RILEY RAINS / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

While rain pattered on USD windows, students hosted watch parties and gathered around their TVs for the spectacle of the week: “The Summer  I Turned Pretty” finale. With some swooning over Conrad and others crushing on Jeremiah, Toreros everywhere were anxious to discover who the main character Isabelle, or “Belly,”  would end up with. 

The Prime Video original series is inspired by a book trilogy that flew off the shelves right after it was released in the early 2010s. Jenny Han, the author of the books, decided  to collaborate with Prime Video to develop the show that many Toreros know and love. The first episode was released in 2022. The series held fans waiting for this  finale for about three years. 

The final episode drew fans to the big screen, but not everyone was happy with the ending. USD sophomore Skylar Grani shared her grievances. 

“[‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’] had a f—a– ending,” Grani snapped. “It really upset me how we didn’t get a lot of Conrad and Belly time at the end. Hopefully   the movie will fix that.”

In the last season fans complained that Han showed a significant  amount    of    Jeremiah, saving barely any crumbs for Conrad. Throughout the majority  of season three, Belly was either dating or engaged to Jeremiah. This relationship caused a lot of build up for the  conclusion, which some  students think was less than exciting. USD sophomore  Sonya Yelagin explained her thoughts. 

“I feel like it was pretty predictable,” Yelagin shared. “I don’t like how Belly switched up in three seconds, but other than that I was rooting for this relationship.”

The premise of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a love triangle between Belly and two brothers: Conrad and Jeramiah. The childhood family   friends grew up together, visiting their beach house every year; Belly’s slogan in every episode is “Winter didn’t count, summer was what mattered.” Throughout the series, the Fisher brothers are constantly fighting for Belly’s heart. 

The feud between Conrad supporters and Jeremiah fans is remarkably widespread. In San Diego, you can spot two tip jars at the Chula Vista Dutch Bro’s, one “Team Conrad” and the other “Team Jeremiah.” CC Cacabelos, a USD University Minister even has a shirt with Conrad plastered all over it.  

CC Cacabelos wearing a team Conrad shirt during Pre Orientation. Photo courtesy of Andrew Hahne

Conrad, a yearning medical school scholar, is older than Jeremiah. Jeremiah is apparently an aspiring chef and dated Belly for years after the Fisher’s mother died, a pivotal moment in the TV shows plots. USD junior Ella Fitzpatrick pledged her allegiance to Conrad.  

“I will ride with Conrad to the grave,” Fitzpatrick shared. “I think he is misunderstood, and if you are not team Conrad then what are you doing?   I think his story is so heartbreaking, and let’s remember that he had Belly first. He just shows so much growth.”

In these final episodes, Conrad had to watch his brother propose to Belly with a minuscule ring, all after Jeremiah  cheated on her. He was in a quandary — stuck between his romantic yearning and brotherly duty. After starting therapy and moving across the country to give Jeremiah space, Conrad finally confessed his love the day of Belly’s wedding. Yelagin saw in Conrad’s eyes that he was her soulmate. 

“I was always team Conrad,” Yelagin stated. “He looks at her like he’s in love, and they just had better chemistry throughout the whole show. You could just tell he was always genuinely in love with her and he was never forcing it.”

Season three included a whirlwind of broken-off marriages, scream battles and dramatic    airport   scenes.  Despite Belly being the main character, some  students thought that she was the one causing the drama. After she moved to Paris, she managed being alone for the first time in her life. 

Fitzpatrick is currently  abroad in Ireland, and she admires Belly for her bravery. 

“I   liked  how  she found herself in Paris,” Fitzpatrick explained. “Being in a new country is  intimidating and Belly definitely needed the experience.”

One unique feature of the romance is the songs. Pretty much every scene that involved music included artists that are wildly popular: spanning from Taylor Swift to Phoebe Bridgers and even Sabrina Carpenter. This stylistic choice is not something ignored by fans. Humphrey shared her thoughts on the song selection. 

“I think the choice of music very much added to the appeal for the target audience, because a lot of the audience is younger women who are ‘Swifties,’” Humphrey said. “As one myself, for me when Taylor’s songs are used in certain scenarios it adds to the feeling and makes moments more intense. It is also fun for fans waiting to see which songs will be used.”

Fitzpatrick looked at the music as a strategy.

“It was a really smart marketing choice for both the female artist and the ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ producers. The show is huge, and it’s not every day that you hear song after song that you know. It definitely brought in more people … A lot of teenage girls can relate to these lyrics.”

For all of the Toreros crying over no more Wednesday episodes — don’t fret. Han will be creating a feature film continuation of “The Summer I turned Pretty.” She is planning to co-write   the script with Sarah Kucserka, who helped produce the TV series. During a press release hosted by ABC, Han hinted at her plans for the movie. 

“There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due,” Han exclaimed.

Belly and Conrad’s continued adventures were teased   in the  ending monologue: cut-out pictures of the happy couple wrapped in wool, enjoying  a “Noël romantique á Paris.” Fans are at the edge of    their seats hoping for a wedding — one that isn’t called off.However, the official content of the movie is unannounced.

Jeremiah Fisher cooking in the kitchen. Photo courtesy of @tsitp/Instagram

Whether Toreros pledge loyalty to Team Conrad or defend Jeremiah’s case, the debate shows no signs of fading. Even with the series finale behind them, students will keep swooning, sparring and speculating until Belly’s story hits Prime Video.

Conrad wiping peach juice off Belly’s mouth in season three. Photo courtesy of @tsitp.series/Instagram