When a literary work comes to life on television, there is always the expectation of how the author’s vision will be translated onto the screen. In the case of The Summer I Turned Pretty, this was taken to another level in episode 5, when Jenny Han, author of the trilogy that inspired the series, also took the director’s chair.
Episode 5 of the third season of The Summer I Turned Pretty is not just another chapter in the series, it is a true love letter from Jenny Han to her readers: the long-awaited Conrad’s point of view. By stepping into the role of director, the author of the books delivers an episode filled with passion, nostalgia, and references that only those who know the trilogy will fully recognize.
The author’s mark on direction
When Jenny Han directs, the series gains a different tone. The narrative flows as if the pages of the book had been opened right in front of the cameras. Unlike other episodes, where the vision of external directors guides the events, here every detail has a purpose: Jenny’s gaze ensures fidelity to the essence of the work while also adding nuances that only the creator herself knows.
It’s an episode where passion is felt in the framing, the silences, the songs, and even in the choice of where to cut a scene. The result is a chapter that feels more intimate, almost as if viewers were inside Belly and Conrad’s heads.
The couple in their essence
This is perhaps the most “everyday” episode for Belly and Conrad, but that is exactly where its strength lies. Watching the two of them cook together, pick flowers at the flower shop, decorate the cake, or wander through Michael’s, what we see is the natural way they function as a couple.
Small gestures reveal an intimacy built over the years, now expressed in a more adult and mature way. Even in seemingly casual lines, such as Conrad confessing that he almost forgot Belly wouldn’t be marrying him, Han shows — sometimes between the lines — that this relationship goes beyond youthful romance: it is the promise of a life shared.
References that move the fans
Jenny Han knows how to reward attentive readers. The iconic “peach scene,” overflowing with chemistry, is a direct gift for those who had been waiting to see this moment come alive. The flashbacks, like the one with the bicycle or Belly’s bedroom, reinforce the idea that Conrad has always been there for her, from childhood, when he would grant her every wish, to adolescence, when falling in love became inevitable.
For fans, these insertions are more than fan service: they are visual confirmations of feelings and details that the book had already hinted at, now materialized on screen. This dialogue between page and screen is what makes the episode so special.
Another moment that deeply struck the audience was Conrad’s intense line, when he says he’d rather “get shot in the head” than see Jeremiah and Belly together. It is in details like this, raw and passionate, that Han’s direction delivers the emotional depth that sets this episode apart from all the others:
“I would rather have someone shoot me in the head with a nail gun repeatedly, than have to watch him touching her like that all night. And I hate myself for it.”
Conrad’s vulnerability
Few moments in the series have been as revealing of Conrad’s human side as those in this episode; it was his point of view, bare and raw. The rooftop conversation with his father, for example, not only relocates a scene that originally happened over the phone in the book, but also transforms it into an intimate confrontation, showing a young man trying to cope with expectations, grief, and responsibility.
The memories of his mother and the promise made on her deathbed add dramatic weight to the story, revealing that behind the mature facade, there is someone still trapped in pain. At the same time, references to therapy and his difficulty saying “no” to Belly reveal a Conrad in transition: vulnerable, yet willing to grow.
The soundtrack as narrative
Music, always a central element in The Summer I Turned Pretty, also gains special attention under Jenny’s direction. The use of classic rock, associated with Conrad, creates a unique musical identity for the character, reinforcing his introspective and intense personality.
The absence of Taylor Swift in this episode, so prominent in other parts of the series, is significant: here, we are not in Belly’s romantic perspective, but inside Conrad’s world, more contained and less idealized. The soundtrack works not just as background, but as an extension of the narrative, helping the audience feel the characters’ emotions in a visceral way.
Episode 5 is the heart of the season. For readers, it is a gift filled with direct nods to the book; for new viewers, it is the opportunity to truly understand the depth of Belly and Conrad’s connection. By stepping into the director’s role, Jenny Han proves that the creator’s vision can transform an adaptation into something unique: faithful to the roots of the story, yet renewed by the emotion of someone who knows every detail by heart.
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O artigo acima foi editado por Isabella Messias.
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