I stood on Library Mall for an hour on Sept. 24 with a poster asking people to vote on an important question: were they “Team Conrad” or “Team Jeremiah”? The verdict? 113 votes for “Team Conrad” and 11 for “Team Jeremiah.”
While the airing of “The Summer I Turned Pretty’s” third and final season may have officially ended on Sept. 17, the world has not moved on.
The Prime Video series follows brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher and their lifelong battle to charm family friend Belly Conklin. Ultimately, Belly must choose between the brothers, inspiring much fan debate.
Most people that came up to vote for Conrad were surprised with the results: “Why would someone even vote for Jeremiah?” with many shouting there is only “one right answer.”
There were even a few write-in votes. One incredibly passionate “Team Jeremiah” voter also wrote in “Team Belly” after giving me her Jeremiah defense, and “Team Cam,” a reference to a character from Season 1, also got a vote. One group was so fed up with the entire show that “They all suck” got 5 votes too!
While the University of Wisconsin-Madison seems to be very Conrad-biased, Jeremiah still had some fans that made sure their vote was counted. One asked me to explain in 60 seconds why everyone was voting for Conrad and still decided to vote for Jeremiah in the end.
After my hour standing in Library Mall collecting opinions, it was made clear that fandom is serious business. But the good news is, fall TV won’t make you choose just one side.
No matter which half of the Fisher family you are loyal to, there is a binge watch waiting for you just around the corner.
If you are on Team Conrad, keep an eye out for…
- The Paper (Peacock, Sept. 4)
- Conrad seems a little awkward sometimes, but sometimes awkward can be hilarious. “The Paper” is a spin-off of “The Office,” using the same mockumentary style and dry humor in a Midwest newspaper setting guaranteed to make you laugh.
- Chad Powers (Hulu, Sept. 30)
- Conrad hid his love for Belly for years, almost putting on a mask around her. “Chad Powers” does the same, but literally — a former college quarterback played by Glen Powell puts on a disguise and attempts a comeback so he can play football again. Plus, who doesn’t love Glen Powell?
- I Love LA (HBO, Nov. 2)
- Conrad ran away to California to escape his life and start over. “I Love LA,” written by and starring Rachel Sennott, follows how a friend group’s lives have changed after falling apart and coming back together. Josh Hutcherson is in the cast too, and he brings the same visual appeal as Conrad.
- Stranger Things, Season 5 (Netflix, Nov. 26)
- Conrad’s story arc was a satisfying close for most watchers and successfully tied up the show. “Stranger Things” is also finally ending, and hopefully these years of emotional turmoil and slow burning will give viewers the ending they’re hoping for too.
And if you are Team Jeremiah, these are the shows you’ll want to watch:
- The Girlfriend (Prime Video, Sept. 10)
- Jeremiah is 100% the jealous type and has always been suspicious of Conrad’s intentions. “The Girlfriend” uses that trope with a darker twist, where a mother becomes suspicious of her son’s new girlfriend and goes to extreme lengths to expose her.
- Boots (Netflix, Oct. 9)
- Jeremiah wears his heart on his sleeve and prioritizes his friendships and relationships over anything else. “Boots” promises just that, following a gay high school student and his best friend when they join the Marine Corps together in 1990 and have to rely on each other for everything.
- The Chair Company (HBO, Oct. 12)
- Jeremiah can be a little over-the-top at times, but Tim Robinson’s “The Chair Company” shows viewers that over-the-top can also mean hilarious. In this series, a man investigates a conspiracy after an embarrassing incident at work; and knowing how Tim Robinson operates, this show is bound to be funny.
- Maxton Hall - The World Between Us, Season 2 (Prime Video, Nov. 7)
- Jeremiah brings all the drama, especially after his relationship goes sideways. “Maxton Hall” is a German love story between a student and a millionaire, and its second season features lots of heartbreak mirroring Jeremiah’s.
