South Wales. A father sits outside with his son, trying to get him to read. The boy says he can't do it, but dad encourages him to keep trying. Mom comes outside and hands Dad his lunch, telling him he's going to be late for his shift. Dad says goodbye to his son with a kiss on the head and then we watch him bike to work, which is some sort of plant.
Alley. Bloody dumpster. A young on his way to take out the trash finds a bloody guy in the dumpster instead, so he understandably drops the trash bag and runs. Hopefully for help, but I wouldn't judge the kid if not. This is an awfully murder-y alley. The bloody guy in the dumpster? It's Matt and he's not doing so well.
Summer is in bed staring at her ugly engagement ring. Taylor walks in, asking for help with her resolutions. So far she's got "get a job and stop mooching off of other people's families" and "take calcium supplements." That's basically it.
Samantha: Taylor, if you're gonna take calcium you might as well take iron, too. Get a well rounded supplement system going.
Mari: After a beat, Summer suggests she add one more thing: plan Summer's wedding.
Samantha: Taylor, if you're gonna take calcium you might as well take iron, too. Get a well rounded supplement system going.
Mari: After a beat, Summer suggests she add one more thing: plan Summer's wedding.
Bella stands in front of her wardrobe doing the typical "I have nothing to wear to graduation!" rant. She's planning on finding a top to go with her khaki skirt, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the fact that she owns a khaki skirt explains a lot about why she doesn't have anything to wear.
Marines: Now, I don't know if you wrote this recap before we spent time making fun of this khaki skirt or if you are just taking any opportunity to make fun of the khaki skirt. Either way: LOL.
Marines: Now, I don't know if you wrote this recap before we spent time making fun of this khaki skirt or if you are just taking any opportunity to make fun of the khaki skirt. Either way: LOL.
Previously: Alison is taking her fake kidnapping super seriously. — No One Here Can Love or Understand Me Jessica: The episode starts with our four Liars walking abreast down the street...
Look, let's deal with the elephant in the room: Supernatural is throwing shade on the fact that it's gotten beyond ridiculous, and yet we're only in season 4. We have so many more seasons of shark jumping left, friends.
Marines: I've seen this whole episode and I'm actually surprised that this is the one they chose to name "Jump the Shark."
K: Truth.
We open with a long shot down a hallway. After a bizarrely long period of silence, a woman bursts onto the screen, screaming. She stares back behind her, then sprints down the hall and locks herself in a bedroom.
Marines: I've seen this whole episode and I'm actually surprised that this is the one they chose to name "Jump the Shark."
K: Truth.
We open with a long shot down a hallway. After a bizarrely long period of silence, a woman bursts onto the screen, screaming. She stares back behind her, then sprints down the hall and locks herself in a bedroom.
Jorge: Have you ever watched Spike Jonze's Adaptation?
Marines: ...what? No. Where is this going?
Jorge: Oh man. You totally should. It's the sorta-real-but-not-exactly-real story of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, played with aplomb by Nicholas Cage, as he takes on the challenge of adapting Susan Orleans' book The Orchid Thief for the big screen. Orleans' book is a rumination on passions and disappointments, framed by a story about orchid poaching in Florida.
Marines: ...what? No. Where is this going?
Jorge: Oh man. You totally should. It's the sorta-real-but-not-exactly-real story of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, played with aplomb by Nicholas Cage, as he takes on the challenge of adapting Susan Orleans' book The Orchid Thief for the big screen. Orleans' book is a rumination on passions and disappointments, framed by a story about orchid poaching in Florida.
A little backstory, I grew up watching a ton of high school dramas: Saved by the Bell, California Dreams, The OC, and the more recent Gossip Girl. I spent my formative years in Nigeria and everything I knew about the American Education system, I learned from these shows, all of the Bring it On movies and the numerous college drama themed movies I cannot remember. Imagine my surprise and indignation when I came over to the States for college and it was nothing like Hollywood portrayed. College wasn’t an endless party filled with cute, flirty boys, I never became best friends with my roommate, and everything I had been lead to believe was a damn lie!
To be fair, I attended a small liberal arts college that also happens to be the first of the Seven Sisters, and one of the few women’s colleges still in existence. Had I really wanted an All American College Experience TM, I probably should have gone anywhere but there.
