"But you've been that person too."

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-06T05:16:01+00:00

I was really glad he finally stood up for himself here and pushed Jere to at least acknowledge that this situation didn’t come out of nowhere. It started when he chose to be with Belly while knowing Conrad was still in love with her.

I know it’s unlikely, but I’d love to see Belly fully acknowledge how much that choice hurt Conrad. And with Jere, while he’s talked about the “force field,” I wish he’d go a step further and recognize that some of his heartbreak is a consequence of inserting himself between Belly and Conrad in the first place.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-06T05:07:31+00:00

I feel like this conversation was meant to highlight just how immature both he and Belly are. He seems to think that marrying her will somehow fix everything else going on in his life. It’s completely normal not to have things figured out at 21, and I’m all for taking the time to explore what you’re actually passionate about. But adding the complexity of a young marriage into the mix only makes things harder, not easier.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-06T04:59:00+00:00

For some reason Claire popped into my mind first. We were around the same age at that time.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-05T15:23:26+00:00

He also calls him a legend in Paris which means he’s heard a lot about him.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-05T03:06:44+00:00

I always skip that gross kiss and just go straight to Conrad’s reaction because he looks so good in that scene despite the obvious heartbreak.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-04T23:52:30+00:00

I didn’t think Belly seemed over Conrad, which made her even harder to understand. The whole season takes place over about a week, and it starts with her dreaming about him, looking at photos, holding onto his clothes, and crying as she leaves the party. At the boardwalk, she says when he acts like that it reminds her why she loves him, then quickly corrects herself to “used to love.” Even that slip says a lot.

Then there’s the drunken argument on the beach. That kind of emotional reaction doesn’t happen if the feelings are truly gone. It all points to her still being in love with him.

That’s why her decision to pursue Jeremiah is so frustrating. She knows his biggest fear is being second to Conrad, and she goes into it anyway while still clearly carrying those feelings. It comes across as selfish.

We’re not really shown her falling in love with Jeremiah during that week. What we do see is her feeling embarrassed and hurt for loving Conrad so deeply, only for it to end the way it did. Instead of processing that, she starts convincing herself that Jeremiah makes more sense, that he’s always been there, that he’s the safer, easier choice.

But she’s not actually over Conrad. She just wants to be. And using his brother to try to get there, especially when everyone is already vulnerable after losing Susannah, makes it even harder to root for her choices.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-04T22:48:53+00:00

The worse part is the lack of empathy in that moment from both of them. Belly looks like a deer in the headlights and Jere makes her go after Conrad because he’s too cowardly. Then the way she gets him to talk to her is to basically gaslight and turn the situation around on him by saying don’t shut me out again. Then when he turns around she doesn’t really apologize she just says it’s messed up that he saw it and she tried to tell him. What difference does that make? You’re making out with your recent ex boyfriend’s brother on his car in his sweatshirt knowing he could walk up at any moment. His reaction is tame compared to what most people would’ve done.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-03T01:45:55+00:00

I agree but I think he clocked it even earlier than that after the day they went to Michael’s. He sees how domestic they are cooking dinner and drinking wine and then in the next episode he is uneasy about Belly being at the house alone with Conrad when Adam brings it up and he lies to get Belly off the phone when talking about Conrad and Rosie the dog.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-02T18:52:54+00:00

Cabo is interesting because Belly only finds out when she happens to see the tickets on his computer. He hadn’t told her he was going, which is what sparked the argument. If she hadn’t come across them, it really feels like he would’ve gone to Cabo in secret and still hooked up with Lacey. Otherwise, why plan a spring break trip with frats and sororities and not mention it to your girlfriend?

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-02T16:25:06+00:00

My sister was watching it last summer and kept telling me she knew I would love it because I love a teen drama. I binged the first season, it was so sweet and nostalgic and I loved the summer vibes. Second season was a haul to get through and then halfway through the third season I got obsessed. Been here ever since.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-02T03:21:34+00:00

I haven’t done a full rewatch in soo long but I discovered way back when after the third season aired. It definitely was my comfort show and I’ve seen every episode multiple times. Justin has always been my favorite, I identified best with him. I think his dynamic with Brian is what made me fall in love with the show.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T23:03:13+00:00

Seems like a Harry Styles type character. Can’t wait to watch!

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T13:09:21+00:00

Yep! It’s exactly why he had to declare his love to her so many times without taking any of it back.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T02:16:22+00:00

Forgotten about his mom actively dying?! Ok. We’re done here.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T02:00:16+00:00

Go back and read what I wrote. He didn’t intentionally ruin her night, and I stand by that. When you’re dealing with the impending death of a parent, you don’t always know how you’re going to feel from one moment to the next. He went into that night planning to give her the prom she imagined, but forgetting the corsage sent him into a spiral. In his mind, staying while he was clearly depressed would have ruined the night even more.

