“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Wraps Up Its Final Season

Viewers tune into the series finale of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," the hit teenage drama that has gone viral on social media. Photo by Francesca Oliva '28

Sept. 17 marked the end of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” the beloved coming-of-age drama that captured the attention of over 25 million viewers since its first season aired in 2022. The series, based on the book trilogy by author Jenny Han, follows the life of Belly Conklin as she navigates a love-triangle, friendship and self-discovery. 

For many fans, the end of the series indicated the end of an era, with online discussion leading to debates, frustration and praise about how Han’s coming-of-age story was brought to a close. 

In the weeks leading up to the finale, viewers tuned in every Wednesday for a new episode of the series, awaiting the next plot line or Easter egg that would reveal which brother Belly would ultimately end up with. 

Unlike the typical streaming format, the weekly releases allowed for immense discussion online with fan theories, video edits on social media and scene dissections, fueling the popularity of the show.

The love-triangle between Belly and the Fisher brothers, Jeremiah and Conrad, took social media by storm, with users online claiming Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad and igniting debates about who the better brother is. On TikTok, #TheSummerITurnedPretty has amassed over 1.2 million posts since the start of the show and fan edits with millions of likes. 

Viewers of the series note the striking parallels between seasons, the heavy use of Taylor Swift in the soundtrack and short yet impactful scenes between Belly and the Fisher brothers as being some of the most important aspects of the show. 

The iconic “peach scene” was one of the more intimate and emotionally charged moments between Belly and Conrad in season three. Fans quickly made the scene viral on TikTok, with one commenter saying “Anyone else notice how she’s GLOWING when she’s with Conrad?” and another saying, “The lighting are you kidding me?! This is EXACTLY what I pictured when reading the books!” 

While many fans online devoured the small moments between Belly and Conrad, some members of Team Jeremiah created controversy due to their specific choice of brother. On a fan edit of Jeremiah Fisher, one commenter said, “No emotionally mature person would be team Conrad.” 

Influencer and podcaster Drew Afualo received hundreds of hate comments and criticism for sharing her support for Team Jeremiah, to which she posted a response on TikTok, saying, “Any silly takes I may have on a make-believe fake show should never be factored into anything in real life because it is a fake show.” 

The final episode of the series would confirm Belly’s choice and bring a close to the story that started on Cousins Beach years ago. For some, the ending was deeply satisfying.

“I couldn’t see it ending any other way," said Jenna Labadessa ‘28. “It kind of had to be, they were infinity.” 

On Instagram, one user commented, “Jeremiah was the only reason I stayed hopeful, but was only disappointed in the rushed wrap-up of his story.” 

The varied responses to the season finale said a lot about the role the show played in popular culture. In a time of binge-watching, the show’s weekly releases reminded fans what it's like to wait for the next episode, text friends about predictions and be a part of a collective viewing experience. 

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” managed to capture the realistic feelings of growing up, finding love and family hardships. Jenny Han’s storytelling and her influence as an executive producer turned Cousins Beach into a place of change and growth for all of the characters in the series. 

Amazon Prime announced shortly after the finale that the series wouldn’t be ending just yet, as a feature film is in the works to bring closure to Belly’s story. While a release date was not announced, fans are excited for this next chapter of the series. 

“As a fan of the books, I am so excited to see this series continue,” said Isabella Milojevic ‘28. “I can’t wait to see what will happen with Belly and Conrad in the future.”

As fans await the upcoming film, it is clear that the world of Cousins Beach and the emotions it created will linger long after summer is over.