8 shows to watch if you liked The Summer I Turned Pretty

There's a palpable sense of nostalgia woven into The Summer I Turned Pretty, the Prime Video series based on best-selling young adult novels by Jenny Han. The series revolves around Isabel "Belly" Conklin, played by actress Lola Tung, when she returns to Cousins Beach during the summer, only to discover everything has changed once she arrives.

When Belly turns 16, she has difficulty finding an adapting friendship between childhood buddies Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). The storyline follows Belly as she finds herself caught in a love triangle, and she's surrounded by first love, heartbreak, and maturity issues.

The family conflict adds depth to the sun-kissed coming-of-age narrative, basing its young point of view in real-world matters. Fans can now follow Belly's ongoing saga and the new issues revealed on the shores of Cousins Beach now that The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 is available to stream.

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinions.

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Outer Banks, Dawson's Creek, and 6 other shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty

8) Outer Banks (Netflix)

Still from Outer Banks (Image via Netflix)

If The Summer I Turned Pretty characters found themselves in the midst of a high-stakes treasure hunt, the adventure might get as close as Outer Banks. The Netflix show, which is set along the coast of North Carolina, centers on the Pogues, a group of working-class teens led by John B (Chase Stokes). Their mission is to find John B's missing dad and the hidden treasure related to his disappearance.

They do this while continuing to face friction with the Kooks, the high society of Outer Banks, which serves to heighten the social divide of the show. The series, beyond adventure and mystery, centers on concepts of friendship, loyalty, and mourning. Additionally, relationship conflict and shifting alliances shape the group's evolving dynamic.

Across the seasons, several main characters go through some high-stakes events and extreme change. Outer Banks combines a coming-of-age plot and the coastal atmosphere, which often gets compared to the blend of romance and character development in The Summer I Turned Pretty.

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7) My Life With The Walter Boys (Netflix)

Still from My Life With Walter Boys (Image via Netflix)

My Life with the Walter Boys tracks the life of Jackie Howard, a high school girl who, after the tragic death of her family, moves from New York City to a ranch in Colorado. Jackie goes to live with her deceased mom's best friend, Katherine, her husband, and their massive family of ten sons and one daughter.

The show focuses on the challenge of adapting to a new setting and familial system and zeroes in, in this instance, on the relationships of the main character, Jackie, with two of the Walter brothers, Cole and Alex. Romantic tension arises as Jackie develops relationships with both brothers, and she processes shifting feelings of belonging and identity.

The show combines coming-of-age issues, the dynamics of a close and sometimes dysfunctional family, and the narrative of a love triangle set against a rural backdrop. My Life with the Walter Boys has been compared to The Summer I Turned Pretty due to its focus on self-discovery, high school romance, and the challenges of starting anew in an unfamiliar place.

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6) Looking for Alaska (Hulu)

Still from Looking For Alaska (Image via Hulu)

Looking for Alaska is a Hulu television series adapted from the first novel by John Green, released in 2005. The story revolves around Miles “Pudge” Halter, a student at Culver Creek Boarding School in Alabama, in search of the "Great Perhaps,” a sense of something bigger coming from his fascination with the dying words of famous people.

At Culver Creek, Miles befriends his roommate Chip, aka "The Colonel," and falls for enigmatic Alaska Young, whose world centers on untreated grief. The teenagers go through school, pranks, and romance until a disastrous car crash shifts their concerns.

The miniseries stays close to the novel's ideas, touching upon ideas of friendship, identity, and dealing with life-altering occurrences. Much like The Summer I Turned Pretty, it captures the intensity of youth, love, and the emotional challenges of growing up, making it deeply relatable to audiences across generations.

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5) One Tree Hill (HBO Max)

Still from One Tree Hill (Image via Hulu)

One Tree Hill is an American drama TV show that takes place in the fictional city of Tree Hill, North Carolina, revolving around half-brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott. The initial episodes center around the rivalry on the court and in real life between Lucas and Nathan in high school basketball, and trying to come to terms with their split families' problems.

