The passionate highs and the soul-crushing lows of young love take the spotlight in “The Summer I Turned Pretty” season three. The Amazon Prime Video series returned for its third and final season in July, with new episodes releasing every Wednesday until Sep. 17.
Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung), finds her feelings torn between two brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno). Though the story resolved in 2023 with a happy ending for Belly and Jeremiah, it wasn’t over just yet.
The drama is better than ever and draws viewers in until the very end. The prior two seasons, though captivating in themselves, were only the building blocks for season three.
Easter eggs and references to past lines and moments do plague the episodes. But this did give fans plenty to analyze and think about until the next episodes drop. It’s interactive and something that can only be done when the creator of a show truly gives it their all.
Season three accurately shows how college can be a time to either mature or regress. Conrad, spending it learning from his mistakes, going to therapy and pursuing his passions; Jeremiah, playing games, getting caught up in the thrill and lost in life.
Now a junior in college, Belly is growing up and she needs someone who will do that with her. Who it will be? You’ll just have to watch it yourself to find out.
As this new season takes viewers through the summer leading up to Belly and Jeremiah’s wedding, significant screen time is dedicated to providing context for the time skips between episodes.
Though the gaps may be small, it takes time to both catch viewers up and progress the plot, leaving only a few minutes for impactful scenes per episode.
The struggle in pacing is especially noticeable in the finale, which felt like it didn’t have enough time after ten episodes of slow, steady build-up. While this episode is the pinnacle of romance, and it delivered everything many fans wanted and more, it felt rushed.
This season also had many secondary storylines happening. Though often entertaining, the limited episodes don’t allot much time for side characters like Steven (Sean Kaufman), Taylor (Rain Spencer) and Denise (Isabella Briggs).
These flaws have the opportunity to be mended by the movie set to follow up and formally conclude the series, which was announced hours after the series finale debuted.
While the film’s release date is currently undisclosed, fans can thrive on the comfort of knowing it’s coming.
Based on Jenny Han’s book series of the same name, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” often feels like a book adaptation, in the sense that the random poetic depictions of a messy teenage love triangle sometimes lead to a cringy product.
To enjoy this show as much as possible, the viewer has to acknowledge that it’s not always going to be the most realistic and that it was written for reading before being brought to the screen.
That doesn’t disqualify the fact that the show often embraces quality, especially with its allusions to other romantic comedies that preceded it, like “The Notebook,” “Friends” and “Casablanca.”
Although it makes sense for readers of the books to feel like the plot has already been spoiled for them, the show still manages to keep every viewer on their toes, never knowing if Han will keep the story the same or if an unexpected twist may leave fans unknowing of what’s to come.
It’s a worthwhile watch for anyone new to “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and the book-lovers alike.
The show is original enough to create its own world and fanbase, and cliché enough to fit right into the genre. It intertwines modern and nostalgic romance – with the help of a soundtrack consisting of 25 Taylor Swift songs, plenty of Gracie Abrams, some Olivia Rodrigo and other iconic heartbreak-hitmakers.
The needle drops always add that final punch into whichever scene they’re in, the lyrics always fitting the current situation a little too well.
Watching “The Summer I Turned Pretty” became about more than just viewing a show. With every episode released, a culture developed: heated debates of which brother reigns superior, endless video edits and watch parties (even one hosted by the University of Miami’s The Rathskeller) only scratch the surface of people’s love for the show.
Compared to many other currently popular TV shows, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a much-needed lighthearted break from the sorrows of both fictional dramas and real-life hardships.
In this universe, it’s all about summer and finding joy, even in tougher times. For just an hour a week, viewers could escape their worries and make their only concern if Belly is going to pick Conrad or Jeremiah.
Now that it’s over, fans will just have to be patient and await the release of the movie. When in doubt, they’ll always have summer.
Rating: 4/5