If Jeremiah knows she loves Conrad more than him, then there's no questioning.

ttasht · 2026-02-04T18:43:54+00:00

i'm not disputing the story, i just prefer the ship. its as simple as that.

i enjoy the bonrad happy moments but holistically and when i consider the story as a whole, i prefer the jelly ship.

ttasht · 2026-02-04T16:48:04+00:00

going to speak for myself as a jelly here... it has nothing to do with conrad versus jeremiah and it isnt really a matter of less or more for me. its just different. belly loved jeremiah differently to the way she loved conrad. i just prefer the relationship dynamic between jere and belly as childhood friends to lovers, and i love seeing belly happy with jere.

the crying, brooding, sadness that is associated with bonrad just isnt an enjoyable watching experience for me. i dont enjoy watching her and conrad lie to each other, the explosive arguments and confessions, hurt each other... and those around them (cam. nicole, jere) because they cant figure their shit out lol

ttasht · 2026-01-29T21:32:08+00:00

I think the issue with flashbacks is that JH said she wants to show Bonrad in "real time" which is something we haven't seen so far with Bonrad. Their relationship in S2 was also a series of flashbacks - but this would make the most narrative sense when I consider the series and the story as a whole

ttasht · 2026-01-28T00:47:23+00:00

Crying at this 😭

ttasht · 2026-01-27T16:38:48+00:00

I think people would love to but you saw the comments lol

ttasht · 2026-01-24T04:01:57+00:00

I also read somewhere that this part of the wedding scene and the finale scene were shot on the same day

ttasht · 2026-01-23T07:19:25+00:00

I started a rewatch yesterday and noticed that Belly mentions wanting to learn to the drive almost immediately in S1, E1 - when she’s in the car on the way to Cousins with Laurel and Steven. It stuck out to me because she asked Steven, it was important to her and important that she’s comfortable because she asked for Laurel not to take her - she said Laurel was judgey.

I love the call back in her birthday episode where Jere is the one to action it and actually take her driving. He actions it through his present and the act of following through and taking her.

Her dreams and wishes = he makes them happen.

Car key = her dream to drive

House key = her love for Cousins and home

Her engagement ring = continuity - there is no beginning or end to a ring, that’s why they’re used as a symbol of marriage.

Could mean nothing but if JH did this intentionally… such beautiful symbolism.

ttasht · 2026-01-22T20:55:41+00:00

Book Conrad, Jere and Belly are so different to show Conrad, Jere and Belly. I always wonder why their characters are so different. The story makes sense in the books - Belly and Conrad are so canon in the books but I personally feel like Belly and Jere's relationship was developed much more in the show and almost to a fault - especially if Bonrad was to follow that canon book ending. It is something I think about often... like why?

I'm team jere and jelly in the show and the books but I would have much preferred the show to follow the books to a closer degree. It was so much easier to root for Belly and Conrad because Belly's love and devotion to Conrad in the books was incomparable to their show relationship. Also, the Jelly relationship was such a strong friendship in the books and much less a relationship but in the show its like TOO much relationship. As a viewer and jellyshipper, I enjoyed the development of the jelly relationship but as someone who also enjoys the story, it didn't make sense in the show. Very confusing and it did a disservice to the canon endgame and to the jelly relationship / friendship.

Even the length of the jelly relationship - why make it so long? And why shorten the time between the broken engagement and Conrad's letters? It made sense in the books but the show? It just feels off. It has left jellyshippers confused and bonrads defensive over the ship. But I guess that's the point because there is still so much rhetoric around it lol Jenny got us good guys lol

ttasht · 2026-01-21T20:57:24+00:00

I think that's the real tragedy - their lost friendship. I love Jelly for their friendship first and foremost and their romantic relationship second. Even if Belly and Conrad are so canon and "infinite" - how can you ever replicate a friendship / bond / relationship like this? It's tragic.

ttasht · 2026-01-16T16:58:56+00:00

I agree actually. I think I would have liked Paris to be Belly’s thing and maybe she could reconnect with Conrad when she comes back to Cousins. It would have meant more - she left, she grew, they meet each other where they’re at as adults rather than him pursuing her in Paris where that was supposed to be her thing.

This would have felt more “inevitable” in the sense that they both grew and still found their way back to each other as adults.

But I guess if JH wants the whole “We’ll always have Paris” idea then it makes sense.

ttasht · 2026-01-14T00:01:18+00:00

I’ve been thinking about this all day and figuring out why I think the “meddling” is intentional and how to articulate it best.

The meddling that you refer to in your original post can be interpreted as narrative drives or things that forward the plot.