To be fair, I attended a small liberal arts college that also happens to be the first of the Seven Sisters, and one of the few women’s colleges still in existence. Had I really wanted an All American College Experience TM, I probably should have gone anywhere but there.
Before we get into this recap, a little bit of context about my history with The OC. I watched seasons one and two when it aired on TV and actually own season one on DVD. I happen to think that season one is one of the greatest seasons of TV ever, and it definitely was my very favorite season of TV as a teenager. However, I haven't seen season two since it aired. In my mind, The OC ended during the season one finale.
So! With that, let's get into "The Chrismukkah that Almost Wasn't." (Full disclosure: I asked to recap this episode because Chrismukkah is one of the first things that come to mind when I think of Seth Cohen/The OC.) (S: And this is a great episode for any Seth Cohen Chrismukkah fan.)
So! With that, let's get into "The Chrismukkah that Almost Wasn't." (Full disclosure: I asked to recap this episode because Chrismukkah is one of the first things that come to mind when I think of Seth Cohen/The OC.) (S: And this is a great episode for any Seth Cohen Chrismukkah fan.)
hrine O'Spielberg. Pacey is playing Dawson while Dawson tries to add something anyone but him gives a shit about character details to his script. Dawson explains that The Great Santini is about father-son angst, which Pacey knows a bit about. Dawson proves he understands nothing about his best friend by saying dumb things, like this:
The boys establish that they have a father-son fishing trip coming up this weekend with both their fathers. Pacey wants to know if Dawson respects his dad; he replies, "I'd hate to live in a world where I didn't." Ugh. What a drama queen. Just say yes. Anyway, Pacey insists that this isn't a real answer, but he gives a similar non-answer when Dawson turns the question on him. (K: FEELS)
The boys establish that they have a father-son fishing trip coming up this weekend with both their fathers. Pacey wants to know if Dawson respects his dad; he replies, "I'd hate to live in a world where I didn't." Ugh. What a drama queen. Just say yes. Anyway, Pacey insists that this isn't a real answer, but he gives a similar non-answer when Dawson turns the question on him. (K: FEELS)
It’s morning at the Cohen house. Sandy is fetching himself some juice when he gets shot in the face with a foam dart. The shooter is Kirsten, and shooting him in the face was her way of wishing him a happy Valentine’s Day. Sandy is unimpressed, not only because he just took a dart to the face before he’d even got his breakfast, but also because Valentine’s day isn’t actually until tomorrow.
Sweeney: That before breakfast is serious. Don't fucking talk to me, let alone SHOOT DARTS AT MY FACE before I've had breakfast.
Lorraine: I've never seen Kirsten this excited. Maybe about wine that one time she was drunk, but that was less excited and more, well, drunk.
Sweeney: That before breakfast is serious. Don't fucking talk to me, let alone SHOOT DARTS AT MY FACE before I've had breakfast.
Lorraine: I've never seen Kirsten this excited. Maybe about wine that one time she was drunk, but that was less excited and more, well, drunk.
Sweeney originally called dibs on this episode, but she's still having grand adventures in Europe, so I told her I'd trade her. (S: And I let go only because I had to because this is an iconic moment in OC history, guys.) Explanation as to why we're taking a guest posting break and you're stuck with me over, let's get to the episode:
Seth practically chases Ryan into the kitchen, trying to convince him that some plan he's come up with is foolproof, since he goes to a comic book convention every year around this time and his parents trust him.
Seth practically chases Ryan into the kitchen, trying to convince him that some plan he's come up with is foolproof, since he goes to a comic book convention every year around this time and his parents trust him.
After the previouslies, we start off with a shot of the Cohen car filled with food. Sandy “Eyebrows” Cohen makes a crack about feeding Kirsten's dad to get his love, and while that probably won't work on Mr. Evil Corporate man, that would definitely work on me. Just sayin'. (S: Cosign.)(L: And another +1 makes it a party.)
Kirsten's dad (Caleb) enters and cheerfully calls himself the devil so we don't have to. Outside, Seth and Ryan talk about Caleb, and how he's Mr. Big Money. Seth points out that he, like Ryan, came from humble beginnings and they'd probably hit it off.
Kirsten's dad (Caleb) enters and cheerfully calls himself the devil so we don't have to. Outside, Seth and Ryan talk about Caleb, and how he's Mr. Big Money. Seth points out that he, like Ryan, came from humble beginnings and they'd probably hit it off.