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Posted on May 3, 2021
New Drama Marks Network’s Best Ever Series Debut Among Young Adults
“Cruel Summer” scores Freeform’s most-watched series debut ever, averaging 3.81 million multiplatform viewers in the first week available. The Jessica Biel produced drama is likewise the network’s best-ever series debut among Adults 18-49 (2.65 million) and Adults 18-34 (1.33 million). Additionally, the series from studio Entertainment One (eOne) is the No. 1 most social scripted series premiere across cable year-to-date. The New York Times called “Cruel Summer” “..terrific..” and “..tantalizing.“ While Entertainment Weekly declared it “..your new pop culture obsession.”
“Cruel Summer” premiered with a two-hour event on Tuesday, April 20, at 9:00 p.m. EDT/PDT. From executive producer Jessica Biel (“The Sinner”), “Cruel Summer” is a psychological thriller that follows two young women: Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabe who is accused of being connected to Kate’s disappearance. All signs point to Jeanette’s guilt, but is Kate really who she seems to be? Set over three summers and told through shifting points of view, the series challenges perception and follows how one girl can go from being a sweet outlier to the most despised person in America.
The series stars Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee and Brooklyn Sudano. “Cruel Summer” comes from studio eOne and was created by Bert V. Royal. Tia Napolitano serves as showrunner. Executive producers include Napolitano, Royal and Iron Ocean Productions’ Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple.
“Cruel Summer” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform in the U.S. and ABC Spark in Canada and is coming to Amazon Prime Video this summer.