In the books, Conrad is 16 during the first summer. By the time the TV show hits, he’s been aged up to 17. That’s it? Well, not quite.
The showrunners nudged everyone up a year. Belly goes from 15 to 16. Conrad moves from 16 to 17. Suddenly, the drama feels a bit more high school and a bit less middle school.
But Why Does It Matter?
Because age is the secret ingredient to the angst. A 16-year-old Conrad is a brooding, moody mess. A 17-year-old Conrad is brooding, moody, and almost an adult. That one year changes everything.
He’s old enough to drive. He’s old enough to skip town. He’s old enough to make terrible, romantic decisions. And we love him for it.
