SPOILERS AHEAD     

     Sophomore Olivia Manfrey’s face dropped, voice softening to almost a whisper, when talking about her ex. “He was self-obsessive, whether it was spending 30 minutes on his hair or taking photos of us and cropping me out,” she said, “he was a pretty nepo baby boy, kinda like Jeremiah.”

      Jeremiah Fisher, one of the main characters in “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” has flooded the internet with chocolate cakes and tinfoil rings. The show — based on “The Summer I Turned Pretty” book trilogy by Jenny Han — follows Isabel “Belly” Conklin, played by Lola Tung, and her family friends, Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher, played by Gavin Casalegno and Chris Briney, respectively. After years of pining after Conrad, Jeremiah’s interest in Belly causes her to rethink her choices. As a result, fans online have divided into “Team Conrad” and “Team Jeremiah.”

     “Usually siblings have a conversation,” Visual Arts department Chair and US Arts & Humanities Teacher Charla Gaglio said. “Like, ‘Bro, you don’t date my girlfriend, I don’t date your girlfriend.’” Jeremiah and Conrad, however, missed the memo. 

     Confessing love to your brother’s fiancée the day before their wedding isn’t always the best way to win her back, but neither is proposing ringless to cover up a cheating scandal. 

     Immediately following the release of the first season in 2022, the fierce debate emerged amongst viewers.

   Conrad is the ideal boyfriend, and he has a real connection with Belly — along with baggage and an emotionally unavailable personality. 

     “He didn’t know how to regulate his emotions,” Gaglio said. “He means well but just manages to say it all wrong.” 

     Jeremiah, on the other hand, is comfortable, fun — and an immature narcissist. Sophomore Sofia Cowan claims that he’s better-suited for a long-term relationship, believing he’s more consistent with his communication, contrary to the beliefs of “Team Conrad.”

     With that being said, Jeremiah did also cheat on Belly twice while on spring break in Cabo, only to later propose without a ring — outside of the hospital after her brother Steven was in a life-threatening car accident — as an “apology.” He finally got a ring in spite of his family, although it looked like a piece of tinfoil, microscopic and silver, while Belly wears gold. 

     “He’s immature [and] about, like, having fun, [that’s] not good when you’re about to get married,” senior Alex Cirino said. 

     Many fans see past the boys’ flaws, making excuses or describing them as “simple misunderstandings.” However, both sides tend to focus more on their looks than their actual positive attributes.

     “I don’t like cheating, but everyone makes mistakes,” Cowan said. This is a typical reaction to the screw-ups made by the Fisher boys. By excusing their actions, viewers overlook the complexity of love within the show and instead view the toxicity as an ideal reality. 

     Entertainment can often exert a powerful influence on teens, but the effect isn’t always positive. With some fans showing quick forgiveness after preposterous acts, the show conveys the message that toxic relationships are normal and can be overcome.

     “The Summer I Turned Pretty” isn’t a guide for any relationship. Instead, it’s a way of displaying the harsh realities that could come with dating.

     “Every person you’re going to meet in life comes with mistakes and baggage,” Gaglio said, “and this is the nature of life.”