At one point, Freeform was the go-to destination for younger viewers, with shows like Pretty Little Liars giving the bigger networks a run for their money in key demographics.

These days, it seems the network is more interested in experimenting with cost-effective programming, and sadly, the shows that have been so successful up to now will be a distant memory.

Even at that, there's no telling whether scripted offerings will even be available in the future on the network or if the network will even exist.

The recent announcement that Grown-ish would wrap with the second half of its current season set the stage for change.

Over the weekend, official word broke that Cruel Summer and Good Trouble — the network's last two scripted offerings — would not be returning for additional seasons.

Good Trouble, a spinoff of the cabler's legacy title, The Fosters, is airing its fifth season.

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It shifted the action to Los Angeles, with Cierra Ramirez and Maia Mitchell returning as series regulars.

It followed Callie and Mariana as they moved into a commune that allowed us to meet the other characters played by Tommy Martinez, Emma Hunton, Sherry Cola, Zuri Adele,  Josh Pence, Priscilla Quintana, and Bryan Craig.

The most exciting aspect of the series was its deep ties to the lore established by The Fosters, which allowed for plentiful cameos.

Mitchell departed as a series regular but has continued to make appearances since leaving, and we're sure there will be other appearances from her in the final episodes.

While Good Trouble Season 5 has played out as though a sixth season was coming, the upcoming second half of the season will be the end.

But it's not all bad news. The series will be allowed to film some additional scenes to air a supersized series finale that will bring the show to a close.

Leaving such a beloved show with loose ends isn't a good idea.

Good Trouble excelled for many years, which is very hard for any spinoff to do.

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It's unclear how many additional scenes will be filmed, but there's a good chance some of the storylines will be reworked to provide more closure.

Details about how this will pan out are scarce, but it does give us the feeling that this universe is over, possibly for good.

Then again, a nostalgia factor may allow for a follow-up to both The Fosters and Good Trouble.

It's rare for a franchise to still be in demand after all these years, but it's a testament to the writing and acting from everyone that brought these shows to life.

Cruel Summer burst onto screens in 2021 and delivered bumper multi-platform ratings for Freeform.

The series returned this year after a lengthy hiatus with a new cast and plot, but the buzz has faded.

Maybe making the show anthology wasn't a good idea, but risks sometimes lead to big rewards.

Unfortunately, Cruel Summer Season 2 was saddled with a less-than-stellar mystery and killer motivations so unbelievable we questioned why it got the green light.

The writing was on the wall when the network failed to provide an update on a pickup in the months after its season finale.

A third season was expected purely due to the anthology nature of the set-up, but it seems Freeform is ready to move on from the franchise.

Another chapter wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibility as a Hulu exclusive, but it's likely the multi-platform numbers weren't at the level expected after a red-hot freshman run.

It makes us wonder how much better the show would have been received had it continued the mystery from Cruel Summer Season 1.

While we got a lot of answers and closure, there was definitely interest from fans to follow that bunch of characters into later stages in their lives.

Would the numbers have been stronger had there been more from the original mystery?

Perhaps, but there's a good chance we'll never get a follow-up to that one since the show has now been canceled.

Freeform, which Disney owns, is going into 2024 with its final shows ending, leading to questions about the network's future.

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Beyond strands of programming buoyed by Disney's Halloween and Christmas offerings, the channel is probably done as we know it.

Many companies have been tightening the belt regarding spending in recent months, so eradicating Freeform's originals won't be the most shocking decision of the year… not by a long shot.

What are your thoughts on the decision to end these shows?

Do you think the network is over?

Hit the comments.

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The post Cruel Summer and Good Trouble Cancellations Signal the End Is Near for Freeform appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Luke's murder has kept us hooked as we debated whether we could trust Megan, Isabella, or anyone in Luke's life. The murder mystery weaved a layered web of "ride-or-dies" and lies.

But while we were all assessing the suspects and preparing for the twist, Cruel Summer Season 2's showrunner and executive producer, Elle Triedman, was ready for the big day!

BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD! We got to chat with Triedman about the big reveal, the motivations of the killer, and the relationships and secrets that led to the fateful day. Plus, we discussed some fan theories that popped up during the season.

Make sure you watch the episode if you don't want to get spoiled. Check out the interview below!

My jaw was on the floor in the last few minutes when Isabella was revealed as the killer. What made you choose her as the big killer reveal?

You know, it's funny because at the beginning, in the first few weeks, we had so many different killers on the board.

What's interesting about this season is at its heart, it's about loyalty. "Loyalty" has so many different facets. It can come from the best place; it can get twisted and misguided.

When it comes to your average villain or killer, Isabella doesn't go back to the cabin to kill Luke. She goes back to talk to him.

And when she gets to the dock and sees him basically half-dead, she suddenly has this moment where there's a decision to be made.

Do you save him? Or do you let him go or finish him off? I think it was a snap judgment.

If she had been there for 20 minutes or an hour, she might not have come to that decision. But at that moment, she sees her friendship with Megan is basically in shatters. She still loves her friend and wants the best for her best friend, her "ride-or-die."

And as soon as she found out Megan was pregnant, and then seeing how, even when they're back at the cabin, Megan has second thoughts or remorse. She just saw the path flipped in two directions.

One of them is where Megan has this great, huge life. Or, she can be stuck with Luke in Chatham and have this small, terrible, stifled existence.

In Isabella's heart, she's saving her friend by killing him.

With those snap judgments, she found him at the dock, but she nearly shot him at the cabin. At that moment, was it an accident, as she said, or a happy snap judgment she saw to get him out of the way?

She's a terrible shot. We established that earlier in the season and summer.

I think it was an impulsive move. She got very close; she got a lot closer than she expected.

I don't think at all she meant to kill him at the moment. She wanted to scare the hell out of him, and she did.

Now that all is said and done with Isabella's killer reveal, were there easter eggs or clues you dropped in to hint to her? Do you have any favorites?

I don't know if I would call it an easter egg, but you could see on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 9 how three is an awkward number. Three is never comfortable.

When Isabella came into the summer, Luke and Megan were more aligned. Especially through Fall 1999, we've seen how Isabella was sorta pulling Megan away from Luke.

There was a moment when they came back from the club, and they'd gone without him, where she was baiting him. And at the cabin and we found out she was helping Megan get a passport, and they were going to go on this trip and travel.

Actually, one of my favorites is when they were dressed up like The Matrix for Halloween. I loved that!

And she basically comes out and says, "There isn't room for both of us."

It's kind of a gauntlet being thrown down.

Again, that to me, isn't an easter egg for her killing him; it's a moment where there was a line in the sand.

You did mention that you had other suspects on your board. Besides Isabella, was there another person at the top of your killer list whom you could've led the story?

We had a bunch of different endings very early on. Debbie was a potential killer just for something surprising.

Like most of the season, how far would a parent go to protect their child? So, that was a fun one.

The sheriff was another one that you wouldn't see coming.

The sheriff was quite popular as a suspect on the internet last week. So, that was fun!

The fun thing about a show like this is for people to guess and for a lot of different theories to be floated.

There was also a theory going strong since Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 1 that Luke isn't dead.

I found that one funny because we don't show him in the body bag.

In hindsight, would you have loved to have done that storyline?

That he wasn't dead? No!

I like a good old-fashioned murder.

I always, always wanted it to be a dead body and a mystery.

During our previous chat, we discussed the themes of "ride-or-die" and Megan's and Isabella's interpretation of being a ride-or-die. Isabella made that snap judgment and killed Luke, but we also saw a side of her that made it seem like her friendship was an obsession.

Could this be the pattern that happened to Lisa and now could occur in the future with Michelle?

Yes, absolutely!

She has major boundary issues. [Laughs]

She does become obsessive and possessive. It's a dangerous combination.

