‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Season 3 Episode 9 review: “Last Call”

Bonjour, Paris! You weren’t ready for one, Isabel Conklin. Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty picked up the pieces after the long-awaited wedding. “Last Call” was a chapter about the fallout from calling off the wedding, flying to Paris, and all their decisions. Uncomfortable? Yes. Slow pacing? Definitely. But was this episode necessary? Absolutely! The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Episode 9 is a needed part in the journeys of our favorite characters. When something like this happens, the damage from their choices can’t be ignored – both in life and on this show.

Belly in Paris.

Belly’s decision to choose Paris over Conrad was the right choice. Not just for her, but for the situation at large. Her wedding had just been called off, mostly in part to her lingering feelings and emotional affair with Conrad. What good would it have done for her healing and growth to go speak with Conrad? By admitting his love for her and sabotaging her relationship, he succeeded in hurting Jeremiah AND Belly. Belly needed to prioritize her healing and assess her thoughts; Conrad would’ve only confused and benefited from those emotions.

Still, what were you doing, Belly? Running off to Paris with two bags and no other planning/communication?! Even with that shock, we do need to give Belly some grace here. Her trauma response was to run away and fix her broken backup plan. She’s not one to properly think through her actions. Instead, she chooses to be swept up in her thoughts and then ask for help later. Belly’s call with Laurel summed up the fallout perfectly. Her safety is calling her mom after a bad decision and trying to work through it. It’s a shame that the international school messed up her admission – it’s completely not her fault. Belly should have her parents jump in and help. The school is liable for confirming her spot and leading her on to come. It’s outrageous that they would just let her leave after a simple apology.

Maybe Belly’s new Paris friends will help get her set up in the city? Like, for instance, teaching her not to leave a backup unattended in Paris! It’s a travel 101 to watch all your things at all times. Only Belly could go on a citywide adventure looking for her backpack and engagement ring, only to discover a new group of friends along the way. This part felt like the beginning of a new start for her, one that she truly needed for her growth.

A new relationship rises.

Back at Cousins Beach, did anyone else love Steven and Taylor’s plot during “Last Call”? They’ve become such a healthy contrast against the Belly/Jeremiah/Conrad love triangle; something I never thought I would say after their actions during the start of Season 3. It was great that both friends came to support Jeremiah and care for him during everything. And for Taylor to reinforce both Jeremiah’s and Belly’s boundaries after the fallout. That’s a great best friend; she wasn’t going to let Jeremiah wallow in bed or have Conrad complicate things further.

While Jeremiah called off the wedding, they recognized that the truth was more complicated than that. Even when Steven discovered what happened during Cabo, and his rightful fury as Belly’s brother, he quickly processed the situation and recognized his past hypocritical decisions. Plus, bravo to Taylor for calling out the truth everyone ignores: Jeremiah and Belly were broken up at the time!

Steven and Taylor have continually communicated their feelings, even when the decisions weren’t something they truly wanted. And “Last Call” was a great culmination of their relationship turning point because they addressed their feelings, why it got complicated, and they defined their relationship. No more having affairs, and no more standing to the side to let life move by. Now, let’s hope they’ve learned from the past and can make this relationship last.

To bend and leave broken.

“Last Call” was not a great episode for Conrad. Regardless of how his reasoning can be broken down or his emotions reflected in the situation, he still made these choices. I’ve discussed in the past how Conrad is a toxic and selfish person; how his decisions are fueled more by his wants and lack of growth, vs. empathy and genuine love. “Last Call” is another great example for anyone who wants to spot the signs of an emotionally unavailable partner; a struggle love that doesn’t prioritize your agency in the matter. And, once again, this isn’t a case of “Who should Belly choose: Conrad vs. Jeremiah?”, it’s about the person himself as a standalone partner and human.

