A promotional poster for "The Summer I Turned Pretty" depicts the love triangle between Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad. The final episode of the show aired in late September. Photo courtesy of Prime Video via IMDb.
Recap
After what seemed like a lifetime for fans, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” finally came to an on-screen conclusion, where author and director Jenny Han expanded from its original paperback origins.
Prime Video’s series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a romance drama that is wrapped around a warm and sentimental coming-of-age, following the characters through many milestones in life as they grow up. Belly Conklin, played by Lola Tung, is the main character and a common love interest of two brothers, Conrad and Jermeriah Fisher, played by Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno, respectively. The series also highlights the bond between the Conklins and the Fishers, two families tied together by mothers Susannah and Laurel, played by Rachel Blanchard and Jackie Chung, lifelong best friends who raised their children side by side.
Belly’s love triangle forms the central conflict of the story, and although this situation may seem unusual at first glance, the connections are genuine.
The love stories don’t end with Belly. In the first season, Han entertains the idea of Steven Conklin (Sean Kaufman), Belly’s older brother, and Taylor Jewel (Rain Spencer), Belly’s best friend, in a romantic setting for the first time. Eventually, their relationship blossoms into their own love story, and they face adversity and challenges in later seasons.
The film is set in a fictional town, Cousins Beach (actually Wilmington, North Carolina), while also featuring scenes in Boston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. In this season, the setting broads as Belly takes on Paris.
In the early seasons, the relationship between Belly and Conrad is merely based on flirtatious behavior back and forth that developed over the many summers they spent together. Belly became infatuated with Conrad, her first love, idolizing his every move.
Unfortunately, at this time, Conrad was burdened by the weight of his mother’s battle with cancer and his father’s affair, which Jeremiah did not yet know of, leaving little space in his heart to give himself to Belly fully.
At this point, Jeremiah stepped in as more than just a friend to Belly. Torn between the two brothers, Belly ended season two still unable to make a choice. After a brief relationship with Conrad during her senior year of high school, season three shifts to Finch College, where Belly enters a four-year-long relationship with Jeremiah, leading to a hasty engagement, and later has to address her everlasting feelings for Conrad.
Throughout the third season, Conrad returns from San Francisco to Cousins Beach after avoiding the fallout of losing his clinic job, while Belly remains there to help prepare for the wedding. Their time together rekindles old emotions, forcing Belly to confront what her heart truly wants. With her heart at a crossroads, Belly is deeply connected with both of the boys, and she must figure out how she can truly find herself in the midst of finding love.
This series explores themes of coming-of-age, first love, heartbreak, and grief, all set in a nostalgic summer mood. With viewers ranging from teenagers to adults, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” provides romantic and teenage drama, revealing the complexities of self-discovery, family dynamics, and the evolution of friendship.
Team Conrad
In “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” love triangles, one choice stands out clearly: Conrad. He’s an archetype of the ideal man. Conrad embodies depth, grappling with deep emotions, and offers a profound connection with Belly. It’s the complexity that draws the viewers in. He’s the kind of man who pushes boundaries and challenges Belly, both intellectually and emotionally, making him the ideal love interest for her.
From the compassion Conrad shows through his words and actions toward Belly, to the years of yearning and struggling with his guarded heart before finally confessing his love, he embodies the ideal of a man that so many dream of having. His genuine emotional vulnerability makes his character deeply captivating, drawing viewers in and leaving them wanting more as they experience his journey vicariously through Belly.
In contrast, from the beginning, Conrad completely transformed himself from an arrogant teenage boy to a heartfelt and sensitive man, still always holding that soft spot for Belly.
For more than four years, he remained steadfast — never once glancing at another girl, never even reaching out to Belly. Out of respect for her, he sat back and did what he thought was best for her. He watched her choose his brother, quietly accepting her decision, because that’s who Conrad is. Yet, he was exactly what she needed all along.
Out of all of the intimate and heartfelt moments between the two, their bond truly flourished when Conrad and Belly reunited at Susannah’s memorial. With all feelings returned, we were able to see the start of something new.
Although Belly was engaged to Jeremiah, he could never truly fill that role in her life that Conrad did. It was clear to everyone — even Susannah saw Jeremiah as more of a friend to Belly, while she knew Conrad was perfect for Belly. She always would say, “To Belly, Conrad is the moon.”
And this stayed true for the entire series: the way Belly looked at Conrad was like he was, in fact, the moon.
Belly was the first one to fall in love with Conrad, but it was Conrad who continuously fell harder for her each time. Time and time again, they find their way back to each other, and no matter how much they try, they cannot find a way to move on from one another. They are truly infinite.
by Viktoria Kiss
Team Jeremiah
Jeremiah is portrayed as a warm, outgoing and charismatic person. Ever since season one, he was the laid-back one, often bringing a lighter, more upbeat energy compared to his older brother Conrad. With his easygoing, go-with-the-flow nature, Jeremiah embodies the “little brother” charm, making him naturally appealing to those around him.
Although this worked exceptionally for him in his adolescent years, making him popular and allowing him to spend summers lifeguarding, this essence and attraction faded as he grew up. Fans once admired his childlike demeanor, finding his persona refreshing. Yet, Jeremiah’s problem lies within his single-mindedness; although he held much love for Belly in his heart, it consumed him.
However, this was not similar to how love consumed Conrad; for Jeremiah, it became a coping mechanism to keep Belly close to him after his mom’s death. Entering adulthood comes with responsibility, and this is something Jeremiah has always lacked, consequently posing a multitude of challenges and complications in his life.
However, Jeremiah provided a fun and carefree perspective to Belly’s life, allowing her to let loose and enjoy her adolescent years — something that Belly lacked as she matured. Even though this was fun and exciting, at the end of the day when Belly needed someone accountable, Jeremiah was not the man to fill that role. While he still remains a dear character to fans, the overall fanbase no longer sees his character as the one they want Belly to end up with.
by Riley Gunn