Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah? The famous question boasted by Amazon Prime’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” was finally answered in the show’s emotionally driven final season. Despite the show’s split fanbase, the season’s impassioned episodes left fans on the edge of their seats week after week. However, the end of the season fell short as the final few episodes felt rushed and left viewers wanting more. 

Prime released the first episode of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” season three on July 16, 2025 after a two-year wait. Season two ended with the show’s lead, Belly Conklin, choosing to be with Jeremiah Fisher as summer ended. This season takes place four years after the events of the second season, delving into Belly and Jeremiah’s life together and starting with the end of the school year into the summer. While Belly loves her life with Jeremiah, she still has memories of her ex-boyfriend, Conrad Fisher, who conveniently happens to be Jeremiah’s older brother. Belly’s two love interests have split the fanbase, each side choosing a brother to cheer for, creating Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah.

Jenny Han, the executive producer of the show and the author of the book series, teased before the season’s release that this season would have a different ending from the books. This was a smart strategic move that kept viewers engaged in the show. Each side of the fanbase had high hopes that their side would “win,” so to speak, because the books were no longer the be-all end-all. Han’s statement did hold some truth, but as for the main ending, it seems as though the tease may have just been to throw viewers off the question of who Belly ends with.

The new additions to the show from the book were an exciting inclusion for the season. The addition of new characters — and a deeper focus on different storylines — helped give the show a more holistic view. Delving into other relationships — Steven and Taylor and John and Laura — was a breath of fresh air amid the Jeremiah-centric plot. 

With the show spending a considerable amount of time on Jeremiah and Belly’s relationship, it was upsetting to see the way the characters had changed for the worse after the four years since we had last seen them. Throughout the season, the couple’s immaturity — including Jeremiah’s clingy behaviors and Belly’s loss of self in her relationship — made the two very unlikable. Their decisions were questionable and their actions were controversial. It was as if they were two characters we hadn’t seen before, with only traces of their past selves. Yet, through each episode, Conrad shined as an older, matured version of himself with limited flaws. These characterizations manipulated the story, so the season’s conclusion made perfect sense.

Even with this, the show was successful in keeping its viewers watching. Whether you watched hoping for Jeremiah to pull it together or bashing his every move so that Conrad would win, the episodes were captivating and consistently got the fans yearning for the next one. Each episode was masterfully written — filled each scene with a mix of emotions including high feelings of rage, sadness, nerves and warmth.

After each episode, social media was flooded with clips of the show and every viewer’s take on what happened. The online discourse allowed fans to feel seen through their related views and matched emotions. This season built a community across social media, each strongly backing their respective team. The online community allowed audiences to enjoy the show as a collective audience, not just as individuals.

Season three really suffered in terms of its pacing. The show spent seven episodes building to their climax, Belly’s wedding, followed by three more, scrapped together to conclude the season. The beginning portion focused almost entirely on Belly and Jeremiah’s story with small glimpses of Conrad. Then the ending rushes us right into a “Belly and Conrad” relationship, again with very little building. 

The final episodes feel detached from the rest of the show and could have easily made up a separate season. The story changes settings, the themes are different and there is an introduction of new characters — everything needed for the beginning of a new season. Rather, the episodes are shoved into the last moments of season three and rushed through the story that audiences waited so long for. 

Members of Team Conrad can finally breathe a sigh of relief and can feel satisfied with the ending. Conrad finally got Belly, the one thing he’s always wanted. But it’s still disappointing that we only get a singular episode truly devoted to the couple’s rekindling. We, as viewers, barely get to see Belly and Conrad actually together beyond the moments in this episode. The final scene jumped forward a year, leaving us feeling like something was missing.

Maybe the release of the movie, announced by Jenny Han on the finale’s release date, will give more closure to the storyline we waited so long for. But for now, Team Conrad is left wanting more.