"Cruel Summer" received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 90% based on 21 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Though it may have a bit too much going on, "Cruel Summer" delicious twists and delightful turns from its young stars are never less than entertaining." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 12 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".