synopsis :

Episode Highlights:

Runaway Ryan and Luke have been looking for Marissa all night, with no luck. Turns out Marissa called while Seth was asleep � she's safe, but they shouldn't come looking for her. Julie Cooper storms the pool house and is horrified to find out the boys know her secret. She tells Ryan she's going to call the police or at least Marissa's doctors � she doesn't want Marissa to hurt herself again. Leaven-licious Hailey decides to thank the family for taking her back in by making a monster breakfast � three kinds of pancakes, redundant waffles, the works. She picked a lousy day for it � It's the first day of Passover, and Sandy's mom is coming to town. If she finds anything leavened in the house, she'll plotz. Sandy reveals he told Nana they'd have Seder at Casa Cohen � which, he told her, they do every year. Kirsten is not pleased. Pass what now? Seth tells Summer the Nana is coming to visit. Summer can't wait to meet Nana! Old people are so cute! Not so much, Seth replies � Nana is scary as hell. Summer thinks he's ashamed of her, but Seth insists he's just protecting her from his fire-breathing grandma. He's even more determined to keep Summer from meeting Nana when Summer reveals she knows nothing about Passover. Meanwhile, Jimmy stops by to check up on Hailey. He seems to be flirting. Fear the Nana Sandy is freaking out � his mom has been a social worker in the Bronx for 40 years, and she disapproves of everything about him. He thinks she's coming out there to kick his ass over leaving the public defender's office and starting a restaurant. He's petrified when the Nana appears at the door � her plane got in early and she didn't want to wait for Sandy to pick her up. She's perfectly charming to everyone. The Cohens are dumbfounded. Odd couple Summer shows up at Casa Cohen to meet Nana. She's been studying � she brought macaroons for the Seder. Nana charms her, too, so Summer thinks Seth is just trying to hide his relationship. Seth's rant about the Nana being nice to Kirsten � "two people who have nothing in common suddenly getting along!" � makes Ryan realize that Marissa must have fled to Theresa in Chino. Eddie is not happy to see Ryan at Theresa's door on this, the day of Eddie and Theresa's engagement party. Marissa refuses to leave with him. Ryan tries to call Julie to tell her Marissa is ok, but he's interrupted by a furious Eddie and friends. He needs to get the hell out � and they don't mind shoving him around a little to make the point. Liplock Hailey drops all the leavened products off at Jimmy's, then attacks him with her lips. Jimmy responds, then tells her to back off � he can't jeopardize his relationship with Kirsten and Sandy. Hailey storms off. Bombshell Sandy can't stand it anymore � why is Nana really here? Finally, she admits she has lung cancer. She came to say goodbye � but she doesn't want to talk about it, and he damn well better not tell Seth. Seth and Summer hear Scary Nana is back and flee. Sandy confronts her over why she's not pursuing treatment, and Seth finally overhears that Nana is dying. Nana explains that she wanted to spend time getting to know him without cancer hanging over everything. Seth is unconvinced. Chino Marissa smoothes things over with Eddie, who realizes he's glad Ryan's here, now that he knows Ryan's not after Theresa. Ryan tries to convince Marissa to come home, and she threatens to run away from Theresa's. Ryan's had enough � he lets her vent her anger on him until she breaks down and cries. Luke chooses this inopportune moment to try to bring Marissa back. She smacks him and sends him away. Guilt Kirsten confronts Nana � she'd obviously rather die than depend on her kids. Nana is impressed by Kirsten's command of guilt. Ryan plays the guilt card himself � can Marissa really abandon her dad, her sister � him? Resolution Nana reveals that she's going home for treatment, and that Sandy damn well better come visit. Ryan takes Marissa back to Julie's house to pick up some clothes. Julie threatens to call Marissa's doctors, but Marissa retorts that she'll tell everyone why she ran away. Julie backs down. Jimmy shows up at Casa Cohen and apologizes to Hailey � he does want to start a relationship with her. They're going to put off telling Kirsten, though.

Luke and Ryan come back after looking for Marissa. Ryan tries to think of all the places Marissa could've possibly gone, while an exhausted Luke is ready to call it a day. Back at the pool house, the boys wonder if Marissa called, but a sleeping Seth doesn't know. He does notice a missed call on the phone, however, which indeed turns out to be Marissa. While Luke and Seth bicker, Ryan listens to Marissa's message, which tells them not to follow her.

