Summer. It hits differently, doesn't it? There is something about that specific humidity, the smell of cheap sunscreen, and the crushing weight of a first crush that just works on screen. Jenny Han basically cracked the code with her Cousins Beach saga. We all watched Belly Conklin oscillate between the Fisher brothers while feeling that weird, nostalgic ache for a time when our biggest problem was who we’d get paired with for a bonfire game. But let’s be real. Once you’ve binged the latest season, the void is massive. You’re looking for shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty because you need that specific mix of "coming-of-age" angst and beautiful coastal aesthetics.
It’s a vibe. Honestly.
Finding a replacement isn't just about finding another teen romance. It’s about finding that feeling of being "in-between." Not quite a kid, not yet an adult. The stakes feel life-or-death even though it’s just a dance or a kiss on a pier. If you’re chasing that high, you have to look beyond the surface-level tropes. You need the emotional heavy hitters.
The Cousins Beach Effect: Why We Can't Stop Watching
Why are we obsessed? It’s not just the love triangle. It’s the aesthetic. "Coastal Grandmother" meets "Gen Z Angst." It’s the grief—because let’s face it, Susannah’s storyline is what gives the show its soul. Without that layer of sadness, it’s just kids in a pool. Most shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty try to mimic this, but they often forget the grounding element of family legacy.
Think about My Life with the Walter Boys. People compare it to Belly’s story constantly. Why? Because it’s the "girl moves into a house full of boys" trope. It’s effective. It’s Netflix’s bread and butter. But where Summer feels like a hazy memory, Walter Boys feels a bit more like a CW production. That’s not a bad thing! Sometimes you want the high-gloss drama without the existential dread of a terminal illness subplot.
Then there’s the Taylor Swift factor. You can’t talk about this genre without mentioning the soundtrack. If a show doesn't have a bridge-peaking moment featuring a "Folklore" or "Evermore" track, does it even count?
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If You Miss the Love Triangle Drama
If you’re here for the "who will she choose" of it all, your first stop should probably be Dawson’s Creek. Yeah, it’s old. It’s from the late 90s. But it is the literal blueprint for every single thing you love about Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah. Joey Potter is the original Belly. Pacey and Dawson are the original brothers-in-arms (though not actual brothers) fighting for her heart. The dialogue is wordy—way too wordy for actual teenagers—but the yearning? It’s unmatched. You can see the DNA of Cousins Beach in every frame of Capeside.
The Wilds is a weird pivot, but hear me out. It’s on Prime Video, just like Summer. On the surface, it’s about a plane crash and survival. But the core of that show is the interior lives of teenage girls. It captures that raw, jagged feeling of being misunderstood. It’s darker. Much darker. But if you liked the "girls-only" bond between Belly and Taylor, the character studies in The Wilds will hit home.
The Netflix Contenders
- Never Have I Ever: Devi Vishwakumar is a lot more chaotic than Belly. She’s loud, she makes terrible decisions, and she’s hilarious. But the Team Paxton vs. Team Ben debate? That is the same energy as Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah. Mindy Kaling created a show that handles grief with a lighter touch but still makes you sob when you least expect it. It’s less about the beach and more about the suburban struggle of trying to be "cool."
- Heartstopper: This is the "pure" option. If you like the sweetness of Belly and Jeremiah’s early friendship, this is your show. It’s low-stakes in the best way. It feels like a warm hug. No one is dying. No one is losing their house. It’s just queer joy and the fluttering feeling of a first crush. It’s the antidote to the "Conrad-is-toxic" discourse.
- Ginny & Georgia: This one is messy. It’s like Gilmore Girls if Lorelai had a body count. The romance between Ginny and Marcus is very "Conrad coded." He’s the brooding boy next door with a window he can climb into. It’s got that small-town feel, but with a side of murder and embezzlement.
Beyond the Beach: The International Gems
Don’t sleep on international titles. Seriously. Some of the best shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty aren't even in English.
Take Maxton Hall — The World Between Us. It’s a German series on Prime Video that blew up recently. It’s enemies-to-lovers at a fancy private school. It has that same high-production value, "everything is beautiful and everyone is pining" energy. James Beaufort is the textbook definition of the "rich boy with daddy issues" that Conrad Fisher fans usually gravitate toward.
Then there is Normal People. This is the "adult" version. If you watched The Summer I Turned Pretty and wished it was ten times more devastating and focused on the psychology of two people who can’t quit each other, watch this. It follows Marianne and Connell from high school through university in Ireland. It’s quiet. It’s intimate. It’s one of the best depictions of first love ever put to film. It makes the Belly/Conrad dynamic look like a playground dispute.
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Understanding the "Summer" Sub-Genre
We have to look at why these specific stories work. It’s the "Limited Time" trope. Summer has an expiration date. That’s what makes the romance feel so urgent. You only have until Labor Day. You only have until the house is sold. You only have until you go back to school.
One Day (the Netflix series, not the movie) does this over decades. Each episode is the same day every year. It captures the "passing of time" better than almost anything else. You see Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod grow up, drift apart, and collide back together. It’s the long-game version of a summer fling. It’s brutal. You will cry. Don’t say I didn't warn you.
Why "The O.C." Still Holds Up
You want beach houses? You want rich kids with problems? You want a soundtrack that defines a generation? The O.C. is the grandfather of the coastal teen drama. Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts are the gold standard for "the best friend who was there all along" becoming the main love interest. It’s snarkier than The Summer I Turned Pretty, but the setting—Newport Beach—is basically Cousins Beach with more palm trees and higher property taxes.
What to Avoid If You Want the "Summer" Vibe
Not every teen show fits.
Euphoria is not shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty. It’s gorgeous, sure. But it’s a fever dream. It’s high-stress. It’s about addiction and trauma in a way that’s meant to provoke, not comfort.
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Riverdale started in the right neighborhood but then it went to... well, it went to space and time travel and musical numbers. If you want the grounded, emotional reality of Jenny Han’s world, stay away from the Archieverse. You’ll just end up confused and longing for a simple game of volleyball.
Outer Banks is a common recommendation, but it’s an action-adventure show. Yes, there are boats. Yes, there are hot people in swimwear. But they are also running from people with guns and hunting for buried gold. It’s "Goonies" with abs. If you’re in the mood for a treasure hunt, go for it. If you want to watch someone think about a kiss for forty minutes, stick to the others on this list.
Making the Most of Your Binge
Watching these shows is about the experience. To really get that Summer I Turned Pretty feeling, you kinda have to lean into the atmosphere.
- Watch during the golden hour. There’s a reason every scene in Cousins looks like it was shot through a jar of honey.
- Don't skip the "boring" parts. The scenes where the moms (Laurel and Susannah) are just drinking wine and talking? Those are actually the most important parts of the show. They represent the future the kids are trying to figure out.
- Pay attention to the motifs. Water, infinity signs, specific necklaces. These shows use visual shorthand to tell you who belongs with whom.
Your Next Steps for a Post-Cousins Binge
Don't just jump into the first thing you see on the Netflix "Trending" bar. Start with My Life with the Walter Boys if you want something light and structurally similar. If you’re feeling more emotional, go for Normal People or One Day. If you want that classic, nostalgic teen angst, track down Dawson’s Creek.
Check out the original books too. Jenny Han’s trilogy offers a lot more internal monologue from Belly that explains why she makes those frustrating choices. Same goes for The Perks of Being a Wallflower (both the book and the movie)—it captures that "infinite" feeling of youth better than almost anything else.
Pick one, grab some iced tea, and lean into the pining. It’s what Belly would do.