Teen dramas are a combination of love triangles, heartbreak and big emotional roller coasters. In the past summers, two shows have taken over these conversations: “The Summer I turned Pretty” and “My Life with the Walter Boys”. At first, the shows may look identical, with a girl caught between two brothers while she balances love and life. But as you get into the show, their styles and stories are quite different.
For me, “My Life and the Walter Boys” feels smoother and a bit simpler in the love path of the show. Jackie moves to Silver Falls after she loses her family, which sets up the drama, but the show doesn’t have too many unnecessary side plots or shocking twists. Even though her love triangle with Cole and Alex is complicated, the whole story is still easier to follow. MLWTWB has a straightforwardness which makes it more enjoyable to watch without there being deep side stories and plot holes. I like how grounded it feels and it focuses on the emotions, family and main relationships.
The Summer I Turned Pretty, on the other hand, goes into twists and high-stakes drama. One of the biggest shocks in season 3 is Jeremiah’s sudden proposal to Belly after she found out he cheated on her not once, but twice. This is one of the twists which throws me off balance, but it’s also what makes TSITP so addictive. You never know what types of plot holes and story lines they’re gonna add in. The show runs on constant emotional turns, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming and excessive.
Still, I’ve loved TSITP since it came out and have been Team Conrad since day one. What I love most about it is the summer setting. Cousins Beach brings the vibe of warmth, ocean breezes, and all the memories they shared. Belly lives in a spiral of dreams and nostalgia. When she’s in Cousins, she’s reliving all her wonderful summers, which she doesn’t want to let go of. While still spiraling between the brothers. What doesn’t really go with my vibe is MLWTWB from its horses, farms and the small town vibe. While the countryside has its charm, I connect much more with the beach atmosphere.
Even with these differences, both shows have ended with one crucial similarity. Both Jackie and Belly have been curling back to the ones they loved from the start. For Jackie, no matter how much she tries to choose Alex, Cole is always there and pulling her towards him. As for Belly, she says yes to Jeremiah, yet her mind is always spinning on Conrad. In the last and latest episodes of these shows, they have both shown they truly do still love the other brother. And for me, no complaints since I’m team Cole and Conrad, so it was pretty enjoyable to watch.
In the end, both shows capture what they meant to. TSITP shows messy summer love, while MLWTWB shows chaos in a big family. Personally, I love MLWTWB for its simplicity, but I will always enjoy how the TSITP feels like summer, and the drama never ends.