And in the season finale, she framed Megan with the tape. Even though Megan was her best friend, she chose her survival. Do you think Isabella, when push comes to shove, values friendship or her survival and fantasy of friendship?

I think when her back is up against a wall, she's a survivor.

And in the moment in the car outside Steve's office where she floated the idea of trying to renew the friendship and go back to the way things had been, and Megan shut it down, it was the turning point for Isabella.

That was when she knew what she would do with that tape.

Let's shift gears to talk about the Chambers family. Their storyline was a big part of Cruel Summer Season 2 and how the boys blurred the lines between being like Steve and fighting against it. Why was it essential for you to showcase this separate plot alongside the murder?

To me, it's not a separate plot but what shaped Luke into who he was and what he was fighting against.

These are high school kids; these are 17-year-olds, and they're trying on all these different personas. Some of them are pretty ugly. There's a lot of one-up-manship and big talking.

The flat-out lies that happen in high school conversations; there are a lot of "locker room" chats. They're trying to show off to each other.

And I think that's something that excelled among his friends, and it's something he felt with his brother.

There was a lot of pressure in that house to be a leader and stand out. There was an awful lot of weight put on the family and the family's reputation.

Hopefully, by the end of the season, you felt Luke's struggle with that.

We start with the more innocent boy we met on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 1, and then we see how complicated and messed up his life became. And then we see him walking from the cabin to the dock and being pummeled by the people he's let down. The images of the issues now, and you feel his struggles.

By the time he gets to that final confrontation with his brother, we see this isn't who he wants to be. He wants to be a better person and not follow the legacy of what he's been raised with.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

Speaking of the legacy, Luke contacted Brent out of anyone to help him on the dock, even though he's pushed against his family and that world. Why did he turn to Brent and someone in his family in his darkest moment?

Brent is kind of an asshole to him, but when the chips are down, Brent comes through.

You know, when Isabella broke up with him before his birthday, Brent threw this killer party. You see the two of them when they aligned against their father.

Blood does run deep. And yet, Luke is a little surprised he did show up. I think their mother's death changed that family, and at that the end of the day, that's sometimes the only people you can count on.

Yes! And one of the big Chambers family secrets got revealed with Luke and Brent's mother being drunk and causing the car accident. It showed how much more of Steve's control was on the family and the pressure the family had on Luke and Brent to live up to that family legacy.

Right! And also the terrible legacy that was put on Luke, which wasn't true!

That. in some way, he was messing around and caused the accident.

That's a horrible, horrible thing to have on your shoulders your entire life. For people to think your mother's death was your fault, even though you know that's not true.

He was a little kid; that was pretty awful.

Luke was planning to reveal the truth and not keep the secrets about what happened to his mother. Do you feel in some way Steve was happy that Luke was silenced and unable to say anything?

No, I think he realized certainly by the end; he seemed pretty devasted.

Even if you want to take the fact that he had the best intentions for his family's long-term health, he made some crucial and awful mistakes. He does love his kids.

He'd much rather have two sons alive and well than have this mess he found himself in at the end.

Cruel Summer is an anthology show, and hopefully, the show returns for a new season. But for this storyline on Cruel Summer Season 2, if it had continued, where would you hope the characters would go next with their lives and their mystery?

It's certainly too early to say what's in store for a potential Cruel Summer Season 3.

But as you said, this is an anthology. And to me, this story is done.

You can certainly wonder if Megan will get justice for Luke by taking down Isabella. If you look at Cruel Summer Season 1, you might wonder what happened with those characters going forward, but to me, it's all very close-ended.

I will say that Megan has that tape. She has the evidence. She's going to turn it in to the authorities.

Well, if the cinematic universe of all the Cruel Summer worlds comes together and happens, I hope one day we will see the shining moment of Megan taking Isabella down. [Laughs]

Yes. [Laughs]

Cruel Summer Season 2 is available to stream now on Hulu. Also, you can watch Cruel Summer online via TV Fanatic to catch up on the entire mystery!

The post Cruel Summer Showrunner Elle Triedman Talks The Killer’s Reveal, Motivation & Secrets appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Cruel Summer's killer reveals always pack a punch, and Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 10 didn't disappoint. The reveal changes everything about what we thought we knew about the friendship and that night.

Cruel Summer Season 2 ended on a thrilling high and a satisfying finish for the murder mystery.

The dueling narratives and the red herring twist tipped "Endgame" to be one of the series' best.

Luke's troubles with his family and the Chambers' legacy had been an active part of the mystery, a reason why Brent and Luke were the way they were. It was great to have both narratives weave together in a believable and surprising way at the end.

The first is Brent's red herring twist of "killing" Luke.

Did anyone take Luke's first death as the final solution? The accident on the dock was very early on, so it was surprising for the killer to be revealed at the start.

There was a risk this could be anticlimactic, especially since we had a full hour left for the post-death events. But "Endgame" found a way to make this feel fresh and enticing. (We'll get to the true killer's identity later on.)

Brent and Steve's coverup journey brought us into a story we didn't know was happening underneath the surface.

Luke calling Brent for help wasn't totally surprising.

Let's not forget that Megan and Isabella left him tied up on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 9, and he betrayed Jeff on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 6 by dating Megan. Who else was he going to call?

Even if Brent was an asshole, Luke was still his baby brother and needed help. Plus, he wouldn't punish him for needing him, unlike Steve, who would be furious and blame Luke again.

Brent was the best option out of a bad scenario.

The Chambers family's undoing started when Steve forced himself and Brent to cover up Luke's "murder," not Brent "killing" Luke.

Hear me out: Luke was intoxicated, and while Brent was the one to shove Luke into the dock ladder, he could've easily made a case that Luke slipped, hurt himself, and fell in the water. The death was an accident, and Brent clearly jumped into the water to try to save him.

If Brent and Steve had told Sheriff Myer that Luke had fallen in, the toxicology report would've supported that theory.

Steve's pressure to protect Brent wasted valuable time and caused his family to obstruct justice. His level of control has been a consistent theme, but he went overboard this time and destroyed everyone.

One of the best parts of "Endgame" was the unraveling of the Chambers family under pressure and their secrets coming to light. Particularly why Steve had been so cold and cruel to Luke.

The reveal of Luke's mother dying as a drunk driver was shocking.

Steve had always made it seem like it was Luke's fault for the accident and that the family was happy before that. However, this exposed the level of lies that the family lived with.

Brent: Luke wouldn’t have wanted this.

Steve: Well, it’s not my first choice either. But Megan is the one on that tape, not Isabella. So…

Brent: How could you do this to her? How could you do this to Debbie? It’s not fair!

Steve: Fair? Fair?! Grow up. That’s not how life works.

_{🔗 permalink: Fair? Fair?! Grow up. That’s not how life works.}

Everything he had done to protect their image was another layer to his destroying his family.

If Luke hadn't died and he exposed the truth, would Steve have backed down? I don't think so. He would've done anything to ruin Luke to protect the image; he's always shown his priority.

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That's why it was captivating when Brent ultimately confesses to Megan and Sheriff Myer the truth about the night. This move was the first time Brent stood up against Steve and chose what was morally right.

Don't get me wrong, I've been critical of Brent in the past, and that still hasn't changed.

It's been as early as Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 2 that Brent's crimes of recording sex tapes were exposed. Doing one good thing doesn't erase all the harm he's done. He still needs forgiveness from his victims, including Parker.

Brent: Because I’m not going to let you take the fall for this. Luke really loved you.

_{🔗 permalink: Because I’m not going to let you take the fall for this. Luke really loved you.}

Saving Megan from being framed for Luke's death and exposing Steve was a good first step.

Brent needs to be on a journey of self-development. It seems like he wants to be a good person and change, so all the best to him for starting that path. Not being like Steve (and taking down his father) is a big win!

