synopsis : Runaway Stealthy Model home Complications
Official Episode Description:
Afraid he'll be seen to another foster home, Ryan ponders running away from the Cohen's. Supporting his new friend, Seth helps Ryan hide in one of Kirsten's unfinished housing developments. But trouble might be coming if Luke and his friends find out Marissa is there too.
Act casual
It's Ryan's last night in the OC before being turned over to Child Protective
Services, and no one wants to talk about it. Besides feeling like the
bad guy, Kirsten also stressed out about a model home she and her father
are building to kick off a new development - the contractors just disappeared.
Seth doesn't help things by asking the obvious question - we've got so
much room, so why doesn't Ryan stay here? Sorry, dude, not an option.
Late that night, Ryan decides he'd rather be anywhere than in a foster
home. As he's preparing to run away, Seth finds him. Seth tells him running
away is a crappy plan. You got a better idea? asks Ryan. Well, yeah…
see, there's this big empty house no one is using right now.
For this mission, Seth is dressed super-stealthy in a black turtleneck
and other appropriate spywear. Hee. He's interrupted by his dad, who wants
to talk, and share, and otherwise be the sort of caring parent that really
can cramp a spyboy's style. Seth throws him off with the time-honored
covers-up-to-the-neck "No, really, I was asleep" move. Outside,
Marissa spots Ryan and asks what he's doing there. Ryan shrugs off the
question, but Seth in all his stealthy glory gives the game up. Intrigued,
she offers to blow off Summer's birthday party and drive them to their
secret hideout.
The model home is isolated, half-finished, empty… perfect. As Seth
shows off his skillz in the empty swimming pool/skateboard arena, Ryan
and Marissa bond over parental issues. They're interrupted when Luke calls
looking for her. She's missing an empty, meaningless party that demonstrates
how shallow and unworthy her friends are! We can't have that.
The next morning, Seth and Marisa want to make a supply run for Ryan.
But Sandy has discovered Ryan is gone, and Kirsten called the cops. Seth
claims he knows nothing - except maybe that Ryan ran off to Mexico to
gamble on cockfights. Next door, Marisa is waylaid by Luke, who wants
to spend the day with her. Marisa deflects him with tales of a bikini
wax. Yeowtch. Meanwhile, her dad, Jimmy, is looking desperate among the
paperwork. He tries to talk to his wife, but she pulls a "La la la
I can't hear you!" and demands money. Nice to know Jimmy's getting
the support he needs.
All the essentials
Seth and Marissa give Ryan their supplies - necessary stuff, like loofahs
and putting greens and mix CDs. Bring any food? Oh, yeah… that. They
romp on down to the pier for breakfast, where they run into Luke and his
cronies. Marissa tries to distract him while the boys sneak out back,
but the plan is foiled. Luke insults Seth, Ryan defends him with his fists
(and a pithy quote: "You know what I like about rich boys? [Wham!]
Nothing."), and the whole low-profile thing goes out the window.
Secrets
Kirsten and Jimmy meet at the model house to talk - not realizing the
kids are hiding upstairs. They overhear Jimmy confess that he's in financial
trouble and hit Kirsten up for $100,000. She agrees, and lets slip that
the new contractors start tomorrow. Ryan's got to go. Back at the Cohen
home, Sandy tells Seth Ryan's been spotted, and drags him out to look
for him. Marissa's at another - or maybe the same - shallow-debauchery
party, where she's increasingly uncomfortable with everything. She storms
out when everyone starts talking trash about Ryan.
Bad things
Marissa runs to the model home, where Ryan is packing up by the light
of many candles. She wants to stay the night, but Ryan kicks her out -
if they do anything, he'll never want to leave, and they're from different
worlds. She runs away crying, not noticing that Luke and his ganga had
followed her. They storm the house and fight with Ryan - knocking over
candles and setting the place ablaze. Ryan is knocked out, but Luke runs
back in and pulls him from the flames. Ryan takes off hitching, but Luke
finds him to make sure he's all right - and to make sure Ryan won't tell
anyone what happened.
