The train doors are closing when Belly finally chooses Conrad Fisher.
For longtime fans who have spent three seasons living through author and director Jenny Han’s summer love triangle, this moment should have felt like fireworks. Instead, the bittersweet moment felt like a soft spark leaving viewers feeling unsatisfied.
Based on Han’s beloved young adult book Trilogy, the tv show “The Summer I Turned Pretty” follows Belly Conklin as she spends her teenage summers at Cousins beach, torn between two brothers, brooding Conrad and sweet Jeremiah.
Over three seasons, viewers watch Belly navigate loss, the ups and downs of growing up, and heartbreak that never seemed to end.
The finale opens with hesitation, builds with tension, and finally gives fans a resolution: after years, Conrad finally confesses his feelings, Belly makes her choice, and then the next scene flashes forward to a glimpse into the couple’s adult life. It’s a moment that should feel like a victory lap for fans of the slow burn romance, and in part, it does. After three seasons of developing relationships, they choose each other-and the final image of a wedding should leave viewers satisfied. But the moment races by in a blur, wrapping up years of emotions built up in just a few minutes.
The ending struggles with its own ambition, trying to balance out emotional closure with wrapping up other characters’ plots. Essential scenes including Conrad and Belly’s wedding, their future together, and smaller character moments that show growth are cut out entirely.
Instead, time is spent on uneven side plots that feel more like fillers—Jeremiah’s cooking experiments and unnecessary drama between Steven and Taylor. These moments distract viewers from the heart of the story.
Still, the finale isn’t without charm. Although the pacing is rushed, Belly and Conrad’s train-station reunion is more than satisfying with the longing looks, a heartfelt confession, and the kind of payoff that makes Team Conrad breathe a sigh of relief.
Even with these wins, the finale still feels rushed. The episode ties the knot but skips the ceremony, leaving an unsatisfied aftertaste. Fans get the ending they wanted, but the journey feels hurried and almost unfinished.
There is still hope for the ending fans deserve, as Prime Video recently announced a “Summer I Turned Pretty” movie, giving fans another chance to revisit Cousins Beach, and finally see some of the moments the finale left behind.
