From Helen, Paris, and Menelaus in Homer’s The Odyssey, to Jacob, Bella, and Edward in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, the love triangle has long been a go-to trope to inject drama, fantasy, and a dose of chaos into a story.

Now, The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) revels in the who-will-she-choose? tension. And it’s working. Each Wednesday, 25 million people tune in to Amazon Prime, all asking the same question: Who will Belly pick: Conrad or Jeremiah?

The television show – adapted from Jenny Han’s book series – follows Belly Conklin (played with vulnerability by Lola Tung), and her annual summer vacation to her family friends’ serene beach house in Massachusetts. In season one, Belly navigates the loss of a loved one, peer pressure, and most of all, her longing for Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney). In ensuing seasons, in a perfect teen romance turn of events, Belly develops feelings for Conrad’s younger brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Caselegno), too.

TSITP season three, which debuted July 16 and concludes Sept. 17, draws viewers deeper into the fantasy of fictional Cousins Beach, a setting replete with painted sunsets, pop ballads (courtesy of artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, and Frank Ocean) drifting with the ocean air, and the emotional whiplash of a love triangle that, across nine episodes, mirrors the inner turmoil of Belly’s conflicted heart.

And 25 million viewers can’t stop watching it.

Teen audiences relate to Belly’s belief that every emotion is forever and every heartbreak is world-ending. Adults, meanwhile, may side-eye Belly’s impulsiveness, but they remember what it was like to feel that way. Every glance, every hesitation, every conversation is relateable, whether you’re 13 or 30.

While season three may lack the first season’s depth, when Susannah’s cancer diagnosis and Conrad’s subsequent withdrawal took Belly from childhood innocence to the complexity of grief and pain in adulthood, the drama of TSITP’s recent episodes resonate even more with audiences. And this third season — with its heightened stakes, fan-favorite characters, and a soundtrack that cues the feels — has made TSITP the most-watched TV series on Amazon Prime.

Perhaps the show’s storytelling is overindulgent with Conrad’s emotional repression (and awkward line delivery), Jeremiah’s carefree ways, and Belly’s indecision, but there are few things more intriguing to fans of coming-of-age romantic drama than love, jealousy, and the uncertainties of growing up. Season three doesn’t just ask who Belly will choose, it asks whether anyone will come out of this three-way standoff unscathed.

Even at BOHS, the show’s cultural significance is evident.

“Since so many people are talking about The Summer I Turned Pretty, it makes other people want to try it,” Reece Froman (‘28), a viewer since season one of the show, said. “Every episode is completely different, which makes it more interesting to watch. I love when it’s chaotic and I don’t know what’s going to happen next.”

Yashna Chichgar (‘26), another fan of the show since its debut, is drawn to the series’ romance. “Every Wednesday, I’ll post my thoughts on Instagram about the most recent episode, and how much I hate Jeremiah,” Chichgar said.

When Gil Rotblum, history teacher, unexpectedly referenced Jeremiah’s dream wedding cake (two-tiered, mirror-glazed, 70% cacao cake with raspberry coulis, to be exact) during his AP European History class, the female students shared knowing looks (while the boys’ brows’ furrowed in collective confusion).

The Summer I Turned Pretty is the TV event of the summer for escape and revelry. TSITP watch parties are a ritual for some, and early morning wakeups on late-start Wednesdays are standard for BOHS students to catch the new episode before classes start. Debates over Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah are hashed out in the hallways, and even the cringiest acting is dissected among friends.

Whether students are hate-watching or wholeheartedly obsessed, we’re all invested in the ending and who, ultimately, Belly chooses.

The last episode of TSITP drops Wednesday, Sept. 17 at midnight.