The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Episode 1 - By Megan Dawn
We’re back and off to a running start.
If you remember, Season 2 ended with Belly choosing Jeremiah over Conrad. I know some of
you are asking “What are you talking about, Megan?” Let’s have a quick recap.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a popular little show on Amazon Prime. Based off a book trilogy
written by Jenny Han, it tells the story of two brothers who fall for the same girl. But Isabel
(Lola Tung) is not just any girl. She is a girl that Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (GavinCasalegno) grew up spending every summer with at their family’s beach house. We come intothe story the summer that Belly turns sixteen and she’s no longer the little girl that Conrad andJeremiah remember.
Over the first two seasons, it’s a back and forth of which brother Belly will end up with. It’s a
good show, if a bit typical teen drama. However Lola, Gavin, and Christopher bring a maturity
and intenseness to the roles that makes you want to see what happens with the trio. As I said,
Season two left us with it looking like it’s going to be Belly and Jeremiah.
Season 3 picks up with the two still together. Jeremiah is starting his sophomore year at Finch
University (not a real University). Belly is joining him there for her freshman year. Conrad has
fled to the other side of the country and is Pre-Med at Stanford. I know what you’re asking,
how is there going to be drama if a third of the triangle is no longer in Massachusetts? Have no
fear because, if this show knows how to do anything, it’s bring the drama.
Shortly into the start of the episode, we get a 3 year time jump because why not. Jeremiah is
now a senior on the verge of graduating – or so he thinks. Belly is facing her senior year at
college without him. There is a very cute scene of them waking up together and then
scrambling to hide the fact that Jer is there when Belly’s mom calls - come on, guys, you’re
teens at the same college who have been dating for 4 years, and Lauren is not a fool. She knows
what’s going on. Then there is a fun little walk across campus as Belly heads to class and Jer
heads to get his cap and gown.
Bring on the drama.
Jeremiah learns he will not be graduating and will have to do one more semester. It seems that,
sometime in the last 4 years, he switched majors but did not meet all the requirements. So he
needs to take a few more classes. As if he is not already feeling bad about it, when his rich
father finds out that he has to foot another $20,000 for his son to get his degree, he has a
tantrum that would make any toddler jealous. Instead of being proud of his youngest son for
owning the mistake and being willing to take the hit – and the extra semester – he throws out that Conrad would never make this kind of mistake. No doubt this comparison has hung over
Jeremiah for his entire life. And is definitely NOT what he needed right here.
In the meantime, Belly has learned that she has been taken off the waitlist to study abroad in
Paris. Naturally, she doesn’t share this news with Jeremiah after he shares his day with her.
Even worse, she is considering not taking this one in a lifetime chance because she thinks she
should stay for Jer. Thank the gods for her brother, Steven. Steven makes the very valid point
that, by keeping silent, she is not being completely honest with Jer or giving him the chance to
decide how he feels about her choosing him over this golden opportunity.
She concedes the point. Later, she meets Jer at a party. She tells him everything and he is
genuinely excited for her and insists that she has to go. I know what you’re thinking – if the
dictionary had pictures, Jer’s would be next to the words ‘perfect boyfriend.’ Hold that thought,
though. Because a secret that Jer has been keeping since Christmas is about to end this party.
As Belly is finishing up in the bathroom, she overhears a conversation between some girls about
how one of them hooked up with Jer over Christmas vacation. Turns out Jer went to Cabo over
the break with some of his frat bros, got drunk, and Lacy just happened to be there to offer
some very physical comfort. Belly comes storming out of the room and Lacy and her pals do
have the grace to look slightly embarrassed. Only slightly though.
Belly makes a beeline for Jeremiah where she hurls the ‘did you cheat on me’ question in a
room full of college partygoers. Getting her outside, Jer tries to explain what happened but
Belly isn’t having it. What follows is a ‘we were on a break’ fight that would have made Ross
and Rachel proud. Ultimately, Belly can’t take it anymore and takes off running down the
street. Jeremiah is left looking after her, those startling clear blue eyes burning with guilt,
shame, and devastation. And if Gavin wears contacts, no one tell me about it!
Meanwhile, over in California, Conrad is looking happier than he ever has. Who knew the boy
could smile? All it took was a few years away from Belly. But, as we quickly learn, Conrad is not
over our darkhaired girl. He doesn’t allow himself too much time thinking about her, or her
relationship with his younger brother, as he stays focused on school. And hanging with his
friend, Agnes, whom he apparently dated, at one point. A pattern that I hope does not become
the norm for our Leo DiCaprio look alike.
In a conversation with Agnes, he does admit that he loved Belly and regrets never telling her.
The fact that this comes up tells us that this triangle is not as over as it may appear to be.
Distance will not keep it from raising its sleeping head. Eventually, something is going to send
Conrad back to Massachusetts and Belly. But not yet.
Though he was supposed to return to help his brother make a speech about their mother (who
passed at the beginning of Season 2), a summer internship is offered at a Doctor’s office. Thisgives our brooding older brother the perfect excuse to stay hidden on the West Coast, for now.
He calls to give Jer the news and leaves a voicemail with the details. I know you’re thinking that
is the easy way out. And you’re not wrong. But, if you know what Conrad has been through,
you’ll give him this easy moment. But, Conrad, your life might be drama free, right now, dear
boy – but you can’t hide forever.
And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what the Drama Gods have in store for all three of
our kids. It might be a teen drama, but it sure does know how to reel a girl in.
Episode two is already available. And a new episode will drop every Wednesday through September.