Previously: Marissa and Volchock sitting in a tree.
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The Undertow
Jessica: We open on a video game match between the boys. Summer is bored, while Seth is certain that he doesn’t need to prep for his interview with Brown. Seeing as this is TV, and he’s one of the main characters, he’s probably right. New Girl (aka Sadie) comes in and challenges Seth to a video game off, which is CRAZY because she is a girl! But she does it anyway.
Ryan and Summer grab drinks in the other room and discuss how it’s totally not awkward that Ryan isn’t dating Marissa anymore. Summer describes Sadie as “the opposite of Marissa” which sounds like a huge improvement. Sadie might even have emotions besides angst, and real facial expressions! (M: Everything about this girl is CRAZY.)
Sadie slays Seth at the video game, which makes him “mortified” which, shut up, Seth. Sadie, of course, found a cheat code on the Internet. Because obviously she couldn’t win just on her own merit, which, shut up, show.
Seth then makes the classic “mentioning the word girlfriend” blunder and does classic Seth stammering until the doorbell rescues Ryan and the audience from this situation. Classic.
Guess who it is? It’s Jess, from various episodes ago, when she ran off to Vegas with Ryan’s brother Trey — further cementing my claim that NO ONE GOOD is ever named Jessica in TV or books. Seriously, what the hell?
Marines: We created the tag Jessi-caca specifically for Sweet Valley High, but now it clearly is the tag for this theory.
J: Ha, that totally works. I remember being annoyed as a kid reading SVH that Elizabeth’s and Jessica’s names weren’t switched for the characters.
For contrivance reasons, Jess hands Ryan a small wrapped birthday gift from Trey, and says they still keep in touch.
Jess is sure that Ryan is interested to know how Trey is doing, but Sadie shows up just then and Ryan’s like NOPE SHUT IT DOWN, RYAN NO USE WORDS FOR EXPLAIN EMOTIONS. Jess backs off and leaves, Sadie goes to play more video games and Ryan gives his best brooding look at the little wrapped present.
CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COOOOOOOOOOME!
Pool house. Ryan unwraps the present, and it’s a little toy car. Aww, remember how he and Trey used to steal those? #Nostalgia. Seth comes in and wonders aloud why the gift is so crappy, tiny and cheap, which is kinda rude. Ryan says “it’s an inside thing” and a “long story” and won’t elaborate. Kirsten announces that breakfast is ready so huzzah! Let’s go to the kitchen. But instead, she sees the toy car and reminisces that even though she and Sandy bought Seth lots of those, he would never play with them. Thanks for the insight, I guess?
Mari: Seth was turning down all his mounds of toy cars and Ryan was stealing his. I think it’s supposed to be #deep?
J: They’re so different but look! Now they’re friends.
Ryan offers a brief the backstory on the car, and acts all I-don’t-care-whatever when Kirsten asks if he knows how Trey is. Kirsten returns to the all-important theme of breakfast and Ryan broods us out of this scene.
Marissa’s hanging out in her trailer home and hears something at the door, which happens to be Volchek. He hands her the watch she bribed him to keep away from Ryan with in an earlier episode (thanks, previouslies!) and she’s surprised he didn’t sell it. They both non-emote at each other, which I think is supposed to be flirting, and he leaves.
Summer, at school, is pacing back and forth while Seth gets out of his Brown interview. He geeked out on anime with the interviewer and it seems to have gone well. Problem solved! Taylor walks up and says that she’ll make a celebratory flan, but Summer tells her that they want to celebrate by themselves. When Taylor insinuates what type of activities they might do all by themselves wink-wink, Summer clarifies that it will consist of “Thai food and the Blade trilogy.” Taylor claims they’ve lost the magic in their relationship and that Summer must be worried about Seth being distracted by other girls once they leave for college. Summer defensively claims she’s five levels hotter than Seth and walks off.
Poolside. Ryan is brooding at the toy car when Sadie stops by. She asks about the car but he hates using his words, and hides it in his pocket instead. She’s cool about it and tells him that she’ll totally listen if he ever decides to talk, but knowing the O.C. that will never, ever happen. Like, ever. (M: Season finale time? JUST KIDDING. Never.) Then, having no more dialogue options open to her, and even though she just arrived, she leaves. Ryan at least offer your girlfriend a bagel or something, jeez.
