Team Jere
One Gen X-er, one Millennial, and a shared obsession with Cousins Beach. We’re rewatching TSITP to prove Jeremiah is THE choice. Join Lauren Doyle & Alex Hinsky for a convo on culture, dating, and relationship reality checks.
Team Jere
The Birthday That Changes Everything
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We rewatch “Summer Nights” and keep score on the love triangle as Belly’s birthday turns into a spotlight on who shows up and who shuts down. We track the infinity symbolism, the party fallout, and the moments that reveal how little control any of these teens actually have.
Welcome And Why We Rewatch
SPEAKER_02Welcome to the Team Jair Podcast. My name is Lauren Doyle and I'm your host. This is Alex Hinski, and today we are at season one, episode three. And what's the name of it?
SPEAKER_00This one's called Summer Nights.
SPEAKER_02Summer Nights. Oh, and summer nights they were. Summer days they were. Yes. Um, so uh we're so excited to have everybody here. If you have been have not been listening along, just a reminder, we are re-watching The Summer I Turn Pretty from season one to season three. And what we're talking about here is not just like the story and and getting into it, but but the genesis of this is that, and a lot of this comes out in this episode and the next episode, I think, but um last in 2025 when season three was happening and like the whole thing got so blown up, everybody it was like a no-brainer, everybody was for Conrad. And I was like, I just don't see it. I just don't see it. And and we are keeping score, and and so far Alex is seeing my view. So our whole our whole view here is let's be open to considering all of the elements of the show and not just one or two, and which I a lot happens here that's I think really important to that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Um very excited to dive into this one. It was it's a big episode, a birthday episode. And you know, we get some more insight to maybe what's what's going on with what may be going on with the with mother.
SPEAKER_02So uh general thoughts, general take on this episode.
SPEAKER_00Um okay, so from a Conrad team Conrad perspective, I think this one is exciting because even we discover later, I don't want to get too far ahead, but we discover in this episode that you kind of get some tangible evidence that he cares for Belly. We've known it. You know, we we see it in his uh sad boy looks and we can feel it, it's palpable, but we we actually get a tangible gift uh nod to okay, all right. Well,
Birthday Tradition And The Infinity Symbol
SPEAKER_00I say yes. I wrote, hang on, I gotta find my notebook. I wrote this note about him. I was like, okay, I will say. Conrad in this episode is very much giving I care, but I cannot communicate like a normal person.
SPEAKER_02Great. Does it make him husband material?
SPEAKER_00It doesn't, but we get what the the episode opens on oh no, oh yeah, on a flashback. It opens on a flashback with Belly narrating about how she spent every birthday at Cousins and it's tradition, right? It's the Mickey Mouse pancakes, everyone gets their gifts. It's uh clearly a very like prominent, important memory for not just her, but all of them. And this is where we get the backstory of uh Conrad very playfully puts an infinity sign and maple syrup on top of her. Are they pancakes or waffles?
SPEAKER_02They're Mickey Mouse pancakes.
SPEAKER_00Mickey Mouse pancakes. He puts an infinity sign on top of them, right? And then explains to her what that is, which is, you know, foreshadowing a little bit to what happens later in the episode.
SPEAKER_02And um I think I one of the things that I think kind of struck me in this is they definitely play Conrad at times a lot older. And I think that, you know, like this is one of those things where I mean they're they're really two years apart in age. And there's and if you had cousins or friends or siblings growing up, there are times that you would feel really, really close in age. I don't know if you've experienced this.
SPEAKER_00100%.
SPEAKER_02And it was like the the the person that was just two years was like as close as anything. But but this one they make it seem and and they do this quite a bit, you know, and again, this is where Belly is the unreliable narrator and maybe sees herself as more immature, um than and see, you know, kind of like glamorizes these boys as this like mature, they've got it all together, they've got the family with money, they play the sports, all the things. And so, but you know, they kind of like he he's not that much older than her, right? And he's like giving her like a you know, an intense math lesson, and he's so excited to you know, kind of show it to her and give it to her, and he's kind of like teaching her, yeah. And um, you know, I think that that's one of the things that I feel like they kind of miss a little bit. It's like two years is nothing for a high school kid.
SPEAKER_00You're right, absolutely, yeah. They do, they do, it does seem there's a bigger age gap in that flashback, but two years is just a year. Because he's a senior, she's he's eighteen and she's gonna be a junior and he's correct graduating.
SPEAKER_02Or he's yeah, yeah, and then just one year with Jeremiah. Who still to me I feel like they kind of play like she still feels like they're closer and more friendly, like and closer in age, but still seems like older and more, you know, more with it in some ways, uh not others. All right, keep going. Breakfast, flashback, infinity, you loved it.
SPEAKER_00And that I loved it, and then we're into current time where now it is the morning of her birthday, and she walks downstairs, and I will say I'm very I was disappointed to be reminded that Conrad can't even look up from his captain crunch to say Happy birthday. Happy birthday. I was disappointed in that.
SPEAKER_02What was what I mean, it's what was that about? And everybody's super excited, and but the one thing that I think is this goes back to like the evolution, and this is such a teenage girl thing to do. It's like I don't want pancakes, I'm not that hungry. You know, like this is the totally, totally, yeah. You get that's definitely a sign of like you're getting older, you're a little bit more aware of your figure, what you're eating, or whatever, you're watching what other people are eating, and you're like, Oh, yeah, I can't do that. So um, I you know, I kind of like I felt like a loss of innocence, and I'm sure that like the character of the mother felt that loss of innocence as well. So they skipped
Gifts And Conrad Claims He Forgot
SPEAKER_02the Mickey Mouse pancakes, much to my chagrin.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'm a waffle person usually, but I would have I would have taken the pancakes. Uh, and then they go traipsing off to the gifts. So what did you think? What did you think about that whole scenario? Starts out with Laurel's book, then goes to um, well, Conrad says, what, doesn't have it, forgot.
