Conrad Fisher is complex. He’s not perfect, but he’s not beyond redemption. Conrad is human – filled with flaws and he definitely makes his mistakes. During the first and second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, he was not without controversy and it was deserved. We are not saying that he was right with everything he did, but we’re also not saying that his actions didn’t make sense given context.
Even in his most vulnerable moments – the ones where he was out of line and treated people rudely – Conrad Fisher did not deserve the hate that he received. Why? Well, we’re so glad you asked.
MORE: The release schedule for Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty is here in case you don’t know!
1×05: Conrad Pushing Belly Away After Their Almost Kiss
In Season 1 of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Conrad was carrying a weight that no one should have to carry – the knowledge that his mother’s cancer had returned. Then he learned that his mother wanted to keep it a secret from their family for one last perfect summer. Therefore, becoming closed off in an attempt to honor his mother’s wishes although she hadn’t known he was sharing the burden with her.
The wrench in his plan to behave coldly as if nothing mattered was Belly. If he spoke about his feelings and worries, he would have to face the fact that his mom was sick and dying. He didn’t want to hurt Belly, his brother Jeremiah, or hurt his mom by becoming unrecognizable. But it was the cost he felt he had to pay to suffer to prevent the truth from coming out. In his own misguided way, protecting Belly meant pushing her away.
1×06: Conrad Giving Belly the Infinity Necklace After Lying to Her
Being vulnerable could be scary even with the people you trust the most. It requires a willingness to listen and trust the other person to be a shoulder to lean on. For Conrad the person he tried his hardest to be stoic and distant with was Belly. Because she’s the one who could get him to want to open up about his anxieties. Which is why he lied to her about getting her a birthday gift when he had actually gotten her something incredibly thoughtful.
Eventually, Conrad realized that he wanted to be honest about this one thing despite keeping most of his emotional walls up that summer. In his own way, such a small sentimental gift was what he could offer to show Belly that he cares about her. Even if he felt like he couldn’t say it aloud.
2×03: Belly and Conrad’s Fight at Susannah’s Funeral
When experiencing loss and grief, the things you say shouldn’t be taken with certainty. Losing someone you love feels like you’re stuck and disoriented in thoughts and actions. As a result, it’s dangerous to let emotions lead in conversations. The words that flow may leave regret and pain in the aftermath.
Belly wanted to be there for Conrad but finding him being comforted by another girl at Susannah’s service had set her off. The two ended up fighting and things got ugly fast after their sudden breakup weeks prior. Consequently, grief spoke through them in a heated argument about their relationship.
It’s easy to bash Conrad for chasing an argument he could’ve avoided. But he does eventually take accountability for his actions and apologizes to Belly in 2×06 ‘Love Fest’. We commend him for that. Conrad is human and deserves grace for making mistakes especially if he owned up for them.
MORE: Read our 2×08 ‘Love Triangle‘ review here!
2×04: Conrad’s Panic Attack on The Beach
If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you would know that it’s overwhelming and intense. Conrad and the group are back in Cousins trying to save the house when they decide to take a night to watch a movie together. When finding out that he was accepted to Stanford, Conrad had left his friends alone to try and control an impending attack.
Returning to Cousins had felt like had lost his mother all over again. He didn’t have Susannah to share the news with. And was faced with the crushing realization that he was growing up without her.
Trying to heal from bad habits and handle emotions in a healthy way isn’t easy. Because healing isn’t linear and neither is growth. So, we don’t think it’s fair to judge Conrad in a negative way for finding comfort in isolation here. He didn’t want to burden his friends or have them worry.
MORE: Read our 3×03 ‘Last Supper’ Review here!
2×03: Belly and Conrad Break Up At Prom
We need to preface this by saying Conrad Fisher is almost entirely at fault for things going wrong at prom with Belly. As he reflected on their relationship in 3×01 ‘Last Season’, he clarified to a friend that although he tipped her over the edge, Belly was the one to officially break up with him. While Conrad was actively grieving his mother, her insecurities about being with him were heightened by his avoidant behavior.
He shouldn’t have agreed to prom if he was longing to go back home and worry over his dying mother. But Conrad wanted to make his girlfriend happy and that desire pushed him out of his comfort zone. He had good intentions there. And we don’t expect him to know how to process grief if nobody around him had experienced it either. So yes, what he did to Belly wasn’t her fault. It was mostly his due to his inability to express himself and let somebody in.
Ultimately, if Conrad truly wanted Belly to stay with him, he should’ve fought harder. But his pain over losing a parent is something that is justified because it’s the worst pain he ever felt.
Season 3 of Prime Video‘s The Summer I Turned Pretty streams weekly starting July 16th, 2025.