Let's get to the "ride-or-dies" themselves: Megan and Isabella. Their journey during the season finale was a roller coaster of emotions.

Before the big killer reveal and tape betrayal, these two were never in a place to be friends again.

So much damage happened between them, like with Luke's virginity lie and the murder mystery. Megan seemed never to want to forgive Isabella, while Isabella stayed in this fantasy of how strong her "ride-or-die" was.

Megan: No, you did all this because you’re addicted to drama. And I should’ve just talked to him! I never should’ve never brought you into this. He would still be.

Isabella: Yeah, treating you like garbage.

Megan: He was right. You’re only happy when I’m miserable. Well congratulations, you got what you wanted. I wish I never met you.

_{🔗 permalink: You’re only happy when I’m miserable.}

Both weren't on the same page. While most people can mend their friendships, this one wasn't in a healthy place, nor did it feel like it could ever be fixed.

Megan and Isabella were too different as people.

My previous critique about Megan's moral superiority is still accurate; she does hold everyone to her high expectations. However, I liked how she set clear boundaries with Isabella about their future in the car.

You shouldn't have people in your life who bring you down. She recognized Isabella wasn't healthy for her and set her boundary.

It was a big growing moment for Megan, that felt mature and accurate to their situation.

If the cheating scandal hadn't happened, they might've stayed friends. However, Isabella's continued possessiveness and crossing boundaries would've pushed them until she retaliated.

Case in point: Isabella framing Megan for Luke's murder with the video clip.

As much as Isabella was about "ride-or-dies" and BFFs, she still chose her survival first. She would rather the crime destroy Megan than be consumed by it herself.

In the flashback, when she took the tape, I suspected she was keeping it for leverage. If Megan ever got out of line or she needed an exit strategy, she would have it ready to go.

Her move was shocking because Isabella is an unpredictable character.

We don't know what Isabella will do or how strongly she feels about something. Sure, she's obsessive and feels deeply, but she always seemed to be the most grounded. Now, we're left wondering if she'll ever come back to finish Megan off.

Isabella being revealed as the actual murderer changes everything. It puts her past with Lisa and her obsession with Megan into question.

Maybe Isabella did plan to kill Luke with the gun? Or perhaps it was all an accident? Maybe she only seized the opportunity to kill him when she found him half alive?

Isabella: I love making new friends.

Michelle: I’m Michelle, by the way.

Isabella: I’m Lisa.

_{🔗 permalink: I’m Lisa.}

Either way, I think Isabella killing Luke was her way of ensuring that she was the most important person in Megan's life. With Luke gone, she would never have to share; no more competition, no more games, and no more feeling like a second priority.

Isabella has a dangerous pattern, and I wouldn't be surprised if she did the same thing with Michelle in Ibiza.

The crime made it clear that it was a tragic story. All of Isabella's lies and crimes were for nothing; she still lost Megan and had to start over. She's in a never-ending cycle that will only crush the people around her.

Last Thoughts From The Archive:

• Run, Michelle! Run! The second Isabella called herself "Lisa," it cemented to me she most likely killed Lisa in a similar destructive pattern.
   
• How did the police not find the camera at the lake? Sheriff Myer needs to do a better job.
   
• The police arriving to arrest Steve was so deliciously satisfying. Karma came and served a big dish of justice.
   
• The soundtrack of this chapter hit me in all the feels. The cover of "Dragula" was hauntingly beautiful.

Now, over to you, Cruel Summer fans.

What did you think of "Endgame"?

Did you guess the murderer correctly? Did Brent's admission give him redemption in your eyes? Are you happy to see Steve's dynasty crumble?

If you missed the latest episode of Cruel Summer, you can watch Cruel Summer online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 10 Review: Endgame appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In Winter 1999, Luke is sitting at the dock at 5 a.m. on January 1st. Brent walks up the dock; he was the one who Luke beeped.

In the morning, Steve walks down the stairs and sees water footprints along the floor. Steve finds Brent covered in water and crying at the kitchen counter. Brent says he needs to tell his dad something.

Steve runs to the dock searching for Luke.

In Winter 1999 on January 1st at 4:10 a.m., Megan and Isabella return to their home. Megan wants to go back in the morning and untie Luke from the bed. Megan is upset, but Isabella thinks Luke deserved more punishment. Isabella says the gunshot was an accident.

Megan says she's going back at 8 a.m. to free him.

In the morning, Megan and Isabella return to the cabin to discover Luke isn't there. Isabella accuses Megan of letting Luke go. They both search the woods; Isabella theorizes Luke ran away due to the tape.

The girls agree they need to find Luke before someone else does. Megan calls 911 to see if they've found someone fitting Luke's description; no one has been found.

Isabella says they need to destroy the tape. Isabella is upset that Megan is starting to forgive Luke; Megan condemns Isabella for keeping secrets too. She doesn't know if she can trust Isabella again.

On January 3, 2000, Brent finds Steve looking out over the lake. Steve says he's going to protect Brent and not let anything happen to him.

Megan asks Steve if he knows about Luke's whereabouts, but he doesn't. Megan says she's not sure about any trouble he's in. They both acknowledge the Coast Guard secret.

Isabella tells Megan that they need to push the story of Luke running away. Isabella wants Megan to forge a fake letter from Luke claiming to have run away.

Megan posts missing person posters around the town of Luke. Jeff tells her that he will create a video for the local news to air.

Megan contacts her online friend, but he doesn't respond.

Isabella and Megan get into an argument. Isabella says the plan was only done to help Megan, and Megan says Isabella loves the drama. Megan comments Isabella has never been in a relationship; Isabella says she pushed Megan outside her shell. Megan wishes she never met Isabella.

In Summer 2000, Steve is pushing Sheriff Myer to charge the girls so that they can close the case. Sheriff Myer reveals his team is going through the surveillance footage of the roads.

Brent visits Megan because he wants to talk to someone. Megan reveals Debbie is in remission. Megan reveals the sheriff thinks Isabella and Megan worked together to kill Luke.

Megan's lawyer quit because Megan is out of money.

Isabella and Megan meet up to confirm they had a strategy of accusing each other so that they would be clear. Megan thinks the surveillance footage will also confirm who else was there that night to kill Luke.

Megan hacks into the sheriff's station computer system to view the footage. They view the tapes and see Steve's car driving down the road.

Megan and Isabella confront Steve about the footage; Steve is adamant that he had an alibi. Brent overhears them. Steve tells Isabella that his investigator heard from Trevor about Lisa's death.

In the car, Isabella says she's happy the last few days felt like a friendship again. Megan thinks their friendship has been nothing but destruction. Isabella is angry that Megan doesn't have loyalty.

In the office, Brent is panicking and thinks he'll be arrested. Steve smacks him and tells him to not consider going to prison.

At home, Megan overhears the radio saying the police will be making an arrest soon. Megan visits Isabella's hotel room, but the maid says she checked out of the hotel.

The police pull Megan over in her car. Sheriff Myer says a tape came into his possession and Megan needs to go to the station for questioning.

Sheriff Myer shows a doctored version of the tape from NYE that implicates Megan as the shooter who killed Luke. Isabella isn't on the tape. Sheriff Myer arrests Megan for the murder of Luke.

Steve tells Brent that the police are charging Megan. Brent is upset and doesn't want Megan to go down for the crime. Steve is adamant that Brent just accept that Megan is getting arrested.

Brent accuses Steve and reveals that his mother was driving drunk when she got in the car accident. Steve had Luke be blamed for making it an accident. Steve says he does whatever he can to protect his family.

Brent visits Megan in her holding cell. Brent reveals he was the one who Luke paged on the dock.

Back on Winter 1999, the scene transitions back to Brent and Luke on the dock. Brent helps Luke up, but Luke is feeling sad and admits to all the bad decisions he made recently. He reveals he played the wrong tape during the holiday party; he thought it was one of Brent's tapes.