SPEAKER_00He forgot, which, and then she tries to play it off like it's no big deal. It's totally cool, but obviously she's devastated. And they're all a little like, what do you mean you forgot? This happens, which we know he didn't forget. This happens every year.
SPEAKER_02Why do you think he didn't give it to her?
SPEAKER_00He embarrassed.
SPEAKER_02So she got the pearls first.
SPEAKER_00She got the pearls from Susanna. And I don't think he refrained from giving it to her just like because mom also gave a necklace. I think he's embarrassed. I think he has these moments where he is brave and is like wants to talk and express how he feels to her, and then but his emotional immaturity, unfortunately, gets in the way of that.
SPEAKER_02So is your hypothesis that he's already he already cares for her?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. At this point, yeah, yeah, I think he does. Because remember, I jumping ahead for a second, she discovers the necklace at the end of the episode.
SPEAKER_03Sure.
SPEAKER_00And so he I I guess maybe he could have been holding on to that for a while, but my guess is he got it to give it to her, and he just keeps chickening out because I also think he's listening, we've all been around someone that we have a crush on who is perfectly approachable as Belly is, but maybe is a bit intimidating because for whatever reason. In this case, I think it has a lot to do with she's she's looking and acting way more grown up than the summer before, and he's a little caught off guard on top of the sadness that he's feeling because he's just an emotionally unavailable sad boy. And I think that that is playing a lot into his actions because he's he's deeply confused for a lot of reasons. Fair. Um But then you look at Jeremiah, I will think.
SPEAKER_02Do you think he's like I don't want to lead her on because I got her a necklace?
SPEAKER_00You know, like he's confused about his feelings. Because I think there's there's still this there's still this um maybe awkwardness that like Belly is our sister, like she's like a sister, but now I'm not like I don't feel like that about because that's how Jeremiah acts most of the time right now, is like like he could like give her a noogie and it would be appropriate. Like it feels like that's what the relationship is, but obviously that has shifted for Conrad and he just doesn't know how to place it.
SPEAKER_02So I'm gonna go with a couple arguments here. One, I if he likes her, he doesn't fully know it.
SPEAKER_01Oh, interesting. Okay.
SPEAKER_02So because he starts off with I like the like the you gotta remember, we talked about this in the first episode. They don't see each other for a full year. They don't like I totally because she said she said like Stephen and Jeremiah text, or maybe Stephen and Conrad, but they're not like they're not interacting with each other. Maybe they've got social media, probably not, because I think this is sort of like written a little bit before that was as prevalent. And and so they, you know, the idea that he knows at this point, like a week into the trip, because they're like basically a week or two into their trip or to their summer, that he knows at this point that he likes her and that's why he bought her a necklace is not um it's not necessarily what I think. I mean, I just don't think that's possible. What I do think is maybe he's a little confused or doesn't want the other guys to make fun of him. Also, they're coming off of the date with Cam Cameron where she's mad.
SPEAKER_00Right. True, true, true.
SPEAKER_02So it could be some level of like retribution. Um, you know, like I don't want to, I don't want to make her, I don't want to give her the wrong impression. There's clearly something, maybe it's her, maybe it's me, maybe it's both of us. Like he's known that he liked her all her life, all his life, right? Yeah. So I, you know, I don't know. I mean, I think it's just rude that he didn't give the bracelet or the necklace, or it's a bracelet.
SPEAKER_00Is it a bracelet? She doesn't pull it all the way. Oh, it is a bracelet. You're right, you're right, you're right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, because she puts one thing later. Um I but I think it I think it's a perfectly appropriate gift based on what the other two give. And I think it's I think there's something about him that's like protecting himself and maybe a little mad at her. Because remember that they've got the like the last thing we saw in the last episode was why don't you go look in the mirror? Why don't you go look at yourself in the mirror?
SPEAKER_00Which we get a call back to that comment today.
SPEAKER_02We sure do. Um, but then Jar gives a perfectly appropriate gift, you know.
SPEAKER_00I mean, what is it?
SPEAKER_02It's um it's I think it's a car key, it's something about driving to add to her charm bracelet.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's as it's either a car or a key to to add her charm bracelet, which I think is like still jewelry. It's personal, it recognizes the moment. It's very well thought out, and then her brother gives her the Princeton sweatshirt, which starts the conversation about like, you know, can we afford Princeton? So just another little reminder um of you know of like the the financial challenges and and kind of even bringing bringing Steven up to where he's like, Yeah, I'm you know, like I'm becoming my own man, which is we see a little a little bit more of tonight. Um so anyway, he takes off, he goes off and does, you know, plays with rope with Cleveland, Conrad does, yeah. And Jeremiah does something so sweet, which is he goes and takes Belly for a driving room lesson.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's what that's this next scene. I don't know why I thought that was later in the episode.
SPEAKER_02I think maybe it's he's like, I mean, there was also the moment when he kind of covered because uh he does this a little bit. He's starting to, I think Jeremiah's starting to realize there's something going on. Um, he
Jeremiah Steps Up With A Drive
SPEAKER_02doesn't really know what it is because Conrad's just as like rude and mean or like forgetting birthdays and not. And so Jeremiah's like, okay, let me just probably does that a lot. Like Jeremiah probably does a lot of like covering for Conrad's movies. And so he's so he's interference. You know, I'll take you on a driving lesson and let me cheer you up, you know.
SPEAKER_00Let me let me like yes, I remember this now. They go and then they end up picking up Taylor, right? This is that's where they're going. Yeah. That's right. I remember, I remember, I remember. So yeah, they go on their driving, uh, he takes her on a driving lesson, they go to the bus stop to pick up Taylor.
