Amazon Prime’s young adult drama series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” released its final season this past September. If you stopped to listen in the halls on a Thursday after a Wednesday night when an episode was released, you were likely to hear heated debates and passionate reviews about that episode.

The emotional investment many Cinnaminson High School students and staff have in this show has left many non-watchers curious as to why.

Based on Jenny Han’s 2009 book trilogy, the series follows the story of Belly Conklin, who spends her summers at Cousin’s Beach with her mother’s best friend’s family, the Fishers. The audience watches multiple summers where Belly must navigate a love triangle between the high-spirited younger brother, Jeremiah Fisher, and the older and broodier brother, Conrad Fisher.

Belly’s coming of age, heartbreak, family dynamics, friendship, first loves, and grief are central themes of the show.

The series contains situations that resonate with its young adult audience, prompting its high regard among the teenage students at Cinnaminson High School. However, it can’t be understated that the popularity of the series transcends the “young adult” genre and has found watchers within the millennial and Gen X age groups as well.

“Those unresolved feelings and unrequited love, and the struggle of you getting to that point where the relationship’s going to finally work out, but the other person is not there,” English teacher Michelle Forbes said. “It’s appealing no matter what your age is.”

The intense emotional aspects of the show are appealing to some viewers; however, the light-hearted summertime fun draws the audience in as well. 

“Well, I would say I feel more excited for summer, I feel like it influences wanting or enjoying summer more,” senior Kim Mason said.

Author of the book series and producer of the show, Jenny Han, has released many popular teen dramas like Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

Han’s work deals with intense universal experiences with flawed protagonists, growth and transitions, miscommunications, and characters with depth and complexity. Han also makes some parts in the books different from the TV series, so that people who read the books have no idea what is coming next in the shows. 

“Jenny Han is too good at playing with our emotions. We should all take notes,” English teacher Katherine Laskowski said about Han’s work.

The show has all the components of a crowd pleaser with its depiction of teenage life; it provides nostalgia for adults and relatability for teenagers. 

“TV might give teenagers some kind of solace if they’re struggling with them as well, to see. I firmly believe that watching somebody else go through it gives you a sense of, somebody else has gone through it, and it’ll all be okay,” Forbes said. 

Although some critics of the series may describe the series as melodramatic or low-stakes, that may actually be a selling point for viewers. Certain shows are acclaimed for providing a calming and stress-free viewing experience.

“I would describe it as a very comforting show that is a relaxing show you can put in the background while you’re doing something,” Mason said. 

The series overall seems to have something for everyone, whether that is intense drama, teenage fun, or summertime calmness. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is regarded as an agreeable, pleasant series among CHS students and staff.

Ultimately, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a cultural phenomenon because of its ability to unify, captivate, and interest widespread audiences.