This article contains major spoilers for the Summertime Season 3 ending. You can check out our spoiler-free season review by clicking these words.
Summertime has always been a surprisingly popular part of Netflix’s extensive teen-drama canon. In my reviews of the two prior seasons (available here and here) I’ve wondered what it is about this soapy, predictable series that people seem to have taken a liking to. Is it the picturesque visuals? The handsome, talented young actors? Or simply the idea, which the show peddles rather enthusiastically, of a hazy unending summer full of sun, sea, sand, and sex?
It’s probably a little of each, honestly. Summertime Season 3, the latest batch of eight episodes, will probably be the show’s last outing, and it has that feeling to it. While the series has always had an air of transience to it, here it begins to develop an air of finality, as the characters finally figure out who they are and what they want. So, how does it all shake out?
Summertime Season 3 ending explained
On the one hand, we have Sofia’s relationship with Summer, which began strained, was brought tighter in the wake of trauma, and really comes together in the end as a nice little adventurous team-up, with both deciding to travel together to Australia. But that isn’t to say we don’t get our fair share of will-they-won’t-they in the meantime with Summer and Ale.
This relationship, which has fallen by the wayside a little, develops into a mature kind of mutual understanding and letting go. Summer begins the season by sleeping with Luca, while Ale is in a depressive spiral after Lola’s accident. Luca never really feels like a serious option, but he does push Summer into singing more, leading to developments in other areas of her life, while training with Lola allows Ale to heal himself while also developing a relationship with her.
While Summer decides to go with Sofia, and Lola ends up sailing away with Ale, one of the more powerful sequences is still shared between Summer and Ale, who hold hands at the sun-dappled shoreline, noting how the flamingos have flown away. In their own ways, perhaps they’re doing the same.
Easily the most compelling plot of Summertime Season 3, though, is Dario’s relationship with Rita, which is badly damaged by Rita kissing Stefano. After some self-destructive behavior, some soul-searching, and reconciliation with Ale, Dario is able to forgive Rita’s mistake, and the two happily reunite, presumably much to the pleasure of Davide, whose connection with Dario was one of the best throughlines of the entire series.
I’d say all that’s a happy ending, wouldn’t you?
You can check out the Summertime Season 3 ending exclusively on Netflix.
