Fans Of The Summer I Turned Pretty Can’t Stop Comparing It To Friends For A Spot-On Reason That Makes Me Mad

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⚠️ Caution: The following story delves into events of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3, up until the August 6 episode. If you haven’t watched it yet, you can stream the series using an Amazon Prime Video subscription to get caught up.

This narrative discusses episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3, specifically those aired until August 6. If you haven’t seen these episodes, consider using an Amazon Prime Video subscription to watch the series and bring yourself up-to-date.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself utterly captivated by the love triangle involving Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad in The Summer I Turned Pretty. As we approach the series finale on the 2025 TV schedule, it’s hard not to notice the similarities between parts of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship and Ross and Rachel’s from Friends. Fan reactions have been fantastic, but I must admit that one similarity in particular has left me quite disappointed for Belly’s character.

In Season 3 of Jenny Han’s book-to-screen adaptation, Belly (Lola Tung) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) independently organize their wedding due to their parents’ absence. Throughout this process, Belly changes her mind about studying abroad in Paris, as she feels the need to stay close to Jeremiah during the initial stages of their marriage. Fans have noticed a resemblance between the storyline and the sitcom Friends, with one commenting:

In the last season of “Friends”, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is offered an excellent work chance in Paris. However, instead of seizing this opportunity, she decides to pursue her relationship with Ross (David Schwimmer), who she had broken up with seven seasons earlier and then reunited with.

After finishing the entire “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series, I was astonished and saddened when Belly chose to forego this chance. To put it simply, given what we witnessed in “Last Dance”, Jeremiah isn’t planning to make any such career sacrifices for Belly.

Here’s one way to rephrase the sentence while maintaining its original meaning and making it more accessible for readers:

“Furthermore, fans are not only drawing comparisons between the two series; they also point out the striking similarity in the ‘we were on a break’ scenario. In Season 3 of Sweet Magnolias, Belly discovers that Jeremiah was unfaithful to her during spring break while they were temporarily apart following an argument. This situation bears an uncanny resemblance to Ross’ confession about sleeping with the girl from the copy shop in Friends.”

“Besides the initial comparisons between Sweet Magnolias and Friends, fans also notice the striking similarity in the ‘we were on a break’ scenario. In Season 3 of SM, Belly finds out Jeremiah cheated during spring break after their temporary split, mirroring Ross’ confession about sleeping with the copy shop girl in Friends.

@elenasyya ♬ original sound – ★

Indeed, the scenes featuring Jeremiah and Ross kneeling appear strikingly similar. Another viewer commented that they seem like identical scenes.

Or, for a more casual tone:

Wow, the scenes with Jeremiah and Ross on their knees are basically carbon copies, said another fan.

Both options maintain the original meaning but offer a fresh perspective in natural and easy-to-read language.

@maybeeekirsten ♬ original sound – maybeeekirsten

In a similar vein, Jeremiah’s apology/proposal had the charm of Monica and Chandler in Season 5, with a heartfelt gesture reminiscent of when Chandler (Matthew Perry) got down on one knee to apologize to Monica (Courteney Cox), as he was unsure of another way to express his regret for their argument.

Thankfully, Monica refused! Some fans of that particular series had anticipated that Jeremiah wouldn’t apologize for his infidelity by proposing to Belly, but at least the show matures their characters a bit, and Steven’s accident provides a reason for the dramatic proposal.

It really was the Ross and Rachel of it all that had fans posting to X things like:

  • The fact that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is using not one, but TWO “Friends’” tropes is crazy! Not just the, “We were on a break!” cheating debate, but Belly’s ALSO leaving for Paris at the end of the season?? They really said CTRL-C and CTRL-V. – MaryTylerMoreno
  • This second episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty is literally just a Friends reenactment 💀 like ok Ross and Rachel. – duchessofchaos

It’s an intriguing question: Did Belly and Jeremiah take a break? While author Jenny Han and Lola Tung may have their opinions, it’s clear that the situation is shifting for Isabel Conklin. After the events of “Last Dance,” many who were once firmly in Team Jeremiah are now leaning towards Team Conrad.

Experience a diverse range of benefits with an Amazon Prime membership, not just video streaming! Enjoy perks like fast and free delivery, Prime Gaming, Reading, and exclusive deals. Delve into Amazon Originals such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty”. Kickstart your journey with a 30-day trial, then pay $14.99 monthly or save 22% by prepaying $139 annually. Explore the offer here!

The series still has lots of intrigue ahead, so don’t miss out to find out whom Belly eventually chooses and whether the show continues to draw inspiration for her Fisher love triangle from ‘Friends’. Fresh episodes are available every Wednesday on Amazon Prime Video.

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2025-08-08 15:38