The show begins with Ari Gibson (Kai Lewins) riding a bike, with a surfboard to an ocean overlook. Summer Torres (Sky Katz) and several friends stare out at New York through a chain-link fence before taking off on their skateboards. Ari zips up his surf suit before heading down the steps to the water. With a surfboard in hand, he jumps into the water and starts paddling. Summer and her pals skate in a parking garage. Ari dips into the water before coming up for air. Summer skateboard after dark before climbing a gate to access a building. Ari prepares to ride a wave. Summer and her friends skate at an indoor swimming pool. Her friends split, as a security guard orders her to get down from a diving board. Refusing to heed the warnings, she rides her skateboard off the diving board and into the water.

Summer draws on her hand while being scolded for being expelled twice. She explains how she never liked the school. Margot Torres (Kate Beahan) refers to her friends as “criminals.” Summer complains she knows nothing about her friends. Margot reminds her that they left her to get caught. She tells her the school environment wasn’t great. Margot assures her that she won’t have an opportunity to get into a decent school now. Amelia Cross (Fiona Choi) asks what will become of summer.

Abbie Gibson (Adrienne Pickering) receives a call from Margot. As they catch up, Summer tosses her clothes out the window. She tells Margot without clothes she can’t put her on an airplane. Margot threatens her but her clothes are thrown out the window to the ground below. In the meantime, she asks Abbie Gibson (Adrienne Pickering) for a favor. Summer assures her that she isn’t going to a country across the globe to stay with strangers.

At the airport, Abbie, Thommo Gibson (Dustin Clare), and Honey Gibson (Asmara Feik) are waving as she approaches. She is quiet on the right. Honey asks if she remembers anything. Summer denies having any memories because she left at the age of four. Abbie asks what she would like to do first. She says a cellular signal. Thommo tells her where a cellphone signal is at. Abbie informs her of a surfing competition that Ari is scheduled to take part in. Honey asks if she is a fan of surfing. When Summer says no, she celebrates before explaining how it is a hot topic there.

Ari heads to the beach with his surfboard. He stops to speak with Marion Sousa (Joao Marinho) about the competition. Ari tells him that he is familiar with the breaks. Marion assures him that it won’t make much difference.

Abbie drops Summer and the others off at the beach. Summer asks Thommo where she can get a cellphone signal. He reminds her of how they used to go there when she and Ari were young.

Ari sees Bodhi Mercer (Savannah La Rain) dancing with Poppy Tetanul (Lilliana Bowrey). She makes eye contact with him. When he suddenly turns around, he knocks Summer down with his surfboard. He immediately apologizes and realizes she is Summer. She goes on a rant about his mother being uptight, his sister being like an alien and his father like a Central Park homeless man. An announcement prompts him to leave as Poppy and Bodhi approach to ask how she and Ari know each other.

Ari experiences some shoulder pain as he hits the waves with his opponents.

Poppy makes small talk with Summer. Bodhi invites her to a party. Poppy reminds her that all she wants to do is leave. Summer accuses Bodhi of trying to get to Ari through her. Bodhi assures her that they are only friends. Summer refuses their offer.

Summer takes a seat to watch the competition. She smiles as she watches Ari ride a big wave.

When they return to Abbie’s, Ari drops her luggage on the bed. He tells her the room had formerly belonged to him.

As Abbie and Ari talk surfing, Summer rudely acts bored. Ari tells them it is necessary for his surfing career. Abby assures him that they are just looking out for him because surfing for a full season would be too much for his body. Thommo rushes a tired Summer off to bed. Abby promises Ari to think about it overnight.

Summer enters the bathroom while a shirtless Ari is brushing his teeth. Several scars run down the right side of his upper back.

Ari lays awake in his bed when he sees Summer walking past his window. He catches up with her as she prepares to take off on her skateboard. He asks her what his parents think about out there skating at night. She assures him that it isn’t necessary to ask for his parent’s permission. He asks her to hold on until he gets dressed. When they arrive at the party, it is in full swing. Noticing his reaction to seeing Bodhi, she teases him about having a crush on her. Bodhi walks over the Marion and they start making out. Poppy rushes over to greet Summer and Ari. She pulls her over to a trophy display, leaving Ari staring at Bodhi and Marion.

Summer dances with the others while Ari sits alone a short distance away. He approaches her at the top of a skateboard ramp to let her know he can’t stay much longer because of finals. She sarcastically says she doesn’t have finals before heading down the ramp. As she stands on top of a wood structure, she warns the others to never do what she is about to do. Ari asks what she is going to do. She explains her plan. He warns her that if she is injured, he is grounded for life. Mario suggests letting her do it. Ari grabs her skateboard as Thommo blows his horn.

Summer sits quietly on the bed, listening to Ari get lectured by his parents. She looks at a photo of her and Margot as tears stream down her cheeks.

Ari works in the garden as part of his punishment for going out last night without permission. He is grounded from competing in the final. She encourages him to sneak out because it is what she would do.

Ari approaches Thommo and Honey as they are birdwatching. He complains about shoulder pain during the competition yesterday. Thommo apologizes for being overly concerned about him after he nearly died last year. He admits to only thinking about surfing again throughout his hospital visit. Reminding him of a promise he previously made, Thommo guarantees to make good on it.

Summer walks up the road with her skateboard in hand.

Ari makes it to the final. He and his opponents hit the water as the episode comes to an end.

 

Surviving Summer Review

While the acting, cinematography, and camera work are great, the plot is cliché. A troubled teen is sent to live with strangers in another country. Initially hating it, she finds it isn’t so bad. The pace is a bit too slow for a 30-minute episode.

Rebellious Summer finds herself in a home full of strangers far away from her mom and friends. Otherwise, nothing her changed. She remains as defiant as ever. Ari does a good thing and ends up getting grounded. The tears may be a turning point for Summer.

I am a fan of Dustin Clare (Spartacus) and Adrienne Pickering (Rake). Good to see these two great actors on the same screen. They starred in “Reef Break,” but Pickering’s role was limited to an episode that Clare didn’t appear in.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Surviving Summer recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link to learn more.