A certain Dr. Henry Griffen arrives at Sandy’s office. He brings complaints about the rumors floating around about Sandy’s irresponsible playboy partner, Matt. Sandy offers to talk to him but the Doctor’s Board was thinking more of a fire-him move. Sandy, ever the loyal compatriot, says that Matt worked hard for this, so Dr. Griffen lays down the ultimatum that the hospital doesn’t go forward with Matt involved.
Segue to Cohen Household at night. Seth joins Ryan in the kitchen. Ryan has been wondering about Trey, but Seth tells him he can either live in the past and ask Jess about Trey, or live in the now and hang out with his hot girlfriend Sadie. Not sure that’s entirely sage advice, but it is an awkward teenage boy giving it, so I guess that’s fair. Ryan looks broodingly into the camera.
Nighttime beach. Marissa is there, wearing the watch Volcheck gave back, but the man himself is not, even though earlier at her trailer he mentioned he might be. She like imagines him there or something? It’s like a weird flashback seizure. But it doesn’t conjure him out of the darkness so she leaves. There may be a little extra angst in the shoulder shrug.
Mari: You’ve probably got to close one eye and squint the other to notice it, though. Just take Jessica’s word for it.
J: I’ve spent years analyzing things like this.
Marissa arrives at Some Guy’s house, who I don’t recognize. She’s bored because Summer is with Seth and she doesn’t have anyone to hang out with. Some Guy says she could crash at his place over the weekend while he’s in L.A.
Meanwhile at Chez Cohen, Seth’s ready to start on Blade 3 and Summer finally speaks up against it. She suggests some sexytimes but he is totally not into it. By the time he’s ready to play ball (heh) she’s annoyed with him and won’t have it, telling him to “press play before I break your face.”
Ryan leaves a message for Sadie while getting out of his car. He says he’ll be there 20 minutes, then goes to the door of a giant mansion, which is answered by Jess. She invites him in and says she’s not surprised he couldn’t resist learning about Trey, and that she knows what it’s like because Trey sucks you in, but Jess, I’m pretty sure that it’s because Trey is his brother, so, that doesn’t exactly track. But whatever.
She says Trey misses Ryan, and her boyfriend Jim is just as angry and reckless as Trey. Hooray for you? As Ryan goes to leave, she offers the tidbit that Trey’s dealing — blackjack, that is. Psych! Apparently he’s trying to stay clean. Jess convinces Ryan to stay longer because she has more to tell about Trey.
Mari: While in her bikini! I guess in the OC, bikinis help the flow of words.
J: Next morning at Chez Cohen leads us into a montage of Ryan boxing a punching bag in the pool house while he flashes back to all the crazy stuff with Trey, including car stealing, punching, shooting, hospital visits, etc.
Kirsten enters, ready to talk to her broody adopted teenaged son. She talks about Marissa and Sadie, and how much she likes Sadie. Ryan says he wants to help Jess start a new life, for some reason, and Kirsten says he doesn’t have to save everyone all the time.
J: I’ve only known Sadie from this one episode, and I’m inclined to agree. She won the episode, by being a normal human being and using her words and *SPOILER ALERT she even manages to get Ryan to use his a little bit. That’s impressive.
Knock at Some Guy’s apartment and Marissa answers and it’s Sandy. He’s surprised to see her and says that she could always crash at their house, but she’s like yeeeaaaah don’t wanna do that at my ex-boyfriend’s house, exactly. Sandy tells her she doesn’t belong here, apparently since Some Guy = Matt, Sandy’s business partner, and she says she’s leaving anyway so NBD.
Diner. Summer is picking up an order and Taylor sneaks up behind her. Taylor mentions sex again and Summer lies super unconvincingly. Taylor has lots of specific questions about what kind of sex exactly they had which, uncomfortable, guessing their level of friendship here. Summer responds awkwardly and Taylor cottons on. As Summer runs away, she yells that she can help her.
Sadie’s place. Ryan finally shows up but won’t use his words again and says he’s just been distracted but none of it matters now so SHUT UP ABOUT IT ALREADY. Well his mouth doesn’t say that but everything else about him does. Sadie demands dinner to make up for it and they agree on tomorrow night.