SPEAKER_02But they have that one little moment where she swerves because they're like they kind of glance at each other a little too often. So it is building, and and again, I think they probably it's like there's two tracks here, right? Like there's like two things, something happening over here, they're trying to sort of sort through, mostly probably just hormones, and another track over here, but this one's like not fraught at all. This one's like, oh, it's fun. Like had they never gotten together, I think Belly would have been fine and Jeremiah would have been fine. Where like if she doesn't end up with Conrad, it's like some major life failure.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02So, which I you know, I don't I kind of can't appreciate that much. So, anyway, um they go on the ride and then she mentions a little bit of anxiety about Taylor.
SPEAKER_00Right. Which is rightfully placed, I think, because they we gotta get a preview of Taylor and maybe her like, I don't know, a little r uh feistiness, I guess, in episode one.
SPEAKER_02Um but well, I I think it's like have you ever had those situations where you bring somebody in, like you've got a tight-knit group and everybody's in a groove, and then you add somebody in that's got a different approach, and they have that like they have enough personality to sort of sway the whole thing.
SPEAKER_00Yes, absolutely. Yeah, because she kind of gives warning or she kind of like it expresses that that anxiety that you that she's feeling about Taylor coming.
SPEAKER_02Um like my family's been going to the same beach house for 44 years. I think this is our 44th year this year. And I've brought friends a couple times just because I'm like, oh, my brother's not coming or my dad's not coming, why don't you come? And um, and it does not go well because they're just not on the pro they're not on the program. I mean, love you, you know who you are, but um like it's fine and it's great to have them there. And my family's so wonderful to everybody, but they're you know, it's like everybody dresses for dinner, everybody goes, you know, it's like you show up on time. Um, you know, it's all and and probably shame on me for not kind of like announcing the program ahead of time, where Belly should have probably said we're gonna do a lobster dinner and then we might go out afterwards or whatever. So she, you know, Taylor was definitely not on the program. She was ready to party and have fun and um, you know, and flirt with boys in the book. Um kind of makes reference to either Taylor had kissed Jeremiah last year, like maybe spin the bottle or something. Oh so in the book, there they're you know, because she does the whole flirting and calls him Jeremy, there is a little bit more that happened um with them the previous summer, and she's kind of like in the book, she's sort of like ready to she's she's they kind of make her even more tawdry. I love Taylor, but they it's sort of like she's ready to score with anybody.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah, that is kind of the vibe that she gives off and that she wants her.
SPEAKER_02Even Conrad's on the table, even Jeremiah's on the table. Yeah, like anybody's on the table.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like uh oh, here's here she comes. Um and she they stop for ice cream. Yep, and she gives her gift, which is a new bikini. Doesn't she make a comment too? She makes a comment about Conrad. Doesn't she make a comment about him at this point?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, she said you're gonna and again Jeremiah sort of like covered like Conrad's gonna think you're so hot or something, and then Jeremiah sort of like glosses over it. You know, he's just he's definitely at this point the peacemaker.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, totally, 100%, yes. Um but you can tell the episode's about to be interesting because Taylor's bringing a new energy that is different. Yeah, it's throwing off the groove of like the tradition and like what everyone's used to every summer.
SPEAKER_02So well, and also Belly's on her little summer I turn pretty arc, but Taylor's already turned pretty. Yeah. So Taylor, you know, so Belly's kind of like trying to go behind her.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And then they have their moment at um it's a little bit later, but you kind of realize I I didn't realize, I guess, in the first episode, it wasn't super clear how close they were. But then on that beach walk when she's like, promise me we'll, you know, always be friends. It's like, oh, okay, this is like a this is like a lifer cut type friend for her.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Well, and Taylor speaks a lot of honesty, you know, like when she was like, Hey, I'm I'm I'm not and there's a line later that I that I wrote down and sent to like three friends, but she's like, um, you know, she's like, Oh, your glow up is kind of like throwing me a little bit. And it shows the dynamic and how much the dyn the dynamic of the summer I turned pretty. And I think I'm still probably at this point, like, oh, this is a girl of this is a movie or a show about a girl that's coming of age, and she might get with this one, she might get with this one, she may just end up with Cam. Like, I don't know that even at this point, episode three, that I was like, oh, this is gonna be this massive love triangle. Looking back, I certainly am sure, but I thought it was more about like the things you learn. You know, I thought it was gonna be a lot of like voiceovers and a lot of like, oh, this is what I learned as I turned pretty. Um, turns out she didn't learn very much.
SPEAKER_00No. Oh girl. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02She learned she learns that you know, everybody likes her, basically, and that's it. True. Um, and how to and how to make that work for her. And she learns a lot of really sad stuff. But in this, in the episode, what do you think about the point when Taylor smacks um Nicole? And this is again like
Taylor Arrives And Shifts The Mood
SPEAKER_02like Conrad's got a girlfriend that he's seeing and bringing around the house comfortably at this point, which means that she's a known entity in there, even though she's he's supposedly sad about his ex-girlfriend. Like he's bringing this girl around and you know, frequently, and she's integrating with the with their family. So And Belly's chill about all of it, yeah, and she's fine with it, and um, but she's got Cam.
SPEAKER_00Correct.
SPEAKER_02And then and then Taylor smacks Nicole with the volleyball.
SPEAKER_00Which I do want to say, upon re-watching this episode, I was a little like seems like an overreaction. They're in a pool. She was obviously not aiming for her, but you get I I mean, I understand Belly's reaction is less about like, oh, did it hurt her versus like I don't want Conrad to be mad at me or be mad at my friend. Like, that's how I read that.
SPEAKER_02It's your dead big sister, and that, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So it's like I gotta stay on the good side of both of these people.
SPEAKER_02Like, I'm so sorry about my friend, which kind of I mean, I thought that Taylor underapologized and Belly overapologized. Yeah, it was definitely that and or did, you know, as much as she should, maybe a little bit more, and taking responsibility. But I think going going back to I've been in this situation where you're just like taking responsibility for your friend that is just like, you know, and Taylor's obviously like, yeah, whatever, get over it. But I I I thought that it was so interesting, and then he like takes her into his room. Like Conrad takes her into his room. I'm like, where are the parents? I know.
