Despite his reputation as a dependable, sweet brother, Jeremiah Fisher flipped his “golden boy” image in Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty. The sweet brother fans adored suddenly made choices that left them asking questions.
At the start of the season, Belly and Jeremiah seemed like the ultimate couple. For anyone new to the series, The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Isabella (Belly) Conklin and the Fisher Brothers – Conrad and Jeremiah.
The series is centered around them spending their summers in Cousins Beach and is filled with friendship, drama, and romance. Throughout Belly’s life, she has always been torn between the brothers, but Belly was certain Jeremiah was the one; he seemed reliable and was “perfect,” like everyone expected him to be.
Ultimately, Belly made her choice between the brothers, and at the start of season 3, Belly and Jeremiah were engaged, even though they had setbacks. At the start of the season, Belly had overheard that Jeremiah had hooked up with someone else on spring break. Jeremiah claims that they were “on a break” when Belly did not remember or acknowledge a breakup, and fans took sides with Belly. That moment changed everything for their relationship and how viewers saw Jeremiah.
“For me as a storyteller, I have to feel good about what I’m making, and I have to feel proud of it, and I have to be excited by it,” Jenny Han, the author of the series, told Teen Vogue.
Some fans even switched teams this season. Gracie McMahon, a freshman at Briar Woods, and a dedicated fan of the show since 2022, shared, “[Watching this season,] Jeremiah was very babyish, I don’t think he is mature enough to handle Belly,” critics like Leah Hoyle, writing for Epigram, argues that “his immaturity becomes a great hindrance to their relationship.” pointing out his “man-child strops” and how underwhelming some of his emotional growth feels.
Another viewer, an anonymous student, says that “since season 1, I have been on Team Jeremiah. He was supportive and charming, however, watching this season, he started to become jealous, immature, and wanted to be “Mr. Perfect”. I quickly found myself on Team Conrad.”
Because of the fans’ dislike toward him, social media quickly exploded after the spring break incident had occurred. A poll on Entertainment Weekly’s Instagram story found that 62% of fans felt frustrated with Jeremiah this season – compared to only 15% last season. Even when the couple got engaged, the engagement ring got roasted online. Resulting in fans disappointment and frustration with how poorly Jeremiah was written this season. His decisions seemed immature or didn’t really make sense compared to how he acted in previous seasons, which left longtime fans of the show annoyed.
Even critics noticed his struggles, Collider wrote that “Jeremiah remains unlikeable, but the finale shows potential for earned character growth,”suggesting that his frustrating actions were part of a bigger plan for his character, but that didn’t always land with the viewers.
One user, livpercabeth, wrote on X regarding Belly’s engagement ring, “does Belly know that she could’ve worn the ring the entire time and no one would’ve even noticed because I’m squinting to see it and I know it’s there.”
Gavin Casalegno, who plays Jeremiah, told The New York Times, “They tend to dislike him, yes, I don’t check Instagram anymore, so I haven’t really seen that much hate . . . I think it’s important to also understand that this is a fictional story – and it’s also not me.”
As the season went on, things just got messier when they began to plan their wedding. Both seemed like they were trying too hard to make their relationship work. Once the wedding rolled around, Jeremiah couldn’t go through with it, leaving Belly heartbroken but drawn to Conrad.
“To be honest, neither of them were ready for this, and it saved them both in the end.” states an anonymous student.
As the season progressed, viewers saw characters face challenges and growth, setting the stage for the finale episode. By the end of the season, Belly is in Paris, figuring out who she is without the Fisher brothers, and Jeremiah is dealing with heartbreak. The season officially wraps up with Belly and Conrad reuniting in Paris, confessing their love for each other, which didn’t surprise many fans who had followed their complicated relationship for the past 3 seasons. Throughout the span of the episode, Conrad’s gradual emotional growth and connection with Belly had made their reunion feel like the natural conclusion to their long-running storyline.
“There is no doubt that Conrad is mature enough to handle a relationship with Belly, and I can see some positive results. In the end, Conrad felt like the right choice.” emphasizes McMahon.
Season 3 shook things up in Cousins Beach, and Jeremiah did not make it easy for the fans, but that’s what made the plot so entertaining. With Belly and Conrad together, Jeremiah is figuring out his next move on how he moves forward. And with a movie on the way, there’s never a dull moment with this love triangle. From heated arguments on the beach to heartfelt confessions under the Paris skyline, drama, romance, and even tiny engagement rings keep fans on their toes. One thing is for sure: Cousins Beach is the ultimate summer destination for romance, chaos, and all the unforgettable moments fans live for.
