The OC S03 E16 – Marissa who?

Previously: Ryan caught feelings for a girl in town because Johnny died.
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The Road Warrior

Savannah: The OC has a special place in my heart as one of those shows that I A LWAYS wanted to watch but just never got around to it. So like other guest recappers, this should be interesting. From the title alone I’m getting a biker gang vibe or some fighting in general is going to go downnnn. This episode features a very long winded preview of what’s been going down in the OC and whoa. I have missed so much. (M: It feels like so little when you are actually watching it.)

ANYWAY, this episode begins with Summer giving the camera the most pensive look I have ever seen (v nice eyebrows for the early 2000’s I might add). (M: I feel like this is the first time someone has made a comment about eyebrows that weren’t Sandy’s…) The biggest dilemma in her life right now is which almost identical stripped bathing suit should she wear: the blue or the red? Summer’s inner monologue is soon interrupted by Marissa, but here is the kicker: Summer is actually listening to a voice recording of herself as she stares at these two suits. Not only did she ALREADY have this conversation before but she had it down enough to where she recorded it. I found this insanely funny and actually had to calm myself down with only three minutes into the actual episode. Summer goes on to explain to Marissa that these tv voice overs really do nothing for the actual plot of the show but it does make everything seem more dramatic. 

Marissa’s witty retort: you think our lives need to be more dramatic? (I think she has a point, just judging from the ‘previously on’)

Summer quickly finishes her recorded inner monologue, while Marissa, Seth, and Ryan are probably already in every kind of shenanigans even before the opening credits. 

(She picked the red one, by the way.)

We move on to a very OC tradition of casually lounging in the backyard Jacuzzi when everyone starts wondering where Atwood is, but Seth? No, Seth sees his prime opportunity to realize every man’s Jacuzzi fantasy: two girls, one guy. The girls quickly debunk Seth’s fantasy, as he scampers out to see what is happening with Ryan. 

Marines: I love Seth simply for the reason that he’s the only guy who seems to know that if Marissa is coming onto you, joke or not, that’s scary as hell.

Savannah: Cue manly Ryan coming to the rescue of a broken water pipe, but guess who used way too much manly strength and actually causes water damage? You guessed it! Which then also leads Ryan to some very cute towel play with Sadie in the kitchen of her apartment? (I’m assuming a lot of things here already.) (M: It’s cool. I think all that matters here is WATER LOL CUTE.) 

Seth and Ryan have a total bro moment over the phone in which Seth expresses great concern over the greatly outlined bro code about two girls in bikinis waiting for them.

Uh-oh, as Sadie strides to the knock at the door she can already spot the flashing red and blue lights of trouble waiting. Turns out the cops want to ask her a bit more about Johnny’s death and she quickly convinces Ryan to leave.

CALIFORNIAAAAAAAAAAAAA. CALIFORNIAAAAAAAAAAA.

How overdone have these beach shots gotten after three seasons? I can only imagine tbh. 

Summer’s a little antsy as Marissa gathers her things and suggests she throw a party and only invite four people, so essentially a double date with her and the Scooby gang. Marissa is very hesitant and is quick to roll this conversation out of her way. Marissa gets a sudden call and cue *beautiful ocean transition to build the suspense* 

Ryan and Seth show up at Sadie’s and learn that the police have new evidence in Johnny’s case and with the pending investigation there will be no insurance money until the claim is unfrozen and they will be left with no money for her aunt. Which leads Sadie to point the police in Marissa’s direction. 

Let’s bring it to a different area of the The OC to two characters that I have absolutely no backstory on: Julie and Kristen. Julie basically expresses all of my feelings with a yawn as Kristen talks on about their advertisement budget for the month. Julie has been up late and in the fast lane with the Doc (Summer’s dad) recently which has her pretty underwhelmed with everything Kristen has to offer. (M: Work is stupid, especially when you are sleepy. I feel you Julie.) Julie quickly sets a date to rendezvous with the Doctor soon enough. 

Transition to The Newport Group as Sandy pushes Matt into fast tracking the hospital proposal to Dr. Griffen by Monday or they will be (like shark week) dead in the water. Matt has a small problem asking his new girlfriend (Maya) to solicit a meeting with her father so soon into the relationship, but in the words of Drake, Matt needs to “come thru.”

