Prime Video's #1 Show Could Replace 'The Summer I Turned Pretty', but Turned Out to Be an Empty Flop

Prime Video is on track to become the premier provider of teen melodramas. Last month, the streaming released the romantic comedy Off Campus, and now it has released Every Year After, an adaptation of Carley Fortune's bestselling novel.

Even a brief reading of the synopsis reveals similarities to Amazon Prime's most popular romantic hit, The Summer I Turned Pretty: two brothers, one girl, the death of a mother, an idyllic lake town, and summer vacation.

However, if you're hoping Every Year After will satisfy your craving for your favorite show, we're sorry to disappoint you – it's a bland, predictable, and empty spectacle that doesn't live up to its predecessors.

What Is 'Every Year After' About?

Percy receives a call from the past. A voice on the phone delivers sad news: Sue, the mother of her childhood best friend Sam, has passed away. Percy and her friend Chantal head to Barry's Bay, a lakeside town where Percy used to spend every summer with the two brothers, Sam and Charlie.

When they were young, Percy and Sam were inseparable, and their friendship gradually blossomed into something more. But ten years ago, the lovers parted ways.

Now, Percy returns anxiously to a place dear to her heart. She encounters people from her past and immerses herself in bittersweet memories of days gone by.

'Every Year After' Doesn't Deserve the Attention of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Fans

The similarities to The Summer I Turned Pretty are striking from the very beginning, but that's where the parallels end. While Lola Tung's show captivated viewers with its sincerity and the chemistry between the characters, as well as its ability to balance drama and levity, Every Year After is an empty shell.

The series tries hard to surprise audiences, but the plot twists are so cliched that viewers anticipate them within a few episodes.

There's nothing bad about well-worn tropes, familiar twists help viewers relax and enjoy the experience. The problem with Every Year After isn't so much the number of cliches as it is the sluggish narrative.

Even Percy's "terrible mistake," which haunts her for years, fails to deliver the promised wow factor – the ending isn't shocking, touching, or explanatory.

'Every Year After' Lacks Sincerity and Instead Displays a Lack of Chemistry

While The Summer I Turned Pretty had a brilliant ensemble cast, the characters in Every Year After often feel flat. The couple is much more captivating in flashbacks, when they watch horror classics together, read Stephen King, and spend hours at the lake.

However, the adult versions of the characters lack the spark that would make their relationship compelling – the supporting characters sometimes overshadow the leads with their charisma.

The only flawless aspect is the setting. The fictional town of Barry's Bay beckons us with its green landscapes and endless vacation vibes. It's precisely the magic of a summer series – picturesque, sensual, and nostalgic – that will likely brighten a couple warm evenings.

However, Every Year After is unlikely to repeat the success of The Summer I Turned Pretty or the recent Off Campus.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Every Year After'?

• Every Year After has 73% from critics and 52% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 6.3/10.