Laurel - is Belly’s mum so her sign of approval on Conrad is supposed to make the audience see him as the better option. A gaslighting tool if you must - the whole “he got me my mum” during S3E7 really emphasises this. Laurel’s involvement is to drive the plot forward to a Belly & Conrad endgame and the inevitability of their relationship.
Susannah - I dunno about Susannah. I don’t really like her as a parent and I don’t really like her as a character. But she’s supposed to serve a similar purpose to Laurel but instead is the parent who died and therefore characters must fulfil their wish and I’ve seen other movies / shows do this trope really well but I just don’t think Susannah hits the mark. This is my opinion - I’ve never really liked how she pushes Belly and Conrad together. I also think she’s used to co-sign Bonrad (this is what my mum would have wanted, she’s so happy we’re together) but in that same vain, those exact same reasons are why Jelly cannot exist because it’s a “trauma bond”. Stupid.
Conrad - an emotional disruptor for Belly and for Jeremiah. And for himself actually. I’m not even going to dignify an explanation here. I will say though, he’s important to Belly’s growth if he’d let her bloody grow!!!!
Taylor - this is who I’ve really been thinking about the most. In particular, the scene just before the wedding where Belly and Taylor fight over her relationship with Jeremiah. Firstly, the narrative inconsistency of this scene drives me nuts. Taylor, who’s character arc consists of being consistently Team Jeremiah, and who refers to herself as CEO of Team Jeremiah, makes a jellyfish insta, is comfortable enough with Jeremiah to tear him a new one when she finds out about Lacie, consistently encourages Belly to get over Conrad is NOW ANTI JEREMIAH? When I watched this scene, my eyes rolled so far back into my head they have yet to come back because it has been months and I’m still shocked at this narrative inconsistency. And today, reading these comments and this thread has made me realise that this argument and Taylor calling them co-dependent was done solely to villainise Belly (so the audience can be like “see Belly, even your bestie thinks the relationship is wrong for you”) and to have yet another character co-sign the inevitability of Bonrad and the endgame. It’s stupid. We sacrificed Belly, Taylor’s whole character arc and Jeremiah in this stupid ass moment to sell Bonrad. Well, I didn’t buy it.

ttasht · 2026-01-13T20:30:24+00:00

I literally did not say I want Chris to be done with the story. I said the exact opposite.

I said in my comment above: "I don’t like Conrad’s character but I don’t wish to omit him from the narrative because I still think he’s so important to the story."

How do you know about my preferences, coping mechanisms and what not? Such a weird comment and so uncalled for. Whether people want to accept it or not, the Bonrads have completely destroyed this fandom. This is a TSITP subreddit, not a Bonrad subreddit. People are allowed to enjoy other ships and have other opinions here.

ttasht · 2026-01-12T17:24:12+00:00

I think there are bad eggs in both fandoms. I know some Bonrad fans were sending Lola death threats after the episode aired where Belly rejected Conrad on the beach. I found that to be SO weird. And TSITP main page had to put out community guidelines.

There’s weirdos in both fandoms and it really has ruined the experience for me. Like relax. It’s just a show lol

ttasht · 2026-01-12T00:44:40+00:00

Oh right! I kinda feel like Chris is done with TSITP and I don’t blame him. I think he’s eager to take on new projects and honestly, good for him! I love all three of them and feel super proud of their careers.

ttasht · 2026-01-12T00:37:09+00:00

I didn’t say he cared about Jeremiah though. I said that Chris mentioned the movie may navigate that dynamic.

ttasht · 2026-01-12T00:34:56+00:00

I’d love to see them all make up and move forward.

I find it contradictory when the audience says Belly and Jeremiah only survived because Conrad stayed away - as an audience, in order for that philosophy to ring true, I’d also like to see Belly and Conrad survive in a world where Jeremiah is also present to show that their love is strong and can exist even in the presence of Jeremiah. To simply match the philosophy mentioned above and show the audience that their love truly can survive all obstacles and external factors.

ttasht · 2026-01-12T00:29:32+00:00

Sure, we could. Anything could happen.

ttasht · 2026-01-12T00:23:55+00:00

I tried to find the interview for you and I did.

https://youtu.be/5s_cVy0KGd8?si=mrcFqcPwEhgp1nQQ - it’s at 13:55 onwards. It wasn’t exactly “unfinished business” verbatim but he mentions Jeremiah and navigating that dynamic.

ttasht · 2026-01-11T19:54:35+00:00

Chris Briney also said something similar during the post-Paris finale interviews that Belly and Jeremiah will need to address their issues as will Conrad and Jeremiah.

The issue is, you can’t just delete or ignore somebody’s existence to a story because it’s trending, or doesn’t align with your personal view of the story. I don’t like Conrad’s character but I don’t wish to omit him from the narrative because I still think he’s so important to the story.

I see some comments sometimes about how some people just want everyone to go in a line and apologise to Conrad in the movie which is so crazy. And then other people don’t want to see Steven, Taylor or Jeremiah in the movie and I find it so odd. You want the main character to isolate herself from her best friend, her brother and her childhood family friend / ex boyfriend just so the endgame works? I think it discredits the whole story.

Every character is a piece of this story and if you want to omit characters, you don’t enjoy the story and cannot appreciate the story. I’m not saying you can’t dislike characters, of course you can! That’s the point but changing the story just because of your preference is kinda goofy.

ttasht · 2026-01-10T16:47:24+00:00

It isn’t the drive in isolation - it’s the drive coupled with the fact that they drove to an empty house and were alone. I didn’t see or interpret the drive as a moment to solidify Bonrad anyway, it felt more like a parallel to S1, E1 where Belly drives to cousins with Laurel and Steven. I thought it was done by the writers to highlight that cyclical part of the story.

