Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers of The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Episode 10.Aside from outright villains like the members of <em>Severance</em>‘s Egan family and <em>House of the Dragon</em>‘s Greens, it’s difficult to think of a TV character currently more unlikable than The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno). Sure, he hasn’t killed anyone or attempted world domination, but hearing him complain about that fancy chocolate-raspberry cake is enough to drive any viewer up a wall. The Summer I Turned Pretty is now nearly finished for good, and with just one episode remaining, Jeremiah is still more unlikable than ever.
After the show’s ten-month time jump in “Last Year,” it appears that The Summer I Turned Pretty is still aiming to wrap things up for Jeremiah and provide him with a decent resolution, but this won’t feel satisfying unless the series genuinely attempts to redeem him in its final episode. As it stands, Jeremiah has spent three seasons selfishly prioritizing his own needs over those of the people around him without considering theirs, and he doesn’t seem willing to change. In the last episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty, the show should properly redeem Jeremiah, starting with him taking accountability for his actions.
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Series Finale Needs To Give Jeremiah Real Character Development
When Belly (Lola Tung) and Jeremiah’s wedding fell apart in the eighth episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, it seemed like this would finally be the push that Jeremiah needed to look inward and reflect on his actions. Instead, Jeremiah has since been playing the victim by acting like the jilted groom and lashing out at those around him. The season’s ninth episode, “Last Call,” appeared torn between trying to garner sympathy for him and showcasing just how awful Jeremiah is. The season’s tenth episode, “Last Year,” makes a harsh turn in attempting to put Jeremiah on the path toward redemption, but it just doesn’t feel earned yet.
Based on the events of “Last Year,” it seems as though The Summer I Turned Pretty is preparing to give Jeremiah a rushed resolution without properly redeeming him, which would be a mistake. Throughout the series, Jeremiah has frequently taken on an antagonistic role concerning other characters. He has repeatedly intentionally gotten between Belly and Conrad (Christopher Briney) and has always placed himself in competition with Conrad instead of trying to move past this as an adult. In “Last Year,” Jeremiah still expects people to coddle him throughout the episode, and they all do as well. Denise (Isabella Briggs) agrees to let Jeremiah live with her and even helps him pack, while Laurel (Jackie Chung) forgives him and goes far too easy on him when he visits for Christmas.
The only person who stands up to Jeremiah in “Last Year” is Conrad, which is precisely what Jeremiah needs to hear. Before this moment, Jeremiah continues to push his narrative of blaming Conrad for the end of his relationship, and it is only after Conrad calls him out that Jeremiah takes a step back and decides to try accepting a truce with his brother. Jeremiah is a character who only worsens when people coddle him but seems to thrive under criticism when others don’t back down. This could push him toward finally growing as a character now that Belly is no longer his “yes man” and Adam (Tom Everett Scott) has cut him off financially. Jeremiah has always been most sympathetic in his dynamic with Adam, and the best way for the show to redeem him would have started with him learning about Adam and Kayleigh’s (Emma Ishta) affair. Still, though, Jeremiah has finally let go of his need to impress Adam, allowing him potential growth as a character in the show’s final episode.
Jeremiah Needs To Earn a Happy Ending In ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Series Finale
As of “Last Year,” The Summer I Turned Pretty appears to be setting up a romance between Jeremiah and Denise. So far, it feels like the show is merely forcing the last two single characters together. Denise is a strong yet perhaps underwritten character whose main trait is her unwillingness to back off or be pushed around. Still, Denise adjusts early on to accommodate Jeremiah while all he does for her is clean up his dirty tissues after she waits months to tell him to do so. The show tells viewers that Jeremiah and Denise are now great friends and that he is actually this excellent cook, but there isn’t enough on-screen evidence to support any of this. It seems like Jeremiah’s ending will see him thriving as a chef and dating Denise, but this doesn’t feel earned yet because fans haven’t seen him work for any of it.
Jeremiah may have decided to make peace with Belly, but he still needs to properly apologize to both her and Conrad for his actions over the last five years. Great character development shows characters suffering consequences for their actions before taking accountability for them, but Jeremiah hasn’t really done either of these. His friends were there to catch him when Adam cut him off, and everyone he wronged has been tiptoeing around him due to the failed wedding. While Jeremiah may never be a character that most fans look back on fondly from the show, his happy ending could still be relatively satisfying if the show finally holds him accountable in its last episode.
The series finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty will be released this Wednesday at 3:00 A.M. EST on Prime Video.