Unhappy ending
Seth confesses all. His folks are furious. The cops want to question him
and Marissa, but before they can, Luke pulls up - with Ryan. The police
cuff Ryan, but Luke confesses he was there, too. Both guys are hauled
off by the cops.
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Marissa: You guys are up to something.
Seth: You didn't tell her anything did you?
Ryan: I think the black turtle-neck in August tipped her off.
Seth: I was going for stealth, and it's slimming.
Seth: At least I don't shave my chest.
Luke: What
Seth: I said you look good in a sweater vest.
Marissa: It's my friend Summer's birthday.
Seth: Summer's birthday's not till Wednesday.
(Marissa looks at him funny)
Seth: That's what I heard. I don't know. I... that was a guess.
Seth: Well, it's one of my mom's housing developments. Her and my grandpa owned a bunch of them. This was supposed to be the model home but it never got finished.
Marissa: Why? Did someone die here, now it's haunted?
Seth: Yes, that's exactly what happened
Marissa is on the phone with Summer
Seth (whispering to Marissa): Tell her I said 'Happy Birthday.'
Marissa: Seth Cohen says happy birthday.
Summer: Who?
Marissa: (whispering to Seth) She says thanks.
Ryan: So I'm now property of the government, take the name 082965.
Seth: Hey, at least it's better than 'death breath Seth.
Marissa: Why won't you tell me where we're going? This is pretty far away.
Also previously on The O.C., I got a million emails from Mischa Barton defenders regarding my comments about her aged appearance. I realize that Mischa Barton -- the actress who plays Marissa -- is indeed seventeen years old. But she looks considerably older than that to me. I also think -- and I know I don't stand alone here -- that Jennifer Garner looks like a duck (albeit a lovely, incredibly physically fit, butt-kicking duck). That doesn't mean she is a duck, or that I think she is a duck; it just means I think she looks like a duck. I know that Mischa Barton is not, in truth, a forty-year-old. But that doesn't mean I can't think Mischa Barton looks like a forty-year-old. I never watched Once and Again (gasp!) so I can't speak for how she looked two years ago (or for the other Mischa Barton matter -- how superior an actress she might have been then). And I'm entirely sure it could be the result of reprehensibly poor lighting or bad makeup, but mine is not to make excuses. To me, girl looks old. Your emails can't change my mind.
And much as I enjoy the opportunity to watch and recap The O.C., ensuring taping of the entire show forces me to endure the final three minutes of American Juniors. The things I do.
All that aside, the second episode opens with beach shots and another song about California. And what is it about California, anyway? I live in Maryland, about which I can't think exists a single song, although Baltimore, come to think of it, does get mentioned in several ditties. New Jersey is my home state, and thanks to Mr. Bruce Springsteen, we have plenty of songs about it. But I suppose California's combination of coastal beauty and industry-related residents results in a plethora of tunes about it. Since they happen to be -- for the most part -- good tunes, more power to California. (more...)
Seth: Oh, wow. Complaining. That's very interesting considering nobody invited you.
Marissa: Hey, before I came along you were on a skateboard.
ratings :
Air Date
Viewers1
Rating2
Share3
Rank
08.12.03
7.9
5.3/5.7
9/10
23
1In millions,
2% of all households (nat./over),
3% of households watching tv (nat./over).
news, notes & interesting facts :
A shortened version of the song "California" by Phantom Planet is used as the opening theme from this episode on. It was featured in the opening scenes of the pilot, which didn't have an opening theme.
Summer's birthday is August 13th.
recaps & reviews :
Previously on The O.C., Adam Brody was "Seth," and he was adorable! Ryan rode his bike and needed to have a plan -- a plan which was not to steal another car, crash it, and get thrown out again by his mom. Once semi-ensconced in the home of stalker Sandy, Ryan thought he could get in less trouble there than where he was from, and girl-next-door Marissa said he had no idea. Also, the immortal phrase "Welcome to the O.C., bitch!" was spewed by Marissa's potentially redeemable bohunk of a boyfriend, and Kirsten didn't want "this kid" in her house anymore.
By: Joanna Hughes (TWoP)
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