If Jeremiah Fisher from Jenny Han’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” has no haters, millions of people have died.
The newest season of the Amazon Prime show has amassed more than 25 million viewers, making it the most watched season of the show yet. This also means that about 25 million viewers have had to watch the reincarnation of one of TV’s most infamous controversies: the “we were on a break” dilemma.
Surprisingly enough, the scariest part of the incident isn’t that Jeremiah willingly risked everything with a woman he was still in love with for a one night stand; it’s that there are people who defend him.
Don’t get me wrong, the ridicule of Jeremiah’s character has gone viral, and for good reason. But in the dark, mysterious and terrifying crevices of any TikTok comment section, there is always at least one final scream into the empty void that is (or was) team Jeremiah.
You can’t entirely blame them either. In a society where it’s considered easier to avoid difficult conversations than to effectively communicate, the fine line between right and wrong is drawn out of existence. Whether it’s claiming that Jeremiah being intoxicated means he wasn’t thinking correctly or insisting that Belly and Jeremiah were totally, completely, entirely broken up, you have to applaud their resilience.
But here’s my favorite argument: “It’s not like Conrad’s perfect either.”
Obviously, Conrad has not always made the best decisions or taken the best course of action. What separates Conrad’s wrongdoings from Jeremiah’s, disregarding the difference between the extremity of their actions, is accountability.
The true answer to the “we were on a break” dilemma is simple. It doesn’t matter if what Jeremiah did can truly count as infidelity. The real crime was the immaturity with which he handled his response to an argument. Not only was Jeremiah perfectly willing to give up on his partner, but also his instinct almost immediately after was to hook up with another woman.
Regardless of whether or not he truly cheated or if he has other redeemable qualities, Jeremiah should be held accountable for his actions. If for no other reason, then for hurting Belly — the girl he has been in a serious relationship with for four years, might I add.
Even while apologizing, Jeremiah places the blame on others for his own actions. Some may believe that an “I’m sorry, but [enter excuse]” can suffice, but true accountability is more than that.
Accountability is completely embracing responsibility for the things you’ve done. It is not a call for an exception or displacement of blame. This interpretation, however, begs the question: if so many people won’t hold Jeremiah Fisher accountable, what does that say about accountability in our current society?
It’s undeniable that having serious conversations and holding someone accountable is extremely difficult, but these things are necessary for someone to mature from old habits. Without the recognition that actions come with consequences, no one can tell right from wrong without accountability. Without the recognition that actions have their consequences, it is impossible for anyone to tell right from wrong.
Yes, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” may just be a dramatic TV show, but art is a reflection of reality. When many people would prefer to endure pain rather than confront it, where is the division between moral and immoral being placed? Are harmful actions excusable simply because we have love for those who conduct them? Or is the greatest act of love the refusal to accept what they’ve done?