The Summer I Turned Pretty is officially back with Season 3, and fans have plenty to uncover. Spoiler alert: Spoilers for The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 follow. With new episodes dropping every Wednesday until the season finale on Sept. 17, we’re in for a summer of romance, revelations, and subtle callbacks. From crossword puzzles and nods to the series’ author, Jenny Han, to promotional cover art and candy wrappers, Season 3 of TSITP is packed with exciting Easter eggs. Picking up three years after the events of Season 2, a lot has changed since the first time we met the gang in Cousins Beach.
The highly-anticipated third season reunites viewers with Belly and Jeremiah as they navigate the highs and lows of their relationship at Finch College. Taylor is still figuring things out with Steven, who’s juggling their on-again-off-again dynamic while pursuing his prestigious internship after graduating early from Princeton. Meanwhile, Conrad has just landed (and quickly lost) his dream first-year medical program placement while wrestling with some lingering romantic feelings for Belly. With so many new developments this season, it’s easy to miss things in the blink of an eye. Here’s some of the Easter eggs in TSITP Season 3 you may have missed.
BELLY & JEREMIAH AS LARA JEAN AND PETER FROM TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE
One of Jenny Han’s other novels, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, makes a surprise cameo in Episode 1, “Last Season.” If you look closely at Belly’s bedside photo collage, you can spot a picture of Belly and Jeremiah dressed up as the romantic leads in Han’s novel-turned-Netflix-film. This parallel serves as a clever callback to another one of the author’s popular works while showing the progression of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship.
POLAR BEAR BLUES BAND
Conrad’s lingering feelings for Belly resurface during a reflective conversation with his friend and fellow med student, Agnes, at a bar. Opening up about the only time he’s been in love, he admits to feeling both regretful and guilty over the way his relationship ended with Belly, especially now that she’s with Jeremiah. As he leaves the bar to call Jeremiah about missing their late mother’s memorial speech, we see some writing on the chalkboard behind him reading, “Polar Bear Blues Band.” This may allude to Junior Mint, the stuffed polar bear Conrad won for Belly during their childhood outing at the pier in Cousins.
CONRAD’S NOTE & CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Belly’s spontaneous Christmas getaway to Cousins takes an abrupt turn when she’s met by Conrad standing at the beach house front door. In flashbacks, viewers experience a glimpse into their accidental reunion, reminiscing on the last time they were together during that time of year.
Towards the end of the episode, we see Belly waking up and heading downstairs to the kitchen, spotting a note left by Conrad. This note is attached to a crossword, where one of the clues reads “Novel by author Jenny Jan, P.S. I ___ Love You.” Belly then fills out the clue with the word “still.” Although this Easter egg is a direct reference to the sequel novel of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, it may also be a subtle hint toward Conrad’s lingering feelings for Belly.
SOUR PATCH KIDS WRAPPERS
The Sour Patch Kids wrappers spotted on the library table in Episode 1 act as a subtle reminder of Jeremiah and Conrad’s tense debate during the final moments of Season 2. In this episode, Jeremiah and Conrad bicker over whether Belly prefers Sour Patch Kids or Swedish Fish – a lighthearted argument that quickly spirals into a deeper confrontation over their shared feelings for her. While Belly has now chosen Jeremiah, the presence of the candy wrapper (initially picked by Conrad) offers a quiet callback to a pivotal emotional turning point between the trio.
SEASON 3’S COVER ART
Season 3’s cover art is also an Easter egg, and it may be a clue as to who Belly ends up with at the end of the series. The cover pays homage to a classic of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and William Holden. For a film centered around new beginnings and the unexpected paths taken to find love, Sabrina draws interesting parallels between the show and its defining love triangle.
The positioning of each Fisher brother next to Belly may also be giving a subtle message about who Belly will ultimately choose. In Sabrina, Hepburn ends up with Bogart, pictured on the left — not Holden, who is kissing her. Whether or not this placement was intentional is unknown at this point (though those who have read the books can make a strong inference), but fans can look forward to uncovering some more Easter eggs until these future events unfold.