The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 definitely has not been an easy one for Jeremiah. Not only did his wedding get ruined, but he also lost the love of his life. However, despite Jeremiah having been going through a difficult time in this season, the hate for the character is never-ending.
Now that Belly’s path is set towards Conrad, the hate towards Jeremiah’s character should subside. In the very first season, Jeremiah’s character became quite beloved by the viewers. However, his actions slowly pushed him towards the path of hatred.
The hate towards Jeremiah in The Summer I Turned Pretty
In the very first season, viewers were actually rooting to have Belly to end up with Jeremiah instead of Conrad. However, now it is the complete opposite. So, what has changed? Well, if we look back at the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, we would see how Jeremiah’s character was depicted as the charming and fun-filled guy always helping Belly out. The infectious smile and easygoing charm did wonders for Jeremiah’s character.

However, as The Summer I Turned Pretty progressed, certain actions slowly pushed Jeremiah towards becoming the most hated character. It cannot be denied that, though some of his actions were quite juvenile, he was indeed just a teenager trying to get closer to Belly.
Up until the second season, he seemed like a healthy choice for Belly. He saw her for who she was and adored her for it. In the third season, the tides completely changed. Jeremiah’s character became overtly complex and problematic. The charm that once felt genuine started to feel manipulative. His easy-going nature ultimately earned him the title of emotional immaturity and a lack of emotional depth.
The whole foundation of his appeal, which drew the viewers in, began to crumble the moment Belly chose to marry Jeremiah over Conrad. This was especially triggered by his cheating scandals, which got overlooked by Belly despite being wrong.

Yet another damaging blow to his reputation came when he failed to help Belly during their wedding. The once-playful competition he had with his brother, Conrad, turned into something bitter. He constantly tried to one-up Conrad, which further ruined the charm.
He also weaponized his hurt using Belly’s past with Conrad. His insecurity and possessiveness in season 3 cemented his fall from grace. This is a masterful depiction of a complex character for which the creators and the actor need to be appreciated.
Jeremiah tried to impress his father instead of being by Belly’s side when she needed him the most. If he had tried to invest his time into building a life with Belly instead of seeking his father’s approval and one-upping his brother, things would have been completely different for him. It cannot be denied that he does indeed love Belly.
Jeremiah’s descent from being a beloved character in The Summer I Turned Pretty to the most hated person is definitely a case study of how a character’s initial charm can often become their ultimate path to downfall. The very traits for which Jeremiah became the beloved character in The Summer I Turned Pretty ultimately became his greatest enemy.
If only he could have worked on his insecurities and actually tried to be by Belly’s side. From giving Belly a sense of security and comfort to becoming her actual burden, as can be seen during the wedding preparations, Jeremiah’s character definitely took a massive turn.
Gavin Casalegno perfectly captures the trajectory of Jeremiah’s character in a nuanced manner. His performance is truly worth appreciating as he prevented Jeremiah from becoming one-dimensional. He added a layer of depth to Jeremiah’s character, which is compelling to watch.
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