Cruel Summer Review: Proof (Season 1 Episode 8)
It’s the first day of school at Skylin High, and Kate is officially missing in 1993 on Cruel Summer Season 1 Episode 8, “Proof.”
We all feel Mallory’s pain when she says, “Well kids, today summer dies. And in its place? This b*llsh*t.”
“Proof” is a great episode, but it drags ever so slightly compared to other episodes of Cruel Summer, much like the first day of school becomes a little bit less exciting when we realize we’re going to have to do work again.
We should start with Vince and Ben. Once again, their scenes are absolutely perfect. It seems clear there are queer writers on Cruel Summer‘s staff and people who care about authentic representation.
When they meet in the hallway in 1993, it appears to be the first time they’ve really interacted and if that is so, I just want to hug awkward Vince. It tracks that he knows Ben’s mom died, too; high school histories travel fast. But wow…what a pickup line.
It works, so I can’t judge. But there is about a one in a million chance that “your mom died, right?” would make the hot football player (?) want to open his heart to you instantly.
Ben is not just any football player and Vince is not just any eccentric photographer. That’s why their fate so far in 1995 is hard to watch.
But I digress, because the 1993 scene in the bleachers is equal parts heartbreaking and sweet. It’s everything shippers could ever want in a bonding scene between characters they love.
Two queer kids bonding over the fact that they know what it feels like when a mother dies and also silently sharing how difficult it is to deal with their sexuality without their moms around for support? It’s perfect, but I also need tissues because my eyes are watering.
Plus, Ben coming out to Vince by holding his finger as opposed to his hand? You have to watch it to appreciate it but it’s beautiful.
But speaking of moms, let’s move on to Jeanette’s saga because she is not a bad person but it is definitely getting harder and harder to empathize with her no matter what year we are in.
She finally sees Cindy in 1995, so we officially learn that Jeanette has not been abandoned so much as pushed her mother away.
Jeanette needs her mom in 1994 and we can’t let Cindy off the hook completely. She gives her daughter one chance to come clean about the key in 1994 on Cruel Summer Season 1 Episode 6, “An Ocean Inside Me.”
After a lengthy trip to Aunt Susan’s she could have come home and given Jeanette another chance, tried like hell to find their bond again, even if her marriage was over.
Then again, it would not have worked. Cindy gives Jeanette tough but sound advice when she urges her to think twice about suing a kidnapping victim.
Kate may very well be slandering Jeanette, but she knows she is lying about how many times she has been in Martin’s house — and we may be just scratching the surface of her lies.
Forget about Kate’s lie regarding how she ends up at Martin’s doorstep. If Jeanette’s lies are found out her lawsuit could crumble, too. No wonder she is keeping Cindy at arm’s length.
Watching Jeanette with Cindy in 1995 is easy compared to the scene in Jamie’s garage.
He owes her that apology for the black eye and we are glad she gets it. But it’s just so sad to see who they both have become. There is so much pain in that garage.
They have made mistakes, but I hope they don’t have to pay for them forever.
Don’t misunderstand me. Drunk driving is despicable and Jamie needs to pay the consequences for his actions. But he appears redeemable, eventually.
He’s at least taking sole responsibility for his actions. Now that we know why Ben is injured, it is annoying that in 1995 he tells a lawyer that he blames Jeanette for his injury on Cruel Summer Season 1 Episode 2, “A Smashing Good Time.”
Jamie is drunk driving while heading to Jeanette’s house to apologize for punching her in the face. No matter how much Jeanette is lying, the only person who needs to take any responsibility for Ben’s injury is Jamie. (Side note: Thank you, Cruel Summer for not paralyzing Ben… that would have been so problematic for representation.)
There are two episodes of Cruel Summer left, so I really resent the fact that two new pieces of this mystery are just being introduced. What is playing on the answering machine message that Jamie recorded? And, what does a snow globe have to do with all of this?
It’s so hard to keep track of clues with friendships dissolving and car crashes happening and romances blossoming before our eyes.
We know the demise of Mallory and Jeanette is coming. It is actually not too hard to watch since we know that Mallory and Kate have an epic friendship.
Jeanette and Mallory are just clearly growing in different directions in 1993. But it’s hard not to wish that Jeanette had someone to more delicately explain to her that her desire to meld into Kate’s life is weird.
It must have been hard for Jeanette to be so explicitly called out about Kate’s scrunchie. But everyone needs someone in their lives to tell them that warning a guy that they always suspect the boyfriend when a girl goes missing is not the best pickup line.
Crime Scene Notes
- I think we can assume that Kate is willingly at Martin’s house on August 30, 1993. In Mallory’s video, she is at the front window. Couldn’t she just have walked out if not? Doors lock from the inside…
- It’s important to remember that Martin’s intentions are always criminal.
- Joy and Martin’s scene in his office is filmed from such unique angles.
- What movie is playing on Jamie’s recording? TV show? Anyone know?
- 1995 Greg is still so clueless, he doesn’t deserve Angela. I don’t know that I ship them but they can stay together.
- I hope Cindy has a Mr. Big she meets every time she flies to Paris.
- It’s so depressing to watch Ben pull away from Vince in 1994 when he’s getting in the ambulance.
- 1993 Jeanette is awkward but Joy is such a b***h to her. Sorry, there is no other word.
- I might need this on record every time. I’m not sure what clues I missed but I watch Cruel Summer because it is good television, not necessarily to go down all the rabbit holes and “solve” its mystery.
- 1995 lighting is so dark they might as well show us a black screen with audio.
- This episode title is disappointing compared to all of the other ones.
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Cruel Summer airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on Freeform.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.