The Summer I Turned Pretty – Conrad or Jeremiah?

Jeremiah or Conrad Fisher? This is arguably the newest and hottest pop culture debate since Twilight’s team Edward versus team Jacob. Fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) are split on which brother to choose — the one with golden retriever energy and dazzling eyes, or the mysterious but affectionate one with a great smile. 

For many MSU students, however, there is only one right answer: Conrad.

TSITP is an Amazon Prime Video TV series that first aired on June 17, 2022. It follows the main character Isabel — nicknamed Belly — and the summer she spent in the fictional Cousins Beach with her close family friends, the Fishers. During this particular summer, Belly finally ‘glows up,’ resulting in attention from her longtime crush Conrad and his brother Jeremiah. 

This inevitably results in a multitude of love triangles and lots of juicy drama. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the third and final season of the show drew 25 million viewers worldwide just one week after its release on July 16. 

It’s clear that the show’s popularity has grown immensely over the past three years, and students at MSU had a lot of opinions about which Fisher is the better brother. 

At an Exponent tabling event near Montana Hall on Sept. 3, students rushed to answer if they were team Conrad or Jeremiah. In just an hour, a whopping 34 people voted for Conrad, making the vote practically unanimous in his favor.

“Team Conrad all the way,” said business student, Elle Skudlarick. "Although he’s hard to look at sometimes, like he's not the most beautiful man out there, his personality speaks wonders.”

I agree without hesitation. In my opinion, there is something – a certain je ne sais quoi– about a quiet and reserved man like Conrad who deeply pines for a woman. This is apparent in all of season one, as he tries to hint at his feelings for Belly without coming on too strong. It is especially noticeable during the volleyball tournament and the Debutante Ball, where their chemistry was undeniable. 

I applaud Conrad for taking his time with Belly. His lack of confession did result in me yelling at the screen, but I still think his slow pace is valid. Besides, he wasn’t certain if Belly even had romantic feelings for him, considering she dated another guy and kissed Jeremiah. 

In addition, while Conrad may not be the most mature, nothing compares to how frustrating his brother Jeremiah is.

“I hate Jeremiah so much, he’s awful," said kinesiology major, Olivia Hays. She was not alone, as other students consistently mentioned their distaste for Jeremiah — which I gladly stand behind. 

“I feel Jeremiah is very childish in a lot of ways,” said conservation biology major, Sophie Kusek. I concur — Jeremiah is constantly throwing himself a pity party because he’s insecure around his brother or Belly. The grudge he holds over Conrad and Belly after his mother’s death speaks volumes about his character. It feels like Jeremiah makes everything about himself because he couldn't handle a little rejection. Sorry, Jeremiah, no one wants to date a loser. As Skudlarick put it: “He’s just not it.” 

Even those who were once team Jeremiah couldn't help but switch to team Conrad, especially after he sleeps with Lacie during his and Belly’s break. 

“I was actually team Jeremiah up until season three, and then I was like, red flag after red flag after red flag,” said liberal studies major Ainsley Wilson. 

Depending on where you stand, it can be debated as to whether Jeremiah cheated on Belly. The situation was reminiscent of the scene in Friends where Ross and Rachel are on a break and Ross sleeps with another woman. Regardless of whether that is considered cheating or not, it is a huge mistake by Jeremiah. 

Unsurprisingly, Jeremiah is at one point insecure about Belly’s possible feelings for Conrad, despite being in a long-term relationship with her, which results in him sleeping with someone else during a break. (THANK YOU, NEXT!)

Ultimately, it was widely agreed among students that Conrad had major character development, unlike his brother, who develops into even more of an embarrassment. 

“The development of Conrad is better,” said financial engineering student, Molly Arterburn. 

“He’s genuinely an actual man now,” Skudlarick agreed.

 “He seems kind, he knows what he wants to do with med school and he doesn't have the extra semester he didn’t know about,” said chemical engineering major James Pitassy. 

It’s clear that the winner of this debate is Conrad Fisher. No if, ands or buts. Despite the struggles of his mother's passing, his tension with his brother, and his complex feelings for Belly, Conrad becomes a man who deserves only the best from himself and others.