Previously: Lindsey got drunk while near or around Marissa and it made Ryan very angry.
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The Accomplice
Anna: Hi, hi, hello! I’m Anna, also known as KlutzyBallerina around some parts of the interwebz.
We start with a casual walk down the pier where our three bros are discussing their “manning up” moments that resulted in their relationships (Ryan and Zach) or lack thereof (poor Seth). Seth is equally excited and scared of the possibility of a relationship and/or a threesome with Alex and her “lesbian ex”. Summer joins them and reminds them how her usual breakfast of Zone bars is being replaced by diner food. I’m not sure if this is meant to reinforce how bad her stepmother is or how much of a rebel she is for skipping her diet breakfast. Either way, dinner wins. Lindsay shows up late, of course, and awkwardly forces Seth out of the table meant for four. He leaves rather than be the fifth wheel. He goes to “get what he wants” while looking longingly back at the table of friends and Summer.
Marines: Maybe he’s looking back, thinking of all that breakfast he didn’t get to order. That would make me sad.
Sweeney: I’m sad just thinking about that idea right now.
Anna: CAAAALIFOOORNIAAAAA, HERE WE COME.
Cohen Kitchen: Sandy is reading the classifieds out loud at the breakfast table, continuing the trend of endless morning socializing before actual obligations. Apparently he’s reading the “looking for sex” section?! Then he quickly switches to apartment/office hunting and finds a lovely one on the beach, conveniently with “hookups”. Foreshadowing, anyone?! Kirsten offers him another boring choice, right next to his old office. He responds with a resounding NOPE. The realtor Sandy is using happens to be the one that got Jimmy his bachelor pad. Does Sandy need a bachelor pad or an office?
Cooper/Nichol Palace: Marissa is dancing around her room in a very transparent negligee drinking something that looks like orange juice but probably has vodka in it. Caleb interrupts her, asking why she isn’t at school. She covers up a little bit, but gives no fucks when Caleb tells her to go to school. He offers her a ride, she ::coughs:: and says she must be ill. She sasses that it might be West Nile.
Alex’s Shady Apartment: Alex is appropriately lesbian looking in her tight boxer underwear and tshirt. Marissa invites herself along to breakfast and associated shenanigans. Alex wants to make sure Marissa isn’t sick of her, as “[they’ve] hung out every day this week”. Apparently Alex isn’t sick of Marissa, but Jody is still in town—she was supposed to go back to LA but they had a big fight and proceeded to need the night to resolve their issues. Or have makeup sex. Whichever.
Marissa tries to ask a bit about Alex and Jody’s nighttime activities, but is interrupted by Seth arriving at Alex’s door. He needs to know where they stand. Jody peeks through the door wearing a towel and Alex gives up on the whole situation. She announces she’s going to bed and apologizes to both of them.
Mari: I think we’ve seen something equivalent to this scene like 89 times now. Seth comes over, trips over his words, Alex says next to nothing, walks away. THANKS FOR NOTHING, SEASON TWO.
Anna: School, science class: Ryan and Lindsay finish listening to a presumably boring lecture only to talk about parents as they leave class. Lindsay wants to know if she’s like Caleb and Ryan is pretty sure she’s asking a trick question.
Lindsay: Is he a monster?
Ryan: Ah, well, he’s not the greatest person in the world, to me, anyway… but other than that, he’s great.
Really encouraging, Ryan. Truly.
Sweeney: I mean, he bought her mother’s silence on her paternity and has made zero attempts to contact her since the secret came out, so I’m not sure what kind of glowing description Lindsay was expecting.
Anna: Sandy’s new office/shack: the only beach adjacent property in his price range. When Sandy calls it a dump, you know it’s lovely. He just wants to be able to surf between clients, according to Kirsten. He announces he’s moving in just as he gets a phone call from an old mentor and law professor.
School coffee shop/game room/lounge: Summer and Seth wave at each other from across the room. Cohen looks sad, so Summer sends Zach over to check up on him and report back. Zach fangirls over Seth’s drawings and encourages him to work on his comic. They decide to spend study hall coming up with ideas.
