The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered on Prime Video on June 17, 2022, soon became a cultural touchstone for young adult audiences. After three seasons of romance, family, and growing up, the series concluded on September 17, 2025, with its final episode, “At Last.”
As an adaptation of the novels by Jenny Han, which are so loved, the series was able to capture the tone and mood of the author and transcribe the warmth of her story into visual terms. It depicted the growth of Isabel “Belly” Conklin from a teenager into an adult, showing her emotional growth as well as her struggles with love and self-discovery.
The series was lauded for its vintage beach-town setting, good acting, and genuine coming-of-age narrative. Belly’s friendships with Conrad and Jeremiah were a staple of the show, the cause of hours of online argument and “Team Conrad” versus “Team Jeremiah” fan wars. Its summarised visual aesthetic, nostalgic soundtrack, and sincere dialogue made it a favorite to binge-watch among viewers.
But the last season was met with mixed reviews. Some appreciated the ending while others were not satisfied because they believed that the conclusion of Belly and Conrad was hurried and did not possess the slow burn thickness of the novels. There were criticisms stating that some of the secondary storylines consumed too much time, preeminently overshadowing the main romance and diluting the emotional impact of the finale.
Vogue’s Emma Specter even live-blogged her finale experience, snarking about Conrad’s melancholy and wistfulness, and jokingly criticizing the show’s romantic and travel clichés a feeling shared by lifestyle influencers who appreciated the show’s visuals but yearned for greater emotional return.
In spite of this, Amazon MGM Studios officials and writer Jenny Han officially expressed gratitude to fans on the internet for their support, citing that the show “created moments of joy, nostalgia, and connection that have made it a global sensation.”
Ultimately, The Summer I Turned Pretty succeeded in its portrayal of the bitter beauty of coming of age, the ephemeral quality of summer, and the uncertainty of first love. Though its conclusion might not have fully gratified devoted readers, the series is a poignant and significant adaptation that hovers in one’s mind an earnest homage to growing up and moving on.
Despite any criticism, the show has been a huge commercial hit for Amazon Prime Video. In its first seven days of streaming, season 3 attracted 25 million worldwide viewers, a 40% increase over season 2.
Fifth most popular returning show: According to data from Prime Video, The Summer I Turned Pretty became the platform’s fifth most popular returning show in history following the release of its third season. The show has sparked significant fan discussions and debates on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, including the highly-debated “Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah” divide. This online engagement has been credited with driving the original book trilogy back onto bestseller lists.
Review by Pranathi Amukthamalyada
