I Am Obsessed With "Cruel Summer" And Need These 18 Questions Answered Now

    Most importantly: Can someone give me ALL of these clothes?!

    Jen Abidor
    by Jen Abidor

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Hello, it's been 24 hours since I watched the first two episodes of Cruel Summer on Freeform, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the ~only~ thing I've thought about since. Just ask my friends, they're getting sick of me!

    🚨 MAJOR spoilers ahead. 🚨

    Content warning: This post has mentions of domestic abuse.

    Okay, here are all my questions in no real order:

    1. Where is Jeanette's mom after 1993? And her brother, Derek, in 1995??? *extreme eyes emoji*!!!

    Jeanette's mom and brother with the caption "okay but are they alive in 1995?"
    Freeform

    Ummm...so we haven't seen Jeanette's mom Cindy (Sarah Drew) in any timeline except 1993 or her brother Derek (Brett Carnahan) in the 1995 timeline yet, which is CONCERNING. Especially when we see how lovey dovey her parents are in 1993. All we know is that Jeanette's living with her dad, and that he's dating that AWESOME bartender Angela (Brooklyn Sudano) who deserves way better. Are they dead? Missing? What's the deal? They wouldn't just cast THE Sarah Drew for no reason.

    Also, just as a fun fact, Derek might look so familiar to you because he just played Young Kreese in Cobra Kai. The more you know!

    2. Also, why is Jeanette's dad SO furious with her in the 1995 timeline?

    Jeanette's dad with caption "why so serious?"
    Freeform

    Like, I get that she has brought a ton of shame to the family because of what she allegedly did to Kate, but it feels like it goes way beyond that. Especially when she and her dad were seemingly so close in the 1993 timeline. Like, her birthday present from her parents was a baby pic of her and her dad. (Which was...a little strange to me, tbh, but that's neither here nor there!)

    Could this have to do with why we haven't seen Cindy and Derek in 1995? Or maybe it has to do with the fact that Jeanette stole that house key?

    3. What went down between Jeanette and her friends, Mallory and Vince?

    Freeform

    Of course Jeanette totally eased into Kate's life, but it's clear there's more to her falling out with her friends than that. Also, Vince (Allius Barnes) is at least somewhat sympathetic to her still in 1995, giving her a call when he sees Jamie outside her house. But Mallory (Harley Quinn Smith) is kind of suspicious, right? "Do you guys ever have the urge to do something illegal?" Um, no, but CLEARLY YOU DO...

    4. Was that gunshot when Jamie and Jeanette were kissing outside her house in 1994 significant?

    Freeform

    Or was it just to show the ~tension~ with Vince? Or perhaps foreshadow that — *extreme Aerosmith voice* — Jamie's got a gun? Or was this the moment that Martin was shot?

    5. Speaking of, what — and I cannot stress this enough — the hell is wrong with Jamie?

    Jamie with the caption No <3
    Freeform

    Okay, so when the show started, I literally thought Jamie was going to be the internet's new sweet cinnamon roll boyfriend. (Froy Gutierrez is GREAT in the role!)

    Aaaaaand then he punched Jeanette in the face and I was like, JUST KIDDING, HATE YOU FOREVER YOU MONSTER. It also doesn't seem....great that he's lurking outside of Jeanette's house in 1995 with a gun. I do not trust this man.

    6. What was up with Jeanette being so paranoid when Kate was found alive? And so sure that her body was found?

    Picture of Jeanette reacting with the caption "asks a bunch of questions an innocent person would totally ask
    Freeform

    Maybe she just felt weird about stealing Kate's life? Or maybe she actually DID see Kate at the house, but then why would she say a bunch of things assuming Kate was dead? Unless that was all a cover-up? Hmm...

    7. How exactly did Jeanette start stealing Kate's life?

    Freeform

    I'm sure only time will tell, but I'm so curious how exactly she went from her 1993 self to the 1994 self and how she fully inserted herself into Kate's life. We know that she met Jamie while hanging up missing person posters, but how did the rest of it transpire? It all seemingly started with contact lenses and a blow dryer...

    8. Okay, so the big central question: What was Jeanette doing at Martin's house again while Kate was abducted (if she even was there) and...did she actually see Kate or not?