SPEAKER_00Well, before that, we Taylor got a little dig in.
SPEAKER_02I'm like, oh no, he's not gonna shut that door.
SPEAKER_00No, but uh but Taylor got a little dig in when she was like, Conrad will take care of Nicole. We'll just go inside and look at look at ourselves in the mirror. I was like, okay, girl. Got a little dig in. Okay.
SPEAKER_02But that doesn't help. I honestly it doesn't help anything. This is where Taylor like helps and hurts all at the same time. Yeah, yeah. Because it means that Belly was like outside Belly for talking about Conrad.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02And, you know, he makes a typical 18-year-old boy response, like, you have fun with that. You know, he kind of like again, this is back to like they make they play him so much older, like he's not he didn't even take the bait. Right. And, you know, and so and and I don't I think you know, you're a senior, you're going to college, it's probably about the most you're gonna get for something like that, but he outs belly or she outs belly for you know for talking about him and and sharing the whole situation. And I think that um, I don't know, I I think that the whole thing was probably useful in moving the the narration forward, but I do want to going into the fourth episode, I don't want to write remind everybody that Conrad is dating somebody.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_02And so, you know, like Mr. Innocent is dating somebody. Um, and it's you know, it's a known thing. It's a known thing to Belly, it's a known thing to him, yeah. It's a known thing to her, supposedly. So, um, you know, and there's there's just a lot of because there's a lot of discussion. And I who knows how like boyfriend, girlfriend they are, but um, he's bringing around his mom, around his family, so it's not nothing.
SPEAKER_03It's not nothing, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, and but yeah, they walked in that bedroom. I'm like, don't shut that door, how dare they?
SPEAKER_00I know, but then also like he very like carelessly is like drinking beer at parties and stuff, so there's a lot of like this is the other thought.
SPEAKER_02So he's supposed to be all broody and upset about his mom, which is rightfully so. But then he like goes and hangs out at parties and acts completely normal.
SPEAKER_00Right. Well, distractions, okay? He's fair. He's a he's still waters run deep.
SPEAKER_02Why can't you just be kind and give the break the bracelet? Why can't you just be nice to Belly?
SPEAKER_00Defense mechanism. Also, maybe daddy issues. Which some of that.
SPEAKER_02Well, he definitely we learn more about that in the next episode too. So okay. So we've got so overall we've got like I broke this into like morning, afternoon, and evening. So we've gotten through morning and afternoon, and we've got dinner, and then obviously there's the next day, but we've got like dinner and the party afterwards.
SPEAKER_00But afternoon, though. There's one more thing.
SPEAKER_02What happens?
SPEAKER_00When Steven goes to lunch with Shayla, Shayla? Yeah. This is important because it also continues to paint that picture that like this is also a couple. He, you know, she kind of is like, and then you you also get another taste of the financial uh inconsistencies, disparity. Yeah, is that because she wants him to be coordinated? I think it was something like over $4,000 the suit that she like showed him, and he was like, oh. But she was very sweet and was like, you can wear whatever you want, like it doesn't matter. So but establishing nonetheless that like he and Shayla are a thing, and that's important for what happens later at this party.
SPEAKER_02Well, it even dare and even Jeremiah's like, I told you not to get booed up. He's like, She's the hottest girl I've ever seen.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02And um, and and I like that, I like that couple. What do you think about Steven and Shayla?
SPEAKER_00I love them. Yeah, I really like uh rooting for them, especially at this point, is just like it's sweet. Like she may be of a different class, but she is she you can tell she really
Pool Chaos And Conrad’s Closed Door
SPEAKER_00cares about him and she is kind and not judgy, and I like her accent.
SPEAKER_02I do like her accent. She's exhausted. You also get this like view of the fact that Steven's fairly smart, he's thinking about Princeton, yeah, yeah. Scholarship, like he's very driven. He likes the idea, he's not thrown off by dating this girl. He's gonna figure out a way to make it work, he's gonna, you know, find a way to make money, and and I think that, you know, and and be successful, which I think definitely sort of builds uh in the in the future episodes and future seasons for sure. Yeah. Um look he's a fun kid, but he's kind of got all he's got a he's got a good head on his shoulders.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And um, and even though he'll he'll sort of rouse Belly with Jeremiah, he we know that like he's pretty steady, you know, like Steven's a pretty steady dude.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02He's a steadying force, I think, in that group in a lot of cases.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, and this is just another even even with this, he he would he didn't, you know, they're looking at this suit and he's like, Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, I want to match with you, like I'll figure it out. So yeah, um, I don't know if that he gets from his dad or his mom, but he um, you know, that that he plays that very well. The actor plays, I don't forget his name, but he plays that very well.
SPEAKER_00He does, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, and then we get to dinner and Cam is there.
SPEAKER_00Cam is there, and he is a vegetarian.
SPEAKER_02He is a vegetarian. What do you think about the whole scene where he like the boys pick on him for not eating meat and kissing belly, and again, your favorite guy is looking down, not interacting.
SPEAKER_00Not engaging, not interacting at all.
SPEAKER_02What do you think about that whole scene?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think Cam handled it like a champ, and they were like, Well, don't they say something like, Cam Cameron, is it okay if I call you that? And he's like, Yeah, and then they then Jeremiah just keeps calling him Cam Cameron.
SPEAKER_02Okay, Cam Cameron, so you don't even meet it is a good little comic relief, and also like Jeremiah's really testing him like an older brother would, and Steven is really testing him like an older brother would.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And uh the whole thing about the boys, so one of the boys going to the bathroom and the um fireplace, and the mom's like yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's all of that was I think just really fun. It was just like a good sort of heartwarming moment. They've got the Korean birthday soup, um, they've got the birthday dinner, and then um, you know, I thought, but I thought that he handled that. I agree with you. He handled that so well. He did the boys are trying to like figure out what to make of him. Conrad's disengaged, but the Steven and Jeremiah are just like fully being so goofy about it. But then I I love that they end up embracing him. You know, they're embracing him.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they bring him into the they let him into the fold, and you can and like you can tell a kind of a veil of awkwardness drops a little bit.
