Even BTS' V and Taylor Swift couldn't save The Summer I Turned Pretty's ‘cringe' start, with Belly and Jeremiah's ‘frustrating' chemistry

Indian Express

3 days ago

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3's first two episodes were frustratingly painful to sit through. After waiting for four years and watching Belly (Lola Tung) still torn between the Fisher brothers felt like a slap. The new season is out, and there's absolutely nothing new. Same old triangle, same worn-out drama, just wrapped in a shinier, college setup. Based on Jenny Han's novel and hyped as one of the most anticipated summer shows, it had Taylor Swift's hits blaring and even summoned the K-pop crowd with BTS' Kim Taehyung on the soundtrack, but seems like those tracks might be the only thing worth talking about. Spoilers ahead.
Also read: The Summer I Turned Pretty S3: Makers warn 'heartbreaking' finale as Belly Conrad's story diverges from the Book
Season 3 picks up with a time jump, longer than anyone expected. We're now four years ahead. Belly's in her junior year at Finch College, still dating Jeremiah, which was teased in the promos too. Meanwhile, Conrad's sort of out of the picture, he's at Stanford, studying medicine, trying to move on while still dealing with his mom's death and the whole Belly fallout. Team Conrad might've been happy at first with this development, but the way Belly handled things made it too cringe to even fathom.
She finds out Jeremiah cheated on her during spring break in Cabo. He pulls the classic 'we were on a break' card (Must be watching Ross-Rachel FRIENDS playbook on loop). One thinks they're still together, the other's off doing their own thing. But here's where it gets more frustrating. He didn't just cheat once, but twice. Thankfully, the show threw in some screentime for other characters too, Taylor and Steven (Belly's best friend and her brother), still trying to figure out whatever it is they're doing. Steven gets into an accident, he is hospitalised, and that's when Belly forgives Jeremiah. And right there, outside the hospital, with absolutely no effort, no ring, no build-up, no logic, he proposes. And she says yes. Book readers are left horrified. The rushed pacing, What was the point?
Also read: The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 teaser: 5 subtle clues you might have missed hinting at Belly and Conrad's future
We get it, the show is trying to explore mature themes with college, adulthood, heartbreak, but everyone still acts like they're stuck in high school. Even the dialouges are flat. The decisions are abrupt. And worst of all, nothing feels earned. We're being told that Belly and Jeremiah are in love, but their chemistry is completely missing, and at this point, we can just hope she ends up choosing the right brother. Speaking of the characters, Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Briney (Jeremiah and Conrad) look good, but aren't given much to do beyond posing and reacting.
Yes, the tracks. We're obsessed. Every song hits right where it should. Taylor Swift, BTS' V, Lana Del Rey, Cranberries, Chapel Roan, all fire. Taehyung's 'FRI(END)S' feels like a breath of fresh air as it sets up the whole Taylor-Steven vibe, while Taylor's You're Losing Me plays right when Belly finds out about Jeremiah's cheating, couldn't have been more fitting. Even the costumes stand out, subtle but detailed, and they do their part in telling the story.