Julie drops by and Ryan hits her with the news that Marissa took off. She asks what Ryan did, but he says it's because of what happened between Luke and Julie. Realizing that the details of Luke and Julie's repeated trysts are now out in the open, Julie asks for some privacy to talk to Ryan. Julie considers calling the police or Marissa's doctors so she can't hurt herself, but Ryan thinks that maybe Julie should take a little more blame for this one. After an icy goodbye, Julie goes off looking for Marissa. But Ryan is determined to find her first so Julie can't lock her up in "therapy" again.

Ryan and Seth are trying to figure out a game plan when they discover that Hailey has cooked the family a giant breakfast to thank the boys for rescuing her from a life of stripping. Even more on the ball, Hailey already has the want ads out, but restaurant gigs are pretty much the only thing available. Say, there's this place called The Lighthouse opening soon. They might need somebody! An observation that Seth also makes. Kirsten says they'll have to ask Sandy when he's in a good mood. Which isn't now. He comes storming through the kitchen, ridding the house of all bread and such in preparation for Nana Cohen's Passover visit.

Kirsten tells Sandy to calm down because the Ackermans are making Seder dinner. They only have to bring the wine. Yeah, thing is, Sandy sorta told his mother that the Cohens would be hosting Seder dinner tonight, as is their yearly tradition. But don't worry. Sandy will shop, Nana will cook, the kids will help, Jimmy and Hailey will do stuff and all will be well.

Seth swings by Summer's bedroom to talk about Marissa. That's great, but Summer already talked to her. She doesn't know where Marissa is, but she'll be fine after some time. After getting word that Nana Cohen is coming in today, Summer pleads with Seth for an introduction, but Seth explains that Nana Cohen isn't the friendly, cute Nana one might expect. Summer suspects that Seth is embarrassed to introduce his girlfriend to the Nana, but Seth claims that's he actually protective. Summer's complete ignorance of Seder and Passover cements the deal. Seth leaves, but Summer's face shows that she might have other plans. Like, coming over for Passover anyway.

Remaking a made bed, Sandy is still fretting about Nana's visit, despite Kirsten imploring him to calm down. But this is no time for calm. Sandy is sure Nana is visiting to set him back on the path of a public defender, helping people instead of settling corporate cases and opening restaurants.

Ryan comes home with no luck on the Marissa search. Sandy comes in looking for volunteers to pick up Nana from the airport with him. No takers. Which doesn't matter, because Nana is already here, surprising all. She greets everybody quite pleasantly and compliments the house, catching everybody off guard.

Retreating to the pool house, Ryan continues to wonder where Marissa could be while Seth tries to figure out new Nana. And then Ryan has a moment of clarity and figures out where Marissa is. Back in Chino once more, Ryan visits Theresa's, where Marissa is indeed hiding out. Theresa apologizes, but says Marissa asked her not to tell anybody. Eddie is just upset that Ryan happened to come by on the day of their engagement party.

At the Cohens', Sandy and Nana share some tense memories with Seth, but Nana lightens the mood by asking to see Sandy's new restaurant. She goes to freshen up and the remaining Cohens continue to marvel at Nana's new demeanor. On the way to the loo, Nana hears the doorbell and answers the front door. Why, it's Summer! Seth tries to divert, but no luck. Nana invites Sethula's girlfriend to the Seder that evening. She can even ask the Four Questions. No problem there. It seems that Summer spent the morning boning up on her Jewish Holiday trivia.

In Chino, Ryan is trying to come to grips with the news of the engagement party. He wonders why Theresa would be marrying a guy she went to Newport to avoid, but she snipes that she's none of his concern any more. Marissa comes out and sees Ryan and tells him to get back to Newport. She's fine and in no hurry to return home.

Hailey drops by Jimmy's with a basket of all the leavened foods Sandy had to clear out of his house, plus an invitation to dinner. Oh, and plus a little smooching. But Jimmy backs off. He can't do this. Kirsten's his best friend, Sandy's his partner. There's too much risk! If that's so, Hailey wonders, why did he come to L.A. to get her? Why did he drop by the Cohens' earlier? And what does he care about more, the restaurant and Kirsten, or Hailey?

Ryan is still begging Marissa to come back with him, but she's not relenting. She has plans to stay with Theresa and get a job so she can save money to�what, Marissa? What? Run away? Ryan tells her it's over between Luke and her mom, but Marissa points out that she still has to live with it. Ryan claims he's not going back to Newport without her and Marissa says, well, looks like you're not going back. So maybe he can stay for the engagement party now. Good!

