Summer Heat (2022) Review: Giovanna Lancellotti Series Has Its Moments

Summer Heat (Temporada de Verão) is a Portuguese TV series directed by Isabel Valiante and Caroline Fioratti and stars Giovanna Lancellotti, Gabz, and Jorge López, alongside other cast members. The series has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of 45-50 minutes.

Netflix describes the series as:

A group of young adults working at a paradisiac resort live an unforgettable summer as they discover love, true friendships and devastating secrets.

– Summer Heat review does not contain spoilers –

Summer Heat sounds like another dating reality TV show, but it’s a young adult drama TV series. I think I’ve watched too many Too Hot to Handle episodes but it’s a refreshing change nevertheless. Summer Heat moves at an almost snail-like pace as we get to know the kids working at a summer resort. As the rich Catarina’s life upends, she starts hanging out with the staff more which turns into a tale of friendship and growing up.

For people who like young adult stories with a few stakes which are not very high, this one is going to be right up your alley. Pretty early on, though, the series will tell you that there’s something going on behind the scenes of the resort and one of the newbies is really interested to be the knight in shining armour. With tempers and hormones running high, it’s the perfect recipe for someone to make a blunder.

Either way, Summer Heat is a good pass time if you’re at home with nothing to do. However, for those who are expecting an arresting and thrilling time, this probably is not it. It’s a good series that plays with very little stakes so if you’re in the mood to watch something that has aspects of thrill but isn’t an intense ride, then this teen series is perfect. Regardless, this is probably better suited for the young-adult audience.

That being said, Summer Heat is kinda bland. There’s no mystery, no thrill. Neither is the drama very shocking nor intriguing. Sure, it’s a little fun and flirty but of all the things that the series tries to juggle with, it goes deep into hardly any of the topics. Thus, it’s an 8-episode series that is extremely surface-level and doesn’t get us pulled into the myriad things that we see.

Also Read: Midnight Asia (2022) Review: The Nectar of Nightlife in Asia’s Most Popular Metropolises

With so many young adults in the mix, you’d expect there to be very interesting characters with even more interesting situations. However, the situations that crop up get solved way too fast. At 8 episodes, the season feels too long as a result and you wonder why it’s taking so long for a 45-minute episode to end. However, at least the characters are somewhat interesting and each and every one of them has something or the other going on. Of course, some get more attention than others, it still tries to fit everyone’s stories, problems and interests into its runtime which makes you want to watch the series even more.

The actors do a great job and are believable and relatable in their portrayal of these characters. Additionally, the friendship and relationship between these kids and the way that they find each other is hella interesting and honestly, one of the best things about the series. Maybe if the script had some twists and turns or literally anything interesting, it would have made more of an impact.

Summing up: Summer Heat

Summer Heat isn’t the worst series out there. It’s campy, childish and has its heart at the right place. There are some funny moments and some heartfelt moments among the friends that make up for its sometimes-boring runtime. Either way, it’s definitely a one-time watch if you are interested to watch good-looking people going through the highs and lows of adolescence.

Summer Heat is streaming on Netflix.

Also Read: My Father’s Violin (2022) Review: Engin Altan Düzyatan Film is an Unrealistic Musical Drama