Episode synopsis
S1 EP7 – Summer Love: The debutante ball is here, but Belly’s big night is almost ruined when Jeremiah learns the secret his mother has been keeping all summer. When Belly’s left alone on the dance floor, someone else steps in to save the day. With Susannah and Laurel’s secret out in the open, the season ends with a promise from Susannah and the confession from Conrad that Belly has been waiting for all summer.
Cast
Lola Tung…Belly
Jackie Chung…Laurel
Rachel Blanchard…Susannah
Christopher Briney…Conrad
Gavin Casalegno…Jeremiah
Sean Kaufman…Steven
Alfredo Narciso…Cleveland
Minnie Mills…Shayla
Colin Ferguson…John Conklin
Sarah Hudson …Paige
Summer Madison…Nicole
Connor Hammond…Liam
Kelsey Rose Healey… Dara
Lilah Pate…Gigi
Shea Pritchard…Trevor
Jocelyn Shelfo …Marisa
Best character
Steven is definitely a flawed person, but I do really like his character. He’s very cute in this episode and him freaking out over Belly and Jeremiah is so funny. Sean Kaufman is very charismatic and I’ve recently realised that whenever Steven says ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’, that’s a Sean thing. Very cute.
Plus the dance he and all the other escorts do at the debutante ball is so good. He definitely stole the show on that one. Here it is:
I don’t really have a choice for best supporting character as the main cast really stole the show. I could sit here and talk about why I’d choose each character, but that would make this post ridiculously long and I know I need some time to ramble about Conrad.
Favourite scenes
*I do not own the rights to any videos in this post, no copyright infringement was intended. All rights go to the production studio*
This one is technically the best musical moment as well as my absolute favourite scene of the entire show. The first time I watched it, I literally cried. I’d never even read the books or even knew anything about the story, but the dance and the song made me tear up. I still get chills to this day when thinking about this scene.
The Way I Loved You was never a Taylor Swift song I really paid attention to, but after watching The Summer I Turned Pretty, it’s my favourite. It reminds me of this moment every time I hear it and it makes me smile.
Also, ugh Christoper Briney is so dreamy. I can’t believe people were upset about the casting, not just for Conrad, but for everyone. Personally, I really love this cast, I think they are perfect.
The last is great for many reasons. Firstly, Belly and Conrad kiss (finally!!) and secondly, it makes me tear up. Which most people wouldn’t think is a good thing, but when something makes me feel such strong emotions that I want to cry, it’s great.
I’m a huge Conrad fan – if you couldn’t tell from all of my previous review (it’s very obvious I state it in pretty much every single one). Seeing them finally be honest with each other was very bittersweet because obviously, this is a teen drama so it won’t last. I haven’t read the rest of the series yet, but I plan to at least get the second one under my belt before the next season, so I have no idea what’s going to happen.
Also, I love that every Taylor Swift song used in this show has been for a Belly/Conrad scene. I appreciate it muchly as I love both of those things. Big up to whoever did the soundtrack for this show.
Best quotes and one liners
CONRAD: Break a leg.
BELLY: That’d be bad. I’m supposed to be dancing all night.
LAUREL: I see you guys found the bar.
JOHN: Yeah, it’s the only way I can get through this strange medieval ceremony.
CONRAD: Hey, you guys ready for the escort dance?
STEVEN: Dude, I-I actually still can’t believe you roped me into this.
JEREMIAH: Oh, come on, dude. The girls are gonna love it.
CONRAD: Kind of wish we were all doing it together, you know?
STEVEN: Uh, you wish you were doing a dance routine?
JEREMIAH: You’re a goddess.
BELLY: You ever say that to me again, I’ll throw up all over you.
LAUREL: For Belly, Conrad is the sun, and when the sun comes out, the stars disappear.
BELLY: I don’t want to be the kind of person who takes advantage of that.
CONRAD: I don’t just need somebody. I need you.
BELLY: I don’t want you to need me. I want you to want me.
CONRAD: I do want you.
Most iconic outfit
Belly’s debutante dress is absolutely stunning. I love how simplistic it is and Lola looks gorgeous. I do think debutante balls are archaic though, do they actually happen?
Anyway, here’s the clip of her ‘intro to society’ for reference:
Also, Laurel’s dress needs a special mention because I love it. The red really suits her and the super low back with a huge bow. Ah, stunning.
Final thoughts
Belly not knowing who the Olsen twins are makes me feel very old and I’m only 24. They were my entire childhood, I didn’t know a single girl who didn’t want to be them.
There are a lot of very heartfelt moments in this episode and they’ve made me cry like a baby both times I watched it. The emotion is so raw and it’s some of the best acting we’ve seen in the entire show. God, it’s so heartbreaking, possibly more so the second time around. Conrad’s ‘can’t you just try’ when Susannah says she’s not going to have treatment just breaks me. I am a huge baby that cries at everything though, so it’s no surprise that I cry at this.
I’m so glad they ended the show on a happier note because it would have completely destroyed me otherwise. We finally get a Belly and Conrad kiss, but I know (for now) it won’t last.
Honestly, I enjoyed this show so much more than I thought I would. I wanted to read the books when they first came out but didn’t for reason, I kinda wish I did now. But when the show came out I said I didn’t know if I could take it seriously because the main character is called Belly. Cut to almost a year later and it’s genuinely one of my favourite shows. I had a real urge to watch it again in February and I sat and reviewed the whole thing in two or three sittings. It’s become a comfort watch for me and I’m seriously excited for the next season.
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