Sandy and Nana return from the restaurant and Sandy, perhaps full of lukewarm compliments for the day, asks Nana what she's really doing here. He's invited her for every Passover since Seth was 13. Why now? A little bickering about Sandy's new job and whether or not he's helping people ensues, followed by a little Nana snipe at Kirsten. And that's when the bomb drops. Nana has advanced lung cancer. Four to six months to live, tops. And she came to this Passover to say goodbye.

At Theresa's, Ryan walks out front to find Eddie and three of his boys. Eddie tells Ryan that when he comes back outside, Ryan better be gone. Ryan vows to stay until Marissa comes with him, but Eddie's boys step in, shove Ryan to the ground and tell him to hit the bricks. In so many words. Then Ryan's cell phone rings. It's Julie, threatening to call the cops again unless Ryan brings back Marissa. A quandary.

In the kitchen, Sandy demands that his mom sit down and talk about this, but Nana keeps making dinner. Sandy wants to know what her options are, what she's going to do about it. But a steadfast Nana insists that it's too late. She doesn't want the chemo, with the hair loss and the nausea, but Sandy says they'll get to spend more time together. Time together, asks Nana Cohen? Sandy moved across the country when he was 16, then married a woman whose father stands for everything Nana Cohen has fought against her whole life. It's all too much and Nana Cohen runs out.

Ryan checks in with Marissa and tells her they have to get out of there. Marissa still isn't going anywhere and says she'll talk to Eddie. The phone rings. It's Seth. He points out that if Marissa is okay, then let her go and come back home before Eddie goes to work on Ryan.

Sandy checks in on his mom out back and is stunned to find out that she's smoking. Anyway, he called Dr. Talley, who said Nana isn't returning any of her calls. Chemo would just slow her down, and kids in the Bronx are depending on her. Sandy points out that her own kids and grandkids are depending on her. Meanwhile, Seth is overhearing all of this, which Nana notices after Sandy leaves.

The engagement party gets underway. Marissa wonders if she should stick around, but Theresa assures her that Ryan is just a friend. And going to Newport just made her realize she shouldn't be scared of a life in Chino with Eddie. Ryan, meanwhile, is loading the cooler with ice when Eddie approaches. He talked to Marissa and he's glad Ryan is here now. He thought Ryan came for Theresa and got freaked out, but s'cool now. Now that Eddie wants him here, Ryan wonders if Marissa does. Eddie tells him to wise up. She came to Chino! The one place where only Ryan would find her.

Ryan approaches her and apologizes for everything, but really, it's time to get back. Who knows what Julie is going to do? Marissa retreats to her room to pack her things. She's leaving Chino now. Ryan tells her she can't keep running away and he can't keep chasing after her. She tries to run through him, which breaks down into wrestling, which breaks down into tears and hugging. Then Theresa's mom tells Ryan he has a visitor. Ryan heads outside to find�Luke. Marissa comes out, sees Luke, slaps him hard across the face and tells him to get out, which he does.

The other gang of four sits down, but Ryan informs them that he has to leave. He can't miss Cohen Seder. Marissa still doesn't want to go back, but seems to be wavering. Ryan tells her that she didn't do anything, she has nothing to fear. Come on, baby! Come back!

Setting the table for dinner, Nana tells her little Sandy that she's taking an early flight out tomorrow. She can't miss her first treatment, you know. Next door, Marissa has finally come home. Hoping to grab some clothes and get out, Marissa isn't pleased when Julie opens the door. Julie tells her to get inside, but Marissa says she's getting some stuff and leaving. Julie doesn't think that'll be the case, but when Marissa mentions that perhaps she'll tell Jimmy or Caleb why she ran away, Julie shifts gears and tells her to grab her things and go.