Alex’s Shady Apartment: Marissa asks not-so-subtle questions about Alex’s relationship status. Alex is done with both Seth and Jody, much to Marissa’s delight. Alex discovers that Jody stole her heart necklace, a token of their relationship that Alex particularly loved. Marissa suggests an impromptu trip to LA, reminding Alex that “we can’t let her steal your heart”. (I know, Marissa, it’s because you want her). But first, she has to shower, and borrow more of Alex’s clothes.
Caleb’s office: Ryan makes a plea for some sort of conversation or relationship between Caleb and Lindsay. Caleb is a dick, as per usual. Ryan reminds Caleb that he would be in jail without Sandy’s help, so he’s not actually a moral authority anymore.
Sandy’s new office/beach shack: Max, his mentor, arrives seemingly late at night. They catch up for ~2 seconds before Max asks Sandy to find Rebecca, his daughter. Max is “getting his affairs in order”, and wants to see his daughter. Rebecca ran away to Canada (!!!) 22 years ago. (Of course, all the cool kids run away to Canada). (S: Or marry Canadians!) It turns out Rebecca was Sandy’s fiance, but Sandy assures Max that his wife will understand. Max isn’t so sure.
Cohen bedroom: Sandy and Rebecca were only “engaged to be engaged”, and he reassures Kirsten that he’s only doing a favor for his old friend.
Cooper/Nichol residence: Marissa is blasting music early in the morning while applying makeup. She’s clearly dressed and heading out and ignores Caleb’s attempts to be a parent. Marissa reminds Caleb that he already has a daughter, and if he wants to parent someone he should head over to Lindsay’s house.
Mari: I feel like I would’ve related more to Marissa’s brattiness back in the day. I mean, now I get it, but I can’t help that in my old age, this brattines irritates my liver.
Sweeney: I think the fact that everyone hates Marissa (because she’s so easy to hate) is giving new life to my ability to defend her, because I gotta say that as bratty as she is with Caleb, I’m still totally on her side. Actually, this probably has less to do with her than how much I hate him. Fuck Caleb.
Anna: School: Zach, Seth, and Ryan are getting nowhere with the comic book plot. Suddenly they decide to make the hero a young Jewish boy living in Orange County, only with powers! To get started on their autobiographical comic they have to work after school, so Zach is unavailable to hang out with Summer, much to her displeasure. Cohen threatens Summer with being written out of the comic if she takes Zach away too often. Seth and Zach start debating the likeability of X Men 2 and Summer storms away. (Really, Zach, Rogue makes the entire movie worth watching. Get over yourself.)
Caleb’s office: Kirsten brings Caleb some contracts that have already been looked at, so all he has to do is sign. He calls her Kiki (ugggggh) and apologizes for not always being the best father. She agrees, and reminds Cal that if he wants a relationship with Lindsay he’ll need to reach out. She’s in high school, after all.
School hallway: Lindsay agrees with Ryan’s earlier assessment that Caleb is, indeed, not a good guy. She googled him and decides that “he is all that is wrong with western civilization”. Sounds about right, Linds. Caleb calls (go Kirsten!) and requests dinner with Lindsay. She begs Ryan to come with, reminding him that it will ruin Caleb’s night. He agrees.
Alex’s Jeep, driving along the ocean: Alex has a tattoo, which clearly means she’s a rebel. But it’s a butterfly, so how badass can she be, really?
Mari: It’s, like, a metaphor.
Sweeney:
Anna: She explains that once she was emancipated she wanted a tattoo of “Mom and Dad with a big X through them” but it was too expensive. Alex says her parents were more than happy to sign the emancipation papers after they found out she was dating a girl. Marissa sads about her parents always being there for her and Alex reminds her that must mean that [Julie and Jimmy] must really care about her.
