EVERY YEAR AFTER is a rom/com, coming-of-age series based upon the novel, EVERY SUMMER AFTER, by Carley Fortune. It is a slow-moving saga that needed to be trimmed and better edited. The plot seemed to move at a snail’s pace before reaching the life-changing conundrum that altered three teenagers’ trajectories. It ended with a cliffhanger, so maybe there will be more obstacles explored in the present and future timelines. I have mixed feelings about that.Â
The casting seemed out of whack. I always hate it when actors look and sound older than they are supposed to be. There were two actors cast for each of the three main characters. The present characters portrayed themselves as too young, and the past characters portrayed themselves as too old. They all looked great on screen, but it didn’t make me a believer in the tale being told. It was definitely PG.Â
I was confused about which direction I was being led to watch. There was far too much talking and not enough showing of the emotional arcs Percy, Sam, and Charlie were going through. I wanted to feel their angst, their yearning. The characters wiped away their tears too quickly each time a disastrous moment occurred. In the end, I really felt more connected to the supporting cast. Jordie, Chantal, and Delilah were far more interesting. This is not always a good sign.Â
EVERY YEAR AFTER did feature a stunning lake location. It made me want to go and sit on that fabulous dock, but this was not enough. I was disappointed. I kept thinking it would improve, but alas, it never did. The formulaic plot outline was just too bland for my taste.
It is streaming on Prime Video.
