I Know What You Did Last Summer season 1 premiere recap: It’s Thursday

In the season 1 premiere of Amazon Prime‘s I Know What You Did Last Summer, we are quickly introduced to Lennon (Madison Iseman), a teenager living in Wai Huna, Hawaii, who had a twin sister named Allison (also played by Iseman). It’s a sketchy introduction, as she almost accidentally hits a dog with her Jeep. We are briefly introduced to her dad, Bruce (Bill Heck), and Courtney (Cassie Beck), a housekeeper for Bruce and the mother of Lennon’s friend Riley (Ashley Moore). However, the story really takes off when writing on Lennon’s mirror says “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” obviously implying she was responsible for something bad. For good measure, there is also a dead body dripping blood in her closet!

So the question emerges: what happened last summer, and who knows about it? There’s a perhaps necessary flashback where we are introduced to many additional characters, with several getting drunk or otherwise high at a party. Riley, Lennon, and Allison are there, but we also meet Johnny (Sebastian Amoruso), Dylan (Ezekiel Goodman), Connor (Kekoa Kekumano), and Margot (Brianne Tju). In a semi-private conversation, Allison starts pressuring her sister into being sexual with Dylan, which leads to an argument, culminating in her calling Lennon the worst person she ever met. This sets the tone for things spinning out of control.

I Know What You Did Last Summer blends light horror with drama

Allison knows her sister likely had sex with Dylan, which is escalating tensions between them. However, it’s constantly implied the two were at odds well before Dylan ever figured into it. It’s also strongly implied that, for whatever reason, the people at the party are relatively privileged, as the place is basically a mansion, and people are openly engaging in behavior that’s probably illegal. Also, this is happening even after we learn there’s a police officer named Lyla (Fiona Rene) at the house, implying authorities are perhaps giving the partygoers especially lenient treatment. This no doubt further emboldens Lennon, Riley, Dylan, Margot, and Johnny to get in a vehicle while at least somewhat intoxicated.

The group seems to be on a pleasure drive, with Lennon behind the wheel, but things take a dramatic turn when they hit something. At first, Dylan thinks they hit a goat, but it turns out they actually hit Allison (though things get a lot more complicated later on). A local named Dale (Spencer Sutherland) approaches in a car, and, as they try to conceal the accident, he asks them why they’re hanging out on the side of the road. Improvising, Margot vomits on command, making it look like they pulled over because she is sick (sort of a brilliant move, actually, and definitely a unique superpower — even if it makes one wonder why she’s able to do that).

What are they going to do?

Much like the original I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, the bunch weighs their options about whether to go to the police. However, because of the alcohol and other drugs involved, they decide against it. For example, Riley is worried that it will impact her prospective career at MIT. Dylan proposes taking her to the cave where Allison and Lennon’s mother had committed suicide (and also where a cult committed suicide, to make things even darker). Allison’s phone rings with her body in the trunk, implying that someone is already looking for her.

They bring Allison’s body to the cave and give a prayer. Another question emerges: does Riley hear Allison breathe before the tide comes in to (presumably) take her body away? However, the biggest curveball I Know What You Did Last Summer throws at us is that, yes, Lennon is actually Allison but happens to not be wearing the necklace she had angrily given to Lennon. This makes people falsely believe she is actually her sister, who was seemingly more popular but also more brash and cynical.

What are your thoughts on I Know What You Did Last Summer? Let us know in the comments!