Luke says he's done lying about his mother and the accident. Luke says his mother was driving drunk and caused the crash. Brent gets angry and shoves Luke; his head hits the ladder and he falls into the water. Brent dives into the lake searching for Luke, but he can't find him.

The scene transitions back to the holding scene. Brent reveals the entire truth to Megan. He reveals Steve placed the money in the cabin.

Sheriff Myer is listening from the security cameras as Brent reveals the truth to Megan.

Brent says he doesn't want Megan to take the fall for Luke's death. Brent says Luke really loved Megan. Sheriff Myer arrests Brent; Brent apologizes to Megan.

The police come to the Chambers house in search of Steve.

News articles are made revealing the scandal of the death and the Chambers family secrets. Megan gets an offer from her online friend about a real coding job.

On a plane, Isabella is heading back to Ibiza. She makes a new friend with a girl named Michelle and she takes up Megan as her best friend. Isabella takes on the name, "Lisa."

Megan visits the dock to have an emotional goodbye to the lake and Luke, but she noticed a camera with a view to the lake.

The scene transitions to the night of the death and Isabella is at the lake. She finds Luke washed up ashore and in pain. She puts her foot on Luke's head and drowns his face in the water. She pushes him out to the lake.

Megan watches the security footage and cries.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 10 Recap: Endgame appeared first on TV Fanatic.

You couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for him on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 9, but that doesn't mean we forgot what he did. His terrible actions toward Megan and Isabella aren't washed away because Brent and Steve were jerks.

In this penultimate chapter of Cruel Summer Season 2, we get answers to why Luke is the way he is. And more insight into why he makes awful choices.

"The Miseducation of Luke Chambers" did something refreshing that played against type on Cruel Summer. Specifically, the three-period format was changed to focus on several moments of Luke's life leading to New Year's Eve.

These quick hits filled in the gaps of why he changed by the winter of 1999 and kept talking a big game to all the guys.

Luke's monthly scenes were fascinating because they focused the drama through Luke's filter. Each clip was a mix of his real life and how he reacted to the world.

Cruel Summer Season 2, up to now, has focused primarily on Megan and Isabella, with some scenes of the sheriff, adults, and teens. But the story has been mainly of the two main girls; every twist, every reaction, and every comment orbited them.

Isabella: Don’t say a word about tonight. To anyone.

_{🔗 permalink: Don’t say a word about tonight. To anyone.}

This chapter was all about Luke, and by focusing on him, he came out looking like the tortured main character of his story.

There is the bully big brother, the overbearing dad forcing his future on Luke, the possessive evil best friend taking his girlfriend, and his actions to get revenge. All of this is true, and we'll get to how this all ramped up.

Luke is both the victim and a monster in his story. It's fascinating how everything came together and how certain parts get elevated without distractions.

We can all agree Steve is the worst!

From a pushy dad on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 1 to a powerful misogynist on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 8, he's been very consistent. Steve has never shaken off his villain title.

One of the great parts about the chapter is that it cemented why Luke and Steve don't get along. Their relationship was fleshed out in such an organic way that it filled plenty of holes.

Steve: I’m sick of trying to fix you.

Luke: That’s bullshit! You don’t care about me. You’ve never cared about me.

Steve: Excuse me?

Luke: Brent is your only real son. I’m just this constant disappointment to you.

Steve: Okay, we’re gonna have a little pity party now?

Luke: You’ve just resented me ever since the night of the accident, and you know it! You wish I were the one who died that night.

_{🔗 permalink: You wish I were the one who died that night.}

Of course, Steve would lash out and resent his son for something out of his hands. How could he blame a child for a car accident?

Steve can't escape his guilt for the decision he made that night. He wouldn't have known his wife would die, but if some part of him blames Luke, it's only covering up for his guilt. Steve is a bad parent.

And why was Steve obsessed with Luke going to Branson for Business school?

Isn't Brent already going there to run the business? Why does he need both sons to follow his path?

Steve is so controlling that it's exhausting.

Regardless of what he said, he doesn't care if his sons are happy or safe. He wants them to follow his decisions and create mini-versions of himself. He's too lenient on Brent and controlling on Luke; he's helping no one in their lives.

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I loved that Luke stood up and confronted his father. It was finally time for someone to put him in his place.

Being a "Chambers" didn't mean he had to give up his life, dream, and happiness. If Luke's mother were still alive, she wouldn't be happy with what Steve was forcing him to do.

Steve even admitted that he saw his late mother within him.

Now that Luke is dead, he's probably regretting every comment and action he did to his son. His final days weren't happy, and a good portion of why is because of Steve and his behavior.

Did anyone correctly guess that Luke was the one who aired the sex tape?

It's not that surprising when we remember that no one else knew about the tape except for Luke. Plus, his reason for creating it was a blatant lie. He only did it to be a big man like Brent.

This moment had plenty of "Luke is the villain" energy. He didn't care about Megan's wants or life; this was all about showing up to Steve and hurting his precious reputation.

Jeff was right on the money; at least the other villains own up to their bad behavior. Luke continues to play the victim when he's making terrible choices that are just as worse.

He can't have it both ways.

Luke can't create a sex tape without Megan's consent. He can't brag to the guys about playing both girls on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 7 while acting like he's worried about his relationship. And he can't worry about Megan leaving for school when he's also planning to run off to join the Coast Guard.

Luke: When I got to the emergency contact stuff, I realized technically it’s my dad. But really, you’re my case of everything.

Megan: Luke! That’s…

Luke: You believe in me more than anyone else. At least since my mom. I don’t know what I would do with you.

[They kiss]

_{🔗 permalink: You believe in me more than anyone else. At least since my mom.}

I feel bad for his concerns, but he contradicts himself a lot.

Luke needed to decide if his Chambers legacy was more important than his happiness. I want to believe the words he told Megan about loving her were true, but his actions showed otherwise.

Like his reaction to finding out Megan was pregnant.

Did you notice how quickly he turned to his dad as the best solution? He didn't even think twice.

As much as Luke hates Steve, he knows that his dad will fix anything. He's like Brent in many cases but in a different font. He truly is a Chambers.

Poor Megan. All she needed was love and support; she was already dealing with the harsh truth.

Now for the big twist: who could be the person on the dock Luke contacted with his beeper? That person most likely killed him.

With Megan and Isabella in bed, their chances are low (but not impossible).

It wouldn't make sense for Luke to contact either of them. Both had left him tied up to the bed in the cabin, so why would they come back to help? And they were still mad at him.

Megan is the closest option of the two, but why would Luke beep her after what happened?

Possible options are Steve, Brent, Jeff, and Sheriff Myer.

Steve and Brent because they're his family. If Luke were turning to anyone for help, it would be them to clean up the mess. And since it was the middle of the night, both would go out of their way to help him.

Luke might confess the truth about the tape and Megan's pregnancy on the dock. That news could start a chain reaction that leads to his death.

For instance, Brent gets mad at Luke because Luke gets to be the "innocent" or "good" brother, or Steve gets mad because Luke wants to abandon his goal to support Megan's baby and/or join the Coast Guard.

Jeff is an option after their encounter at the police station.

Based on Luke's friends, Jeff seemed to be his closest guy friend. He may turn to Jeff for help. And due to the pregnancy news, maybe Jeff leaves him on the dock, and he drowns?

Steve: Yeah, being on the water all day? That’s a hobby. That’s not real life.

_{🔗 permalink: Yeah, being on the water all day? That’s a hobby. That’s not real life.}

Sheriff Myer is the long shot since he wants to help Luke attend the academy. We can't rule him out yet, as he could be a parental figure that Luke would contact for help.

We're so close to finding out the truth! These are all theories, but one of them has to be right. Right?!