Summer is very distressed about her father’s constant avoidance when Taylor offers some “much needed advice” to set her dad up on a date. I wonder which single women is going to get matched up with the /currently unavailable/ doctor. Summer to the rescue! 

Ryan and Marissa have a very low-key and awkward vibe as they briefly talk about her interview with the police. Marissa seems to brush it off and walks away, leaving Ryan with his signature not reassured boyfriend look.

Mari: To be fair, that is the look that Ryan generally gives life. You got him on an off episode since he’s been flirting with Sadie and smiling occasionally.

Savannah: Speaking of, Ryan heads over to Sadie’s but finds her in a bit of a hurry to see her Uncle (Johnny’s dad) and is going to try and get back some of the money he owns her aunt in order to save the house. Too bad for Ryan she already seems to have her backup when Volchok shows up pumped. The battle of the ego’s continues! And Volchok is quick to mention how lonely Marissa must be feeling with Ryan here all the time. With Sadie and Ryan now cruising down the 405 (I’m making that up but it sounds like a Cali thing for some reason) (M: It’s real.) this offers up some light retelling of Ryan’s past (or the pilot episode which I have seen). They bond over prison relatives and brooding dark lives. When they do finally get to the Uncle’s place, come to find out  Jack has apparently hitch-hiked his way out into the desert and is basically untouchable until the morning, which leads them to the obvious overnight slumber party.

Mari: Um, is this how Ryan is going to land all his girlfriends? 

Savannah: A double date seems to brewing with Matt and Sandy, which leads Sandy to the bright idea that he should be the one to bring up the proposal to Maya. Marissa breezes in and quickly gives Sand the low down on her police conflict. He backs her up and feels that they need to sit down and go over everything that happened on that night. 

Summer confides in Julie & Kristen about her dad’s “lack of a social life”. She proceeds to lay it on down that his father would most likely end up with the “first money grabbing slut-bag that’ll get into the backseat of his Maserati.” In the background Julie looks like she needs some ice for that intense burn. Summer being Summer, has put together a list (more like a book) of requirements for these lucky ladies, immediately casting Julie out of this dating pool. Julie is quick to transform herself into everything that is Sharon Stone (from Basic Instinct) for her date with Summer’s dad. But guess who just happens to be in the same restaurant: Taylor (who happens to speak Korean? I find this amazing).

Being that Ryan is a little busy with roadtrippin’ with Sadie, Marissa is left wondering while Summer pushes her to at least TRY to call him herself. (Make the effort Marissa, come on!) 

As Ryan closes the $1.99 curtains in his motel room, I’m left wondering about the whole purpose of this plot line. For me up to this point I haven’t really seen Sadie be any type of endearing or having any emotions at least? Am I supposed to like her? Maybe if I had more context I would? Has she even been around long? I’m on the fence. 

Mari: Meh. I know some people in the comments like her, but that seems to be basically because she’s not Marissa. I don’t like Ryan and Marissa together, but I agree that Sadie is really bland and also she grows up to be a vampire on Twilight and I can’t forgive her for that. I’m on the fence too.

Savannah: OKAY, back to the motel. Sadie who looks very sultry coming out of her shower (she has jeans and a tank so we’re keeping it a lil’ classy here) is looking at Ryan in a v seductive way and to pass the night away Ryan suggests a good ole fashion game of poker. Sadie knows what she’s doing and antes up to a game of strip poker. A long *sigh* from me as Ryan screens Marissa’s call, leaving her questioning everything. It’s the morning now and with Ryan sleeping on the floor, that means that he is a really shitty poker player so we have some development here. They find themselves at a bail bonds shop waiting for Uncle Jack to show up, but from the looks of it the owner seems to have Jack’s back on this one. 

Seth on the other hand wakes up effortlessly in a blanket burrito and still manages to cover for Ryan with the folks.

Taylor pops in out of nowhere and tells Seth that Summer is not going to be happy when she finds out who her dad is dating! Obviously Summer walks in afterwards and grills TBag (she called her that I was cracking up) about what she knows. The Cohen’s need a better security system or at least a dog. (M: Locks, maybe? A gate?) Taylor’s bluntness leaves Summer in need of her own investigation. Julie and the Doc seem to be getting very cozy on the driving range as S squared spy on them from their golf cart, which is literally right in front of the pair. “That’s so grosssssssss” can be heard miles and miles throughout The OC. 

