September 18, 2025 • 13 mins
Jennie and her girls may live miles apart, but they always find each other watching “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Watching Belly’s story unfold has become a little tradition ... a way to laugh, cry and text furiously about love triangles. Beyond the drama, it reminds them all of something deeper: that no matter where life takes you, choosing yourself is always the most important storyline of all.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garland.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Everyone, welcome to I Choose Me. This podcast is all
about the choices we make. And today my badass oldest
daughter Luca is joining me from NYC because we are
all obsessed with a little show called The Summer I
Turn Pretty. And yes she's three thousand miles away, Fiona's
(00:31):
at college, Lola's here with me and the show and
Bellie's big choice has made me feel like we're all
in one room. So this is going to be a
great episode to talk about this The Summer I Turn Pretty.
If you don't know a teenager, or if you aren't
a teenager, you probably don't know what I'm talking about.
But The Summer I Turn Pretty follows teenage Isabelle Bellie
(00:55):
Conklin as her life is transformed. During this Cousins beach
with our family and their longtime friends, the Fishers, who
happen to be cutey batuities. It's a very complicated love
triangle that forms between Belly and the sons of Susannah,
Conrad and Jeremiah. The series explores the themes of first love,
(01:21):
the heartbreak, the growing up, while also highlighting the strong
bonds between mothers and children and lifelong female friendships. Let's
go to one of my lifelong female friendships, my beautiful
daughter Luca. Hi, Hi, mom, thanks for having me. Oh,
I'm so glad you're here. Okay, we're just going to
(01:43):
jump into this because we're so excited. We haven't seen
the finale yet, so if you have, don't tell us anything,
but we are going to talk about what we think
should happen. What do you think is going to happen, Luca.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I feel a little pessimistic. I don't think we're to
get the ending that we want.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Wait, what's the ending you want?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well, I think you and I agree that we're both
Team Conrad.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Listen, I've rethought that Team Conrade for sure in my heart.
But then I thought back to the times when I
was in the Triangle and I was one of the teams, yeah,
back in the day, a long time ago, and I thought, oh,
that that really did not feel good to be on
one of the teams. So now I've decided to not
(02:28):
try to not pick a team or say there are teams,
but that's true, there are there are people out there
that want both cases. I don't know who would want
youremia at this point, just saying, but there.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Like something I actually wanted to pose to you is
that we always put the woman in the center of
the triangle, just as like a culture like Kelly Taylor's
center of the triangle. Even Twilight bella center of the
triangle with the werewolf guy and yeah, got it. But
(03:04):
with Belly, I feel like it might be a multi
shape dimension and that's just how real life is. And
maybe she'll have many more love shapes and triangles. And
we have this new love interest, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I know the guy, the new guy in town.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
He's from Spain, Mexico. In Mexico.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
He wants to go to her, to go to his grandma's.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
He wants to take her around the world, show her
his family.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
But that's how it goes like in life. It's ever
going to be just between you. And maybe you're lucky
and you're into a love triangle because that's a fun
place to be, but there's always going to be something someone,
some other decision or choice that we have to make
in our life. You're so right, but this is the brow.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Up as part of that. That's right, it's part of that,
and as your world expands, I think there's room for
many triangles and many different and.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
That's what we're watching Belly grow up. We've watched her
grow up. I mean, for those of you that don't
have a teenager, don't know a teenager, don't speak teenage,
you probably have no idea what we're talking about. But
if you're a mom of a teen like me that
got sucked in, and not only like I wanted to
watch it because I wanted to hang out with you guys,
(04:30):
secretly I want to be in your cool kids.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I don't think that's true. I saw a couple of
key scenes and you got hooked.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I did, I honestly did. I got hooked, But I
didn't stick around for the second season, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
So.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Now I'm back, and I feel so passionate about what
is happening, Like I see her having this moment, this
I choose me moment. Do you think she's Do you
think that's what's happening?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Honestly, I'm not team her choosing herself just for like
the closure of this story.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
But wait a minute, because.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What season did you have this moment where you had.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
To make a choice I think fifth season.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Okay, well, then the season's continued. If we're gonna have
the final conclusion when the season finale series.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
What blows my mind.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I don't know if you can have this art, I
don't know. It's just.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Why does it have to be the series finale? Why
can't it just be the season finale and then we
can come back for more next year.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, we fall in love with the characters. I feel
like there's so much space for that world to keep expanding.
