90s and 1995 was darker and bleaker than necessary.

The music of the era worked well, but the slow, paired-back, female singer versions of pop songs has been so over-done and it is highly, highly over-used in this show to the point of distraction.

Mallory is a very annoying and unlikeable character.

After a season of a subtly unfolding story the ending seemed very cheap and flat. Not sure what the point is going to be of season two. I tend to think it would have been better to tell a solid and convincing story in one season and leave it at that.

Each episode is addictive, because it allows the audience to trust and doubt the two female lead characters at the same time. With all the plot twists, you will find that both characters are the victim and the villian at the same time. Yet, I feel sorry for both. Also, I appreciate how they don't romanticise an underage student and authoriative figure relationship like pretty little liars. Instead, it covers the grooming, a real issue.

I'm in my 30s and I was wary about this show because I thought it was for teens. But it was actually super gripping and had me hooked. I binged it over two days. Yes there were some silly unbelievable things in it but there were lots of twists and it had you guessing the whole time. The acting was also good. I love that it was based in the 90s too.