There can be magic to summertime, especially during the teen years. Based on Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel “Every Summer After” and adapted by Amy B. Harris, Prime Video’s romantic drama “Every Year After” captures the whimsy, nostalgia and heartbreak of first loves and tragic endings. Told over the course of six summers, then picking up a decade later, the feel-good tale infuses the perfect amount of depth and emotion to elevate it beyond a typical teen romance.
The eight-episode first season opens in Seattle. Persephone “Percy” Fraser (Sadie Soverall) gives a
speech at the engagement party of her best friend Chantal (Aurora Perrineau). Though Percy speaks about the enchantment and delight of finding forever, it’s clear she isn’t convinced by her own words. Instead, she focuses on getting plastered and hooking up with the groom’s half-brother, but those plans never come to fruition. Her evening is interrupted when she receives a call from someone she hasn’t spoken to in a decade. It’s Charlie Florek (Michael Bradway), who tells Percy that his mom, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), has died after a cancer battle, and his invitation to Sue’s memorial service triggers a full-blown panic attack in Percy.
The next day, with Chantal by her side, Percy hits the road and heads to Barry’s Bay, the fictional lakeside town in rural Ontario where she spent six summers between the ages of 13 and 18. Flashing back to 2011 and moving toward 2016, the show depicts Percy’s time at the lake, where she first met Charlie and his younger brother, Sam (Matt Cornett), who would become her first love. Percy has beautiful memories of Barry’s Bay. There were bonfires with her friend Delilah (Abigail Cowen), who would come up for a couple of weeks; working at Sue’s restaurant The Tavern; horror-movie nights; and stolen kisses with Sam. Yet it’s also a place that holds a great deal of pain, and 10 years since the last time she was there, Percy isn’t sure she’s ready to confront her past choices and regrets.
Between the sun-drenched setting, the shimmering chemistry between Soverall and Cornett and a soundtrack featuring Lana Del Rey and Dolly Parton, “Every Year After” will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Prime Video’s YA romance phenomenon “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Despite similar themes and predictable plot points, the series carves out its own lane. Since the story chronicles nearly 20 years, with Juliette Hawk and Blue Clarke portraying young Percy and Sam, the audience is able to sit with the characters as they grow and change. It’s clear how finances, life events, dreams and expectations shift, enabling viewers to consider the characters holistically rather than simply focusing on a single choice.
“Every Year After” gives everyone who comes into frame a refreshing amount of depth. Chantal, for example, is struggling to hold the mental load of her relationship and her career as a high-powered attorney. Delilah appears to be a quintessential bitchy mean girl, but it quickly becomes apparent that first impressions can be deceiving. There’s also Jordie (Joseph Chiu), Sam’s best friend, who has some sound perspectives on relationships and dreams. As much as the show centers Sam and Percy’s love story, it’s also one about the miracle of real friendship.
“Every Year After” showcases the power of life-altering firsts. As Percy’s memories reveal, these are the moments and people that have changed her forever. However, as the series illustrates, they also haunt her, forcing her to examine missteps and pain points. Yet, if she’s brave enough to confront the past, there might be room for second chances.
All eight episodes of “Every Year After” premiere on June 10 on Prime Video.