PRISON: Sandy is shown into a cell where his old friend is an inmate. They debate the merits of civil disobedience vs. manslaughter; Sandy doesn’t really care about his buddy. It seems those two boys used to pine over the same girl? Inmate tells Sandy that Rebecca is dead.
Mari: I KNEW Inmate looked super familiar but I only just IMDB’d it: He’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan, probably mostly known to Traumateers as Douchy Papa Winchester.
Anna: Cohen Kitchen: Sandy and Kirsten are chatting about how sad they are, and Sandy calls his old friend in Vancouver to see if Rebecca is actually dead. Sandy leaves Kirsten at the table finishing her glass of white wine.
LA: Walking up to Jody’s front door we see the first sign of vulnerability from Alex. She’s nervous about seeing her ex, and makes Marissa promise to not let her spend the night. (Clearly the makeup sex the other night was good). Jody opens the door with a cheshire cat grin, glad that her woman has come home. She’s less pleased when she sees Marissa. Alex is silent when asked why they are there, so Marissa has to respond in her place. Marissa steps up and tells Jody firmly that they are not staying over.
Seth’s Bedroom: Seth is drawing Ryan Gatwood aka Kid Chino: Silent Youth from the Wrong Side of the Tracks. Ryan breaks the news that he can’t work on the comic because of obligations to be the buffer between Caleb and Lindsay. Ryan sees Seth’s sketches of Summer from Portland and tells him he absolutely cannot show Zach those drawings, because they show that Seth was clearly obsessed with Summer.
Sweeney: This season’s convoluted and yet somehow also boring plot lines have meant a lot less moments with these two just being good friends who have each other’s backs. This is a tiny reminder that buried beneath the bullshit, that’s still a thing. Get back to that, please, show.
Anna: LA: Sketchy ex girlfriend Jody offers Marissa a beer, proving how sketchy she is. Jody makes suggestive comments about staying the night, and Marissa awkwards about breakups. Jody warns her that she’s next. Alex and Jody fight about motorcycle boots and Marissa sneaks into her bedroom and finds the heart necklace that they came for. Jody suggests that Marissa take the car back and Alex will return later, but Marissa claims Alex as her girlfriend and refuses to leave her there overnight. The possession of Alex bothers me here — everywhere else we see her as a strong, badass woman who’s taking charge of her own life and freedom, now she’s just something to be traded amongst women. Lesbians, do better.
Alex’s Jeep: Marissa tells Alex that she rescued/stole back the necklace, and took Jody’s as well. They both look longingly at the silver heart, and Alex tells Marissa that the second one is hers. Heart/heart necklace symbolism ftw.
Mari: I’m just really upset THAT is the heart necklace they drove all the way to LA for. If it truly had no sentimental value, they could’ve saved the gas money and stopped at a mall kiosk.
Sweeney: TRUTH. I was expecting something a lot cooler looking for all that SWEARSIES NO SENTIMENTAL VALUE trouble.
Anna: Seth’s Bedroom: Zach and Seth are going over highly important comic book details when Summer storms in, demanding Zach take her to the movies. Apparently he’s over an hour late for their date. Before they can leave, though, Summer sees bits of drawings and drools a bit over them before realizing she isn’t pictured. Seth assures her she’ll be in the comic book, but he’s waiting to get her attitude right. Summer returns to the room on her way out, and after knocking Captain Oats off of Seth’s nightstand (and wishing that he “doesn’t pull up lame”) she finds the hidden sketches of her from Portland and hides them in her purse.
Fancy Restaurant: Caleb and Lindsay are making polite conversation and things are awkward but very gracious. Ryan walks in and things are immediately tense. Caleb is immediately a dick about “[Ryan] scamming [his] way into one daughter’s life”. He then proceeds to ask what they really want: money, a car, etc and implies Lindsay is only here for what she can get from him, and walks out.
Sweeney: BECAUSE HE’S THE WORST.
