On Wednesday, September 17, the moment we had all been waiting for finally arrived: the finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Every Wednesday, girls of all ages immersed themselves in the world of Isabel, or “Belly”, Conklin. This season brought the long-awaited decision between two love interests, brothers Conrad and Jeremiah. Mysterious, intelligent, and emotionally unavailable Conrad, her first love and the boy she has been pining for her whole life. Her best friend Jeremiah, who made her laugh and had consistently stood by her.Â
Much to everyone’s displeasure, I have always been team Jeremiah. I think that for Belly’s phase of life, she needed someone fun, uplifting, and emotionally available. Conrad was weighed down by grief and anger in seasons one and two, and though justified, he couldn’t give Belly the support she needed. Jeremiah, however, helped Belly shoulder the pain of Susannah’s death, creating the foundation of a relationship that felt real and healing.
Season three was a whirlwind, full of “lasts.” The Jeremiah that I loved in the first two seasons turned into an insecure, ungrateful, and immature boyfriend to Belly, treating her more like a trophy than his best friend. Meanwhile, Conrad, even from a distance, seemed to care more about Belly than the brother who was engaged to her.
First of all, Belly’s hair is a symbol for a new era: she is older, wiser, and 22. She leaves the past in the past, as symbolized by chopping her hair. In our first glimpse of finale episode Belly, she hops off Benito’s bike in a chic outfit, shaking out her fresh bob. Her tan ensemble is chic, a departure from her brightly colored tank top with jean shorts that we are used to. This haircut shows what we were all thinking: it is time for Isabel’s new era.Â
The inevitable finally happened: Belly and Conrad. The shock on Belly’s face upon his arrival, excitement of showing Conrad around Paris, sexual tension throughout the birthday dinner, and climax of Conrad going home with Belly were enough to make a Jeremiah fan smile. Despite being a Conrad hater in the beginning, this climactic union needed to happen. Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad, has absolutely mastered the art of looking at Lola Tung, Belly, with utmost admiration and love. From the moment Conrad sees Belly getting off Benito’s bike, you can see the love in his eyes. My friends and I yelled at the tv when Belly could not admit to herself that she loves Conrad, letting him run away to the train station. Without her doubt, we would not have gotten the climactic, romantic moment of Belly racing through the train station to find her lover.Â
Jeremiah and Denise? This raised so many question marks for me. I feel that the final few episodes after the wedding catastrophe are about Jeremiah finding himself and being okay with being alone. He finally confronted his struggles, with Belly, his brother, his father, and finds closure. He makes peace with everything that has happened, and talks it through with the people around him, like Laurel, Steven, Taylor, and Denise. Jeremiah found peace in cooking, finally finding something he is good at and find success in on his own. I think that Denise’s role in these final few episodes was to be a good friend to Jeremiah and give him the tough love that he needed to work through his issues. The episode’s conclusion with their union felt like a step backward for both of their character developments. For Jeremiah, he needs to be okay with being on his own and seeing everyone else around him be happy while Denise opens up to her friends and succeeds in her own company.Â
If there is one thing that fans can agree on, it’s team STAYLOR! Steven and Taylor’s relationship is exactly what I had hoped for, even with Steven’s secret move to San Francisco. Taylor has gone through such immense personal growth, both in herself and in her relationships. I think that the concluding scene where they talk about the move to San Francisco shows how much she has grown, being able to articulate how she feels and express it to those important to her. Her teasing Steven about getting a cat and keeping their home in Boston so that he would tell her about San Francisco so that she can stay focused on her task at hand sums up Taylor’s sass and drive, while still being able to make up with Steven in the end. On Steven’s side, he has turned into a mature and successful man, compared to the first season when he was motivated but whiny. I am happy to see him being honest with his friends, in a successful relationship with his dream girl, and eager to start his own company.Â
Finally, the soundtrack. The Summer I Turned Pretty has consistently used Taylor Swift’s music throughout the series, so the finale would not be complete without two of her well-known songs. When Phoebe Bridgers started playing, my friends and I verbally shrieked, and the use of Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” felt appropriate for a closing credit montage of Belly and Conrad’s Christmas in Paris. The most memorable part for me was Taylor Swift’s “Dress” when Belly and Conrad have their first kiss along the Seine River in Paris. The song captures the buildup that has been leading up to the moment, as they rush back to Belly’s home being intimate along the way ;). A close second was Phoebe Bridgers’ “Scott Street” during the confession of love at the train station. Even as a team Jeremiah fan, I got emotional and was thrilled for Bonrad’s success. The Summer I Turned Pretty, a show meant for tweens, has captivated girls of all ages as we watch our Isabel Conklin grow from Jelly Belly to Isabel in Paris. I am positive I missed so much from this jam-packed finale, but all in all, I could not imagine a better way to conclude this series.