Spoilers ahead for episode 1 "Last Season". Text only; spoiler images/gifs will be posted separately. I will be focusing on Bellyere and Belly and Jere in these posts.
To not put a fine point on it, the worst excesses of Jenny's writing (aka, that Fuckass Book 3) have been live-adapted in these first two episodes. We are talking ANVIL Obvious narrative.
This will be my first and last time staying up and watching the episodes as they air - because I'm fine with waiting, if the pacing/hammy writing continues like this.
I had low expectations coming into this season as the source material was my least favorite of an already shaky series, but seeing the direct words and some events translate to the screen was a lot.
I was not prepared for how low my expectations should have gone.
Under Jenny's watch, the characters we love, and are interested in - go through the OOC wringer. The characterization that was set up from season 1 and season 2? Yeah, bye.
Mere shadows of themselves - Jenny and co. take the college experience of 'finding yourself/making mistakes/hooking up, etc.' and dial it up to eleven. The messy boots that were Steven and Taylor?
Both of them are cheaters, not only emotional cheaters, but full on cheaters - Steven has a plot device offscreen girlfriend Mia. Taylor is dating/has a 'boyfriend' named Davis, who is in Jere's frat. We see him, and he's cute and all, but nothing has done to make him a real character. They are mere paper obstacles in the background. Steven and Taylor have been on and off - off for most of the first day Taylor moves into Finch, though Belly catches them hooking up again later.
But then a fast forward into the present - and it's junior year, and they're sneaking around with each other and Belly and Jere know this and no one's doing anything about it, because why would paper obstacle significant others matter.
Belly and Jere start out strong - they are the 100% that couple on campus who do everything together, and are head over heels in love. But cracks are present, and before too long we get to the Lacie plot device, and Cabo.
Let me go down the negatives first, to get them out of the way. As always, Show Belly is my girl, and I love her, but she is flawed, and I guess the memo was to hell with growth and nuance for everyone.
Belly slapping Jere in the face after he admits he had sex with Lacie was hurtful and unnecessary. These two have been shown up until this point to love each other and touch each other gently and their shared love language is physical touch. Belly slapping him was too far. I hated it when Laurel slapped her, and I hate it here too. Emotions were running high and she has every right to feel hurt and betrayed, because she was - but I detest that the show went there and kept that from the book. Hardcore Team Jeremiahs probably disowned her right here. Do I think it's unforgivable? No. But that's a cruel thing to do to her and Jere, because they're so physically affectionate, and then to have his person touch him in anger like that?
Straight to jail. JAIL, JENNY. JAIL
2. The compressing of the majority of their relationship means we saw their highest highs - and they were darling just as I thought they would be, meant that when they imploded, we didn't really get any room to breathe/build up, just straight into ugliness and hurt (the breakup is beginning of episode 2)
which is directly tied to how the writers drastically decided to overhaul Jere's character in the shallowest of ways - he's forgetful of opening school emails so now he has to graduate a semester later because his courses didn't count, and he's distraught over that - and Belly is sweetly supportive. However, there are moments where it's written that Belly is glib and not fond of Jere's fraternity (where it's all boobs and ass and smoking weed, so thanks for keeping that stereotype too, Jenny!) instead of going into the deeper things about him that she loves, so it sounds superficial. Belly goes into a rant about the things that drive her crazy about Jeremiah to Steven, which had some of the ridiculous things from the books - so yeah, allergies are back and tissues everywhere. However, on screen, it just sounded like little petty things in any long term relationship, not deal breakers. Jeremiah gets dressed down in a fierce fashion by Adam, and Belly hears it.
3. Belly's volleyball gets taken away, which I suppose for real volleyball players watching is a relief, because girl...but so the thing that she presumably got into Finch for, the thing that brought her back to herself in season 2? Poof. Belly injures her knee and is now going into sports psychology.
4. The writing is not good. Like, not good in a not good way, not in an enjoyable way. It felt over the top at times and strangely flat in others. I was worried from the clips we saw and hoping context would help but nope. The script being so OOT meant everyone was fighting for their lives in the acting department too, which was even more disappointing. Lola had some sitcom-style deliveries and over exaggerated facial expression. I really hope this improves in episode 3.
Now for the good part: BELLYJERE CHEMISTRY ON TOP. STILL.
All the details of their relationship and their love story - the scavenger hunt photos that jenny talked about in EW - are on Belly's wall - I screamed when I saw that she and Jere dressed up as Lara Jean and Peter for Halloween (a good easter egg)
While they certainly both had their rough patches individually, when they're together and portraying that long relationship, it's a pleasure to watch.
