After its renewal, the second season of “Surviving Summer” was released on Netflix on Friday, Sept. 15. Following the story of one rebellious teenager, “Surviving Summer” confronts many themes within competitive surfing, such as friendship, anxiety and rivalry.
The show follows Summer Torres’ (Sky Katz) sudden move to Shorehaven, Australia, home to her childhood best friend Ari Gibson (Kai Lewins) after her high school expulsion from New York City. Within her first week back in town, Summer manages to sneak into the local competitive surfing team, stirring up commotion for many of those around her. In an attempt to adjust to her new surroundings and friendship with Ari, Summer soon develops relationships with others on the team, building a new social crowd to blend in with.
As the summer begins to unfold, those on the team face harsh realities of the competitive surfing industry, along with the struggle to maintain their own relationships out of the water. Throughout season one, Summer learns from her mistakes and discovers the value of friendship while Ari gets the chance to evaluate his anxiety after a recent surfing incident, showcasing his most recent addition to his support system, now including Summer. As the season progresses to the summer finals, each character reveals their true intentions in response to the pressure and expresses their selflessness, giving way to their different motives to surf.
Taking place one summer and surfing season later, season two follows Summer, who underwent major character development. The show includes major characters and additional plotlines, such as Ari’s new love interest, Wren, and her brother, Baxter, who turns into Summer’s rival both in and out of the water. With nationals still set in mind for many on the team, tension rises as teammates begin to combine social and surfing challenges.
Along with extensive pressure on the team to succeed, many characters face their own challenges within their early surfing career, such as model objectification and racial microaggressions from agencies. Soon each young surfer realizes the reality of the surfing model and media industry, and questions whether or not they really deserve to take home the winning title.
Concluding season two with high scores and waves, emotions run rampant between each surfer as their personal disputes become noticeable at nationals. Between each heat, surfers grapple with their angst for each, resulting in a collapse of the team’s spirits toward the end of the season. In an attempt to win the last heat, Summer catches her last wave against Wren, and the two battle it out to determine the placement of their team.
With the show’s determination for audiences to experience the ride of a coming of age surfing agenda, it is vital to watch both season one and two of “Surviving Summer.” Showing major shifts between character’s maturity and youthful plot design, viewers will not be disappointed in season two’s extension of summer and may hope for a season three.