Teen dramas have gained enormous popularity on television. Couple that with a dash of suspense and mystery, and you’ve got yourself a winning formula. Cruel Summer is just like that. This show is another excellent Freeform production, as well as the network’s most-watched original series yet. If you’re looking for mystery, suspense, and a lot of melodrama, the list below might be the perfect match for you. Here are 5 shows you must watch if you love Cruel Summers:
1. The Teenage-drama show: Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl was among the most popular teen television programs from 2007 until 2012. The show starred an immensely brilliant ensemble and had a narrative that fans just couldn’t get enough of. The story is set in New York City and chronicled the experiences of high schoolers at an upper-class boarding college who were frequently the focus of an unknown writer’s gossip website. The overarching plot revolved around figuring out who Gossip Girl was, but that wasn’t the only thing the series was about. Dating and other topics that affect teenagers were also covered in Gossip Girl. Even if you’re no longer in your teens, this is a show you’ll enjoy.
2. Filled with secrets, lies, and drama: Pretty Little Liars
When it first aired on Freeform, Pretty Little Liars was a huge sensation. The premise of this show is quite similar to Cruel Summer. When Alison, the leader, and best friend, mysteriously vanishes, 4 best friends struggle to work out what happened to her. As they delve deeper, they begin to receive mysterious text messages that threaten to reveal some of their most sensitive information. Similar to Cruel Summer, which is also about a lost girl, one may relate Kate or Jeanette to Spencer, Hanna, Aria, or Emily at times. Not to forget, both shows have frequent flashbacks, which are necessary for viewers to deduce evidence in order to unravel the mystery in question.
3. Based on a phase every teenager goes through: Everything Sucks
The title phrase will resonate with every adolescent around the world. ‘Everything Sucks!’ is a series that emphasizes, reinforces, and underlines all that is wrong or could go bad in the life of a typical American adolescent. Although the show misses the mystique that makes ‘Cruel Summer’ such an intriguing teen show, it compensates with a crass style of comedy. The 1990s-set comedy-drama, created by Ben York Jones and Michael Mohan, makes a lot of unique remarks about high school experience in a fun way. If you’re looking for a playful series similar to ‘Cruel Summer,’ ‘Everything Sucks!’ is a must-watch.
4. A story about the survival of 3 teen girls stranded on an island: The Wilds
The show begins with a group of teen girls boarding a luxurious private plane bound for Dawn of Eve. The ladies are stuck on a distant island after a horrible plane failure, with no way of communicating with the outside world. They have no alternative but to attempt to live. The show effectively uses two timelines: one with the girls on the island and another in the aftermath presented as an FBI inquiry. This makes it clear that at least one of the girls survived. The actual mystery comes from discovering who these girls are, why they’ve opted to join the retreat, and how they evolve during their stay on the island.
5. Based on the Archie Comics: Riverdale
Roberto Aguirre-teen Sacasa’s drama ‘Riverdale‘ is grim, edgy, and somber. It follows Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica as they struggle with the problems that modern youths face, as well as murders and mysteries in the titular little town. There’s plenty to keep you glued to your screens on ‘Riverdale,’ with a cast of fascinating characters, the thrill of teen romance, and a revolving door of mysteries. Between the cryptic setting, the town’s retro ambiance, and the hardships of adolescence, ‘Riverdale’ has depths of drama that are nearly identical in structure to ‘Cruel Summer,’ making it a must-watch for lovers of these types of shows.
