Prime Video has recently unveiled the initial two chapters of the third and culminating season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," and one particular narrative thread resonates with an eerie sense of déjà vu. In the season premiere, aptly titled "Last Season," Belly (portrayed by Lola Tung) discovers that Jeremiah (played by Gavin Casalegno) engaged in sexual intimacy with Lacie Barone (Lily Donoghue) during their spring break escapade to Cabo. This revelation stems from a pre-trip spat that led Jeremiah to believe they had parted ways.
"It transpired during our break… when we were no longer together," Jeremiah clarifies to a furious Belly, who confronts him at a fraternity bash. Belly retorts, "You knew we weren't really done, that it wasn't genuine." Jeremiah counters, "How was I to know that? It felt real to me," to which Belly shoots back, "Well, if I knew it, then so should you have."
In the subsequent episode, "Last Christmas," Jeremiah persists in his stance, asserting, "I didn't cheat. We were on a break," when confronted by Belly's closest friend, Taylor (Rain Spencer). Taylor doesn't mince her words, responding, "You can't weasel out of this on a technicality. You were broken up for all of two seconds, Jeremiah."
While the "we were on a break" dilemma may be fresh territory for younger viewers, it's crucial to acknowledge that this plot twist did not originate with Belly and Jeremiah. In fact, there's a lesser-known TV series that introduced this storyline and etched the phrase into the collective consciousness.
The iconic phrase was first coined in the third season of "Friends." In episode 15, titled "The One Where Ross And Rachel Take A Break," Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer), amidst a relationship, argue after Ross suspects Rachel of having an affair with her colleague Mark. Rachel views her interactions with Mark as platonic, unaware of his crush until later.
Their escalating disagreement prompts Rachel to propose, "Maybe we should just take a break… A break from us." They part ways, each silently acknowledging the demise of their relationship. Ross, seeking solace, heads to a bar and decides to reconcile with Rachel, only to find she has already reached out to Mark for comfort. Mishearing Mark's voice in the background, a drunk and emotional Ross assumes the worst and ends up having a one-night stand with Chloe. The next morning, he learns he misjudged the situation and Rachel actually wanted to continue their relationship.
Rachel learns of Ross's indiscretion in episode 16, titled "The One With The Morning After," reigniting their argument and leading to another breakup. Rachel accuses Ross of cheating, citing, "We were on a break," while Ross contends that no cheating occurred because they had officially broken up, drawing a fine line between a "break" and a "breakup."
This phrase has since become a staple in "Friends," spanning its decade-long run and continuing to resonate today. Now, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" has breathed new life into it, sparking debates among fans about whether Jeremiah and Belly were merely on a break or had indeed ended their relationship.
Following the Wednesday premiere of the new episodes on Prime Video, online discourse erupted over the cheating storyline, with some claiming that Jeremiah was sexually assaulted by Lacie, given his intoxicated and emotionally fragile state during their encounter. Critics took to social media to lambast author/creator Jenny Han for handling "that scene VERY HORRIBLY," urging sensitivity towards such a serious topic.
Ahead of the premiere, the official Prime Video series account issued a preemptive warning against bullying, hate speech, and harassment directed towards the cast, crew, or any member of the community.
