Editorial: The Mallpisode
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Before this season began, Josh Schwartz noted that
The O.C.’s storylines were going to slow down and that we would learn more about the characters and what drives them. As a fan of
Dawson’s Creek, I love good, strong writing that makes evokes strong emotions. So, I was excited to hear Josh say this.
But, he can’t do it.
The writers on the show are good. They know pop-culture, they know big words, they know legal jargon, and they know comedy. But, they don’t know emotion. It’s not a fault. It’s the truth. And I think Josh is finally starting to realize that.
Look at the Alex/Marissa relationship and notice that even though it was an intriguing idea and both actors embraced the role with arms wide open, there wasn’t much to it. It remained fairly dull, if anything. Then, last week, Alex made it seem like her and Marissa were having sex. Suddenly, the story got fun because these writers are at their best when the story gets a little risqué and a little sleazy.
That brings us to this week’s episode, “The Mallpisode.” Let’s go ahead and run through the plot before we get to the review:
Ryan is distressed over his break-up with Lindsay and plans to head to Chicago to see her, leaving only a note behind. Seth, freshly enamored with Summer, knows this plan all too well and chases him down. He convinces Ryan to come to the mall with him, Summer, and Marissa, who is still having trouble with the fact that she’s in the real world. Meanwhile, Kirsten/Sandy are struggling to reconnect after the Rebecca debacle and it seems that Kirsten has taken her ring off, leaving Sandy perplexed as to where it is. He ends up spending the entire day looking for it, talking to a disheartened Caleb about Lindsay, and finally winning a plastic ring at an arcade, much like the ring he gave Kirsten before he could afford a real one. As he’s searching for the ring, Kirsten is wooed by the new editor of “Newport Living.” Julie, pissed because she can’t edit her own magazine, is surprised when a blast from her past returns with the ultimate blackmail secret: Julie once did porn.
Seth/Summer: It’s good to see them back together, simple as that. I enjoy watching them bicker and banter, but as I’ve stated a hundred times before and will state a million times later, these guys are amazing. The Rachel/Adam combo brings an unmatched chemistry to the screen and the characters come alive when they’re together. It was nice to see Seth play jealous without playing insane and it had a nice payoff. Real good stuff.
Ryan: For a while, I felt like Ryan’s character had evolved too much. He was too much like Seth. In some ways, it was hard to tell where one character began and where the other ended. But, last night, I felt like Ryan had regressed just slightly, and it was far better. Telling Seth to “shut up” was harsh, but it felt like Ryan: slightly at the edge, but always self-aware and admirable. His apology was simple, but heartfelt and that’s what has made Ryan such an endearing character.
Sandy/Kirsten: It was good to see them interact last night. The problems that Rebecca caused were poorly incorporated into the show, but the biggest problem with that story is that it limited the number of Sandy/Kirsten moments on the show. These characters, while never syrupy, are always sweet and it’s wonderful to see them back together again, even if they’re still playing awkward. Sandy’s dedication to finding that ring showed how much he cares and it was wonderful to see her find it at the end of the episode. I’m not sure how I feel about Kirsten’s new story, but I feel like she hasn’t been brought to the forefront enough, so this is a time for Kelly Rowan to really shine. Could be interesting.
Julie: I love Julie Cooper’s character. She’s a bitch, there’s no denying that, but she plays it with such vigor and life, that there’s no way not to enjoy her presence on screen. I was worried sick that this new storyline would be a Rebecca/Sandy rehash, which, in itself, was essentially a rehash of Kirsten/Jimmy, but it wasn’t. They could have thrown something major at Julie, but instead, they kept it just trashy enough to excite us all: Julie did porn. I love it. The only nitpick?
The Bourne Identity wouldn’t have been out at the time that porn was made, so
The Porn Identity was a bad pun. Kudos to Melinda Clarke for playing the vulnerable role very well when the porn stuff came up, but for turning bitch mode back on when Alex entered the room.
Alex/Marissa/Ryan: Again, if people think Alex’s character has changed, you’re wrong. Alex has remained constant. And actually, so has Marissa. Her feelings have changed but her attitude has been consistent: she’s selfish. Whereas Ryan’s character has come too far too soon, Marissa hasn’t come far enough. And it’s getting old. I appreciate that at 15/16/17/18 Marissa has found the love of her life, but to string Alex along is just wrong. Alex genuinely cares and she’s being jerked around to cater to Marissa’s needs. I know that Marissa is spoiled and this is all part of her characterization, it’s not fun to watch. The previews show that Alex is going to become very jealous and that’s fine—she cares, Marissa doesn’t. As far Ryan/Marissa, I’m not a fan and I haven’t been since Theresa came along and realized how much better Ryan/Theresa are together, but last night, I felt that Ryan/Marissa was an interesting couple. The scene at the diner, where the fry served as the cigarette and they reenacted the scene from the pilot, that was wonderful. Maybe there’s hope for them yet.
A few notes:
Kudos to Stephanie Savage, the show’s co-executive producer, for writing a terrific episode. She wrote “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” and I’ve been waiting for her to come back since. Glad to see she’s writing again. She’s almost as good as Josh.
I really loved the shots of the kids pulling their hockey masks on and I also enjoyed them playing hockey. Of course, all the mall stuff was undermined by the ridiculous idea that no one would catch them right off. But, still, nice touch, and no more ridiculous that Pacey/Joey trapped in a K-Mart overnight.
Not sure if I liked the Beck experiment or not, but it was definitely an interesting idea. I still think the music needs a little work this season. Still, no Bait Shop, so that’s always a plus.
Overall, another good episode. Not as good as last week, but that’s okay. The show is heading in the right direction and the cast lists for upcoming episodes show some potential.
See you in seven.
- Drew
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