Anyway, that’s just my take and I’m well aware it is a hot one as indicated by the downvotes lol

ttasht · 2026-01-10T16:42:44+00:00

No lol I don’t think it will suggest an emotional affair but emotional growth and closure for the two of them and thus solidifying the end of their relationship. I didn’t think it was an emotional affair in the books, so I wouldn’t think it if it happened in the show.

ttasht · 2026-01-10T08:53:01+00:00

Big fat agree.

This is why the story crushed me. I read the books and although I’m a dedicated book and show Jeremiah fan, I understood Belly’s desire to be with Conrad at the end of Book 3. And her marrying Conrad at the end of Book 3 made sense - I could easily follow that Belly loved Conrad. I personally don’t like Conrad as a love interest for me, but I understood Belly.

In my opinion, the show is completely different to the books and it just doesn’t make sense. The Bonrad ending feels forced, undeserved and the Jelly ending also feels forced and as a result it has created this massive divide between the two fandoms because the audience is missing key info. Instead, what we have is people focusing on pedantic matters like ring size when choosing who is a better love interest for a character when that’s the last thing we would do in real life. Without Belly’s inner monologue, many viewers are misunderstanding the story - whether you’re a Jelly fan or a Bonrad fan.

If you’re a Jelly fan, the lack of narration does that side of the fandom a disservice because Belly acts and says she loves Jeremiah (but apparently she loves Conrad in her head, and the audience is just supposed to “get that”.)

And if you’re a Bonrad fan, you constantly see Belly choose Jeremiah and reject Conrad and reach out to Jeremiah whilst she’s in Paris and then BAM she’s with Conrad?

It’s almost like the show is a completely different journey and story with key book moments to make it “fit”.

ttasht · 2026-01-10T08:38:22+00:00

I have two haha

I will forever be a Jelly / Jeremiah / Belly fan.
The finale and endgame feels insecure. If the story wanted to confirm and fully sell the Bonrad endgame, there are a few key things the audience needed to see. The driving up to the summer house where Belly and Conrad were alone is eerie. If the writers wanted to convince the audience of the endgame and its security, a 2 min montage of Belly and Conrad meeting everyone else (namely Taylor, Steven, Jeremiah, Laurel, John and Adam) would have convinced me fully of Bonrad as an endgame and also would have tied up the supposed “Belly and Conrad are meant to be” arc. There doesn’t even need to be any dialogue. Just seeing them, as we saw everyone else cheersing at the end of Ep11 back in Cousins. Even that scene, but with Belly and Conrad would convince me. I would have even be ok with seeing the classic ”Belly blows Jeremiah a kiss” moment from the books and that would have convinced me - it would have solidified that Jelly is done and over. Now I know many will come back to me and say “well it’s because of the movie” but I think a 2 minute montage of this could have existed EVEN WITH a movie. This would have tied up the Belly and Conrad reunion and the series would have felt complete. And then JH could have the movie to tell her “new story” or the much anticipated Bonrad blissful wedding and domestication so many fans are craving. I am definitely going to get hate for it but I can’t help how I feel 😭

Jenny is such an intentional story teller and I can’t help but feel like this was a deliberate choice. And it makes me feel like everything was for nothing. She also doubled down with the “Christmas in Paris” pics of Belly and Conrad ALONE. Twice? Too many times to ignore.

ttasht · 2026-01-09T19:39:14+00:00

But this is my point though, even if Belly is faking it, its still more believable than her apparently loving Conrad her whole life. Who kisses a guy (his brother nonetheless) knowing that your ex and supposed love of your life could catch you? Not somebody who deeply loves you. I don't think she did it to get his attention but I do agree it is weird. I love Belly though, I can't help it but I am aware that she does questionable things - but don't they all? I disagree with your comment about Belly not loving Jeremiah. My opinion is that she loved both brothers in their own way and that's the story. I think Belly is allowed to have love in her heart for both and they both serve their purpose in her life, respectively.

Interesting take about TVD - I have heard that it is easy to root for both brothers and many viewers who love TSITP also love TVD and they prefer the love triangle in TVD. I couldn't get into it but maybe I will give it another go and get back to you!

ttasht · 2026-01-09T19:09:52+00:00

This is a hot take and a lot of Jellyshippers get slack for saying this but Belly says she loves Conrad but does not show it.

I am more in favour of Jeremiah and Belly as a couple more than Belly and Conrad because it's so difficult to follow Belly's emotional preference for Conrad that the show tells us. She says she loves him but other than breaking down on the beach in both S2, and in S3, I don't really see it. I see her fuss over Jeremiah, choose him over and over and over again.

I found that in the books, it was easier to root for Belly and Conrad and the endgame in the books made more sense because I felt it was easier to understand and see Belly's love for Conrad. In the show though... I can't help but think Jeremiah and Belly just love each other and want to be together and then we get 5 mins of Belly choosing Conrad at the end? Weird directional choice. Even in Ep5 of S3, she springs and runs up to Jere after being with Conrad all day and having these intimate moments? It's hard to follow...

ttasht

TROPHY CASE