SPEAKER_02Um swagger.
SPEAKER_00He does, and like he's confident.
SPEAKER_02He's very confident. He's like just very comfortable in his own skin. Yes, exactly. Who's coming of age and not so comfortable in her own skin? She's just I think I think it's such a good match and such a good, like, such a good first love or first like to um you know to learn from because I like he pulls up to the party, they get out, he's you know, he's just like lets the girls go. He doesn't need to be like right next to Belly the whole time. He's just like, I know my part here, my girl's got her best friend here. I'm gonna be the guy that like gets the drinks and hangs out with her, or like goes and hangs out with the boys and plays, you know. He's like he can handle himself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Sign me up for a Cam Cameron. Whoever's out there, sign me up for a rich Cam Cameron.
SPEAKER_00A rich Cam Cameron, let's go.
SPEAKER_02Because again, like you've got Jeremiah who's like a little risky. We've established these little risky, funny, um, you know, gregarious, um,
Steven And Shayla Plus Money Pressure
SPEAKER_02definitely promiscuous. You've got Conrad who is moody and you know, kind of like doesn't open up and can be a little bit downright mean sometimes. And then you've got this like steady ship right going right through the middle, and you're like, why not just pick the steady ship? And I understand you can't, you know, you can't have the fireworks necessarily with the steady ship, but you you might you might get a long marriage and or a long life if we're looking or a long, you know, long fun relationship along the way.
SPEAKER_00So that's true. We also see when they walk into this party that um Taylor's kind of immediately annoyed.
SPEAKER_02Like she immediately is like she wanted to go to the party.
SPEAKER_00I know. But it's like the the devs come in and they they grab Belly and show her like they had a cake ready for, which is really sweet, but you can tell Taylor's quite bothered by it. Yeah, what it and what wait, what did she compare it to, like a Sophia Coppola moment? Yes. I was like, that's such a funny reference for that. Okay. I know.
SPEAKER_02I know it's like that's digging, but whatever.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Uh nonetheless, sweet. And sweet.
SPEAKER_02Oh, very sweet. I wanted that cake. All of it.
SPEAKER_00But you knew, like, even when I I remember when I first saw this episode, not knowing what was gonna happen, I was like, oh, Taylor's gonna get into some trouble. Like Taylor's about to stir a pot in some way. Boy does she.
SPEAKER_02Um I guess because of the comments with the whole flirting Jeremy thing, um, I thought she might try to hook up with Jeremiah.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's what I thought. But then we at this party, Jeremiah makes out with a with a boy.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00So it's a little like, okay, well, that's that's not that's probably not what's happening here. I will say that I did not expect well, the first time I saw it, I was shocked. It was like, Stephen? Like, I really didn't think that. I thought she was I when Taylor came into this episode the first time I watched it, I remember, and my initial thought was she's gonna get jealous of the fact that Belly likes Conrad and Conrad and her are gonna sleep together, is what I thought was going to happen in the show. Oh I was like, oh, she knows that Belly's obsessed with Conrad, but she's this like confident kind of bad girl energy, and she's gonna go get with Conrad, and it's gonna be like, I'm more his speed anyway, girl, is what I thought. So not only was I wrong on that front, I didn't when the when Belly walks in to find her brother and her best friend making out. I was I was all I was just shocked.
SPEAKER_02I was like, whoa, but I I was so like kind of back to the shut, you know, don't shut that door. I'm also like this is just shows this is the Gen X take on it. I'm like, how did y'all do that so fast? You know, they weren't really all that drunk. No, no, no. They weren't, you know, they weren't really drunk. You had like two two verses of Summer Lovin'. Correct, yeah, which we need to get back to. You have like two two two verses of summer lovin', and you're like like on the dresser, yeah, with your skirt hiked up, and he like likes this girl who was there. Was Shayla there at the party? I don't think so. She was in New York, maybe getting her dress. Um But yeah, I mean, so is that Taylor because she's so fast, or I mean, they weren't they they weren't there long enough to be drunk.
SPEAKER_00They weren't there long enough to be drunk, but Taylor says something like you you how did you not know, or you I thought you knew I've always had a thing for Stephen.
SPEAKER_02Oh, you know I've had a thing for Stephen.
SPEAKER_00But Belly acts surprised by that, so I think it's a little bit of a shock all around. I mean, Belly, what she said is I think was like written really well. She says, like the oh, she like freaks out, then she calms down for a second and she says, like, this is this can just this could get really messy, which is completely true. My best friend and my brother, like, if this doesn't go well, I it's a lose, I lose in one way or the other if it doesn't work.
SPEAKER_02Sure. Um well and but then also and my deb friends.
SPEAKER_00Right. Who he's already said. Yeah, and she was I'm so sick of hearing about the Debs.
Dinner With Cam And The Family Test
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, okay. Now Taylor is feeling like do I have a line?
SPEAKER_02This is the one I sent to lots of people. There's more than one story happening here, Belly. You only care about the one where you are the main character, yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is such a Gen Z thing because everybody's like main character energy, main character energy. Like such a Gen Z thing, and um, and and I I like love that line. I kind of want to like put that on a plaque or something in my in my apartment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I also think this is um I'm sensing a little jealousy from Taylor, I think, too. Just feeling like wow, Belly has this whole other life that I'm really no part of. And wow, she's incredibly like popular. She doesn't know it yet. Like Belly can't see what I think Taylor is seeing unfold in front of her. Um so I think there's a little bit of that. That like the teenage, I can't quite place this feeling, but I I don't like the change that's happening in front of me because I don't recognize it.