Last Thoughts From The Archive:

• Isabella got strangely possessive of Megan. Wasn't she very supportive of Megan's relationship with Luke? All her looks at Luke and secretive plans with Megan felt like a complete character shift from who she was before.
   
• Steve telling Luke to break up with Megan because of her future schooling was terrible advice. His son was already feeling low; he made it so much worse.
   
• Isabella is lucky her gunshot was missed. If she had shot Luke, her life would've been over.

Now, over to you, Cruel Summer fans.

What did you think of "The Miseducation of Luke Chambers"?

Who was the person on the dock? Why did Isabella become so possessive of Megan? Were you surprised Luke played the tape?

If you missed the latest episodes of Cruel Summer, you can watch Cruel Summer online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 9 Review: The Miseducation of Luke Chambers appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In Fall 1999 (September), A home videotape is shown of Luke's childhood birthday; Luke is watching at home. The kids are playing with water guns and they see Luke's mom in the video.

Luke is relaxing in the pool until Brent flips him over and playfully keeps him under water. Steve tells Brent to let him out; Luke is upset, but Steve tells him to get over it.

Luke, Brent, and Steve reminisce about their mother on her birthday. Steve says Luke reminds him of their mother.

At the pier, Isabella, Megan, and Luke talk about the first day of school. Isabella conducts a Cosmopolitan quiz between Megan and Luke. The pair disagree on some answers, but Luke enjoys hanging out with the girls.

In Winter 2000, the gunshot misses Luke and grazes his ear. The group panics thinking that someone heard the gunshot; Isabella takes the tape and forces Luke to agree that he'll never say anything. Isabella leaves.

Megan tells Luke the truth that she's pregnant.

In Fall 1999 (October), Luke tells Megan stories about Brent's time at university. Luke tells her that he and Steve have nothing to talk about; he says ever since his mother died, there's been a rift between them.

Luke and Megan kiss after he says Megan is the most important person to him.

At the office, Steve shows Luke the model for the Northland deal. Steve pushes Luke to apply to Branson and go to school for Architecture & Business.

Luke says he wants to join the Coast Guard instead as he loves being on the water. Steve chastises Luke for his dreams and forces him to focus on going to Branson.

Sheriff Myer gives Luke the application for the Coast Guard. Luke says he plans to apply and then tell Steve last minute when he has to leave for the academy.

In bed, Luke says he doesn't want things to change between him and Megan. He acknowledges things will change when they go to their schools.

The camera is hidden in one of the cabinets.

In Winter 2000, Luke is freaked out over the pregnancy news. He says they should contact Steve as he'll know how to get rid of it. Megan says Luke is not the guy she thought he was.

Megan says she never wants to see Luke again. She leaves the cabin, and she leaves Luke tied up.

In Fall 1999 (November), Luke and Megan are dressed up for Halloween as Neo and Trinity from The Matrix. Isabella is dressed as an agent; all three cheers to drinks.

Isabella tells Luke he needs to follow his dreams too. Luke says he wants to be Megan's accomplice, but Isabella says they can't both be.

In Fall 1999, Brent brags about hooking up with college girls and recording the tapes. The guys goad Luke into saying he'll never be confident enough to record his own tape with Megan.

At night, Luke is waiting for Megan at her office. They were supposed to hang out, but Megan forget; she and Isabella went drinking at the pub instead. Isabella brings up an older guy from the band who was obsessed with her.

At the police station, Jeff is paying off a parking ticket. After Luke recommends Jeff to flirt with Amy, Jeff tells Luke that it's not cool about Luke and Megan getting together. He chastises Luke for pretending to be a good guy when he knew how Jeff felt about Megan.

In Winter 2000, Luke is sweating and starts untying himself from the ropes.

In Fall 2000 (December), Megan, Isabella, and Luke are hanging out at the cabin during a ditch day. Isabella lets slip that she and Megan will probably travel through Europe during the summer to see No Doubt. Isabella makes a comment that Megan needs to explore the world and not be tied down to one place.

In Fall 1999 (December), Luke tells Steve that he got into Branson and the Coast Guard. Luke tells him that he wants to do the Coast Guard; Steve is frustrated and say he won't bankroll Luke's dream.

Luke yells at Steve and says he knows Steve wishes Luke died in the car accident instead of his mother. Luke reveals his mother was only driving because Steve got busy with work and refused to go with Luke to the store.

Later, Luke tells Megan that he's spoken less with Steve after the fight. Luke talks about what it would be like to run away.

Events from the holiday party are shown when Steve tells the principal about going to Branson.

Steve confronts Luke and tells him that he needs to stop embarrassing the family. He says Branson is going to happen regardless.

Luke gives the sex tape to one of the staff members to air it during the party.

Later, the guys at the cabin are congratulating Luke for hooking up with Isabella on the side and making the sex tape. Luke brags about the tape and having the girls.

Megan refuses to sleep with Luke at the cabin again because the hidden sex tape has freaked her out. She doesn't trust being recorded or watched. Luke tries to reassure her; he says he loves Megan.

Later, while Luke is playing a video game, Steve talks with him about Luke's dating troubles. Luke is worried things are tense between him and Megan. Steve says it might be time for Luke to break up with Megan before she goes to university.

In Winter 2000, Luke breaks free from his ropes. He gets dressed and grabs a flashlight as he leaves the cabin into the woods.

Due to the drugs, Luke is disoriented while walking in the woods. He hears the voiceovers of people talking bad things about him.

Luke makes it to the end of the pier and types a number into his beeper.

At home, both Megan and Isabella are in their beds.

On the dock, someone is walking toward Luke. Luke says he wasn't sure if they would come for him.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 9 Recap: The Miseducation of Luke Chambers appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Megan and Isabella held Luke accountable for his lies on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 8.

Prepare yourselves, Cruel Summer fans! We've made it to the cabin, and the tension has skyrocketed. This thrilling murder mystery is starting its roller-coaster highs toward the climax.

"Confess Your Sins" was a chapter carried by how strong Winter 1999 became. We've waited most of Cruel Summer Season 2 to get to this moment, so the stakes were high. (And the early action delivered!)

The summer of 1999 added plenty of fuel to the fire burning in the winter. We couldn't have one without the other to land the truth bombs. But for Summer 2000? It was on the back burner.

With a plot that jumps around three periods, they can't always get equal focus. Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 5 was the closest, where everything felt self-contained and essential to the mystery.

The summer of 2000 has been dealt a short hand at times because the characters have to catch up after Luke's body is discovered. And we can't move forward too much because there's still a murder to witness in the past.

Once again, the summer stalled in its pacing, instead choosing to drag out the drama.

Plenty of starts, stops, and exposition to fill the timeframe. There wasn't anything new added we didn't already know.

The closest new information was Megan telling Isabella why she hung out with Ned.

Her answer was very understandable and something Megan would want. She's always focused on her goals and doing stuff she could claim as her own. Even Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 1 dealt with her frustration at having to share her life with Isabella.

Ned and the tech world were all hers.

Isabella: Well, yeah. I mean I’m just saying if I were hella paranoid, I’d put them somewhere completely unlikely. Like with my taxes or in a totally different database, right?

Megan: That’s actually really smart.

Isabella: You could be less surprised. Reading people is like my superpower.

Megan: You do have a talent for it.

_{🔗 permalink: You could be less surprised. Reading people is like my superpower.}

However, we need more info on why she turned to cyber crimes. Like how did Ned get her to agree to hack?

There is more to this than simply needing a separation in her life. Megan has a whole different side to her that only scratched the surface.

Steve and Brent are the absolute worst. Like a whole "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" situation, right?

The summer of 1999 (and the winter of 1999) proved yet again why the Chambers men are trash.