Maybe it's not the end. Maybe there's a spin off
of her life in Paris.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I mean, I've watched that. It's been interesting. I like
seeing her on her own in Paris. How about you.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I mean, I'm feeling like I'm watching a different show now.
I'm not gonna lie. I really love the world that
the creator Jenny Hawn built in that specific place called Cousins,
the summer of it, and now this show is kind
of expanding into thall spanning in the winter, and I'm
losing that kind of summer magic. But then it shows
(06:10):
me as a viewer, but again, it's just because I'm
like frustrated because there's not a lot of time left.
I'm like how is she going to tie it all up?
But I have faith. I have faith that she'll make
it all shiny with a nice bow.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
It feels like she kind of already chose herself in
a way, because she left all the madness, got on
that airplane without seeing Conrad in the shadows. Yeah, and
she chose herself. She chose to go to Paris, and
then she continued to choose herself. She found an apartment,
she found friends, she figured out how to get into
(06:50):
the school that she wanted to get into.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
She's French, she's she has a job.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Like she's choosing herself left and right. Yes, So it's
as if she's already having her I choose me moment.
That's how I feel. But I guess the show being
that it's the finale, forever never coming back.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
They want like a bo they want something that we
can all have closure with. You're right, and I want that.
I want to know. Mm hmm. I feel like at
this point, if she chose herself, I too would feel disappointed.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
But I don't think it's I don't think it's a
love triangle anymore. I think that that it's definitely died
off because she loves. I don't know. Are people still
saying that she's going to go back and get back
together Jeremiah. I feel like she But that made me
sad too. Sorry. I have a lot of thoughts in
there all happening and want give it to me that
she didn't get the I Choose me moment at the wedding.
(07:49):
That made me really sad. I really wanted her to
have that like a moment where she decided to put
herself first, and I didn't see that with Jeremiah.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Wait and tell me what happened. Why did the wedding
not happen? I watched it.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I just can't didn't happen because Jeremiah called it off.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Jeremiah called it off. Wait what dinosaur?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yep? Yeah, pretty crazy. So I really wish I saw
a little bit more of like herself choosing her in
that moment, but it wasn't possible, I guess at the time.
And now she's finally getting there. So I'm proud of
her from like a big sister perspective, like I'm cheering
her on that she's doing it now. But I don't know,
(08:30):
is it too little, too late in a way, or
is it never too late to choose yourself. That's what
you always say.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I mean, it's never too late to choose yourself. But
I just want her to have lasting love with someone
that cares about her so much.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh yeah, this is the kind of stuff that we
talk about, you and me, Lolathiana, Like we sit around
and we all talk about how this show relates to
our identity as women and femal empowerment, and like we
really dissect the characters and how it affects us. And
I think the showrunner is super aware of that, like
the impact she's having and giving a voice to women
(09:08):
and such an amazing lead and having an Asian female
lead which she had to fight for it, which is
so crazy all the time, as perfect as belly. But yeah,
I feel like we're seeing television change before our eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
That's how I feel, I know as a mom. Like
the first season I was in and I was like, oh,
it's a little risque, but okay. And then season three
they're like dropping f bombs and hooking up left and right.
I'm like, Whoh, what age group is this show really for?
I love a love story doesn't matter how old you
(09:45):
aren't you always going to love a love story. So
what's going on is the difficult choice between Conrad and Jeremiah.