SPEAKER_02There's a lot that I think that that needs to be the theme. That yeah, whatever you just said needs to be the name of this episode. I don't quite know how I'm feeling, so I'm gonna act like a weirdo. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Instead of summer nights, that's about more appropriate. Yeah. Um so one thing just to backtrack a little bit, the summer leaven scene and this I see happen, we mentioned it last episode. The summer leaving scene is in the book, it's almost as written.
SPEAKER_00Really?
SPEAKER_02And oh, I love that. And which I think is adorable that it's in the book. It kind of goes back where she was she was singing Free Fallen, but they act in in, you know, so it kind of it's like sort of a little bit dated. Yeah. Um, but it is um, she was much more like embarrassed by Jeremiah in the book. Like Belly's like Jeremiah's just like character. But I I I do tend to think that you have to watch out for these like awkward moments, like even maybe when the mom was um was saying, like, oh, you can kiss, but don't do any more than that. Like, I think there's these like awkward moments they try to pull straight from the book that just don't it's fine and it's kind of cute, but it's like it's the the in the book you have a little bit more time to like br introduce that and and outro it for lack, lack of a better term.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Where in the in the show you're like Jeremiah just has to get up and start singing, but like no one was singing karaoke before.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, totally.
SPEAKER_02And there just happens to be a mic before in front of Cam Cameron.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, but I do think that's when I think that the the usefulness of that scene was that's when Jeremiah decides I'm gonna be down with Cam Cameron, I'm gonna be for him for Belly. Like yeah, he's he kind of is like willing to come over on my side and kind of like be playful with her, yeah, the way that I am. So it's more like I approve of him because he's more willing to be like me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Or you know, hang with me. So but I mean, but he, you know, he does, he does we'll we'll we'll talk about the next morning in a minute, but he does kind of like come around. I think that was the the summer leaving was the arc.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Um, but back to so back to Taylor, Belly runs, she's ready to leave. Taylor's upstairs, yes, Steven goes wherever he goes.
SPEAKER_00And then Belly runs down. Cam Cameron is playing beer pong with the guys. He's on a team with Jeremiah, and Belly immediately is like, I thought you don't drink. Just like immediately like testing him, yeah. He was like, I am, I'm not drinking, it's water. Jeremiah is drinking for me, and Jeremiah's like, Wow. Um and you see it in her face, she acted it really well. It was like, and then immediately just softened when she realized it. But you can also there was a the conversation with the guys where they ask him if Belly, right? They yes, they ask him if Belly has asked him to go to the debutant ball yet.
SPEAKER_02Yep, and they're talking about the walks lessons.
SPEAKER_00Yes, and then what do you make of this?
SPEAKER_02Her not asking him.
SPEAKER_00I think she's holding out, she's holding out in hopes. I think it's delusion. It's maybe maybe something will happen and Conrad will take me, even though we know he's not going with her, he's going with Nicole, but like or he's not going.
SPEAKER_02No, he would have been around.
SPEAKER_00No, he wouldn't be going with Nicole. Um, no, I think that's what it is. Because, especially after they leave, and she goes, Can I ask you something? He lights up, like, here it is. And then so it's question about drinking, right?
SPEAKER_02She asks him, like, how do you okay with not being around?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, how are you okay with being around people that drink without drinking? Yeah. And then he then he answers and goes, Was that it? She's like, Yeah, let's go. And he's like, Okay. Poor guy.
SPEAKER_02I know, I know. I don't yeah, I don't know if that's part of just the like evolution. Like the summer I turned pretty arc and she's never really asked a guy out before, and she needs to she Belly puts a ton of we all do, but Belly in this show, this fictional character, puts a ton of pressure on herself for everything to be just as she imagines it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And again, because you're seeing it through Jenny Hahn's eyes, who I think she identifies with Belly so well, there's this like, oh, I've got to have everything so controlled, which
Party Night And Secrets Spill
SPEAKER_02is why, I mean, honestly, like, why she didn't want Taylor hooking up with Steven, because she can't control it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Why she's like, you know, trying to sort of like navigate this dev world, which she doesn't have any control and it's thrown her off kilter. She thought she knew everything about what her summer was supposed to look like because it's what it was gonna look like for the last eight, 16 summers or 15 summers.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02And so now, and so like, and she can and she could safely like pine away for Conrad on her own. Like, I don't think I don't think when she was in the car on the way to the beach, was she like, oh my god, Conrad and I are gonna hook up much less anybody else? I think she was just like, I know exactly what this is gonna be like, which is why we always open with these back these flashbacks, right? Because it's all about like, oh, this thing that I do over and over again, and this I want it to be the exactly the same. And so she's holding on to like what little control she has. Yeah, and one of those things is is Cam.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, definitely.
SPEAKER_02Theoretically, allegedly, allegedly theoretically, it's a great theory.
SPEAKER_00I'm a line.
SPEAKER_02Um yeah, because he's he just has thrown, I mean, it's much as I think she likes him and likes the fact that he's um not really threatening to her. Yeah, she's also like, okay, but I if I if I cut if bring you to my coming out thing, what kind of message is it gonna send? Like that now I'm really locked in. For the same reason that that Jeremiah told Stephen not to get hooked up with Shayla. He's like, Oh, you're gonna get booed up for the summer. And then, you know, that's why I think honestly the Jeremiah choice is they should have just forced that on him in the beginning, and then Cam wouldn't be an issue. But it's like, sorry, I'm going with Jeremiah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you're right, you're right.
SPEAKER_02So we get she goes home, everybody goes home.
SPEAKER_00Everyone goes home. It's a night.
SPEAKER_02Wake up in the morning, it's the next morning, and Jeremiah's eating cereal and drinking milk again.
SPEAKER_00Yep. This kid loves his cereal and milk.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I feel like I can make a drinking game out of Jeremiah drinking milk.
SPEAKER_00Milk, totally, yeah.
SPEAKER_02He drinks so much milk in this show. I don't know if it's I I don't know if that's written in, but I mean they do eat a lot of cereal and he drinks just tons, he'll just like guzzle down some milk. Um, which, you know, does a buddy good or seems to be working.
