Fans of Cruel Summer can't wait to see how the Freeform mystery wraps up and learn if Kate or Jeanette is lying (or if they both are). More questions have been cleared up in the past few episodes, and fans generally seem to agree on certain aspects of the teen series, from wanting to hear more of Kate's story to thinking that perhaps Mallory has something to do with Kate's abduction.
Fans have shared theories about the show on Reddit and they have also discussed the unpopular opinions that they have about this popular and mysterious show. These include thoughts on Kate and Jeanette, along with several thoughts about their friend Mallory.
Martin Was Right To Tell Jeanette That She Was Mean To Gideon
A fan posted on Reddit that Martin was right to talk to Jeanette about her behavior toward Gideon at the county fair. Some found his comments too mean and thought that he had a heavy hand when talking to her, but it's definitely true that Jeanette was wrong to walk away from Gideon and leave him to find his own way home.
While Jeanette has had a hard time, she gets too wrapped up in popularity and being seen as cool, and that's not a good trait to have.
Kate Is An Unlikable Character
The majority of viewers feel badly for Kate as she is processing trauma after Martin kidnapped her. In the ninth episode of season 1, fans learned that Kate went to Martin's house willingly and that she lived there with him for several months while they were in a secret relationship. But when she wanted to go home for good, he lied that her suitcase was in the basement, and once she was down there, he locked the door and Kate's horror began.
A Cruel Summer fan shared on Reddit that to them, Kate isn't likable. They called her "annoying" and said that because she comes from a rich background, she's too full of herself. They also don't buy much of her dialogue as they don't find her as "deep" as she's supposed to be.
Jeanette Is Right To Sue Kate
Cruel Summer is all about this big question: is it true that Jeanette spotted Kate in Martin's house, as Kate says? If this happened, shouldn't Jeanette have told the police and helped Kate get rescued? Jeanette sued Kate as she couldn't believe how much Kate had changed her life for the worse, and some feel that this is too much as Kate has gone through a lot.
A fan shared that they think that Jeanette is right to sue Kate for defamation. They wrote, "she quite literally ruined Jeanette’s life. (If she’s knowingly lying or exaggerating about Jeanette seeing her)." This fan thinks that Kate went way too far, talking about Jeanette on TV and humiliating her, and even attempting to have Jeanette arrested.
Mallory Is Innocent
Some viewers believe Mallory had a part in Kate's kidnapping. It's not clear if that is true or not, and fans are eager to watch episode 10 to find out the truth.
But while many think that something is up for Mallory, a fan posted in a Reddit thread that Mallory seems innocent, which is definitely an unpopular opinion. Many feel that since Mallory bought a necklace for Jeanette and that became a big part of the mystery, that means that she could have done something wrong.
Mallory Isn't A Very Good Friend
The same fan shared that they don't think that Mallory is a very good friend, either. While a few people echoed this sentiment, as they don't enjoy how Mallory wanted Vince and Jeanette to complete a list of "illegal" or "wrong" activities, many think that she's a great character.
Fans have become invested in Jeanette and Mallory's tricky friendship as it turns out that they stopped being close or even talking to each other once Jeanette became popular and started dating Jamie.
Jeanette's Dad Is Creepy
Jeanette's dad Greg seems to be a fairly popular character, as he always supported his daughter and tried his best to help her when everyone in town turned on the family.
Not every fan loves this character and a fan posted their unpopular opinion on Reddit that Greg seems creepy. They didn't like that when Jeanette expressed her frustration at not being popular or beautiful, he said that she should make a wish so those things could come true. The fan thought that was strange and wondered why he didn't say something nicer, such as saying that she was already perfect or wonderful.
Mallory Is Actually Mean
Cruel Summer is also enjoyable because of the '90s settings of the show and Mallory definitely looks the part of a teenage girl growing up in that time period, thanks to her grungy style.
While most fans of Cruel Summer seem to love Mallory, not everyone does, and a fan wrote on Reddit that Mallory seems to be a "mean girl." It's true that while Mallory is cool and smart, she does seem to treat Jeanette unfairly once she learns what happened, and she does act pretty bossy around her friends.
The Storytelling Is "Slow" And That's A Good Thing
Several people posted in various Reddit threads that it would be great if all of Cruel Summer had been released at once, or if it was a bit faster-paced, as there are so many questions that need answers.
A fan wrote that they like how the show is "slow" as the different timelines and storytelling pace are interesting, and another fan shared that they think it's great to watch one episode a week. The fan wrote, "Unpopular opinion but I like that we have the chance to digest the story and theorize between episodes, even though it's so hard to wait!"
Did Jeanette Really Step Into Kate's Life?
From the very first episode of Cruel Summer, viewers were shown how Jeanette became popular and essentially became exactly like Kate. She dated Kate's boyfriend Jamie, went shopping with her friends, and was the new "it girl."
A fan shared on Reddit that maybe Jeanette didn't really replace Kate and there could be more going on, like maybe Kate gave Jeanette a makeover herself. This isn't as popular as thinking that Kate was right to resent Jeanette for what she did.
Jeanette Is a "Good Person" Deep Inside
Much of the discussion regarding Jeanette seems to be that she was awful to want to be popular like Kate and shouldn't have dated Jamie or befriended her crowd.
A fan shared their unpopular opinion on Reddit that Jeanette seems to be "a good person" as she's really just insecure, and that seems to be her biggest problem. This is a good point, as even those who don't like Jeanette or believe her side of the story can see that she worried about being like and seemed to have low self-esteem.