Editorial: The Secrets and Lies
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When will this show move out of the rut it’s been in for the past few weeks? With “The Road Warrior” it started to feel that the show was moving into a positive and appealing change. Then it took a few steps backward and decided to stay there, never once moving forward. This week was no different. And I couldn’t of been more indifferent about it either. There were storylines, mainly Seth and Kirsten, which I actually felt entertained by, but the rest of the episode drowned in clichés and illogical contexts to major events unfolding.
Worse yet, it’s continuing to overuse the weakest characters. While standing around in the local convenience store I was reading the recent issue of Soap Opera Weekly. They had an interesting review of The O.C. In it they said just what I was thinking. Marissa is the show’s weakest character and she’s being overused for no good or logical reason. How much longer do we have to be subjected to her overpowering the show and killing the storylines she’s involved with?
She had her own storyline to maintain, but then was also directly involved with Sadie and Ryan’s storyline. It seemed to be for no other reason but to establish that she couldn’t make Ryan happy like Sadie currently can. Please, tell us something a little less obvious. And please allow Ryan to move forward with Sadie without Marissa having to factor in these slight and unnecessary ways. If she truly cared about Ryan and his happiness she might of done more on her part to make that happen. But she never did. She was too busy with her own feelings and concerns. In short, she was too selfish.
Which brings me to her behavior towards Summer, the way she treated her new family situation, and her closing moments with Volchok. Unlike her spiraling in the season one episode “The Escape”, this time it came out off completely needless and without valid context to support her behavior. “The Escape” was an essential episode of season one. It was taut writing intertwined with great twists and entertaining and climatic storytelling. While the outcome may have been over-the-top, the lead in was near perfect. Marissa battled her parent’s divorce and the reveal of her boyfriend’s sexual dealings with Holly. Was it enough to send her into a seedy bar to overdose on painkillers and cheap Tijuana alcohol? Maybe not, but it was more believable and rational then what we’ve seen lately. Marissa now has everything she could need. She has a solid family foundation, a million dollar roof over her head and a caring best friend. Yet one fight with Summer and her lack of self-reliance in her feelings for Ryan and she’s gone completely to the dark side by taking hits of coke from Volchok [It has me wondering if a 90210 type intervention is forthcoming?]. That’s weak and selfish, and worse yet there was nothing even remotely interesting about watching it all unfold. The only exceptions were Summer’s honest vocal ribs and an amusing one-liner from Marissa.
In between trying to set the perfect mood for Sadie and him, Ryan had a chat with Volchok about Marissa’s drinking problem. This was a complete joke to me. The writers brushed Marissa’s alcoholic ways under the metaphorical rug. Now, in a moment of convince, they want Ryan to act concerned for Marissa because of her love for the bottle? Why make it be a factor now when it’s clear the writer’s didn’t want to handle the issue when they should have?
Happy Ryan is prime and when written right is a joy to watch. But in this case it felt forced. I think the key issue is how contrived and cliché it was that Ryan and Sadie were trying to find the perfect mood and moment. If they are really that good for each other why is it so hard to make things work. I think Sadie is a lovely girl. But as for being a great girl for Ryan, the verdict is still out. Why is she superior simply because she’s takes Ryan out of his depressing run with depressing and damaged woman? Shouldn’t it take a little more? This is the same issue I had with Lindsay. She was nice, but not exactly a soul mate match for Ryan. Sadie seemed a better match for Ryan when there was interesting storyline to support the pairing. Now that they are simply a walking clichéé for television couples they’ve lost their zeal and potential.
The storyline with Mr. Apprentice and Sandy actually took a weak character and brought a little depth to him. But it’s all a little too late. I was no more interested in seeing Matt stay around as I was when we were first introduced to him this season. I still feel the show is better of without him and await his glorious exit. Plus, I’m in fear of the ramifications this storyline will have on Sandy and Kirsten.
Seth and Kirsten had the best storyline. It was refreshing to see Seth actually make an effort to spend time with, and get to know, his mother. It’s always felt like there was this awkward distance that Seth was too uncertain about and too nervous to break down. But this time, rather than quietly sit back as he saw his mother suffer, he decided to step in. He could clearly see that once again there was a shift in dynamic between his parents. I think we are seeing Seth grow in the best ways possible. Plus, we finally saw his focus turn away from Summer or the fantastic four. That alone was enough to make this interesting.
Had the episode been logical, climatic, and absent of clichés, it could have been more engaging. Instead it was mostly boring and substandard. Better luck next time? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
*** 1/3 out of ***** stars.
