After three whirlwind seasons, The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) finally concluded. This finale attempted to tie up every storyline and deliver the long-anticipated resolution to Belly’s love triangle with the Fisher brothers. The result was overall emotional, occasionally rushed and messy, like all teen dramas, but in its own way, deeply satisfying. While a film continuation has already been confirmed, the series’ final episode could have easily served as the closing chapter.
From the beginning, Jenny Han’s adaptation has been equally cringe-inducing and addictive. TSITP is a show that made me roll my eyes while simultaneously guaranteeing that we would be back each week to see what happened next. Season three overall was emotionally powerful, though it suffered from a few issues with pacing. The show attempted to wrap up every major arc in under one hour, from Belly’s romantic decision, Jeremiah’s redemption, Steven and Taylor’s budding relationship and Conrad’s time to shine. Instead of allowing these moments to breathe, the episode rushed through them, speeding through certain developments that would have benefited if they were left to progress over an extra episode. A longer runtime or a two-part finale would have served the story far better, giving the characters the space their journeys deserved.
Still, some moments stood out. Belly’s choice to reunite with Conrad was always the inevitable endgame, but the show managed to frame it as more than a simple romantic decision. Before the finale, we saw Belly grow and discover her life away from the Fisher boys and Cousins. Her newfound self-assurance from her time in Paris and her ability to step into adulthood without changing herself for others show how much she has grown.
The love triangle that dominated the series ultimately came to its natural conclusion. Jeremiah never truly stood a chance, though his behavior across seasons one and two might have led some to believe otherwise. During season three, Conrad had the most character growth, from starting the show brooding and closed off to being more mature and emotionally available. It made Belly’s decision much easier. Meanwhile, Jeremiah’s character felt extremely inconsistent, as if his character arc had been sacrificed to make Belly’s choice easier.
For those fans of Jeremiah, there was some consolation in the ending. Rather than being left devastated, Jeremiah found new direction in his culinary career and the seedlings of a relationship with Denise. In contrast, Steven and Taylor emerged as the show’s most endearing couple. While they began season one as they evolved into mature, fully realized costars. Their relationship was a bright spot in the finance, and seeing them work through significant life decisions was the perfect payoff for those earlier seasons.
Online, there has been discourse arguing as to who is to blame for the love triangle in the first place, with many considering Belly the villain for tearing apart two brothers and causing both Jeremiah and Conrad’s heartbreak. However, just like in real life, the truth is a little more complicated wth everyone sharing a fair bit of blame for the events. Jeremiah clung to Belly out of insecurity and a fear of loneliness, encouraging her to give up her dream of studying abroad in Paris. In the earlier seasons, Conrad went through a lot and often let his grief dictate how he treated Belly. Honestly, Belly’s biggest mistake was falling in love with two brothers, which was messy but never truly malicious. If the blame lies anywhere, it may be with Susannah, who raised Belly to believe she was destined to marry one of her sons, which Belly and Conrad addressed after they reunited in Paris.
In the end, the final gave what mattered most, closure. Belly picked Conrad, but more importantly, she grew into a young woman who learned how to make her own decisions and control her story. While it may not have been perfect, TSITP reminded me why teen dramas remain so endearing.