As the series progresses, issues with their friends Peyton, Brooke, and Haley become entangled with their struggles in love, loyalty, and identity. Various issues are addressed in the series, and adolescent angst and the strains inherent in living in a small town provide the context.

Midway through its run, the show time skips and follows the characters into adulthood as they struggle to cope with marriage, parenthood, and extra responsibility. As seen in The Summer I Turned Pretty, the show experiences the passion of adolescent love and the twists and turns of growing up.

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4) Never Have I Ever (Netflix)

Still from Never Have I Ever (Image via Netflix)

Never Have I Ever chronicles the life of Devi Vishwakumar, a first-generation Indian-American teenager trying to get by after the sudden death of her father, Mohan. Now that he is gone, Devi is caught in a conflict between managing academics, friendships, and intense emotions, while also enduring the hardening relations between herself and her mother, Nalini.

In the very courtyard of the story is a love triangle between Paxton Hall-Yoshida, the popular athlete, and Ben Gross, Devi’s academic rival. Parallel to those romantic entanglements, Devi is supported tremendously by her best friends, Eleanor and Fabiola, in tackling all the challenges of high school.

Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, the series draws from Kaling's upbringing to an extent. Over its four seasons, which concluded in June 2023, Never Have I Ever became one of those shows that mixes funny, culturally nuanced, and reflective moments about Devi's coming of age. It shares many elements with The Summer I Turned Pretty about romance, identity, and the universal challenge of growing up.

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3) Dawson's Creek (Hulu)

Still from Dawson's Creek (Image via WB)

Set against the backdrop of Dawson Creek, a coastal town of small communities on the shores of Massachusetts, the drama follows Dawson Leery, an aspiring filmmaker of sorts, along with his best friends: Joey Potter, Pacey Witter, and Jen Lindley. This series portrays adolescence through friendship, familial conflicts, and sometimes just plain growing up.

First love, heartbreaks, grief, and the quest for identity mark the characters over six seasons. The scenes cover almost all sides of love - mostly the love between Dawson and Joey, but also the adventures of Pacey, Jen, and others, all of whom tread their paths in change and growth.

Broadcast from 1998 to 2003, it produced 128 episodes and remains a landmark story for many about the transition from high school to early adulthood, quite similar to The Summer I Turned Pretty, which was released years later.

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2) XO, Kitty (Netflix)

Still from XO, Kitty (Image via Netflix)

XO, Kitty is a Netflix show that expands the universe of writer Jenny Han, who is known for penning The Summer I Turned Pretty. The show centers on Kitty Song Covey, who goes to Seoul, South Korea, to study at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), the very same school her late mom had attended. Kitty does this in the hopes that she can reconcile with her long-distance boyfriend, Dae.

When she arrives, Kitty deals with new friends, school life, and unexpected challenges, including a love triangle involving Dae and Min Ho. As she discovers her identity and family history, Kitty uncovers secrets and has some significant realizations about where she belongs.

Friendship with Q and positive interactions with school classmates define her experience, while the novel spotlights self-discovery, love, and understanding different cultures. XO, Kitty advances the signature storytelling process by Jenny Han, linking readers who are familiar with her other work, such as The Summer I Turned Pretty, to a new overseas experience.

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1) Sex Education (Netflix)

Still from Sex Education (Image via Netflix)

Sex Education is a series that revolves around Otis Milburn, a student at Moordale Secondary who learns about intimacy and relationships from his s*x therapist mom, Jean. As Otis works with classmate Maeve Wiley to open a confidential s*x therapy clinic for school students, the series addresses themes such as identity, self-acceptance, and mental health.

Otis’s friend Eric goes through his coming-out process, and classmates Adam, Jackson, and Aimee face personal issues and family life. The series explores the highs and lows of the adolescent experience across four seasons, spanning friendship, romance, and self-discovery.

Like The Summer I Turned Pretty, Sex Education revolves around the convoluted emotions and relationships inherent in the adolescent experience, but it approaches these experiences in candid speech and wider spheres of delicate issues.

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All seasons of The Summer I Turned Pretty, including season 3, are streaming on Prime Video.