Anna: Cohen bedroom: Sandy leaves his fifth message for his friend in Vancouver, asking him to please call back. Kirsten is worried that he’s too invested, and seems jealous. Kirsten just wants Sandy to leave it all alone because clearly Sandy is still in love with Rebecca. She wants proof of his loyalty by coming to bed instead of waiting up for the lawyer’s call.
Cohen Hallway: Sandy receives the phone call from his friend, who tells him that Rebecca is dead. He’s devastated and walks away from Sad Kirsten. She tries to comfort Sandy and apologizes for her jealousy, reminding herself that it was a long time ago. Sandy goes to visit the professor, telling Kirsten that he couldn’t possibly tell her father over the phone.
Summer Bedroom: Princess Sparkle and Summer lay down to look at the sketchbook she took from Seth’s bedroom. Sad music plays, Summer looks teary…
[sad music transitions are sad]
Lindsay’s Car: She thanks Ryan for coming with her, since he obviously hates Caleb. Or Caleb hates Ryan. Either way. She admits she just wanted to ask Caleb some questions. She ruminates that maybe she doesn’t need a dad, as she’s never had one and seems okay. Ryan kisses her to affirm that she did, indeed, turn out okay. More sad kisses.
Marissa Bedroom: She charges in saying she just needs to change her shirt, even though Alex thinks her shirt looks just fine. (Sure you do, Alex.) Marissa strips off her shirt and asks if she’s bleeding, prompting Alex to have to bend over to look at Marissa’s new tattoo. (Any excuse to get naked in front of Alex, right, Marissa?) We get to see Marissa’s new tramp stamp and Alex calls it “so hot”.
Mari: No. …just no.
Anna: Caleb comes in with Marissa half naked. She throws on a jacket and storms past him, with Alex remarking on his “nice house”.
Seth Bedroom: Summer comes in to return the sketchbook. Seth starts going crazy apologizing and Summer calms him down, saying she really likes them. Her only concern is that the boobs are a little big, and maybe the mask is a little weird. She likes the drawings, and approves her inclusion in the comic book pending “boob approval”. She asks if she could have one of the drawings and he suggests that she take them all, and not tell Zach, as it might look a little weird. (IT IS WEIRD.) Summer leaves him to create an action figure of her by Chrismukkah. Adorbs.
Fancy Adult Bar: Sandy calls his mentor and asks for a meeting this evening at his office. (M: He stopped at the bar first? I’m not judging because I probably would’ve too.)
Pool House: Ryan is playing video games and Seth comes to visit. Seth asks about dinner, skipping any details and really wanting to know if Ryan punched Caleb in the face. Ryan sads about trying to fix things and making everything worse. Seth reminds him that’s what heroes do. “What else are fists of fury going to do? Homework? The dishes?” (S: Trying to help and generally not actually helping is what Ryan Atwood is up to these days too!)Classic Seth. Seth tells Ryan that Summer really likes the drawings, and that they took a step forward in their relationship.
Sandy’s Beach Office: The Professor comes in, calls Sandy “Sanford”, and brings…
Sandy: “Rebecca”…
Roll Credits.
This episode hits a nerve for me, watching Marissa try to figure out how to be attracted to Alex and not know exactly how to do that. Me=exactly that awkward and way more cowardly. Also: Olivia Wilde is fucking gorgeous.
Next time on The OC: Kirsten organizes a dinner party and everything goes well. JUST KIDDING! DISASTER in S02 E11 – The Second Chance.
Iowa born, Illinois raised, Colorado grown. Loves: good red wine, tall mountains, snuggly puppies, fixing up my new kitchen. Feminist, queer, Catholic, newly Canadian, eh?
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.
Nicole is the co-captain of Snark Squad and these days she spends most of her time editing podcasts. She spends too much time on Twitter and very occasionally vlogs and blogs. In her day job she's a producer, editor, director, and sometimes host of educational YouTube channels. She loves travel, maps, panda gifs, and semicolons. Writing biographies stresses her out; she crowd sourced this one years ago and has been using a version of it ever since. She would like to thank Twitter for their help.
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