Brent is running wild and talking a big game, but when the chips fall, his daddy also bails him out—even this time after his gross behavior toward Isabella and undoing her top.

Isabella: What are you doing?

Megan: Looking for you!

Luke: We wanted to figure out what to do tonight.

Isabella: Oh. Cool.

Megan: What are you up for? You always have the best ideas.

Isabella: Absolutely anything.

_{🔗 permalink: What are you up for? You always have the best ideas.}

Here comes Steve to flex his toxic masculinity and cover up for his son's terrible attitude. A decent parent would've held his son accountable for how he treated Isabella and made her uncomfortable. But no, Steve is the worst enabler.

He's lucky Brent never got any charges and that Parker only dumped him. Brent deserved a lot worse, and hopefully, his karma comes swiftly and painfully.

It's nice that Parker and Isabella bonded after everything that happened. We only got the first few hints of their friendship starting, but we know they'll eventually become BFFs later.

This makes Parker's eventual betrayal on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 6 even more shocking.

Coming to Chatham, Isabella seemed the worldliest and most realistic of the teens. She knew how cruel the world could be and didn't like optimism blind her judgment. Parker was a good balance for her because she seemed mature and didn't accept Brent's behavior.

Tim: Yo, Isabella? You wanna get wet?

Isabella: Ummm, only if it’s for charity. Which, I guess is you? But still, nah, I’m good.

Parker: Wow, Tim and his limp hose.

_{🔗 permalink: Wow, Tim and his limp hose.}

Plus, Parker could easily spot Isabella holding back the truth during the car wash. You could see it on her face; she knew there was more to the story.

I wish we got more scenes of them together, especially to get a contrast between how Isabella's friendship with Parker was different than hers with Megan's. The ride-or-dies felt more intense, while she and Parker were more of an unspoken understanding.

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Do you think Isabella told Parker the truth about Luke losing his virginity? She kept the secret from Megan, but Parker is a different story.

The odds are low, especially since Luke pressed hard to ensure the truth would never come out.

Even at their lowest, Isabella would never do something to hurt Megan intentionally. Revealing that truth to the world would cause a tidal wave of issues. Megan can't handle betrayal well; she lashes out at everyone.

The events at the cabin proved that theory.

Now, it's time to discuss the revenge at the cabin. Or what we'll call "Luke's Villain Arc."

This little boy kept digging his grave one comment after the next. Sure, he was drugged and drunk, but he had done and said all these things long before Megan tied him to the bed.

We called it for weeks now that his insecurity and need to "be the man" would be his undoing. His nice boy-next-door image was only a ruse to cover up all the terrible things he said and did.

Luke is probably a nice guy in his everyday life, but his actions don't support that. Someone who cared about his girlfriend wouldn't record a sex tape, brag about cheating, or try to cheat on her. He cares too much about his image and reputation.

Did anyone correctly guess that Luke recorded the sex tape?

He was suspicious, but those theories were pushed aside to focus on other people. Like, Luke couldn't have been that terrible? He couldn't be like Brent, right?

Isabella: Luke, if Brent didn’t make the sex tape between you and Megan, who did?

Luke: I did.

_{🔗 permalink: Luke, if Brent didn’t make the sex tape between you and Megan, who did?}

Wrong! He didn't do it with the same seriousness as Brent, but he still recorded a sex tape without Megan's consent.

And if it was only for "pleasure" for him and Megan down the line, he could've easily told me. Plenty of time has passed since the scandal broke out, so he could've quickly come clean.

He most likely had other reasons for that tape. Maybe it was a competition against Brent and his many secret videos?

Luke's other big villain moment was revealing the truth about his virginity.

Do you think Megan believed his lies? Luke pressed hard and tugged on the emotions, but he was a proven liar. Megan can't believe him after everything; there's no way she would fall for this.

She has proof that he can't be trusted between the cheating attempt and his bragging. Luke is only out for himself.

Regardless of why they kept the secret, Isabella and Luke were dating then. It would've been nice if they had told the truth, but only one used it as ammunition at the cabin. And that wasn't Isabella.

Speaking of ammunition, the cliffhanger ended with Isabella firing a gun on camera. Their testimonies to Sheriff Myer made it seem like they were testifying against each other.

But Luke couldn't have died from the gunshot at that point. Their chat that Parker overheard confirmed they weren't together when Luke died and were still suspicious of each other.

My theory is that the gunshot could be from a blank gun.

A prank to push Luke to the brink and capture him on camera confessing to everything. Whoever killed Luke had to have happened afterward.

We still have two more episodes left of Cruel Summer Season 2, so plenty of time remains in this murder mystery. Let's not forget the big twist of Cruel Summer Season 1 Episode 10 didn't happen until the final minutes. Anything could happen at that cabin.

Last Thoughts From The Archive:

• Sheriff Myer is going to find plenty of footage on those cameras. Maybe it'll reveal if someone else drove up the cabin after Isabella and Megan left?
   
• Really? A video camera from 1999 picked up audio, let alone an audio team made it clear, of Megan and Isabella plotting their revenge across a loud party? No home camera was that good two decades ago.
   
• Luke knowing about Brent's secret sex tapes (and watching them) cemented him as a terrible guy. No one who stood back and did nothing as it continued could be a good guy.
   
• Who could it be if Luke is adamant that he didn't release the tape? One of the gross guy friends? Jeff? Steve? Parkers or one of the girls?

Now, over to you, Cruel Summer fans.

What did you think of "Confess Your Sins"?

Did Isabella murder Luke with the gunshot? Who do you think released the sex tape? What will Sheriff Myer do now with the testimony?

If you missed the latest episode of Cruel Summer, you can watch Cruel Summer online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Confess Your Sins appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In Summer 1999, Megan gossips about her kiss with Luke to Isabella. Megan says Isabella is her best friend.

In Winter 1999, Megan and Luke kiss at the cabin. She wants to try something with him involving ropes.

In Summer 2000, Megan is chatting on the computer with someone. Isabella tells Megan that Sheriff Myer knows about the lie: the truth about Megan being on the sex tape.

Megan tells Isabella that the police are suspicious of Ned. She warns Isabella that Ned's security cameras have footage of the driving path to the cabin, which will show their car there that night.

In Summer 1999, Luke and Megan head up to her room for a little bit. Debbie encourages Isabella to think optimistically of the future; she says she still has Megan as a BFF and all the school stuff coming up.

In Summer 2000, Sheriff Myer tells Deputy Hadwicke his suspicions of Ned, Megan, and Isabella. He thinks the girls are hiding more than they're letting on.

The deputy is looking at photos of Megan conducting her techno-fraud.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Luke make out on her bed. Megan is excited to be with Luke and experience their firsts together. He lies and agrees with her.

In Winter 1999, Megan starts lying Luke up on the bed. He wants to make a safe word for them. She agrees, but then Isabella walks down from the top floor of the cabin.

In Summer 1999, the teens start the car wash; Jeff is recording their time together. Parker tells Isabella that the car wash is raising money for homecoming. Isabella's tone makes it clear she's sad about the new normal since Megan started her relationship with Luke.

Parker reveals she broke up with Brent the day before.

In Winter 1999, Megan tells Luke she wants the truth about the Plunge. Luke is very nervous being tied up on the bed.

Megan pours them drinks. She adds a pill to Luke's drink to get him to tell the truth. While Isabella is looking away, Megan pours alcohol into Isabella's drink and Luke's drink, none in hers.

Isabella adds another pill to Luke's drink.

In Summer 2000, Megan and Isabella visit Ned's home. When he doesn't open the door, Megan inputs his door code by memory, successfully getting inside.

Megan can't find the security footage in his files; Isabella suggests it's on another server. Megan tells Isabella that she started hanging out with Ned because she needed something separate that was just hers.

Megan finds the footage, but Sheriff Myer is at the door.

