The Summer I Turned Pretty, a TV series streamed on Prime Video, has everybody talking with the release of its third and final season on July 16. Season 1 and 2 left viewers with several questions: Which brother will Belly chose? What’s the go between Taylor & Steven? Are Conrad and Jeramiah brothers or enemies? However, while Season 3 answers these pressing questions, unforeseen plot twists unfold, raising questions as to whether the series will stay aligned with the book it’s based on or steer the opposite direction.
The series based on Jenny Han’s phenomenal book trilogy, take us through Isabella (belly) Conklin (played by Lola Tung) roller-coaster of a summer at her family-friend’s Cousins beach house. In Season 1, she finds herself in love triangle with the two Fisher brothers, Conrad (played by Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (played by Gavin Casalegno), and this romantic rivalry continues to follow her through Seasons 2 and 3.
The big question that stands is: which Season is best? Let’s dive into a quick recap of each…
Seasons 1 & 2 recap:
Season 1 marks the start of the gripping journey in The Summer I Turned Pretty, where Belly’s summer glow-up was evident and the Fisher brothers couldn’t keep their eyes off her. Belly longed for a summer that was different, that would involve silly teen romances, chaotic parties, and unforgettable memories. These experiences led her caught between the Fisher brothers, sharing intimidate kisses with both. Taylor (Belly’s best friend played by Rain Spencer) and Steven (Belly’s brother played by Sean Kaufman) formed a little romance, and the long-awaited Debutante Ball sparked a lot of tension among family and friends. Amid all of this, Susannah (Fisher boy’s mother played by Rachel Blanchard) was silently battling cancer, which was revealed to the Fisher and Conklin children and caused a heartbreaking family affair.
Season 2 began on a tear-jerking note, when it was revealed, Susannah had lost her fight with cancer and passed away. Instant tension was evident between Belly and the Fisher brothers, which caused a rift between Belly and her brother at his graduation after-party. Furthermore, to Steven’s dismay, Taylor started dating a questionable musician, Milo (played by Will Spencer), which didn’t last long once she realised she still had feelings for Steven.
At the core of Season 2 was what the future would look like for the Cousins beach house. Would it be sold, or will the Fisher and Conklin family put a stop to this? During all this, Conrad went missing, in which, Jeremiah and Belly shared some very awkward but intense scenes while trying to find him. The beginning of Season 2 saw Belly in a relationship with Conrad, however, it ended messy due to Conrad’s poor actions. After their break-up, Jeremiah and Belly’s romance blossomed, and everything started to feel normal again.
The season ended with the families winning back the Cousins beach house and helping Conrad pass his final exams.
Season 3 recap (so far):
With the release of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s third and supposed final season, a lot of changes have been made, with author Jenny Han steering off script from the sequence of events in her book trilogy. Season 3 released with a bang, dropping three episodes at once to kickstart the whirlwind of a summer for Belly. The tension built during the pre, mid, and post-launch of Season 3 set the tone, making it stand out from previous seasons.
While Season 3 hasn’t officially been claimed the best season, evidence from a reliable source, Rotten Tomatoes, points to higher viewer satisfaction, stronger cast performance and a less predictable storyline that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
The season begins with conflict and a short-lived breakup between Belly and Jerimiah, after Belly found out Jeremiah cheated on her on his trip to Cabo, Mexico. However, Steven’s horrific car crash influenced by Taylor’s actions, saw Jeremiah and Belly reunite and decide to lock in their relationship with a sudden engagement. Nevertheless, Conrad and Belly spent a lot of time together in Cousins while Jeremiah was working back home, which made Belly question whether she was completely over Conrad. In the most recent episode (Episode 8), Jeremiah realised Belly wasn’t truly over Conrad, and he called off the wedding minutes before she was meant to walk down the aisle.
Among this mess, drama continued to follow Belly, with Taylor and Steven still in a complicated love-hate relationship. Meanwhile, Laurel (Belly’s mum played by Jackie Chung), who initially opposed the idea of her daughter’s marriage, eventually caved and supported Belly through this milestone. When the wedding was called off, Laurel couldn’t hide her relief.
What’s next?
With three more episodes set to release, finishing of Season 3, a lot of questions and speculations are circulating regarding the series. Will Belly choose Conrad or Jeremiah? Will there be a Season 4? As fans wait on the edge of their seats, one thing is for sure, The Summer I Turned Pretty has yet again delivered another unforgettable, heart-wrenching season, packed with chaos, love, lust, and betrayal that has captured everyone’s attention. I believe the Season 3’s epic storyline stands out making it the best season out of the three.
Caitlin 
Clara 
Kath Smart