Embedded Files
Maisy Fleming vs. Andrew Digesare
Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard of the hit show, The Summer I Turned Pretty. This past summer, the show released its third and final season, which shocked fans. If you are someone who has been a fan since the book series came out, you will have noticed that the show has many differences from the book, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats because of all these twists. All of these characters have had their ups and downs, the infamous Taylor and Steven relations, the secrets and stories of Laurel, and by far the love triangle between Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad.
Andrew: I have been a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty since it premiered in 2022. I have also read all of the books in the series. I appreciate both brothers for different reasons, and despite my recent favoritism towards Conrad, I still feel defensive of Jeremiah and some of his actions. For example, during the first season of the show, Jeremiah was a perfect choice for Belly. Viewers saw how she longed for Conrad, but we also saw how badly Conrad treated Belly. In Season 1, Episode 2, Conrad crashed Belly’s first-ever date. After he pulled that immature stunt, he and Belly got into a heated argument. Conrad called Belly a baby and then said as he was leaving, “Why don't you go look in the mirror some more?” By saying this, he could have been implying that she is stuck-up or maybe even insecure.
Maisy: Conrad has always had his ups and downs throughout the story. There have been times when his character was questioned as he struggled with emotional management and, oftentimes, let his issues impact other people. Although Conrad hasn’t consistently been there for Belly, such as how he forgot Belly’s corsage at prom and made the night miserable, his character development altered the plot as he learned from his mistakes and matured from them. He made himself develop into the man he thought Belly truly deserved.
Andrew: It's not like Conrad only made one mistake. Throughout the show, we watched him mess up numerous times. He claimed to have forgotten Belly's birthday gift, almost kissed her while he was in a relationship, then the next day said he didn't remember. Let's not forget when he stormed out of Belly's prom and ruined her night. Conrad also openly admitted to Belly's face that it was a bad idea to start a relationship with her.
Maisy: Conrad was majorly impacted by the state his mother was in, and her condition led him to struggle with managing his temper and deep emotions. He had a special connection with his mother that he was unable to have with anyone else; his mother always saw him as he really was, even when he lost his temper. Having someone this significant in his life and then losing them really pushed him into a dark place. This explains a lot of his actions and behaviors. When he emerged in Season 3, he had changed for the better. He was able to use his past experiences to grow into a person who was thoughtful, loyal, supportive, and ready to be there for Belly. Although it took some time, Conrad became someone who was reliable and meant for Belly, while Jeremiah was incapable of maturity and wasn’t loyal to her, as she discovered that he had cheated on her in Season 3. The characters, along with the audience, realized that sometimes things that are worth having are meant to take time.
Andrew: You have an amazing point, and I do agree with the fact that losing a parent can definitely affect your actions, but that still is not an excuse for treating people poorly. Jeremiah also lost his mother, but he never treated Belly badly throughout that time period. As for the cheating situation, Conrad and Belly aren't completely innocent. In Season 3, we got a flashback to Christmas, where Belly went to the beach house and saw Conrad there as well. Although there was no physical cheating, there was definitely something going on because Belly admitted to herself that she would always love Conrad. All of this happened while she and Jere were together. Not to mention the fact that she never told Jeremiah that Conrad, her ex-boyfriend, was also at the beach house. Belly lied to Jeremiah, which is the whole reason they got into the argument that broke them up. What Jeremiah did in Cabo was wrong, but I don't think it was 100% cheating if they were on a break.
Maisy: At the end of the day, Jeremiah acted like a child and lacked numerous qualities, including maturity, while Conrad let himself take the time to grow into the character that everyone fell in love with, Belly included. Conrad has always been Belly’s first pick, and no matter how hard Jeremiah tries to take over his role, he will never be what Conrad is to Belly, and making a proposal to cover a mistake is not a strong foundation for a future. Conrad would never rush into a commitment to do nothing but save himself. I am not the only person who feels this strongly; 122 people from Kenmore West have voted for Team Conrad, with only 23 being Team Jeremiah. The number of people committing to Team Belly is an even bigger number than Jeremiah's supporters, being a total of 36 people. Taking all of this into consideration, the best brother is an obvious choice.
Andrew: After watching Season 3, I agree with the fact that Conrad is the better choice for Belly in the end. Jeremiah's character this season went downhill compared to Seasons 1 and 2. Their decision to get married was a very dumb idea from Jeremiah and Belly, so I understand your point there, and it seems like the school agrees with you, too. I'm glad Belly got what she wanted, and I'm excited to revisit these characters in the future with The Summer I Turned Pretty movie!
Page updated
Report abuse