And even though the decision has been made, we don't
want to spoil it if you haven't watched it yet,
it has all just made us really stop and think
and talk about choosing me. And this time it's not
(10:08):
from Kelly, it's from Belly. How do you think that
that message is landing for the younger generation that's watching
this show? Because I know from my perspective the generation
that grew up with Kelly Taylor, they are like, oh
my god, this is it. She just having her I
Choose Me moment and they fully get it and they
(10:28):
fully relate. But when you're looking at it with younger eyes,
do you feel like that's coming across and the importance
of that message?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I mean, I think so. I think the show started
three four years ago, so we've even watched her grow
up before our eyes and cheering her on, like I said,
from a big sister perspective, and wanting her to keep growing.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Right. Yeah, we're invested. I'm invested in Belly just like
people were invested in Kelly. So I get it now.
From me, It's so fascinating to look at it from
an outside perspective, but with the wisdom of years and
the knowledge of what choosing yourself can do for you
in your life. So I just see it so crystal clear.
(11:17):
But it also makes me remember that Kelly only chose
herself for you know, a couple months, two months, maybe
summer break, and then she was onto the new guy, So.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
That's interesting. I think people can go through phases where
they prioritize themselves and then priorities can shift, Like when
you're a new mom, your priority is not going to
be yourself for a couple months, you know, sure, it's
about coming back and always remembering that you can choose
again to make yourself the priority and reinvest in yourself.
(11:50):
So I think you can have choosing seasons.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Oh my gosh. Well, one thing I know is that
this show has been such a joy for me to
get into with my daughters. Like we will watch the
show and two of us will be in one house,
and one of us will be across the country in
another house, and one of us is far away in
another house, and we all either get together to watch
(12:16):
it or we wait as long as we can for
the other people. But sometimes I can't wait that long.
I'm not that impatient.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Watch it during the day, just absolute badness.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I know that's kind of like against the law, but
sometimes I guess I gotta find out things, you know.
I didn't have time to watch it, but I just
love the way it's bringing multi generations together. And I
really see that now again from such a different perspective,
because that's what nine o two one to Ozho did
for so many people and their kids, and now just
(12:48):
being able to do that with my kids, I feel
like everything is full circle, you know. It's just how
things evolve, and it's meant to be that we're all
watching it together. I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, I love you, mama.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I love your baby. Thanks for hopping on teste laters.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Ye
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garland.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Everyone, welcome to I Choose Me. This podcast is all
about the choices we make. And today my badass oldest
daughter Luca is joining me from NYC because we are
all obsessed with a little show called The Summer I
Turn Pretty. And yes she's three thousand miles away, Fiona's
(00:31):
at college, Lola's here with me and the show and
Bellie's big choice has made me feel like we're all
in one room. So this is going to be a
great episode to talk about this The Summer I Turn Pretty.
If you don't know a teenager, or if you aren't
a teenager, you probably don't know what I'm talking about.
But The Summer I Turn Pretty follows teenage Isabelle Bellie
(00:55):
Conklin as her life is transformed. During this Cousins beach
with our family and their longtime friends, the Fishers, who
happen to be cutey batuities. It's a very complicated love
triangle that forms between Belly and the sons of Susannah,
Conrad and Jeremiah. The series explores the themes of first love,
(01:21):
the heartbreak, the growing up, while also highlighting the strong
bonds between mothers and children and lifelong female friendships. Let's
go to one of my lifelong female friendships, my beautiful
daughter Luca. Hi, Hi, mom, thanks for having me. Oh,
I'm so glad you're here. Okay, we're just going to
(01:43):
jump into this because we're so excited. We haven't seen
the finale yet, so if you have, don't tell us anything,
but we are going to talk about what we think
should happen. What do you think is going to happen, Luca.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I feel a little pessimistic. I don't think we're to
get the ending that we want.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Wait, what's the ending you want?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well, I think you and I agree that we're both
Team Conrad.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Listen, I've rethought that Team Conrade for sure in my heart.
