In addition to the long titles and insanely hot brothers, The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) and My Life With The Walter Boys (MLWTWB) have much in common. It gets you wondering, are they essentially the same show? Both stories revolve around a love triangle between a girl and the oh-so-difficult challenge of choosing between two men who are head over heels in love with her and also happen to be brothers. It explores the archetype of falling for the son(s) of your mother’s best friend and truly captures the essence of teenage romance for all the chaos that it is. While both shows can be written off as cheesy coming-of-age stints, they do tackle nuanced issues with more depth.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on the book by Jenny Han of the same name. It takes us through the life of Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung), who is caught in a love triangle between two brothers, showcasing summer love at its finest as she deals with her first love and heartbreak at Cousins Beach. My Life With The Walter Boys is an adaptation of Ali Novak’s wattpad-turned-novel of the same name. It follows the story of recently orphaned Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez) from Manhattan, who is shipped to Colorado after being taken in by the family of her mother’s best friend — the Walters. Pretty similar, rightl? Let’s unpack the key differences and similarities between TSITP and MLWTWB.
What Makes The Two Shows Similar
When we think about similarities, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and My Life With The Walter Boys both deal with the female lead’s dilemma of being in a love triangle with two brothers while having issues of her own. We also see both shows exploring themes of death, grief, and heartbreak encapsulated in an otherwise joyous setting. Although we mustn’t fail to mention that TSITP takes its time acknowledging the looming sadness of death and uses it to further the plot, while in MLWTWB, it’s almost swept under the carpet like an afterthought.
The geographical setting of both shows poses the age-old question: are you more of a beach or mountain person? The Summer I Turned Pretty takes place in Cousins Beach, while My Life With The Walter Boys is in Silver Falls, Colorado, making way for contrasting wardrobes and wildly different amusements. Viewers also witness the strenuous relationship between the brothers, with the quirky younger brother feeling overshadowed by the popular older one. Both shows are rife with teenage drama, with the female lead, be it Belly or Jackie, oscillating between the two brothers as the stories progress.
Why Is Jackie Less Problematic than Belly?
While both Jackie and Belly are seen dealing with first love and grief, the less problematic character sticks out like a sunflower in mud. Jackie is more headstrong and composed when making decisions, while Belly is all over the place, being a raging hot mess. We also see Belly switching from one brother to the other whenever it deems convenient, disregarding either of their feelings. Belly’s whole life also appears to largely revolve around the boys, while Jackie, on the other hand, is driven towards her future, with romantic endeavors taking a backseat.
We understand that both characters are grieving, however, unlike Belly, Jackie doesn’t let her grief overshadow her priorities. At the end of My Life With The Walter Boys, we see Jackie run away to spare the drama that would transpire when Alex (Ashby Gentry) finds out about her kiss with Cole (Noah LaLonde). On the other hand, we witness Belly having a full-blown makeout session with Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) while wearing Conrad’s (Christopher Briney) sweatshirt.
Who is The More Swoon-Worthy Male Lead, Cole or Conrad?
The dreamy male leads, Cole Walter and Conrad Fisher leave our girls questioning their morals time and time again — us too! While Cole is the quintessentially gorgeous male lead with a jawline that could kill, we’re totally here for Conrad’s mysterious demeanor and stare-into-your-soul gaze. Both characters have their own demons, but that’s no excuse to treat your love interest like a punching bag — the way Conrad does with Belly in The Summer I Turned Pretty.
We also see some nicer similarities between the two, with Conrad holding back from giving the infinity necklace to Belly and Cole secretly fixing Jackie’s teapot, as well as the evidence that both characters care deeply about their younger brothers. Given the fact that Conrad has had a more extended history with Belly, the needles pierce deeper when he hurts her feelings on multiple occasions — acting hot or cold more often than necessary. On the other hand, Jackie and Cole’s interactions in My Life With The Walter Boys are relatively fresh, with the duo just getting to know each other; so one or two can be forgiven.
Not to mention, Cole is an infinitely better kisser than Conrad, with an intensity that makes viewers reach for cold water! We also start to notice that Conrad seems to have an all-or-nothing attitude. And Cole, though problematic for the most part, gets himself together towards the end of the show, which has viewers rooting for him.
Is Jeremiah a More Likable Second Lead than Alex?
We think it’s safe to say that among all the male leads, Jeremiah from The Summer I Turned Pretty is undoubtedly the hottest and most desirable. With kind blue eyes and a neck-gripping makeout style, viewers simply can’t get enough of his Golden Retriever energy. The way he kisses Belly is arguably the best kiss across both shows.
Also, Jeremiah treats Belly better and always goes out of his way to be the boy she deserves, whether as a friend, boyfriend, or shoulder to cry on. We also greatly appreciate his will to communicate his intentions, which makes it much harder to watch him crumble when Conrad and Belly get together. Viewers are constantly at war with themselves to choose between Conrad and Jeremiah, making him the perfect second lead.
The same cannot be said about Alex from My Life With The Walter Boys. Although viewers are introduced to Alex as the nerdy boy next door who is a nervous wreck around the girl he has a crush on, he becomes increasingly insufferable as the show progresses. Apart from the fact that each time he kisses Jackie makes us want to throw up a little, he’s constantly seen love-bombing her and acting needy for validation. Alex’s behavior also makes us question whether his affection for Jackie has more to do with one-upping his brother rather than genuine feelings of love.
Are Either of The Shows Returning For a New Season?
Fortunately for fans, both shows have been renewed for new seasons. On Aug 3, 2024, Prime Video confirmed that The Summer I Turned Pretty will get a Season 3, likely following Han’s third and final novel in the franchise, We’ll Always Have Summer. The book takes place two years after the events of TSITP Season 2 as Belly once again finds herself questioning where her heart lies between the Fisher brothers. It’s the ultimate showdown between Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah.
Netflix announced My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2 on December 19, 2023, just 12 days after the premiere of its first one. This didn’t come as a surprise as the show got massively popular right from the get-go! Netflix even shared a sweet cast reaction video of it. Viewers can expect to see the love triangle between Jackie, Cole, and Alex unfold, witnessing who ultimately ends up playing second fiddle. We will also get to see the effects that Jackie’s runaway stint to New York has on the Walter Boys. If you’re not into teenage romance and would rather watch something catered to a more adult audience, here are five movies from the 90’s that may just be your cup of tea.
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