S02.E03: Love Sick

[Whimsy]

Quote

The summer house is for sale, but Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad won’t let it go so easily. While Conrad works on a secret plan, Belly and Jeremiah try a more direct route. But being back in Cousins with the Fisher brothers means Belly can’t escape painful memories of the past year.

Original airdate 7/14/23

[Artsda]

As someone who is an aunt to 2 nephews, not even recognizing Jeremiah was wow.  How horrible an aunt and family member especially after losing their mom, that's when an aunt should step up. 

She also didn't go to the funeral? How come she didn't care about her part of the house before? Wouldn't the boys get their mothers half? None of the house stuff makes sense.

 

 

[mandymax]

I haven't read any of the books.  I'd heard about the first season earlier this summer and binge-watched it, and I had no idea that either of the brothers was supposed to be in love with Belly or that Belly was supposed to be in love with either of the brothers until it was, like, thrown at the viewer halfway through the season, so it was almost kind of jarring that THIS was what the show was supposed to be about.

I'm watching the second season just because it's there, and I'm still not all that impressed.  

I think my biggest stumbling block is - and has been from the get-go - the nickname "Belly" for Isabelle.  All I can think is that this was as close to "Bella Swan" as they could legally/conceivably get in order to convey that the female MC is incredibly desirable by every male who crosses her path.   Not only that, just "Belly" is a turn-off for me.  Who wants to be known as a stomach?

[mandymax]

7 hours ago, WatcherUatl10 said:

I've known a weird amount of Isabelles in my life, and they were always shortened to "Izzy" or "Belle", depending on their ages. "Belly" is off-putting, especially for someone over 8.

  I too have not read the books, but I HAVE seen the first season, and Jeremiah was briefly mentioned as "bisexual" until he wasn't. Aunt Julia's daughter has that "I'm trying to be non-binary" look, and doesn't seem to have any story purpose, but she and Jere recognized each other, so i am assuming that there is a hook-up in their future, to get the guilt out of the threesome's intermingling. The REASON I mention it is that I see a potential loophole in Julia not actually having a legit claim to the house, because I doubt the series will go full incest. (Also, I assume that Isabelle's talk about her mother's disinterest in her father will make more sense once the memoir is published, and her mother's love for Susannah will be revealed to be more than they thought, as seemed apparent in the first season).

  Again, shots in the dark, not having read the books. But I HAVE watched TV.

I have the first book on my Kindle - maybe I'll give it a go and see if it makes me like the show any better.

Honestly, I didn't find ANY of the characters likable in the first season.  Jeremiah's excessive romantic activities with everyone with a pulse made him look like a sleaze ball, Susannah came across as someone who thought she was all that and a bag of dips doodles who looked down on Belly's mom - really, the only character I liked even just a little bit was Belly's mom.  Even her brother was annoying.  

Why am I continuing to watch this?

[tired and hungry]

Looks like it's going to be the girl running after the sad brooding guy again in the hopes that she can "fix" him and he'll fall in love with her again...

In the first season, Jeremiah was basically the most sweetest guy you can find who was so clearly in love with her but Belly just had to ignore him and chase the other brother who just wants to act all broody & distant and can't use his words to even communicate properly. I don't really care whom she picks or which brother is "right" for her tbh it's just that she plays with everyone's feelings too much and I have a feeling it's going to happen again in S2.

I really don't get it.. She's such a catch (or so dang pretty) that wherever she goes guys are just throwing themselves at her? It's just too much teenage dream fantasy 2 hot guys fighting over a girl type unrealistic situation.. I'll just watch it coz I already saw the first season..

I too agree Belly is a terrible nickname.. Bells or Izzy or literally anything else sounds sooooo much better....

[SeanC]

On 7/14/2023 at 7:14 PM, Artsda said:

As someone who is an aunt to 2 nephews, not even recognizing Jeremiah was wow.  How horrible an aunt and family member especially after losing their mom, that's when an aunt should step up.

With the reference to them being half-siblings, based on their relative ages, I'd say that their father ditched Julia's mother for Susannah's, hence them not being close at all.

