Third Summer's the Charm

Gianna Geerdts• October 28, 2025

This summer, the names Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah have been everywhere as the third and final season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” was released. From viral TikToks, to collaborations with the brand Coach, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” has undoubtedly embedded itself into pop culture. This hit Prime Video coming-of-age romance and drama series, directed by author Jenny Han and adapted from her best-selling book trilogy, aired its final episode on Sept. 17. The show stars Lola Tung as Isabel “Belly” Conklin, Christopher Briney as Belly’s longtime crush Conrad Fisher and Gavin Casalegno as Belly’s closest friend turned love interest, Jeremiah Fisher. The story follows Belly as she navigates relationships, grief, coming of age and, of course, love.

At the center of all three seasons is the love triangle between Belly and the two very different boys. The fight for Belly’s heart attracted lots of fans to the show, with them backing the respective “teams” of each brother. While Jeremiah is fun-loving and charming, most fans seem to support Conrad — a deeply layered character, who is always quietly self-sacrificing and constantly wrestling with an internal storm of emotions. In the first season, at only 18 years old, he was carrying the unbearable weight of knowing his mom, Susannah, was dying of cancer. Instead of seeking help from those closest to him, Conrad turned inward, bottling everything up and shutting out everyone he loved, including Belly. Even while everything was falling apart for him, he continued to be there for Belly, supporting her choices and showing up for her in hard times. But while trying to hold onto her while losing everything else, he forgot to hold onto himself, and soon became bristly and rude, making him seem like he is not exactly the ideal love interest for sweet and good-natured Belly.

However, what makes Conrad stand out is not his complexity; it is his growth. By season three, Conrad steps into emotional maturity. He becomes someone who has faced grief, made mistakes and comes back stronger. He becomes the version of himself that Belly had always seen him as. And at his core, Conrad is a yearner not just for love, but for connection and belonging. That quiet yearning makes him deeply romantic in a way that’s understanding and unforgettable. He doesn’t fight, he feels deeply, and for a love story built on history and hope, that kind of emotional depth and maturity makes Conrad the better choice. One viewer, sophomore Brooke Kumamoto, shares her feelings on Conrad’s yearning.

“Obviously [I am] ‘Team Conrad’,” Kumamoto said. “Whenever Conrad yearns for [Belly], those are my favorite [moments] of the show, [Conrad] is the definition of chivalry. Even though Conrad and Belly had complications, he had a reason [for acting the way he did] because his mom was dying.”

While Jeremiah might be fun and attentive, those traits don’t necessarily mean he is the right choice for Belly. His lighthearted nature added charm to the earlier seasons, but when it comes to serious issues, emotional depth and long term compatibility, Jeremiah often falls short. His tendency to avoid difficult conversations and his impulsive decisions, shows a lack of emotional maturity that Belly ultimately needs in a partner. While Jeremiah may have been a comforting presence in Belly’s younger, carefree summers, their relationship often feels more like nostalgia rather than growth. One fan, junior Graziella Saccomanno, explained her thoughts on the love triangle.

“[I am] definitely Team Conrad,” Saccomanno stated. “I used to be Team Jeremiah, but after season three [played] out, I am Team Conrad all the way.”

The debate between whether Conrad or Jeremiah should be with Belly has evolved far beyond the storyline itself. It has become a cultural phenomenon fueled by fan discourse, social media trends, memes and even brand marketing. TikTok edits, X threads and Instagram memes have turned the love triangle into an internet battleground, with fans dissecting every glance and quote to prove their side. Conrad has emerged as the audience’s favorite for his emotional and complex character while Jeremiah has mainly received backlash for his immaturity and manipulative tendencies. Meanwhile, others defend Jeremiah as the more stable, supportive choice. Some viewers point out that he loved Belly before she “turned pretty”; however, this only led others to counter that Jeremiah only started to like Belly when he realized Conrad did.

The show finally came to an end with its final episode airing, signaling an end to the love triangle as Belly decisively chose Conrad, a win for his supporters. Although the finale was released Sept. 17, fans were not quite ready to say goodbye to Cousins Beach, feeling as if the ending did not provide a sufficient close to their story. Han responded accordingly when she announced that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” would return with a movie in 2026. Junior Mayah Singh-Barrett expressed her own hopes for the movie.

“I’m really excited for the movie. I’m curious to see how they write about the characters’ new lives, especially after the finale,” Singh-Barrett said. “I just hope [there] isn’t much conflict.”

From the information that has been released, the film is expected to provide a definite conclusion to Belly and Conrad’s story, picking up right where the series ended. While no plot details have been released, in a Prime Video press release Han hinted that “there is another big milestone in Belly’s journey.” Lola Tung and Christopher Briney are confirmed to reprise their roles, and though an exact release date has not yet been announced, fans are eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this beloved series.