By Stuti Pemmaraju, Staff Writer
It is safe to say that, after over three years of this widely renowned television series, the names “Conrad” and “Jeremiah” will never be looked at the same way. The popular teenage-drama television series, “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” has finally come to an end, and here are my thoughts on season three: what I loved, what I didn’t, and my overall takeaways for the final season of the show.
Likes
I want to start with the positives. As an avid watcher of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” there was nothing I loved more than sitting down every week for a new episode. I grew up with this show, and so did thousands of other fans. “TSITP” has the love triangle we all love to see on TV, and characters which have made such prominent marks in our lives.
What stood out most in season three to me was the character development. Belly’s time in Paris showed new maturity, as she was able to take some time for herself, and discover more about who she wanted to be in the process. Her deliberate and clear choice to be with Conrad at the end of the season amplified this growth, as it revealed that she could make thoughtful decisions rather than rushing into romance impulsively.
In addition to Belly, I noticed that Conrad, for once, was finally able to show his emotions instead of hiding behind his usual hero complex or sarcasm. The fact that Conrad had worked on himself very much showed through his words and actions this season. These two characters independently growing over these past few years is what built up to them ending up together in the last episode. In the season’s finale, Belly and Conrad together felt much more mature and adult, and signified how much both of them had developed throughout the past few years.
The friends she made in Paris provided a refreshing contrast to the Cousins Beach crowd, feeling more mature, drama-free, and intriguing. Even with so many new and recurring characters, the show maintained its energy, and the friendships felt more mature and adult, signaling the series as coming to an end.
Another thing to note: the attention to detail throughout the series. Easter eggs were cleverly woven throughout the episodes with references to earlier seasons, and the infamous Taylor Swift-centered soundtrack captured the dramatic tone of young love, which is exactly the kind of thing teenage viewers like myself love in shows like this.
Dislikes
Despite its many strengths, season three presented several disappointments, primarily due to rushed storylines, uneven pacing, and underwhelming resolutions. It is safe to say that there were at least three filler episodes throughout this entire show. At times, it seemed like half the show was spent simply waiting for something to go wrong rather than moving the story forward in meaningful ways. After waiting three seasons for Belly and Conrad to get together, I wanted to see the characters and relationships which I cared about, not be sidetracked by conflicts that did not really matter in the great scope of the show. Many fans on TikTok even joked that certain episodes “could have been an email,” something that I wholeheartedly agree with.
The Paris storyline, much like the rest of season three, suffered from these pacing issues. This arc, even involving Benito, a new romantic interest for Belly, felt rushed and introduced too many new characters, leaving little room to fully explore relationships or emotional growth.
I feel that there was plenty of leeway and time in the show to include key parts of the third book which book-readers like myself very much wanted, so I do not understand why such important elements of the storyline had to be sacrificed for things as unimportant as another one of Taylor and Steven’s fights.
Additionally, Belly’s character occasionally came across as harsh, particularly in her interactions with Conrad. The only way for viewers to understand Belly’s true feelings would be through her internal monologue playing throughout certain scenes. She would act rude and almost as if she did not want Conrad to be there. Conrad, on the other hand, appeared more emotionally invested in Belly, creating an imbalance between the two that persisted throughout the season. Conrad’s love for a past version of Belly sometimes bordered on obsession, making parts of the romance feel less realistic.
Another aspect of season three that was disappointing was the on-screen chemistry among certain characters. I felt that Jeremiah’s interactions with Belly gave more of a “best friend” energy than a romantic connection. The characters seemed to have outgrown each other, and the charm and chemistry that they definitely had in seasons one and two was just not there.
Final TakeawaysSeason three of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” had its visible challenges and missed opportunities, but ultimately delivered the young adult romance, character growth, friendship, and a community which made it an unforgettable books-to-series adaptation to begin with. My advice: you should absolutely, despite its flaws, watch “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” It’s what Susannah would have wanted.
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