On 7/14/2023 at 7:14 PM, Artsda said:

Wouldn't the boys get their mothers half?

Not if it was held in joint tenancy (presumably left to them as such by the aforementioned father). In that case, whichever of the sisters outlived the other would inherit the whole thing.

2 hours ago, tired and hungry said:

I don't really care whom she picks or which brother is "right" for her tbh it's just that she plays with everyone's feelings too much and I have a feeling it's going to happen again in S2.

That seems rather unfair to me, particularly given that she is the youngest person involved in this triangle and has the least relationship experience. She's not playing with anyone, she has feelings for both of them and circumstances (including the boys' own actions) have made it a messy situation.

[festivus]

Belly needs to wake up to the fact that Conrad is never going to just tell her what's going on with him, she's always going to have to fight for it. Whereas she is a tell it like it is person. Let it go girl.

I really love Taylor, I'm glad she's there with them now. Her and Belly's friendship is the actual heart of the show for me.

[seasons]

Season two definitely has a different vibe than season one. Of course, because of Susanna’s death and the risk of losing the house those things changed the whole arc of the story.

 

I enjoy watching it because I love the vibe of the beach and the beach house/mansion and just the whole beach life thing. I had a feeling they were going to be a lot of holes in the story. But I do enjoy it overall.
 

I’m thinking that the way that the kids are going to save the house is maybe to realize maybe they could make money off of Susanna‘s paintings? Not sure if that would be enough though. Or the mother’s book is going to be a huge bestseller, and earn her millions of dollars to buy the house.

I keep wondering about that random guy that Susanna hooked up with at the bar, if he somehow plays into things in the last few episodes.

I don’t think there’s a season three scheduled?

[AntFTW]

This season is much more toned down than last season. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet.

On 7/18/2023 at 1:35 PM, seasons said:

I’m thinking that the way that the kids are going to save the house is maybe to realize maybe they could make money off of Susanna‘s paintings?

I'm sort of leaning toward them not being able to save the house in the end.

[AEJ79]

I'm confused by the timeline.

Conrad & Belly were together and going to prom (which is usually in April/May) and Suzanna was still alive based on Conrad telling Belly she was going on new meds.

Belly's brother graduates (usually in May/June) and Suzanna has already passed away. But then Belly's mom has already written a book & had it published in this time as well? Pretty sure that can't happen in a month. Unless she started writing it before she passed?

[xhoipolloix]

On 7/21/2023 at 1:15 PM, AEJ79 said:

I'm confused by the timeline.

Conrad & Belly were together and going to prom (which is usually in April/May) and Suzanna was still alive based on Conrad telling Belly she was going on new meds.

Belly's brother graduates (usually in May/June) and Suzanna has already passed away. But then Belly's mom has already written a book & had it published in this time as well? Pretty sure that can't happen in a month. Unless she started writing it before she passed?

The timeline is driving me crazy too. Plus when Belly and Jere had a flat tire, the corn was fully mature, which would not be the case in May or June. It's just bad writing. 

[Vivigirl10]

This season seems kind of slapped together.  Lots of sloppy unthought out scenes/storylines paired with some really in-depth good scenes. 

On 7/14/2023 at 5:14 PM, Artsda said:

How come she didn't care about her part of the house before?

Another glossed over detail.  You're telling me you have access to that amazing beach house and you never go and just let your estranged half-sister act like it's completely 100% hers?  

On 7/18/2023 at 12:35 PM, seasons said:

Or the mother’s book is going to be a huge bestseller, and earn her millions of dollars to buy the house.

This is what I was thinking.

Belly needs to take a close look at who Conrad is.  Someone who shuts down emotionally to the point of becoming practically mute, brooding and cutting people off.  Yeah, not life partner material there.  

Everyone is blaming Belly for her behavior at the funeral but wasn't Conrad equally as awful?  I guess he gets a pass because it's his Mom who died?  Belly's Mom looked at her like she was some kind of alien monster who she didn't want to claim she even knew.  If everyone was standing around so horrified by the argument, her Mom should've stepped in and ushered her outside.