Terrific Trailer. Marissa’s hanging out alone again and picks up her phone. Summer doesn’t answer and she looks sad, as sad as Marissa can look. Also Julie never shows up in this entire episode, so chalk another one up for negligent parenting.
Cohen Kitchen. Kirsten and Sandy are chopping vegetables, while Kirsten works to convince Sandy to talk to Ryan about his sads. The boys enter and Ryan immediately answers a phone call from Jess. She’s apparently hysterical and Ryan says he’ll be right over, ever the hero rushing off. Kirsten runs out and reminds him that he wasn’t going to do that again, but Ryan don’t curr and drives off anyway.
Club. Summer and Marissa are talking about how much not-sex Summer and Seth are having. Summer pushes about Ryan and Marissa, but Marissa gets distracted by seeing Volchek at the bar and mumbles, “the more emotionally unavailable you are, the more you end up wanting each other,” which apparently is their excuse for how this next relationship gets started. Lovely sentiment.
J: Ryan arrives at Jess’s house. Apparently Jess’s new bad boyfriend Jimmy has been hanging around unwanted since she broke up with him the other night after her talk with Ryan. A car pulls up and it’s Jim, so Ryan sends her off and confronts him. He offers to punch Jim if he enters, which apparently works, because next he joins Jess in the living room. Jess swears she’s trying to change, and that he doesn’t have to stay. Ryan gets almost to the door when he sees a picture of Trey sticking out of Jess’s purse. This changes his mind and he returns to the living room. Fade to black.
Next morning, Ryan comes out to Jess, who is already up and sunning herself in front of the pool. Did I mention that this house is also kick-ass amazing? Because it is. She offers him eggs but he’s gotta get going. In the middle of her begging him to stay, she gets a call and it’s Trey. She offers him the phone, but Ryan refuses, so she hangs up.
Mari: Anyone else get the feeling she was faking that call?
J: That does sound like something a Jess or Jessica would do.
She says that Trey wants her to come back but that’s not conducive to her trying to change, apparently. Her parents are also absent, so her main job is sitting around sunbathing. He tells her to invite her college friends over to talk with, and she tries to keep him around, but he peaces out.
Cohen Kitchen. Sandy’s still trying to get in touch with Matt. No dice on the phone, so he talks to Seth about the Brown interview instead. Seth asks if Sandy and Kirsten ever used to go through stale patches, but Sandy embarrasses him with a story about how she’s a firecracker and Seth is sorry he asked. Kirsten wonders if anyone has heard from Ryan, who didn’t come home last night, but Sadie appears with bagels in the kitchen. (M: She brought bagels! No wonder Kirsten thinks she’s a keeper.) She asks if Ryan is around and Kirsten pulls a classic Seth stammering move and has to leave in embarrassment. Sandy follows.
Sadie accurately describes the situation to Seth, having guessed that “that Jess girl” called and Ryan ran over all hero-rescue-y. She says she’s not jealous, she’s just not sure that Ryan’s intense issues are right for her, which, fair. Seth encourages her to hang in there in typical Seth goofy fashion. Sadie smiles and asks Seth to keep her visit a secret.
Elsewhere, Taylor barges into Summer’s bedroom, and invites Summer to help with the prom brainstorm at school later. She reluctantly agrees.
Office-type place. Sandy’s grilling Matt, who he’s finally tracked down, and Matt claims there’s no way the Doctor’s Board has anything on him besides a few parties here and there. Sandy brings up Marissa, how she answered his door in pajamas. “Nothing happened,” Matt insists. “That doesn’t matter,” Sandy replies and I just have to give this man a slow clap for being amazing. If anyone, ANYONE had that attitude in Pretty Little Liars, then Rosewood would not be the terrifying place for teen girls that it is. Seriously, well done sir. Well done.
Matt claims only Sandy can protect him against the big bad board, and Sandy is all annoyed.
Summer comes to school for the prom committee, but it turns out that Taylor has arranged a meeting with Seth instead. “This is a total ambush,” Summer complains. Taylor sits them down to talk. She’s not a licensed sex therapist, she explains, but she’s going to do her best. Seth tries to leave but Summer decides to go all in. They stare into each other’s eyes, mostly just squinting, and it doesn’t work. The spark is gone, apparently. Taylor says she also does breakup counseling.
