Season 2 will have a new cast and story

After much debate of whether to make the show an anthology series or to continue the show with the same cast and characters, they’ve decided to go the anthology route.

Cruel Summer is returning to Freeform as an anthology series.

The second season will feature a whole new cast, a new mystery and the show’s third showrunner.

Set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest, the second chapter follows the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines surrounding Y2K, the season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan, Isabella and Megan’s best friend Luke, the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward.

Sadie Stanley, Eloise Payet, Griffin Gluck and KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada and Sean Blakemore are among the stars. Paul Adelstein recurs.

Power Book IV: Force co-exec producer Elle Triedman replaces Tia Napolitano as showrunner. Napolitano replaced creator Bert V. Royal after disagreements with the network.

The series comes from studio eOne. Executive producers include Triedman, Bill Purple, Napolitano, and Iron Ocean Productions’ Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple

The first season followed two young women: Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabe who is accused of being connected to Kate’s disappearance. All signs point to Jeanette’s guilt, but is Kate really who she seems to be? Set over three summers and told through shifting points of view, the series challenges perception and follows how one girl can go from being a sweet outlier to the most despised person in America.

Hmmm. Anthology series like this hardly ever work. They usually need some connective tissue (like Fargo or American Horror Story). Just telling a story in three time periods isn't enough.

But I loved season one. So, I'll give it a try.

Not surprised they went with a new cast/story. But none of the names ring a bell. Be interesting to see how the thread on here goes without Froy stans lol

[quote] Sadie Stanley, Eloise Payet, Griffin Gluck and KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada and Sean Blakemore are among the stars.

[quote] But none of the names ring a bell.

Griffin Gluck plays the teen villain on Netflix's Locke & Key starring DL fave Connor Jessup. But I had to check IMDB to find that out. His name didn't ring a bell either.

R3 I have heard of that show but never watched it.

R2 none of the names for the first season rang a bell to anyone either, outside of Froy maybe. The show was a hit regardless

R6 Well, Olivia Holt has quite the fanbase, or so I learned. And has the highest social media following out of that season 1 cast, including Froy (who's the only one behind her). But yeah, other than that, I had no clue who any of those folks were except the gal from Grey's Anatomy.

R6 speak for yourself. I recognized the adult actors, Olivia and Harley.

I watched over half of season 1 after several people I know praised it. It was awful. Absolute rubbish.

Didn't they end season 1 with a teaser into a season 2 continuation?

R10 no. They closed it off. We got a small scene showing us Jeanette knew all along.

R11 Yep, Jeanette was basically a sociopath. She 'heard' her, she didn't 'see' her... so technically she could come out like she was never lying.

I loved the first season. This seems pointless. Maybe if Bert was back but a new cast, a new story, and a new showrunner sounds pointless. Maybe I’ll check out the first episode but my interest in this just plummeted.

R13 actually I feel the opposite. The story with season one was closed. What are they gonna do with those same characters? I said from the start a season 2 would only work with a new cast. I guess Jessica Biel and co. decided the same.

And if they used the same cast a second time and created another big story with these same characters, how would it go on to a third season? Yet another crazy thing happens to this same group? That’s terrible writing.

This wasn’t 90210 or even Euphoria, it was a plot driven series, not character driven.

I think going with an entirely new story is the right way to go, but I do think it's a bit of a shame that they decided to go with an entirely new cast. I get what they're going for, but what makes certain shows like these work, is that there is often a rotating set of core cast members that come back each season, as new characters, combined with some new names as well...and that is what gets fans to stay invested. I guess this show really wants to take a gamble. I'll certainly check it out, but it feels like there's a lot less incentive to return to it.

Also, interesting that the guy who created it and wrote the original concept was let go/pushed out during the first season...

[quote] We got a small scene showing us Jeanette knew all along.

Technically, she only found out when Kate was kept in the basement. As we found throughout the season, Kate had an affair with the teacher at first and spend her time in the house at her own free will.

[Quote] Yep, Jeanette was basically a sociopath. She 'heard' her, she didn't 'see' her... so technically she could come out like she was never lying.

At least she got some sort of come uppance for a time. It's a shame her parents suffered for it. Having your partner not believe you when it comes to your child would be a nightmare scenario.

[Quote] Also, interesting that the guy who created it and wrote the original concept was let go/pushed out during the first season...

Oh that's not a good sign 😕

I don’t think a show will suffer from a new cast. I’m not trying to see limited talent Froyo play a new character that will be the same as Jamie only with a new name and situation.

Is this happening or not?

R19 R20 Season 2 was shot quite a while ago. I think it was supposed to air already, but for whatever reason, they've delayed it.

R21 maybe they're doing reshoots.

Season 2 premieres June 5 -

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