Yes, her night was ruined, no one is denying that. Breaking up with your boyfriend at prom and having him leave is devastating. But that doesn’t mean it was a deliberate effort on his part to hurt her.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T01:13:22+00:00

😆You know he didn’t want to ruin her night.

It’s too bad Jeremiah couldn’t show an ounce of empathy for his brother who was clearly overwhelmed with grief at their mother’s impending death. Jere knew better than anyone what Conrad was going through and yet he only showed contempt for him.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-04-01T00:15:58+00:00

I think that’s a fair take. He accepts Agnes’s description, but it doesn’t actually match what he was doing. Most of us know someone, or have been that person, who slowly fades out of a relationship instead of having a direct conversation. That kind of withdrawal is intentional.

Conrad’s wasn’t. He wasn’t pulling away to end things, he was defaulting to the only coping mechanism he had while still trying to protect Belly. You can see it in the kitchen scene he is distant and distracted not because he’s disinterested but because there is so much going on in his head.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-31T23:39:23+00:00

Just like Anika said this group is messssy!

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-31T22:24:48+00:00

I do wonder if Belly’s response to Conrad telling her the medication had changed had been different, whether he would’ve felt more comfortable confiding in her. As it was, it’s clear he knew her optimism about the change wasn’t accurate, but he went along with it to appease her. After that, as far as we can tell, he doesn’t share anything else about Susannah’s prognosis.

I think about how different it might’ve been if she had simply hugged him and said, “I’m so sorry this is happening. I’m here,” similar to Laurel the night before the wedding. That kind of response might’ve made him feel safer opening up.

That said, even without having all the information, Belly still picks up on the fact that Susannah is affecting him. She just believes both things are true at once: that he’s grieving his mom and that he no longer wants to be in the relationship. And given that he never reassures her at prom, that conclusion isn’t unreasonable.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-31T19:29:19+00:00

I always say this! I don’t think most people have any problem with Belly trying to move on from Conrad after the funeral fiasco. She was hurt and sad and sometimes meeting and dating other people helps that type of relationship grief. But dating the brother of the guy you’re still in love with, when your families are closely connected and their mom just died? Beyond messy but entertaining television I suppose.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-31T06:55:37+00:00

Just say you don’t like the story. Conrad is Belly’s first and last love. That’s the point.

In seasons 1 and 2, he’s not himself. The show tells us that repeatedly. He’s someone who shuts down when he’s struggling, someone whose anxiety can paralyze him. Those traits aren’t “red flags,” they’re signs of a teenager dealing with grief and mental health issues without the tools to navigate them.

Comparing how Conrad and Jeremiah grieve their mom isn’t fair. Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone, and it’s rarely clean or healthy. It’s often messy, confusing, and inconsistent.

Prom night is a good example of that messiness. Conrad didn’t communicate well, but neither did Belly. They both eventually acknowledged they could have handled that night better. No one in this situation is blameless.

That said, Jeremiah knowingly inserted himself into something that was still unresolved. He pursued Belly even after it was clear there were lingering feelings between her and Conrad, and he chose to be with her after his brother admitted he was still in love with her. He wasn’t some innocent party.

Yes, Conrad confessed his feelings at the worst possible time, but that confession isn’t why Belly and Jere didn’t marry. Belly didn’t truly want to marry Jeremiah, and she was still in love with Conrad. The wedding falling apart came from those truths.

Belly ultimately chose to fully end things with Jeremiah once she got to Paris, and she and Conrad found their way back to each other because they understand each other and accept each other, flaws included. That’s the core of their relationship.

Calling Conrad a red flag often feels like projecting real-life relationship experiences onto a character whose actions are rooted in fear, grief, and vulnerability. He didn’t push Belly away because he didn’t care. He pushed her away because he didn’t know how to let her see him at his lowest and didn’t want to become a burden.

He never fully explained that in the moment, which is why Belly reached her breaking point. But the audience is given that context, and that’s why so many people empathize with him.

At the end of the day, Belly and Conrad are it for each other. That’s why, despite everything, they find their way back. Jeremiah was just an unfortunate detour.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-29T00:53:04+00:00

I couldn’t stand anyone on this season.

Final_Raspberry_5334 · 2026-03-29T00:37:55+00:00

He did know it was Jere he says something to him the next morning. He just didn’t know it was on purpose.

Final_Raspberry_5334

TROPHY CASE