When I first watched The Summer I Turned Pretty, I did not think much of it. It was like those shows you sit through to watch just for the sake of it. I did not enjoy it so much, and how would I? Conrad (Christopher Briney) was in this state of morbidity— always sad and brooding over something as though he was being forced to exist. Susannah’s cancer had returned, and although everyone was walking on eggshells around her, she seemed to have made peace with death. Laur I had a feeling was in love with Susannah after the first season. For some reason, I felt that their relationship was more intimate and went beyond friendship and sisterhood, but what do I even know?
As far as characterization goes, Steven captured my heart the moment his face appeared on the screen, I am not sorry if you were thinking Conrad or Jeremiah. You know why?? Steven was real, funny, bubbly and an easy go lucky and that brought of presence to the show. Not that I did not like Jeremiah; I did. I mean, look at those dreamy penetrating eyes, look at that hair— he is a complete 10, as D-nice finally admitted in the series finale— so yeah, I liked him but he wasn’t my fave. I think I have already mentioned Conrad and his gloomy nature throughout season 1, so there is no need to hammer on it. As for Belly (played by Lola Tung), the most I could remember about her was her pink eye glasses and very vivid braces. She was just this sweet little girl. That’s all.
Season 1 did not do it for me. I loved the whole summer vibe, do not get me wrong, but I could not remember most of the things that went down. Perhaps I was not paying enough attention, but it is what it is.
Then came Season 2! I could say that the entire season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty was a cocktail of emotions, and I would not be far from the truth. I had gone back to watch the whole of season 1 just to be on the same page and oh boy— did I miss a lot in season 1? Before season 2 started, I was completely engrossed in the show. In fact, I had even started reading the book, which I never came around to completing— but that is beside the point. All I am saying is that the show was beginning to sink. Season 2 began on a sad note. Susannah died, Belly, and Conrad dated and broke up. The boys almost lost their summer house . In fact, everyone in the show was fighting one battle or the next, but it was also the season we got to know the background stories of the characters. It was the season in which we fell in love with the characters. In fact, it was in season 2 that we all stared loathing Conrad for being a recluse and treating Belly like a stranger.
I don’t know about others but the set of characters we had for season 3 were quite different and understandably so. They were the same people we started the show with but they had grown, some of them annoyingly so. I will start with Belly. For someone who was that smart and intelligent and came across as articulate, she made a host of stup!d decisions in Season 3. She was literally living her life through the eyes of Jeremiah—putting her life on hold all in the name of some deluded promise and love. The season brought to bare how immature Jere was but we soo much loved the new Conrad, being all open about his feelings and thoughts. All 11 episodes of the final season was everything some of us have been waiting for albeit, they starved us of lots and lots of Bonrad scenes.
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In the season finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty, fans got to know the fate of almost all of the characters, however, there were some unanswered questions, cliffhangers and maybe, just maybe there will be a spinoff. Check out who ended up with who from the Summer I Turned Pretty show finale.
STEPHEN AND TAYLOR
The answer you are looking for is yes! Stephen and Taylor end up together. They finally stopped bickering and decided to mature their feelings and process them even better. The twist is that Taylor moved to Boston for Stephen, and it appears that she may be moving to San Francisco for him again. The question remains: Is she not sacrificing too much for Stephen? Will she become bitter if she does not succeed in her new life? Considering that she was just about to build something substantive for herself?
DENISE
When Denise was first introduced to us, we thought she would be one of the characters who would not last. Those who will probably be seen in two episodes and that is but she featured in all of the episodes. We did not really like her that much, especially in the beginning, when she kept to herself and was almost always angry, but we warmed up to her. When her relationship with Stephen didn’t work out, some of us did a Hail Mary because we were rooting for Taylor and Stephen. As the season progressed, she became one of their good friends, and we love seeing her with Jere. In the season finale, she got cozy with Jere and shared a kiss. From the way things are looking, they could be a couple, but the show ended. What is the fate of this brewing romance?
JOHN CONKLIN AND LAUR
Belly’s parents do not end up together in the end. At the beginning of season three, they were all cozied up, secretly getting laid, so we assumed they were going to end up together. Unfortunately, their romance was short-lived. In addition, John did not have a heart attack. In the last two episodes, he looked like he was in pain as he held his chest, and people assumed he was having a heart attack. Well, he does not have, and even if he did, we cannot tell as it was not revealed in the last episode. However, he did appear slightly ill.
WHO DOES BELLY END UP WITH?
We guess that is the multi-billion dollar question and but also, we all know she ends up with Conrad. The show starved a lot of Conrad and Belly scenes but in the end, they had their moment. Conrad and Belly end up taking a romantic walk after dinner, kissing on the cab ride home, and spending the night together – though there is a little drama before they get their happy ending.
The show has ended. Our Wednesdays are now returning to normal. We will miss these characters. For weeks now, they have become a part of our lives, but this may not be the end. There are a host of unanswered questions, and Jenny Han’s note at the end of the finale sort of left believing there could be a spinoff. We will be waiting. Whatever the case is, this was a good run!
