NEED TO KNOW
- Similar to Love Island USA, The Summer I Turned Pretty issued a statement urging fans to “be kind” and avoid bullying or hate speech directed at the cast and crew
- The cruel words from internet trolls that prompted these statements often mirror — or even exceed — the very behavior they claim to condemn
- The third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered on Prime Video on Wednesday, July 16
Coming off the tidal wave that was Love Island USA, I felt a rare sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, the internet would finally calm down, and the relentless keyboard warriors would retreat from threatening and harassing people they’ve never met. That peace lasted a whole 24 hours.
On Monday, ahead of its third and final season, The Summer I Turned Pretty ‘s Instagram and X accounts posted a series of images urging fans to “be kind.” The message came with a warning: Anyone engaging in bullying or hate speech toward the cast or crew would “be banned.”
Let that sink in. A fictional show had to beg viewers not to harass the actors who play made-up characters. I knew right then internet trolls have officially ruined my summer TV experience.
It seems the escalation of online hate recently reached new heights during the seventh season of Love Island USA. Yes, I had my opinions about the cast and their behavior (who didn’t?), but what used to be a lighthearted, fun-loving escape had contestants facing death threats and relentless bullying. So much so that the show had to issue multiple statements pleading for basic human decency.
Even the host of Love Island USA, Ariana Madix, couldn’t seem to understand why so many fans resorted to “atrocious” behavior. “It blows my mind that I have to say not to harass them on the internet,” the host said on the July 6 episode of Love Island‘s after-show, Aftersun. “I don’t understand why week after week, we have to keep saying, ‘Don’t do that’… Give them a second to resolve their argument before you just hop online and start being absolutely atrocious to these Islanders.”
I don’t understand what drives these digital bullies to spew so much hate, when their cruel words often mirror, or exceed, the very behavior they claim to condemn. There’s a vast difference between holding someone accountable for their mishaps versus completely assassinating their character, attacking their loved ones and going after their looks, all while refusing to let them move on from a mistake.
As we shift from reality TV to fictional romance, it appears some viewers are already ready to send hateful messages to the cast of The Summer I Turned Pretty simply because the character they portray doesn’t choose their preferred love interest.
I’ve been in the trenches of love triangle fandoms — shoutout to my fellow The Vampire Diaries and Twilight devotees — but this feels different. What used to be fun, passionate debates have turned into something darker and even dangerous.
On July 10, The Summer I Turned Pretty star Lola Tung (Belly Conklin) told Teen Vogue, “people get a little scary,” referring to the intensity of fan attachment. She added, “Please don’t threaten to kill someone if something doesn’t go your way — I promise you, it’s not that serious.”
As we settle in for one of the summer’s most anticipated shows this Wednesday, I hope we can remember that whether Belly ends up with Jeremiah, Conrad or chooses herself, responding with hate changes nothing, and ruins the joy for the rest of us.
The first two episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty are available now on Prime Video. The following nine episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays through Sept. 17.
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