But then I thought back to the times when I
was in the Triangle and I was one of the teams, yeah,
back in the day, a long time ago, and I thought, oh,
that that really did not feel good to be on
one of the teams. So now I've decided to not
(02:28):
try to not pick a team or say there are teams,
but that's true, there are there are people out there
that want both cases. I don't know who would want
youremia at this point, just saying, but there.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Like something I actually wanted to pose to you is
that we always put the woman in the center of
the triangle, just as like a culture like Kelly Taylor's
center of the triangle. Even Twilight bella center of the
triangle with the werewolf guy and yeah, got it. But
(03:04):
with Belly, I feel like it might be a multi
shape dimension and that's just how real life is. And
maybe she'll have many more love shapes and triangles. And
we have this new love interest, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I know the guy, the new guy in town.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
He's from Spain, Mexico. In Mexico.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
He wants to go to her, to go to his grandma's.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
He wants to take her around the world, show her
his family.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
But that's how it goes like in life. It's ever
going to be just between you. And maybe you're lucky
and you're into a love triangle because that's a fun
place to be, but there's always going to be something someone,
some other decision or choice that we have to make
in our life. You're so right, but this is the brow.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Up as part of that. That's right, it's part of that,
and as your world expands, I think there's room for
many triangles and many different and.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
That's what we're watching Belly grow up. We've watched her
grow up. I mean, for those of you that don't
have a teenager, don't know a teenager, don't speak teenage,
you probably have no idea what we're talking about. But
if you're a mom of a teen like me that
got sucked in, and not only like I wanted to
watch it because I wanted to hang out with you guys,
(04:30):
secretly I want to be in your cool kids.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I don't think that's true. I saw a couple of
key scenes and you got hooked.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I did, I honestly did. I got hooked, But I
didn't stick around for the second season, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
So.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Now I'm back, and I feel so passionate about what
is happening, Like I see her having this moment, this
I choose me moment. Do you think she's Do you
think that's what's happening?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Honestly, I'm not team her choosing herself just for like
the closure of this story.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
But wait a minute, because.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What season did you have this moment where you had.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
To make a choice I think fifth season.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Okay, well, then the season's continued. If we're gonna have
the final conclusion when the season finale series.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
What blows my mind.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I don't know if you can have this art, I
don't know. It's just.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Why does it have to be the series finale? Why
can't it just be the season finale and then we
can come back for more next year.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, we fall in love with the characters. I feel
like there's so much space for that world to keep expanding.
Maybe it's not the end. Maybe there's a spin off
of her life in Paris.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I mean, I've watched that. It's been interesting. I like
seeing her on her own in Paris. How about you.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I mean, I'm feeling like I'm watching a different show now.
I'm not gonna lie. I really love the world that
the creator Jenny Hawn built in that specific place called Cousins,
the summer of it, and now this show is kind
of expanding into thall spanning in the winter, and I'm
losing that kind of summer magic. But then it shows
(06:10):
me as a viewer, but again, it's just because I'm
like frustrated because there's not a lot of time left.
I'm like how is she going to tie it all up?
But I have faith. I have faith that she'll make
it all shiny with a nice bow.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
It feels like she kind of already chose herself in
a way, because she left all the madness, got on
that airplane without seeing Conrad in the shadows. Yeah, and
she chose herself. She chose to go to Paris, and
then she continued to choose herself. She found an apartment,
she found friends, she figured out how to get into
(06:50):
the school that she wanted to get into.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
She's French, she's she has a job.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Like she's choosing herself left and right. Yes, So it's
as if she's already having her I choose me moment.
That's how I feel. But I guess the show being
that it's the finale, forever never coming back.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
They want like a bo they want something that we
can all have closure with. You're right, and I want that.
I want to know. Mm hmm. I feel like at
this point, if she chose herself, I too would feel disappointed.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
But I don't think it's I don't think it's a
love triangle anymore. I think that that it's definitely died
off because she loves. I don't know. Are people still
saying that she's going to go back and get back
together Jeremiah. I feel like she But that made me
sad too. Sorry. I have a lot of thoughts in
there all happening and want give it to me that
she didn't get the I Choose me moment at the wedding.