Conrad didn’t miss his California flight because he was worried about his brother; he left that airport because he thought Belly chose him. Relook at Conrad’s face hearing the news: he was swept up in the realization and was holding back a light smile. He thought he won. His trying to check on Jeremiah and help was a way to clear his conscious; a chance to resolve his guilt now that everything was said and done. He didn’t care when he spent an entire summer pining for Belly, and he didn’t care when he walked into her dressing room before her wedding. Once again, Conrad stayed behind to play the martyr and strike at opportunities (e.g., Belly, Jeremiah) because that’s what he wanted.

But the greatest warning sign was his admission to Adam. Conrad finally acknowledged that he prayed for the relationship to end, that his actions were fueled by his desire to break Jeremiah (his brother). Conrad wanted all of that. In the grand scheme, it shouldn’t matter what Conrad wants: Conrad has been Jeremiah’s brother their entire lives, and Jeremiah has been in a 4-year relationship with Belly. Regardless of their childhood crushes and messy short relationship, these were the facts of Conrad’s life … and he still chose all that.

Adam’s face during Conrad’s revelation was perfect. If even Adam, the cheating and self-involved parent, can look appalled at his favorite son, Conrad, and feel sorry for Jeremiah, then you know something is wrong. Even during “Last Call,” Adam fumbled his parenting by not being there for Jeremiah in his son’s time of need. So, we have to wonder, does this confirm Conrad is the son more like Adam than everyone realized?

Picking up the pieces.

“Last Call” doesn’t absolve Jeremiah of his actions and mindset either. The Summer I Turned Pretty simply acknowledged how he’s suffered during all this, too. Of course, he would be devastated and wallowing. Even though he called off the wedding, he made that decision based on Belly’s feelings and his/Belly’s lack of truth. If he had communicated knowing about Christmas earlier, the couple could’ve worked through those feelings and picked a path forward.

From Jeremiah’s lashing out, he made the right call not to speak with Laurel. He was completely right: she didn’t want this wedding to happen. And based on the entirety of The Summer I Turned Pretty, she’s always favored Conrad more between the brothers. The only reason Laurel even attended the wedding was because Conrad pushed her to go and support Belly. So, why did she look so hurt when Jeremiah sent her away? Did Laurel suddenly forget that she was just complaining to Adam the night before about not wanting the wedding to happen?! She may have love and concern for Jeremiah, but her motivations were not in the right place regarding him.

With Conrad, Jeremiah’s meeting with his brother was a tad iffy. Sure, it’s great that he got the last word and spoke his mind about how Conrad didn’t come back to help him. (As mentioned above, it’s obvious he didn’t do it for his brother; there was no point to fake it.) Being “petty Jeremiah” is the start of healing that he might need. However, he didn’t need to rub it in that Belly chose to stay in Paris. That wording felt like it came from a place fueled by the brothers’ rivalry, and Jeremiah should be focused on his healing rather than “winning” something over Conrad. No one should feel like they’ve won in their battle; this was a huge moment that will affect all their lives.

Finally, Jeremiah shouldn’t have lashed out at Belly. He messed up by trying to get back together with her. At that point, there was no way either person could come back. Their relationship is dead. Jeremiah doesn’t deserve to be someone’s second love, and Belly doesn’t deserve to pine for someone while married to another. If they had discussed these months/years prior, they would have had a chance, but the reality of all the truths and the feelings tore them apart. His desperation to get back together felt very relatable to anyone who has gone through a breakup. A last chance to salvage and fix a relationship.

Overall.

“Last Call” was a slow-moving, heavy-hitting chapter that packed an emotional punch. While many may have wanted for Belly to run into Conrad’s arms in the airport, the reality of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s relationships is more complicated than that. “Last Call” did a good job of capturing the fallout from a devastating moment like this, how the people are left to pick up the pieces. And while a few continued to make frustrating choices, the developments were a needed start to a new phase of the series’ final few hours.

The Summer I Turned Pretty airs new episodes on Wednesdays on Prime Video.