Justin Morello believed it was important to spend rare television time just watching shows that were critically acclaimed for certain fame.
His wife then turned on the first season of “The Summer I Tunder” a few years ago, and the 31-year-old soon became the adaptation of the teen romance book into the Amazon Prime Show of the Virus.
“I like to watch shows and movies with my wife, and she let me see all these shows that are fun to watch,” said Justin, who lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and four children. “This show is low stakes and it’s just fun. We’re kidding about it when it’s happening. It was really fun.”
“Men who are self-conscious about watching the ‘girly show’ are missing out on entertainment,” he added. “With that label, you’re missing out on entertainment.”
Morelos is just one of the couples who took her to social media to share their dedication to the soap opera at the time of Candy’s arrival, closing out the third and final seasons. Justin has been a fan since 2022, but Tiktok and his Instagram partner have been exposed because their partner, who vowed to be indifferent, cannot leave Berry Conklin and the Fisher Brothers.
“My husband saw a ‘silly little show’ and he’s ‘not interested’,” one Tiktok user wrote in a video featuring a spouse standing quietly while being fascinated by the scene where Conrad screams at a berry on the beach.
Based on Jenny Han’s young adult novel, “The Summer I Tunder Pretty” follows Isabel “Berry” Conklin (Laura Tung), who spends every summer in the fictional seaside town of Cousins Beach with the Fisher family. Throughout the series, she struggles to process his emotions in the aftermath of her mother’s death, and his younger brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Casaregno), navigates the feelings she has towards her younger brother, which Tiktalker describes as “golden retriever boyfriend” (aka retriever boyfriend and playful).
Soaked by nostalgia, the show about First Love, Heartbreak, Sadness and Loyalty, combined with a soundtrack filled with Taylor Swift, has earned cult following from both longtime Hanfan and new, and sometimes passive viewers. Only three episodes remain in the series, spurring a fierce debate as fans analyzed each episode, hosted a show-themed bridal shower, gathered at the bar for a watch party, and went to the edge of the globe for “Team Conrad” or “Team Jeremiah.”
“This is not my husband watching my ‘Teen Love Triangle Show’,” another Tiktok user wrote on the video, showing that his husband was captivated by the dramatic scene while hugging his newborn.
For Noah Rockway, a 29-year-old Pennsylvania native who works in the sale of medical devices, interest in “The Summer II Tunched” did not begin until the end of 2024 after his then pregnant wife, Gabriella, heard about it from a colleague.
“My wife controls the remote. I just go with her with anything she puts,” explained Noah. “I probably wasn’t my first choice, but I fell in love with them.”
When the couple tore through the first two seasons, sometimes between chores and work, Noah admits that he “introduced it in.” When the new season premiered in July, he was excited to see how the story unfolds and whether the belly would end up with his favorite character, the medical student Conrad.
“We’re 100% Team Conrad. If we have a son, I hope he’s something like Conrad,” Gabriella said.
Over the past few weeks, Noah and Gabriella have settled on a new Wednesday routine to keep up with the episode’s release. Gabriella, who was at home with her newborn daughter, watches it the first thing in the morning when Noah begins work. Sometimes Noah comes out and peers through the corner to see what’s going on, but the pair always sees it in the evening.
“Like 9:15, you’re starting out with bagels in your hand, bacon in your hand, you’re drinking coffee,” Gabriella said. These responses have gained thousands of views on Tiktok.
Like Morelos, Brockway took him to Tiktok to document his shared interest in the show. And he has strong feelings about the show. Episode 8 ended with the voluntary purchase of tickets to Paris following the dramatic ending of her and Jeremiah, following the dramatic ending of her and Jeremiah, after her feelings for Conrad and his feelings were revealed.
The trailer, released last week in the show’s final three episodes, was performed in the background of Ellie Goulding’s “Whatever Can Happen” as he shows his belly in Paris and dances with new characters. In the final scene, Berry can be heard seeing Conrad send her a letter, and Branny says, “My dear belly.”
“If she comes with Jeremiah, we’ll be carved,” said Rainey Morello, 30, about her and Justin’s feelings regarding the show’s outcome. “Justin still wants her to go to Paris and meet someone there.”
However, both couples stick to the beliefs of “Team Conrad” and have strong feelings about the other characters and enjoy the family side of the show, but that’s the fact that the show is an activity worthy of hype.
“We may have to start naps early,” Justin joked when asked how he was about to watch Wednesday’s new episode. “Maybe we’ll wake up early. We’ll definitely try to get it done like midday.”
Laney added: “I don’t want to get spoilers!”