Marissa is alone at the cliff as the questions from her police interview spiral through her head. Scenes of Johnny and Marissa begin to fade in and out as the image of Johnny reading his letter reignites when we see the evidence bag that holds the charred paper. The detective reads off the letter as Marissa continues to replay the events that happened. With a very emotional Marissa always comes trouble, this time in the form of Volchok with a flask in hand.

Mari: I hate every single thing about this. Haaaaaate.

Savannah: Sandy seems confidant that they’ll eventually rule the case an accidental suicide. Kristen tries to convince him that they should reschedule this double date for a better time, but is turned down because this is the only way this hospital proposal is ever going to happen. You can already tell this plan is going to go sour. 

Uncle Jack finally shows up and him and Sadie have their fair share of words when she decides she needs to grab his attention. She grabs a pipe from the back of his supped up tonka truck and starts wailing on the front bumper and then at his side mirror. Sadie and Ryan become out numbered fast and an all out brawl ensues (called it). Jack decides to teach Ryan a lesson about where his nose belongs and starts throwing punches left and right. Ryan lays helpless on the cement as we fade to Sadie’s cries for him. They later find themselves in at a local dinner trying to come up with another way for the money. Ryan (who is probably an Aries because we tend to be very impulsive) (M: IMDB says his birthday is March 19th and further Googling says this puts him on the Pisces-Aries cusp…)  grabs the car keys and heads back to the bail bond shop for one last attempt at getting what they came for. 

Double Date UpDATE: seems to be going smoothly as the group recounts when each couple first saw each other. Sandy wastes no time and brings up the once squashed hospital proposal. Maya seems very open to the idea. She says she’d be happy to share the proposal again but this seems forced and she doesn’t seem trustworthy at all. 

S squared is casually making out on the couch when Summer can’t take it anymore: “what if her evil plan works and my dad actually falls for her.” Julie Cooper obviously can’t date her dad because she IS Julie Cooper. (Officially only referring to her as Julie Cooper). The two are interrupted by the man himself who goes on record saying it’s one of his best days ever. Summer decides to hold her tongue and not say anything about his relationship with Julie Cooper until it is right. (Also by the way, Summer and Seth are so cute together. This is my first experience with it and there might have been a moment when I didn’t breathe.)

Ryan lays out his own story to Uncle Jack, which I think is trying to appeal to his father empathy but he eventually kicks Ryan out anyway. But then has a sudden twist of character (???) and gives Ryan an envelope of cash? This was WAY too convenient.

Apparently Maya LOVED the Hospital proposal SO MUCH that she’s gonna show it to her father AND then proceeded to break up with Matt and move back to New York City. What a lovely end to this side plot. (M: What the hell. I’m mostly upset because that was too little Inara.)

We’re almost to the end of this episode but they couldn’t forget to include the typical night club scene. Marissa seems to be silently jamming to the early 2000’s band when Volchok sneaks into the front door. They lock eyes from across the room and Marissa isn’t having any of this tonight and leaves immediately. 

Sadie and Ryan talk solemnly on the way back to The OC,  while Ryan confesses that he just REALLY needed to get out of town and “feel something different.” I imagine this last part at the end of a badly written slam poem. And the phrase “Marissa and I need to talk” lingers into the air as we set our sights on the lifeguard tower on the beach.

Their phone conversation basically goes like this: 

• Ryan: This is hard for me
• Marissa: You don’t even need to say it
• Ryan: it’s just-
• Marissa: Not working

*A very mellow early 2000’s rework of Forever Young plays* as Marissa sobs and Ryan is comforted by Saddie almost immediately. Volchok does show up but the two don’t speak and stare inquisitively at the ocean.

~End Scene~

Wow guys, I didn’t think I was going to recapping a break-up episode :O

This was a very interesting viewing experience of The OC. I’m still very confused but I feel like I need to watch the rest of this season now! Thanks again!

 

Next time on The OC: Ryan doesn’t know if Marissa should be invited to his birthday party in S03 E17 – The Journey.