    Jeanette in the mirror room with "mirror mirror on the wall"
    Freeform

    I read a theory on Twitter that I genuinely haven't been able to stop thinking about. So, remember this scene where Jeanette stands in this room full of mirrors at Martin's house? Maybe it's a one-way mirror, and Kate thought that Jeanette could see her, but she really couldn't. Which would mean that BOTH Jeanette and Kate are telling the truth.

    In terms of why Jeanette was there in the first place, remember she still had the key in her jewelry box. Guess we'll find out soon enough...

    9. What happened to Jamie's friend Ben?

    Freeform

    We learn that ~something~ happened to Ben and it can kinda sorta be traced back to Jeanette in a Rube Goldberg experiment kind of way. So far, Ben has been the sweet boi to Jamie's toxic masculinity. (Defending Jeanette and arranging a meeting for her and Jamie, giving pro tips about using shaving cream in balloons, etc. etc.) This means he is either very good or secretly very bad, and only time will tell, but I like to think he is good. I am also very naïve.

    10. This is more of a statement than a question, but we can all agree that Kate's mom is horrible, yes? Good, great, wonderful.

    Kate's mom with the caption "puts the cruel in cruel summer"
    Freeform

    Absolutely would NOT be a teen drama without at least one horrible parental figure.

    And if you thought SHE looked familiar, she's played by Andrea Anders, who plays Ted Lasso's wife, Michelle, on Ted Lasso. Just a fun fact!

    11. Speaking of, why does she hate Jeanette's mom, Cindy Turner, so much?

    Freeform

    We know so far that Cindy might have had a thing for Joy's husband Rod and that Cindy seemingly looks at Joy like she wants to "be her." Sounds familiar...hmmmmmm.

    Also, a gentle reminder that Cindy Turner is currently MIA in every post-1993 timeline...double hmmmmmmm.

    12. Who is in the car while Kate dances to "Zombie" in 1995?

    Freeform

    Now seems like an opportune moment to celebrate the soundtrack of this show, which is ALSO EXCELLENT.

    13. Did something happen between Kate and Martin before he abducted her?

    Freeform

    She definitely seemed to hesitate when asked if she knew him, and it seemed like there might have been more to the story there as well.

    14. If so, is ~that~ what Kate felt guilty for lying about? What exactly was she not being completely honest about?

    Screenshot of Kate's computer saying she hasn't been completely honest
    Freeform

    In a forum for abduction victims, Kate admits that she hasn't been fully honest. We're supposed to believe that this means she might be lying about seeing Jeanette, but maybe she's talking about the fact that she said she didn't really know Martin? Or it could be something completely different?

    15. Okay, let's talk about the "You Go Girl" necklace. Even if Kate DID see Jeanette, how did she get the necklace?

    Freeform

    Like, if Jeanette WAS at the house, I don't get how Kate would have been able to get the necklace, so it feels like she definitely took the necklace after the fact — something isn't fully adding up. Is she just trying to frame Jeanette because she saw her kissing Jamie?

    16. Can someone tell me where I can acquire any and all of these outfits?

    17. At the end of the second episode, we find out that the whole lawyer thing is really because Jeanette is suing Kate for defamation. Is that the only legal battle here? And, if so, why is Jeanette being so hostile to the lawyer — this is YOUR case, girl!

    Freeform

    At the VERY beginning of the pilot, Jeanette asks her dad "which" lawyer is at the house. Are there two concurrent cases happening at once? Are these girls suing the heck out of each other?

    18. And, finally, am I the only one who is secretly praying for an eventual Kate and Jeanette team-up?

    Freeform

    Listen, I know they're gonna have to push past a lot of hurt and anger to get there, but what I really want is for these two girls to realize that they are actually not enemies. Perhaps they will team up to take down Mr. "I punch women"??? Hey, it could happen.

    In conclusion, who gave Chiara Aurelia and Olivia Holt THE RIGHT to be this talented? Seriously, they're SO good in this.

    Alright, that's a lot of questions! And I'm sure there are so many more that I've forgotten to include. Please share them with me in the comments and also share any theories you have. I'll try and include some in next week's post.

    And you should absolutely tune into Cruel Summer on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. on Freeform or on Hulu the next day (the first two episodes are there now!).