On 7/16/2023 at 2:55 AM, WatcherUatl10 said:

Aunt Julia's daughter has that "I'm trying to be non-binary" look, and doesn't seem to have any story purpose, but she and Jere recognized each other, so i am assuming that there is a hook-up in their future,

On 7/16/2023 at 2:55 AM, WatcherUatl10 said:

(Also, I assume that Isabelle's talk about her mother's disinterest in her father will make more sense once the memoir is published, and her mother's love for Susannah will be revealed to be more than they thought, as seemed apparent in the first season).

I'm starting to feel like the series is going to veer off in some type of direction like is mentioned above, maybe even Sky and Belly having a relationship.  Once it jumps that shark, I'm out.  And frankly, I don't think I'd be missing anything.  

[tired and hungry]

39 minutes ago, Kiki620 said:

Belly needs to take a close look at who Conrad is.  Someone who shuts down emotionally to the point of becoming practically mute, brooding and cutting people off.  Yeah, not life partner material there.  

THIS!!! I really dislike this type of character in love interests! Just use your words and communicate!! 

[SeanC]

2 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

Another glossed over detail.  You're telling me you have access to that amazing beach house and you never go and just let your estranged half-sister act like it's completely 100% hers?  

Julia, from what we’ve seen, doesn’t like Cousins Beach. She seems to associate it primarily with unhappy family times, given that they’re estranged.

[RachelKM]

On 8/4/2023 at 7:32 AM, Kiki620 said:

Belly needs to take a close look at who Conrad is.  Someone who shuts down emotionally to the point of becoming practically mute, brooding and cutting people off.  Yeah, not life partner material there.  

This.  I had more sympathy for him in the first season. I thought he had some super major issues. But he tried to handle on his own. And he tried to keep it to himself by mostly keeping himself remote. And as far as anyone else knew, things were fine.

This season, I just can't with him.  Everyone is going through it too and he's still removing himself and shutting down.  It's just his personality. I'm not saying he's the worst. He's just not a person anyone should be dating. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by RachelKM

[norcalgal]

On 7/15/2023 at 9:23 AM, mandymax said:

I think my biggest stumbling block is - and has been from the get-go - the nickname "Belly" for Isabelle.  All I can think is that this was as close to "Bella Swan" as they could legally/conceivably get in order to convey that the female MC is incredibly desirable by every male who crosses her path.   Not only that, just "Belly" is a turn-off for me.  Who wants to be known as a stomach?

To be fair, I think the books this show is based on were published before Twilight. And in the books, her nickname was Belly, which I hated, but still powered through reading the whole trilogy. 

On 7/17/2023 at 11:57 AM, festivus said:

Belly needs to wake up to the fact that Conrad is never going to just tell her what's going on with him, she's always going to have to fight for it. Whereas she is a tell it like it is person. Let it go girl.

I really love Taylor, I'm glad she's there with them now. Her and Belly's friendship is the actual heart of the show for me.

For me, Taylor is the MVP of both S1 and S2. I wish Jenny Han made a sequel or series based on Taylor. She’s the only truly rootable character.

On 8/4/2023 at 7:32 AM, Vivigirl10 said:

Belly needs to take a close look at who Conrad is.  Someone who shuts down emotionally to the point of becoming practically mute, brooding and cutting people off.  Yeah, not life partner material there.  

The reason I can’t ship Conrad and Belly is not just what @festivus and @Vivigirl10 posted above, but because I never got the sense that C and B were even really friends. Contrast that with Jeremiah, where they actually hang out and have fun together as friends, so you could see that being a great foundation for something more. With Conrad, it’s like Belly just had a crush on him that manifested into a romance and she feels she has to stick with it/him merely because she finally got what she’s wanted for years, instead of taking the time to reflect if the Conrad of current time is in fact who she wants in a romantic partner, or just someone she stays with because she owes it to younger Belly. 
Personality-wise, she just meshes with Jeremiah better.