Cruel Summer is a psychological thriller that follows 2 young women: Kate, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing and Jeanette, 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?
Seasons
Season 1
Season 2
Cast and crew
Olivia Holt
Chiara Aurelia
Froy Gutierrez
Max Winkler
Bert V. Royal
Tia Napolitano
Jessica Biel
Michelle Purple
With so much content to choose from and everyone streaming at their own pace, it can be difficult for a new TV show to not only break through the noise, but also become a conversation-starter.
Yet, that's exactly what Cruel Summer did when it premiered in the US earlier this year. The series drew in an impressive number of viewers, while also taking social media by storm, with everyone sharing theories and collectively gasping at the show's reveals. Now, Cruel Summer is making its way to Australia, so you'll be able to see what all the fuss is about.
The teen thriller is told over the course of 3 summers in the 90s, when a popular girl goes missing. Seemingly overnight, another one takes over her life, befriending her friends and dating her boyfriend. Is there something devious at play? And what will happen when the missing girl is finally found? Tune in to find out.
WATCH NOW
SUBSCRIBE
2 seasons
RENT/BUY
Sorry, we've found no buying or renting options for this title.
Trailer
Is Cruel Summer on Netflix?
No, Cruel Summer isn't on Netflix.It's exclusive to:
A psychological thriller, Cruel Summer revolves around 2 teen girls. Kate (Olivia Holt) is the popular one, who has a charmed life and a perfect boyfriend. Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia) is an awkward wannabe longing to be the centre of attention and quietly envying Kate.
In 1993, Kate goes missing. In 1994, Jeanette is dating Kate's boyfriend and hanging out with her friends – until it's announced that Kate was found alive. In 1995, Jeanette has become the most despised person in America. All because Kate claims that Jeanette was aware of where she was being held and instead of getting help, she decided to say nothing.
All signs point to Jeanette being guilty, but did she intentionally keep Kate's whereabouts to herself because she was enjoying her new status? Or is Kate mistaken and Jeanette did nothing wrong? You'll be dying to find out the answer to all these questions, as well as follow the 2 girls on their respective journeys.
Cruel Summer is told through shifting points of view, Jeanette and Kate, with each episode delivering a glimpse at what the girls are up to in 1993, 1994 and 1995. We follow Kate from her seemingly idyllic life to being locked in a basement, then as she struggles to rebuild her life and unpack her trauma.
Meanwhile, we see Jeanette as a sweet outlier, a popular girl gobsmacked by Kate's return and eventually a pariah hated by not only everyone in her small town, but the entire country.
If that sounds confusing, there's no need to fret. Cruel Summer expertly balances the 3 narratives, delivering an engaging mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. The series delivers numerous twists and leaves the viewer constantly speculating about the truth, excited to piece together what's really going on. The series challenges perception and messes with your mind in the best way possible.
At the same time, Cruel Summer responsibly depicts a grooming storyline, while also touching on other important themes like friendship, family and the universal pitfalls of being a teen girl. All in all, it's the perfect summer show – and it's just as enjoyable in the middle of winter.
Try before you buy with these free trials and deals
Alexandra Plesa writes about Internet TV for Finder. When she’s not re-watching The West Wing for the 11th time, she likes to scour streaming services for any fascinating underrated gems they have on offer. She’ll never say no to a romantic comedy and she’ll press you to watch BoJack Horseman until you finally give in
Stream Finder's archive for every story and headline about Netflix, Stan, Facebook, Amazon Prime Video, hayu and more.
Feedback
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
findershopping.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
Prime Video
2 seasons
