Longing — or should I say yearning — for Wednesdays comes to an end. No more going to bed with deep anticipation, no more staying up until the next morning for a new episode to drop, no more endless theories circulating the internet of what could happen next. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” has come to an end.
The story, taken after the books written by Jenny Han, follows a girl named Isabel Conklin who travels to Cousins Beach every summer, but this summer seemed different. It was the summer she turned pretty. The story embodies a love triangle with Belly and two brothers: Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. For as long as Belly could remember, she held unwavering feelings for Conrad.
The hit show started in 2022 with the first episode of season one airing June 17 on Prime Video. The tranquil and aesthetically pleasing beach house in Cousins perfectly captures the essence of the show. Belonging to Susannah Fisher, the boys’ mother, Belly and her family travel their way to Cousins to celebrate their summer break with the Fishers every year. It starts as a rather normal summer vacation with the Conklin family’s arrival, but this summer — the summer Belly turned pretty — she appeared mature, prettier, alluring, capturing the eye of Conrad, Jeremiah and Cam Cameron (whose last name we never officially knew). To Belly, the person she always longed for finally began to see her the same way, but little did she know that his feelings for her had only grown.
To recap, in season one, Belly chased after her not-so-real dream: Conrad. She began by exploring her options with the help of her best friend, Taylor Jewel, who we got to see grow as the story progressed. Their deep friendship illustrates a strong and unbreakable bond throughout the entirety of the show, with season one highlighting the challenges that they must overcome to fully accept one another — a truly marvelous development. Throughout the season, we see Belly begin to grow, travel out of her comfort zone and experience the world of dating, but with that came consequences as she tore the bond between the Fisher brothers. Other fan favorites, such as Steven Conklin, the tall and intelligent brother of Belly, Cam Cameron, a book-smart and local young man, Susannah Fisher and Laurel Conklin made introductions in the show too.
As for season two, it takes a very different approach than season one. With the estrangement between Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah, they must find a way to save the beach house from getting sold by fixing the unspoken conflict between Susannah and Aunt Julia. With Susannah no longer around, the deed to the house belonged to Aunt Julia. Throughout the season, love rekindles between Conrad and Belly, but also between Jeremiah and Belly. As romantic conflict arises, Belly gets divided in the middle and must choose between the two brothers, either Conrad or Jeremiah. Her decision sparked shock all over the internet and caused further division of the fanbase between team Bonrad or team Jellyfish.
The moment we’ve all waited for, the first episode of season three of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” released July 16, 2025. The long-awaited anticipation for the final season triggered many questions and conversations on social media like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. From season one to season three, Belly remained stuck choosing between the Fisher brothers, but this season, she came to a final decision. The introduction of new characters like Denise, Redbird, Agnes and Benito appear frequently in the show with each of them carrying a semi-important role. Season three held high expectations for all fans and led on to set a major twist in the story — a sudden proposal after Steven’s not-so-happy accident. The huge drop had shocked fans, including myself, and made people question whether the show would end at this unexpected plot point. The question we’ve all had pounding in the back of our minds: What was Belly thinking? The proposal threw not only the audience off, but the characters in the show. It had become such a turning point that appeared to solidify Belly’s choice, but in reality, tension grew more than ever before between Belly and both brothers. However, throughout the season, other love matches blossom between characters like Taylor and Steven. Producers packed the season with intense romance and confusion between each character, piquing the audience’s attention, like myself. With love in the air and Belly’s old-money themed wedding on the get-go, a mixture of confusion and uneasiness settled upon the audience–us–and Belly herself. And out of the blue, the night before the wedding, an appalling plot twist knocked the audience out of their seats. A marvelous confession sparked controversy and reopened the windows for new end-of-show theories, leaving anything possible to happen in the final three episodes. With Belly stuck once more in the middle, she decides to try and find herself, making anything and everything game.
The last season had many moments that inflicted mixed feelings. From the sudden proposal to the unexpected conversation on the beach, it truly lived up to its expectations. The sudden plot twists shocked me and created a widespread buzz and boom in the popularity of the show. While the ending could’ve persisted longer to show the aftermath of Belly’s choice, I feel like the show wraps up the ending in a nice little bow.
As for the soundtrack and music, the directors used songs from various artists’ such as Taylor Swift, Radiohead, Olivia Rodrigo, Charlie XCX and The Cranberries which created a connection between the audience through popularity in current music. The song choices reflected the emotions occurring throughout the show, such as Conrad in season three pairing with “No Surprises” by Radiohead to show his mixed emotions. Olivia Rodrigo’s “One Step Forward, Three Steps Back” plays when a scene turns from energetic to violent and impeded, showing the major shifts within the first season of the show. A famous, popular scene in season three showcases Belly’s mixed confusion as she dances to “We Can’t Be Friends” by Ariana Grande, highlighting the difficulties she faces the night prior to the wedding. “Dress” by Taylor Swift plays when Belly realizes her love for Conrad in season one and in season three, during the beach confrontation, “loml” by Taylor Swift plays, which captures the essence of heartache and regret. The songs played perfectly encapsulate the feelings and thoughts of each individual throughout the show and allow the audience to connect with the characters. With the variety of music in the show, I think it calls for a wide audience and branches out to all music lovers like myself. The music brings character to the show rather than leaving it bland and boring.
In my opinion, the cast portrayed the characters well, with each of them taking on the challenge to replicate the book’s characters. Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad Fisher, embodies his brooding and mysterious personality while simultaneously depicting a hopeless romantic. Jeremiah Fisher, played by Gavin Casalegno, appears charismatic and easy-going with little to no care in the world. Lola Tung portrays Isabel Conklin and accurately highlights her complicated relationships and constantly growing character. Steven Conklin, played by Sean Kaufman, illustrates Steven’s intelligent and snarky personality throughout the entire show. Taylor Jewel, played by Rain Spencer, acts as the supportive and understanding friend of Belly. As for the casting choice for Conrad and Belly, I absolutely loved it. I feel that Christopher Briney and Lola Tung portrayed Conrad and Belly’s chemistry almost perfectly, illustrating the passion of love between the two characters. Personally, I feel that Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno captured the perfect sibling rivalry between Conrad and Jeremiah, adding a little spice to the show’s drama.
With season three wrapping up the show, people questioned the last episode because of the broad but neat ending. The show cut off at Belly’s choice, but people all over the internet began to theorize a fourth season — or possibly a spinoff series. And as of recently, the creator, Jenny Han, announced that the show would receive a movie with little to no details. Another plot-twist that once more threw the audience off their trail and left people hanging with what could happen next. For me personally, I hope the movie encompasses a peek into Belly’s life after she chose her forever partner. It would really clear up the ending by showing what happened next and wrap the show up more neatly than the current ending.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” brought a dramatic, spontaneous love triangle to the screen. From the soothing beach waves to the sun-drenched sand, the show illustrates a romantic storyline with numerous twists that conflicted with the audience. I would definitely recommend the show to anyone interested in themes of romance and discovering the world of love. If you’re looking for a new show to binge or watch, get comfortable and sit back to enjoy the riveting love triangle.