SPEAKER_00Totally.
SPEAKER_02Um, and then they go on one of their famous muffin runs.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I was gonna say she said, uh, yeah, she's like, Can we go on a muffin run? He is like, I'm gonna get a to-go cup. Can you go up and get the keys out of Conrad's room? Is he is Conrad here? No, he stayed the night at Julia's. Again. Again? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02He has a girlfriend, he has a girl that thinks they're in a relationship.
SPEAKER_00Correct, yes. And then Belly goes into the bedroom and what does she find?
SPEAKER_02The infinity bracelet.
SPEAKER_00Yep, the infinity bracelet that was indeed intended to be gifted to her for her birthday.
SPEAKER_02Yes, but at the same time, like he does have a girlfriend. Maybe he was planning to give it to her. Like, how did she, you know, when I just thought about this in this very moment, but like, why was she not like, oh, that is that for someone else? He said he forgot. Like, it's a fair question. They had this.
SPEAKER_00And you're right.
SPEAKER_02Like the only evidence we have about this infinity thing is something that happened like five years ago. Like, has he been talking about infinity for the past five years? I don't know. He could have been obsessed with infinity and made that a thing with every girl he's ever dated.
SPEAKER_00Like, and infinity symbol jewelry is a infinity like jewelry is kind of a common thing. Yeah. It's pretty, it's classic, it's but no, we choose to believe that it was for Belly. She knows she knows it in her heart.
SPEAKER_02Yes. I think her she does. I mean, not to fast forward the next episode, she does at least ask him and not assume. Correct. But you know, then she gets in the car and she's all in a huff. And Jeremiah's like, oh, I like Cam. Things are going really well. And she's just in a huff about Conrad, and Jeremiah's smoothing it over again. Oh, that's just been him. That's what he's been like all summer.
SPEAKER_00Is it this car ride where he makes it?
SPEAKER_02I like this like con like Belly and Jeremiah in general. I like in a car. They have a good scene, they're good. It's good scenes. It's advances when they're in a car. Yes.
SPEAKER_00100%.
SPEAKER_02And they, you know, they kind of it's like they're they're always sort of. I mean, he's annoyed with her because he's like, Why are you so fixated on Conrad? I thought it was Cam, which I think is. Right.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say it was that, it was that scene, right? It's their car ride where he says that. Yeah. Kind of, I think it kind of freaks her out a little bit too when he says that because it's like she's not really considering, like, oh my god, am I talking about him too much? Am I like, gotta keep it in check, girl?
SPEAKER_02Yep, yep. Well, and and I just wonder if maybe at this point Jeremiah's starting to see Belly as someone dateable because she's like.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, I could see that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So he's like, why are you talking about Conrad so much? Like, I'm gonna be on board with Cam. I like the idea of it. Like, I'm not, you know, like, but but I'm starting to see you as someone who could date somebody.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. It's new, it's new. I think it's interesting too that like the contrast between the way the last episode ended, which was like her pretty annoyed and upset with Conrad, and then this one, her feelings are a little different. Now it's more conflicted. It's like she was upset, then she finds the bracelet, and now she's just annoyed and frustrated uh in a different way. Whereas I think yeah, confused. I think the end of episode two, she was just mad at him because he was being a dick, let's be honest. Yeah. Um and this the thus the summer roller coaster that she's not that he was any like much nicer this episode.
SPEAKER_02It's not like he like redeemed himself in any kind of I mean he he has some redemptive moments, but the this episode was not one of them.
SPEAKER_00No, this was not. But you do see like he puts care into like wanting to show up to do the boat, uh the boat lessons, and you get to see that angle of him. Yeah, there's a little he know he shows that he does have a side of him that's a little responsible, like he felt bad
Muffin Run And The Bracelet Discovery
SPEAKER_00and then he apologized for being late, and you can tell there's a there is a um there's a relationship growing there, which I love. Good mentor for him.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Well, I mean, everybody now has these established, or most people now have these established people to talk to, right?
SPEAKER_00Right, totally.
SPEAKER_02So with like in process things. Jeremiah has Steven, Steven has Shayla, Conrad has Nicole, well not really Nicole, but Conrad has Cleveland, Belly has Taylor, so every you know, and then obviously Laurel and Suzanne have each other. So, you know, there's less narration and more like we're gonna, and and I think that um that in the books you get more narration.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah. Which makes sense.
SPEAKER_02And you know, so you get it kind of straight from the versus like conversation. So yeah, that's just one one observation. And then we have the makeup with Taylor. My my is am I missing anything? Because I'm I've as I said, I don't have my notes.
SPEAKER_00Anything after the muffin run and then she's making the and her mother at the bus stop. Mom says, Aren't you uh you're gonna go say bye to her? And then she does. I was kind of hoping for a more more of a reconciliation. It was it was a little like lackluster, in my opinion. I mean, you can you can tell they still love each other and they care about each other, but I was hoping for like a a gal pal hug and like a everything's cool kind of situation. I felt bad for Taylor in this moment.
SPEAKER_02You know, like something.
SPEAKER_00I know. I felt I do feel bad for Taylor in this moment. It's like, first of all, she just like had this really dramatic kind of brief falling out with her best friend. Now she's standing in line to board a bus to go home. Yes, but then in an effort to try to smooth things over, is like, hey, just just in regards to last night, like it's never gonna happen again. Steven made it clear that it was a mistake, and you're kind of like, oh poor girl. Like she's she rode a bus all the way out here to have a fun time for her friend's birthday and is kind of leaving like with a lot of like shame. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Uh but she you know, she comes back later and and redeems herself for sure. For sure. Um have you ever had a breakup with a friend or a fight with a friend like that where you had to make up?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Well, I think it's not so much actually like when I was younger, more into my adult life, when like you know, bound you start to set boundaries for your life and and you know, certain you just priorities shift and change. And sometimes my fr I had a my therapist said to me once, um, people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
SPEAKER_02And a lot of times I must teach that in therapy school.
