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The Summer I Turned Pretty Review
It’s that time of year when you start missing summer again, so in honor of The Summer I Turned Pretty ending back in September, here's a review.
The Summer I Turned Pretty shows great character development within the three main characters, Isabel “Belly” Conklin, Conrad “Con” or “Connie” Fisher, and Jeremiah “Jere” Fisher, as they go through growing into adulthood while dealing with grief and navigating love. Belly is first introduced as an impulsive, validation-seeking, and miscommunicative teen. Over the three seasons, viewers see her grow and become more self-aware. She improves her communication skills in both romantic and familial relationships, while learning to base her love on reality instead of her old teenage fantasies. She also learns to take responsibility for her actions.
Conrad’s character is more rooted in grief. He used to be this “golden boy” for his family and friends, but suddenly started to hide himself. Pushing everyone away, because of his mothers cancer coming back, including Belly and Jere. But viewers eventually see him go back to his old self while going to therapy and distancing himself from Cousins. He eventually evolves into a more open and honest person who is comfortable expressing what he wants and settles his differences with Jere.
Who’s Jeremiah? The younger Fisher brother starts as an energetic, stereotypical “golden retriever” character. He’s lovable but emotionally irresponsible. He has a fear of being overlooked by people, which causes jealousy between him and Con, which also drives him to make poor decisions, such as first dating Belly to get back at Conrad.
Speaking of relationships, what happened between Belly and Jere? Jeremiah and Belly’s relationship was based more on change unlike Belly and Conrad's. Kind of like the ocean at the summer house, it's always changing, just like them. Although their relationship might have been romantic and passionate, it was still unstable. Jere is still a bit of a playboy despite having been in a relationship for four years, and Belly… well, she still has feelings for Conrad. Despite them caring for each other, it was best that they went their separate ways.
Isabel and Conrad share a bond that they built over the years that's different from what she had with Jere; it’s steady and constant. It’s rooted in a genuine understanding of each other. Despite timing, grief, and miscommunication being obstacles, they still ended up with each other. Their connection never fully disappears; even when Con goes to Stanford, he’s still lingering in Belly’s heart or when she goes to Paris. As they mature, their relationship becomes romantic again in the way that they actually have gone back to seeing each other in person again. It involves unspoken feelings and mixed signals, and eventually a proper relationship again but with better communication
Overall, I’d rate the series an 8 out of 10. Season three could’ve used fewer side plots such as Lucinda and her salon business, and more focus on Bellys' relationships. It’s a great summer and winter show, especially for younger demographics. It’s relatable in friendship, family, and relationship dynamics. Or on a less serious note, it’s “fun and bingeable,” as an IMDb review says. Others stated that it's a sweet show or that it has a nice vibe to it. As a side note, the soundtrack is usually good too, which adds to the watchability of the show. Either way, it’s a good show despite the varying negative opinions that have been expressed online. Now it’s time to wait for the movie to release.