Club. Marissa walks around all shoulder-shruggy and Volchek shows up. She claims she wasn’t looking for him but he doesn’t buy it; he sees that she’s lonely. She’s still playing the hard to get game though and walks off. Not exactly sparks, but I think we’re supposed to think so.
Jess’s college rager. Ryan knocks on the pool house door and Jess lets him in. She’s all drunk and convinced that Ryan is her knight in shining armor. She cries all over his shoulder and starts kissing his neck. Of course that’s when Jim walks in so he and Ryan go to duel outside or something honorable like that.
Jim is a douche and punches Ryan IN THE FACE. Ryan manages to wrestle him to the ground and tells Jim he has to let Jess start over. Ryan walks away — a new move for him! Jess runs after him and he tells her to stay away from both Jim and Trey. She has to stop dating guys like that, but he’s not available either. He leaves.
Mari: This is even crazier than a girl playing video games.
J: Chez Cohen. Taylor enters Seth’s room. He doesn’t want to talk to her about Summer. She has some sex advice for him, whipping out a copy of the Kama Sutra and referring to the time she slept with the Dean (ugh, welcome back, pedo things that remind me of Rosewood). Seth even gives a pained expression. Apparently her version of the Kama Sutra is a pop-up book. His expression grows even more pained.
Marissa and Summer chat on the phone. Summer can’t hang out because Seth is coming over to either patch things up or break up, she isn’t sure which. Marissa is like ‘yeah totally fine no worries call me later’ while she sad pandas all alone at a table at the diner. Marissa has no friends outside of the core four, apparently.
Chez Cohen. Sandy talks to Kirsten about the Dr. Griffen meeting. Matt calls and Sandy broods at the phone a moment then lets it go to voicemail. We’re led to believe now that he chose the hospital instead. Camera switches to Matt, who has the same conclusion written on his face.
Ryan is brooding over the toy car again, and talks with Kirsten about the Sadie/Jess problem. She offers a platitude that it will never be too late and all he has to do is follow his heart and listen to the wind and talk to her, or something along those lines.
Mari:
J: A+.
Seth arrives in Summer’s room. He’s all full of Kama Sutra knowledge and brought the pop-up book along with him. He explains that Taylor gave him Sex 101 and Summer’s mad, and tries to slap him, but he stops her arms and Indian-type music plays in the background while they lock lips and fall to the bed.
Meanwhile, Ryan arrives at Sadie’s house. The lights are all off for some reason, and she’s sitting in the dark clipping her nails or something. He puts the toy car down on her table and starts talking, explaining about him and his brother playing together while their mom drank. He talks about Trey while she listens. He agrees to talk more, and they kiss.
Summer’s room. She and Seth are all ‘whoa that sex was great.’ Apparently the Kama Sutra fixed their problems! Ryan’s kiss with Sadie continues in a sexytimes montage. As the music continues, Marissa returns to her trailer. Volchek has apparently been sitting outside the whole time, and he follows her inside where their own sexytimes montage starts up. End credits.
So everyone gets lucky here at the end, except Matt who’s possibly out of a job. And that’s another episode of The O.C., folks.
Next time on The OC: Julie and Neil tell the girls about their engagement in S03 E19 – The Secrets and Lies.
I'm a chronic book nerd and love storytelling in all forms. I'm particularly excited by the rise of the television show as an art form with long, cinematically beautiful plots and complex character arcs (I also watch cartoons). My travels in the past handful of years have led me through three continents and most recently landed me among the majestic mountains of Colorado. Some day I will compile all my travel journals/blogs into one place. Some day. Until then, you can find me with craft beer in hand, ready at any moment to deeply and passionately discuss survival tactics for the zombie apocalypse.
I'm a 30-something south Floridan who loves the beach but cannot swim. Such is my life, full of small contradictions and little trivialities. My main life goals are never to take life too seriously, but to do everything I attempt seriously well. After that, my life goals devolve into things like not wearing pants and eating all of the Zebra Cakes in the world. THE WORLD.