In Summer 1999, Jeff is conducting a side business selling movies.

Parker thinks it's cute that Isabella is excited about all the senior stuff at school. Parker apologizes to Isabella for her bad attitude when she got there.

When Megan and Luke arrive, everyone notices they're together. Isabella tells Parker that she can see how awkward it can get, but she's thinking optimistically.

Jeff tells Isabella that he's starting a video yearbook. Isabella tells Jeff that she wants good friends and good experiences for her senior year. She tells Jeff that it was inevitable that Megan and Luke would get together.

In Winter 1999, Megan turns on the video camera on Luke. Luke admits to him trying to kiss Isabella and she pushing him away. Luke says he didn't want to make Megan look at him in that way. He admits to bragging and saying he had the girls wrapped around his fingers.

In Summer 2000, Steve confronts Debbie about her keeping the secret of Megan being on the sex tape. Steve thinks Isabella is hiding more secrets.

In Winter 1999, Luke admits he bragged to the guys about hooking up with lots of girls in college. He just wanted to talk big.

Luke reveals he knew about Brent's videotapes and his recording of girls without their consent at the cabin. Luke is adamant that Brent didn't record the tape because Brent only records himself.

Luke admits to recording the sex tape of Megan.

In Summer 1999, the guys are talking about the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape. Brent is bragging about homemade sex tapes. Isabella is overhearing their conversation.

In Summer 2000, the police bring in all of Ned's computers and servers to the police station. The Sheriff wants to meet with Isabella and Megan with their lawyers.

In Summer 1999, Luke asks Isabella to lie and never tell Megan that he lost his virginity to her.

In Summer 2000, Sheriff Myer interrogates both Megan and Isabella; they say they went to visit Ned to see if he killed Luke. Sheriff Myer thinks they killed Luke due to the lie about the sex tape.

In Winter 1999, Luke said he made the tape only for them. However, he is adamant that he didn't air the sex tape at the holiday party.

Luke admits to Megan that he and Isabella had sex once during the party.

In Summer 2000, Megan reveals that Luke and Isabella agreed to the lie to protect Megan's future. Isabella says her friendship with Megan ended due to all the town chatter about Isabella being a cheater.

In Summer 1999, Brent hits on Isabella and wants to get together. She turns him down and forcibly undoes her bikini top. Brent calls her a tease. Steve walks up and tells Isabella that Brent is pushing her buttons; that "boys will be boys."

Isabella doesn't tell Megan what happened.

In Summer 2000, Sheriff Myer asks Megan and Isabella for their alibis again on the night of Luke's disappearance. Sheriff Myer shows them Jeff's tape from the NYE party; his audio team pulled out a conversation between Megan and Isabella where they talked about the revenge on Luke.

In Winter 1999, Isabella cries and says the agreement was to protect Megan. Luke lies and says that Isabella forced the lie because she thinks Megan is insecure. Megan is upset and Luke tries to talk her down.

Isabella is upset and points a gun at Luke. She tells him to shut up.

In Summer 1999, Luke and Megan can hear Debbie and Steve make out in the living. Luke says it's a positive for them since their parents will be happy and they can have more good times together.

In Summer 2000, Sheriff Myer lies to Megan and Isabella that they're ratting on each other about the pills in Luke's system.

In Summer 1999, Isabella puts a new picture of her and Parker at the car wash on her wall. Luke and Megan pull Isabella in to have a hangout.

In Summer 2000, Megan and Isabella agree to tell the truth. They say that each other is responsible for Luke's death. The camera is still on as they're arguing about the gun.

Isabella fires the gun.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 8 Recap: Confess Your Sins appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Megan and Isabella are starting their plan of sweet justice on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 7.

This is the stage of the murder investigation we have all been waiting for, Cruel Summer fans. The first chapter in this next phase brought us to the edge of our seats. And we can't wait for more!

"It's The End Of The World" was a perfectly-named episode. Megan was front and center in each period, experiencing the start of her romance with Luke and her university dreams crashing down.

If you want to sum up Cruel Summer Season 2's journey of highs and lows for a character, look no further than Megan's worst nightmare.

Before everything became worse for her, Megan seemed to be riding high. She had her scholarship, a new friend, and a successful side business with Ned.

The real high point was the summer of 1999 when she and Luke finally got together.

Did anyone else smile when they kissed at the dock? Not just because they had a romantic moment but because the couple got together and caught up with the storyline.

All the anticipation and the teasing of their romance came together at this moment. We've known about this since Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 1, but we didn't know how it happened.

Putting aside Luke's shadiness that's coming up, we can't deny that their flirting was so adorable.

Summer 1999 has always felt light-hearted and carefree, like there was innocence in the air. Cruel Summer's showrunner Elle Triedman said as much when we chatted with her about the storylines.

Scenes like Luke and Megan running through the woods together and reminiscing showed this feeling well. It felt like a teen rom-com!

Megan: What do I do now?

Isabella: Just pretend it never happened. One day when the time is right, the universe will give you a do-over.

_{🔗 permalink: One day when the time is right, the universe will give you a do-over.}

You could tell they both liked each other and reached a point where they needed to do something. Not just with their hand-holding on the dock (which was cute) but also making an actual move.

This entire segment felt so satisfying because of our journey with the couple. Even with Luke's interest in Isabella on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 3, we still knew that more would come to get to this moment.

The sweetness of that time on the dock seems like such a distant memory than Luke, Megan, and Isabella from winter 1999. Who would've known five months would be enough to change them completely?

Whenever Luke opened his mouth to Megan, I couldn't help but think, "That boy's a liar."

Luke: I can handle both of them, no problem. I’ve got them wrapped around my finger.

_{🔗 permalink: I’ve got them wrapped around my finger.}

And if he would keep his story going, he needed to do a better job telling his tale. He nearly slipped up while shopping with Megan.

How hard is it to think of why Isabella wanted to kiss him?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Luke at all! If he wanted to play this lie and be the "big man," he should've thought about all the possibilities before he lost control of his story.

For instance, why didn't he think about what would happen if Megan talked to Isabella about the kiss?

All it took was one chat at the party for Megan to feel guilty about not believing Isabella. The BFFs are ride-or-dies, so there would always be a layer of doubt to the story for Luke and Isabella.

And let's not forget that Isabella agreed to the rumor of being on the sex tape to protect Megan.

Unless Isabella is playing this puppet-master-level game to betray Megan, there would be no reason for her to take the lie and try to cheat with Luke to hurt Megan.

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The stupidest moment of Luke's night: bragging to the guys about what he did. What if the guys joked about what Luke said to Megan or Isabella?

His "guy code" wasn't foolproof, and it was easy for someone to walk by and hear him. If it hadn't been Megan, it could've been someone else.

Isabella: What are you thinking?

Megan: I think we should get some serious payback. I wanna make Luke wish he never met us.

_{🔗 permalink: I wanna make Luke wish he never met us.}

We've discussed before on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 6 that Luke has been showing his insecurity about "being a man" lately and showing up that he can be a player. Bragging to the guys was another tell-tale sign of him trying to be like Brent and flex his swag.

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Luke was the one who released the sex tape on Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 2.

What better way to show up to Brent and the guys than by airing his hook-up? The real Luke is coming out, so we must brace ourselves for whatever other truths are revealed.

I felt so bad for Megan. Luke said some nasty stuff, which shattered the reality she had built up in her mind.

For instance, Luke lies about Isabella. But even worse, Luke said he didn't care about cheating on her, alluding to him likely being single in college. It's no wonder Megan was out for revenge.

What scheme do you think Megan and Isabella have planned?

It's probably something big that will destroy his character. Only confronting him on his lies seems too small; the revenge will most likely involve humiliating him and everyone finding out. They're out for blood, but murder would be too high.