Jimmy shows up for dinner and lets Hailey know he's been doing some thinking. She was right, he shouldn't be afraid. Thing is, Hailey's been doing some thinking too and figured that Jimmy was right, it's too risky right now. Then they decide together to just go for it. But how to tell Kirsten? Well, maybe we save that for another day.

series regulars : Peter Gallagher as Sandy Cohen Benjamin McKenzie as Ryan Atwood Adam Brody as Seth Cohen Mischa Barton as Marissa Cooper Kelly Rowan as Kirsten Cohen Chris Carmack as Luke Ward Tate Donovan as Jimmy Cooper Rachel Bilson as Summer Roberts Mindy Clarke as Julie Cooper

guest stars : Eric Balfour as Eddie Linda Lavin as Sophie Cohen (Nana) Navi Rawat as Theresa Amanda Righetti as Hailey Nichol Cynthia Avila as Eva

music :

Original Music by Christopher Tyng
Music Supervisor: Alexandra Patsavas
"California" by Phantom Planet
"Just A Ride" by Jem
"Float On" by Modest Mouse
"Heartache" by Chris Murray
"Gentle" by Aqualung

quotes :

Seth (to Luke): Did you accidently sleep with Marissa's mom or did you accidently tell her about it?

Julie: Whatever you think you know about me...
Ryan: I don't care about you, I just want her home safe.

Seth (to Ryan): So what are you gonna do? Ride around Newport on your bike looking for Marissa's car?

Seth: I love it when Nana comes and Dad acts all jewish.

Summer: I love old people, they're soooo cute.

Sandy (about Nana): She doesn't believe in happy. If you're happy, you're not working hard enough.

Sandy: You're not ready for the Nana are you? Well, no ones's ever ready for the Nana. That woman is scary.

Jimmy (to Hailey): Hey, there is nothing wrong with a good strip club.

Seth: Are you kidding me? She's the Green Arrow to my Hawkman.

Summer (to Seth): I'm gonna study this thing so hard, I'm even gonna out-jew you.

Nana: Think it's funny. You'll see how funny it is when i'm dead... you wanna know why I came? I came to say goodbye.

Eddie (to Ryan): She picked the one place she knew only you could find her.

Nana: We could all be dead tomorrow, you never know.
Seth: That's very comforting.
Nana: Don't mention it.

Ryan: What do you think of Chino?
Marissa: Actually I think I could get in more trouble where I'm from.

Ryan: You can't be here man. What are you doing here?
Luke: I'm here for Marissa.

Theresa: Luke's the one I feel sorry for. It'll take a week for that hand print to go away.

Nana: Oh God! Wha am I doing here? I hate this state, I hate the sunshine, I hate the ocean, I hate Schwarzenegger!

Ryan (to Marissa): I'd get over you eventually, but it'd take a while.

Julie (to Marissa): Get your stuff and leave.

Sandy: So, how was home?
Ryan: You tell me, I was in Chino.

news, notes & interesting facts :

Ryan asked Marissa, "What do you think of Chino?" to which she replied "I think I can get in less trouble where I'm from." This is the same line Ryan told Marissa in the pilot episode.

recaps & reviews :
Adam Brody looks adorable sleeping curled up in the fetal position; tossing blueberries at his mother; delivering forehead kisses; saying "The Nana"; indiscreetly pointing at Ryan to accompany Sandy to the airport; correcting Summer's Hebrew; being heartbroken by bad news from The Nana; and wearing a yarmulke. The holidays are always good in The O.C., and this episode is no different. It's Passover, and Sandy's mother sasses her way into town. After some atypically nice behavior, she reveals the truth: she hates California! She hates the ocean! She hates Schwarzenegger! And we love The Nana! The Nana finally divulges the true purpose of her visit: she's been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Peter Gallagher wordlessly acts the shit out of being delivered the news that she's not seeking treatment and then being delivered the opposite news that she's decided to undergo chemotherapy. Stupid Marissa runs off to Chino, arriving just in time to crash Theresa and Eddie's engagement party. Ryan and Luke (separately) follow her, causing Marissa to commence her usual marble-mouthed, limb-flailing tantrums in the middle of the fiesta. Also this week, Ryan takes a shove (it can't quite be called a punch); Summer, despite wearing an unfortunate hat, still impresses the Nana with her zeal for all things Jewish (but mainly Seth); and Hailey and Jimmy decide to be together, but not to tell Kirsten. Because secrets and lies always work out so well for these people. In the end, Ryan drags Marissa home, and the Cohens share a bittersweet Seder meal together. Also, The Nana calls Seth "Setheleh." It's too cute for words.
By: Joanna Hughes (TWoP)

ratings :

Air Date	Viewers1	Rating2	Share3	Adults3
03.31.04	-	-/7.5	-/12	5.1
1In millions, 2% of all households (nat./over), 3% of households watching tv (nat./over), 3(18-49).

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