The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5 reveals the ugliest truth we all don’t want to admit, and it’s completely Belly’s fault

By the end of episode 4, we knew Conrad’s point of view (POV) was going to be the crux of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5, and the move was smart enough to make it one (if not, the) of the best episodes in the show’s entire history. If there was ever a moment in the show’s sordid love triangle to emotionally eviscerate us, this was it, with Conrad (Christopher Briney) having to watch his unrequited love Belly (Lola Tung) become even more invested in his wayward brother Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), all the while teased by flashbacks of Belly and Conrad’s romantic past.

If this wasn’t bad enough, the latest episode of the hit Prime Video show also follows Conrad losing his mom after her battle with breast cancer, with their final scenes together before her memorial peppered in between the romantic angst. I’ve made no secret of the fact I feel incredibly sorry for him – and also wish he didn’t have these feelings, but the heart wants what the heart wants – but season 3 episode 5 drew my eye to someone else entirely.

Right from the start of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly has been the person who’s dragged us into this colossal mess in the first place. But her decisions are no longer having a superficial effect, with Conrad set to crumble in front of our very eyes. With this in mind, it’s probably time we all admit the ugly truth: Belly is an absolutely terrible character, and we’d all probably be better off with her out of the picture (in a non-sinister way).

Sorry, but Belly shouldn’t coming back from The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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Don’t just take my word for it, check out these pretty enraged fan reactions to The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5. While the flashbacks of Conrad and Belly in bed together are the ultimate knife in the back, present-day scenes of Conrad metaphorically setting himself on fire to try and make Belly’s life easier are just as painful. Obviously, she takes no notice of his efforts, instead engrossed in her dead-end future with Jeremiah (featuring the worst engagement ring ever seen with the naked eye).

If The Summer I Turned Pretty wasn’t a work of fiction, the answer to how to straighten out the chaos would be obvious. While it’s clear Belly is a lost cause, the right people could be around Conrad to make him see his own worth – or at the very least, invest in some worthwhile therapy. The same goes for Jeremiah, who desperately needs to get his life back on track in order to be attractive to himself, and to women.

Sadly, none of this makes for good TV, so Prime Video would need to resort to more drastic measures to sort things out. I don’t think it’s above Belly to take off in a mega strop and never be seen again, especially considering the way she talks to her mom. If she gets last-minute cold feet before actually getting married, Belly could easily run away from everything and everyone… and as cruel as that is, I wouldn’t be too bothered if she did.

Given that season 3 is the final farewell for The Summer I Turned Pretty, the remaining episodes have to go out with a big bang. Could the TV show veer away from the books and surprise us all with a shock Belly departure? If Prime Video had any sense, they’d keep Conrad and Belly apart for good and teach their young, impressionable viewers a valuable lesson (don’t get married to selfish boys, kids).

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