The summer of 2000 presented us with more pieces to the puzzle and some extra doses of karma for our main players.

Megan's side business wasn't a surprise. We knew she was a hacker and making money from it; no one will debate that.

On the other hand, the police cracking her codes and exposing her business was a shocking twist. For the police force in 2000, the team had an excellent cyber-crime staff to take down Megan's firewalls. That's quite impressive for the time.

Megan: Do you think that you could hack into the court’s database and erase it?

Ned: I wish I could, but I mean, once something like that is in the system, there’s a paper trail. It’s too late.

Megan: Damn it. You were my last hope. My last chance.

_{🔗 permalink: Damn it. You were my last hope. My last chance.}

It's a shame she lost her scholarship, but she also got that through hacking and altering her grades. My sympathy evens itself out because of the justice, and it means another deserving student will get the scholarship now.

Megan played with fire, and now she's getting dealt the consequences of her actions.

Speaking of consequences, there were some strange behaviors from the group.

Like Ned refusing to help Megan in her time of need. He's a tech genius millionaire! Why isn't he funding her education?

Megan could easily become a Silicon Valley tech CEO with training and schooling.

It can't only be about Ned's paranoia; this also has to do with control.

He wants Megan to be the hacker he needs. That's why he's so possessive of his friendship with Megan and why he's so angry at Luke too. His decisions can't only be about the property line and the investigation.

And Brent is being a little too helpful to Megan.

Granted, he views her as a sister and doesn't believe she killed Luke. However, in this chapter alone, he helped her on two occasions. From what we've seen, Brent isn't the most thoughtful guy.

Giving Luke the canary keys and being a good big brother seemed out of character.

Could this be a ruse to make him look good before it's revealed he killed Luke? Brent is still a suspect, so we can't rule him out yet.

Last Thoughts From The Archive:

• Poor Megan. Finding out on the same night that you're pregnant and your boyfriend bragged about cheating on you was not a great way to end the year.
   
• I'm unsure how I feel about Jeff telling the police about Megan. He only did it to save his butt, and Megan did play her part in her crimes, but it's very underhanded. It's less petty and more survivalist.
   
• Jeff's video footage probably plays a part in the future. There is a lot of footage floating around of the group together. Could he have recorded something that would be a smoking gun?
   
• Steve will look back one day and realize he was a terrible dad to Luke. The Chambers' legacy wasn't worth more than his son.

Now, over to you, Cruel Summer fans.

What did you think of "It's The End Of The World"?

What revenge plan do Megan and Isabella have up their sleeves? Why is Brent always going out of his way to help Megan? Will Luke discover the truth about Megan's pregnancy?

If you missed the latest episode of Cruel Summer, you can watch Cruel Summer online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 7 Review: It’s The End Of The World appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Isabella woke up in bed after a sleepover. Megan still feels awkward after Luke threw up after nearly kissing her at this party. Isabella tries to reassure her that things will work out.

In Winter 1999, Isabella tells Megan that her new years resolution is to have a fresh start and not be a slob. Megan says a mean comment under her breath.

In Summer 2000, Megan's lawyer tells her that she's officially being charged.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Isabella are cleaning up the house after the party. They're disgusted by the mess. Luke comes over and they force him to help clean up.

In Winter 1999, Luke and Megan are picking up party supplies for their Y2K NYE event. Megan asks him why Isabella would try to kiss him after Isabella tried hard to get them together. Luke says Isabella loves it whenever things are rough between him and Megan; Luke says that he and Megan are strong.

Luke also says that he thinks Isabella wants to break them up so she can have Megan all to herself.

In Summer 2000, the police find out in Megan's computer that she's a hacker who would break into systems, steal information, and sell them to people. Steve has photos of Ned and Megan together. Steve has a theory that Ned killed Luke because Luke defended Megan at the cabin.

In Summer 1999, the group finishes cleaning the house. Megan agrees to go with Luke to the cabin to clean.

In Summer 2000, police are charging Megan due to her list of misdemeanors from all the hacking in her computer. Megan is worried that she'll lose her scholarship. The lawyer says Megan is lucky that she was a minor during some of the most heinous cyber-crimes she did. The lawyer says he can't help her.

In Summer 1999, Luke and Megan are putting new batteries in the flashlights. They're restocking the cabin and flirting.

In Winter 1999, Ned freaks out on Megan because she's wearing a Y2K party hat. Luke defends Megan, but Ned overpowers him and threatens him.

In Summer 2000, Megan finds Jeff packing before he heads to USC. Megan tells him that she thinks she'll lose her scholarship. Jeff reveals he was the one who told on her to the police because he got busted buying alcohol with his fake I.D.

In Winter 2000, Luke finds out Tim's parents came home early and the party is off. He comes up with the idea to use one of Steve's new locations to host the party. Megan thinks they should cancel the party, but he wants to move forward.

Steve is angry at Luke for getting into an argument and fights with Ned. Steve doesn't want to rile Ned up since they're arguing over property lines. Steve says Luke's actions have consequences for their family.

In Summer 1999, Luke and Megan find their walkie-talkies. Megan reminisces over a past memory.

In Summer 2000, Brent warns Megan about Steve investigating her and the photos with Ned. Brent tells Megan about Ned stealing million of dollars and him assaulting his old boss. Brent warns her to stay away from Ned.

In Winter 1999, Brent tells Luke to stay away from Steve to avoid getting into any more trouble. Luke tells him of his plan to host the party at the canary. Brent gives him the keys, but he says he won't help him if he gets busted.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Luke are running through the woods together.

In Winter 1999, Megan has a positive pregnancy test.

The party is raging at the canary. The place is heavily decorated. Megan thinks the place is good and they won't be captured by the cops.

Jeff is interviewing all his friends about their resolutions in case Y2K does come true.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Luke discuss the stump that looks smaller than it was when they were kids. Megan challenges him to a race to the dock.

In Winter 1999, Megan confronts Isabella about the kiss. Isabella admits that Luke tried to kiss her; Megan is upset that Isabella didn't tell her the truth. Isabella is upset that, once again, Megan is taking Luke's side. Isabella storms off.

In Summer 2000, Megan asks Ned for help in getting rid of the evidence of the hacking to save her scholarship. He can't help her since there will be a paper trail.

Megan tells him that Steve is investigating him. Ned has an outburst.

In Winter 1999, Megan overhears Luke bragging to the guys about juggling both women. She hears him telling the guys that he tried hooking up with Isabella, and he lies that Isabella was into it. He says that he's practicing before going to college.

In Summer 2000, Megan discovers that Ned has cameras pointed everywhere outside his cabin. Steve arrives at Ned's place; Megan makes an escape out the back, but Brent finds her. Brent lets Megan escape in secret.

Steve threatens Ned and says he believes that Ned killed Luke. Steven says he'll keep a watch on Ned until he finds proof.

In Summer 1999, Megan tells Luke that Jeff dumped her.

While lost in the woods, Luke bumps into Ned. Ned shows him how to fix the frequency on his walkie-talkie. Ned tells him to stay on his side of the line.

In Winter 1999, Jeff asks Megan for her resolution. Megan says she's going to take charge of her destiny.

Megan rushes to talk to Isabella; she apologizes to Isabella for not believing her. Megan wants to get revenge on Luke and make sure he doesn't win.

Megan goes to Luke and kisses him. She plays up the lovey-dovey feeling.

In Summer 2000, the principal calls Megan and tells her that the university is rescinding her scholarship.

In Summer 1999, Megan and Luke sit at the dock looking at their name carvings. They hold hands and reminisce about the past. Luke reveals he didn't forget their near-drunken kiss at the party.

Luke and Megan kiss.

In Winter 1999, everyone celebrates the countdown. Megan invites Luke back to the cabin to celebrate.

The post Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: It’s The End Of The World appeared first on TV Fanatic.