SPEAKER_00For sure, I'm sure they've all said it. And she was like, and sometimes it's better to have four quarters than a hundred pennies. And and I, you know, was a friend to many, and then into my thirties, have kind of pared that down to be more of a close friend to few. But yeah, there's certainly been hard conversations that have had to happen. What about you? Have you had to have you dealt with anything like that before?
SPEAKER_02No, and I think I told you with all my guy cousins, like that I would always just become friends with the girls that they were dating. And so sometimes it wasn't necessarily about that,
Taylor’s Exit And Friendship Reality
SPEAKER_02it was more about I mean, I've definitely had friends that hooked up with recently I had a friend that hooked up with a very close guy friend of mine, and it was very out of the blue, like the two, I would have never been like, oh, but like those two people are gonna be in the same place. Um, and you know, like very, very, very random.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I mean, I I I definitely was like, mmm, the kind of like Belly, like, oh, this could get messy, or like, this is not gonna go well. So we'll their names and identities will remain unnamed.
SPEAKER_01Anonymous.
SPEAKER_02But um, and then also like I kind of found out in an in kind of a weird, awkward way, too. So that was you know, it's like one of the things, you know, could you have just been a little more honest about this? Um, which is I think where Belly was when she was like, I thought she didn't drink. Like she's like, could we just have some honesty?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was like two things back to back like that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, that would have been it's too much.
SPEAKER_02Well, and I and I think that you know, summer nights episode season one, episode three, summer nights, otherwise known as we don't know how to express our feelings because we're teenagers.
SPEAKER_00Wait, yeah, what is my note that I made again?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Conrad, I care but I cannot communicate like a normal person.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_00It's that.
SPEAKER_02Episode three, I care, but I cannot communicate like a normal person, is definitely like set the stage for this like ensemble cast, right? Like it oh yeah, it spreads it out a lot and gives you other relationships to care about and people to care about. And um, you know, it it it definitely like deepened. It was a lot, there was a lot that happened in this episode. Yeah, so much you know, that that carries us through all the way through to the very, very bitter end of the show, at least, the series. And um, and we get to see a little bit more about the like who's who you know, like sort of how teams team up, like how they team team up and how they work together. So overall, I thought it was a great episode. It's it's this I realized that season one is only seven episodes and not eight.
SPEAKER_03That's what you said, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And so, I mean, I looked at it like three times, so if I'm wrong, it's possible. Um, but it you can see why they're moving so fast. I mean, they're just moving so fast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's a lot to fit in.
SPEAKER_02So looking forward to next episode. It is the fourth of July episode, so we'll be having our second America's birthday.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Which since it's America 250, we're having America's birthday all year anyway. Yeah. So we'll have our second America's birthday next week on Friday when we release the fourth episode, and there's a lot. We figure out a little bit more about why Conrad's such a in such a bad mood. There's a lot that happens in that episode. So I would say to anybody listening, call your friends, rewatch, get caught up, um, and meet us here next Friday for Team Jair Podcast.
SPEAKER_00Season one, episode four, rewatch.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Or meet us over on Substack or Instagram for a little bit more conversation.
SPEAKER_00Get in the conversation.
SPEAKER_02And I'll definitely post the the um Joey, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson photos. And anything else, anything else that I think is relevant for our love triangle triangle. Um, you know, the triangle is just getting heated up right now.
SPEAKER_00Truly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally.
SPEAKER_02I'm in there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Uh also rate review, subscribe.
Scorekeeping Plus Next Week Tease
SPEAKER_00It's it's really helpful for us in the algorithm if you do that. And definitely jump in the conversation. We would love to hear from you and and uh get involved, especially from me, who is still at this point um team Conrad. Oh, you're still Team Conrad. I'm still Team Conrad as of now.
SPEAKER_02I want to get points for this episode.
SPEAKER_00I do think there is, I don't think that Conrad he loses points for claim he loses a point for claiming to forget Belly's birthday. And I don't think he gets a point yet for the bracelet, not yet. No, um Cam Cameron gets a point. Jeremiah, I I'm gonna okay. Although I'm Team Conrad, I do think Jeremiah gets two points. One for being like there for her for her birthday and giving her a really nice gift, and then two for for really showing that he is an excellent sounding board and trusted confidant of Belly's in this episode.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes. At this point, he doesn't he seems agenda-less. I think we'll find out if that's true, but he seems like he's Team Belly, and and so like even though I'm Team Jar, he's Team Belly, you're still Team Conrad.
SPEAKER_00Still Team Conrad has now. And next week, I'll my I'm so bummed. I ordered um, I have a cousin's beach hoodie coming, and it was supposed to get it gets here today. I just thought it would be in the earth like the morning delivery.
SPEAKER_02It's not, and by the way, I was wear both of our cousins next week. What color is yours?
SPEAKER_00It's gray with like a light with light blue lettering.
SPEAKER_02Oh, nice. Mine's like a light gray blue colored issue.
SPEAKER_00Is it a sweatshirt or a t-shirt?
SPEAKER_02Sweatshirts. Sweatshirts are best in the summer.
SPEAKER_00I know.
SPEAKER_02Do you December and go in the AC?
SPEAKER_00You know what I did? Uh there was a sweatshirt that says uh Team Conrad. And I was like, do I get this one?
SPEAKER_02But I wanted a more general listen, we got a we got a lot of podcasts to shoot. So you're right, you're right. It's coming, and we're gonna get our own merch out uh maybe after get we get all the episodes for season one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, we've got a little bit of merch about the summer we learned a podcast. So um, Alex, thank you so much. This was so fun today. This was an extra super long episode because we had so much to talk about. Yes. Um, hope everybody's having an amazing summer, and we'll look forward to seeing you next week on the Team Jeropod.
SPEAKER_00Have a good day.