(07:49):
That made me really sad. I really wanted her to
have that like a moment where she decided to put
herself first, and I didn't see that with Jeremiah.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Wait and tell me what happened. Why did the wedding
not happen? I watched it.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I just can't didn't happen because Jeremiah called it off.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Jeremiah called it off. Wait what dinosaur?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yep? Yeah, pretty crazy. So I really wish I saw
a little bit more of like herself choosing her in
that moment, but it wasn't possible, I guess at the time.
And now she's finally getting there. So I'm proud of
her from like a big sister perspective, like I'm cheering
her on that she's doing it now. But I don't know,
(08:30):
is it too little, too late in a way, or
is it never too late to choose yourself. That's what
you always say.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I mean, it's never too late to choose yourself. But
I just want her to have lasting love with someone
that cares about her so much.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh yeah, this is the kind of stuff that we
talk about, you and me, Lolathiana, Like we sit around
and we all talk about how this show relates to
our identity as women and femal empowerment, and like we
really dissect the characters and how it affects us. And
I think the showrunner is super aware of that, like
the impact she's having and giving a voice to women
(09:08):
and such an amazing lead and having an Asian female
lead which she had to fight for it, which is
so crazy all the time, as perfect as belly. But yeah,
I feel like we're seeing television change before our eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
That's how I feel, I know as a mom. Like
the first season I was in and I was like, oh,
it's a little risque, but okay. And then season three
they're like dropping f bombs and hooking up left and right.
I'm like, Whoh, what age group is this show really for?
I love a love story doesn't matter how old you
(09:45):
aren't you always going to love a love story. So
what's going on is the difficult choice between Conrad and Jeremiah.
And even though the decision has been made, we don't
want to spoil it if you haven't watched it yet,
it has all just made us really stop and think
and talk about choosing me. And this time it's not
(10:08):
from Kelly, it's from Belly. How do you think that
that message is landing for the younger generation that's watching
this show? Because I know from my perspective the generation
that grew up with Kelly Taylor, they are like, oh
my god, this is it. She just having her I
Choose Me moment and they fully get it and they
(10:28):
fully relate. But when you're looking at it with younger eyes,
do you feel like that's coming across and the importance
of that message?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I mean, I think so. I think the show started
three four years ago, so we've even watched her grow
up before our eyes and cheering her on, like I said,
from a big sister perspective, and wanting her to keep growing.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Right. Yeah, we're invested. I'm invested in Belly just like
people were invested in Kelly. So I get it now.
From me, It's so fascinating to look at it from
an outside perspective, but with the wisdom of years and
the knowledge of what choosing yourself can do for you
in your life. So I just see it so crystal clear.
(11:17):
But it also makes me remember that Kelly only chose
herself for you know, a couple months, two months, maybe
summer break, and then she was onto the new guy, So.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
That's interesting. I think people can go through phases where
they prioritize themselves and then priorities can shift, Like when
you're a new mom, your priority is not going to
be yourself for a couple months, you know, sure, it's
about coming back and always remembering that you can choose
again to make yourself the priority and reinvest in yourself.
(11:50):
So I think you can have choosing seasons.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Oh my gosh. Well, one thing I know is that
this show has been such a joy for me to
get into with my daughters. Like we will watch the
show and two of us will be in one house,
and one of us will be across the country in
another house, and one of us is far away in
another house, and we all either get together to watch
(12:16):
it or we wait as long as we can for
the other people. But sometimes I can't wait that long.
I'm not that impatient.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Watch it during the day, just absolute badness.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I know that's kind of like against the law, but
sometimes I guess I gotta find out things, you know.
I didn't have time to watch it, but I just
love the way it's bringing multi generations together. And I
really see that now again from such a different perspective,
because that's what nine o two one to Ozho did
for so many people and their kids, and now just
(12:48):
being able to do that with my kids, I feel
like everything is full circle, you know. It's just how
things evolve, and it's meant to be that we're all
watching it together. I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, I love you, mama.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I love your baby. Thanks for hopping on teste laters.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Ye
Host
Jennie Garth
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