Editorial: The Shape of Things to Come
Jenni's Editorials | Editorials Home
This episode TOTALLY makes up for the crappy premiere. As well as all the other crappy episodes that pretty much made up season two. What can I say? I can remember why I fell in love with The O.C.
So, I was reading over my last review, and I liked it, but I want to do something differently for the rest of them. If you watched the show, you are reading this to get someone else's perspective on it. If you didn't watch the episode, you are probably reading the wrong thing. I apologize if you were expecting an episode guide, but this is a review. You will get bits and pieces of the episode, but it won't make much sense. Now, on with the review.
Overall
Why was this episode so good? One way I rate episodes as being good or bad is when I get lost in them. I watched this the day after it aired, so I was able to fast forward through commercials and tell how much I had left. Even so, I got totally and completely lost in it. When the show ended, I was stunned. No way could I have watched 42 minutes that quickly! Second, it was filled with a million different story lines that all fit together. Sandy and Kirsten (and Charlotte), Ryan and Marissa (and Dean of Discipline), Seth and Summer (and Taylor Townsend), Jimmy and Julie (and that other guy). Wow, notice a lot of triangles? We will get into that later. Each one of these story lines had to do with each other and will affect each other in the end--unlike, say, Rebecca, Sandy, and Kirsten, versus Lindsay, Ryan, and Caleb.
Note: This will be broken down by problems/triangles.
Triangle 1: Sandy, Kirsten, and Charlotte
The little Charlotte twist is definitely an interesting one. Her intentions seemed truly good. Inviting Kirsten to stay at the cottage as long as she needs, inviting Sandy over... All good and stuff. Then we find Charlotte sobbing, holding a bottle of something alcoholic. I was pretty sure the tears were fake, and right before she wiped them away, I predicted it. What I didn't predict was her pulling out a flask. Whoa. So was she ever really an alcoholic? What does she REALLY want from Kirsten? Is she Oliver in disguise? The last one is my bet.
Triangle 2: Ryan, Marissa, and the Dean of Discipline
I guess this one is really more of a…..*counts on fingers* heptagon, plus a thousand. By far, this was the best story line of all. (Then again, I’m kind of biased, being an avid RM fan.) This was really the story line that brought the whole show together. Every other story line but Sandy and Kirsten’s had to do with this somehow. Genius, no? Julie and Sandy meet with Dr. Kim. (Okay, so now where was she last year when Ryan was registering? I have to say, that lady last year was a whole lot nicer.) Parents want Ryan and Marissa expelled. There is a petition going around, 1,000 signatures, etc. The biggest thing is the new Dean of Discipline (the hall monitor, as Julie calls him). Man, is this guy a jerk. It ends up with Marissa being expelled from Harbor. Ryan tries to fight it, they go in to talk to the D of D (“You almost killed another kid and I don’t even hear a hint of remorse.” “Because I don’t have any.”), and then comes the argument we have known had to come.
Poor Ryan. All he ever tries to do is be the good guy, the guy his own dad could never be to his mom. Ryan wants to fight the expulsion even more, but Marissa has given up. “I don’t need you to help me. I don’t need you to protect me. I don’t now and I didn’t then.” So, she hasn’t needed to be protected all those other times when she loved having a big, strong, [hot] guy to protect her? Bullshit. The argument was really important, I think. These two don’t talk, they never have. It has always been make-out, throw punches, and cry over drama. Talking doesn’t really work for them. Seth was right: If they hadn’t talked about it in this episode, it would have come back and bit them in the ass in another episode. My fave part of the argument was the very end, where Marissa just said “Ryan” and he left. That right there is what love is all about, understanding each other deeper than words.
Okay, enough about that argument. The part at the fair STUNNED me senseless. (What was with the leather coat? And where did he get the money to buy a new one? I am all for the tough, brooding bad-boy look, but that leather jacket just made him look stupid.) They were about to have the Ferris wheel kiss and then it got stopped. (What happened to his nerves? I have always wondered how the hell he could get on an air plane and fly to Portland and Miami without any fears, but not a Ferris wheel. And, he has only gone on it twice now. They never actually got on the Ferris wheel in the second season.) Now, this whole scene could have been avoided. Marissa said she would go willingly, but Ryan stepped in. Marissa never said she wouldn’t go, so there was absolutely no reason for the dean to grab her. Had Ryan not overreacted, Marissa could have pressed charges against the dean (no faculty or staff is allowed to touch a student. I know, my bus driver got fired for pulling a kid back into the bus.) and she could have been back in Harbor within a week. Of course that couldn’t happen though.
I could tell, as I’m sure ALL of you could, that Ryan was pissed off. Here was this jerk, who was manhandling his girlfriend. We all know how Ryan feels about those two things. Too bad the dean doesn’t. I guess I don’t know him as well as I thought, because I could see him WANTING to punch him, but I never thought he actually would. My hands covered my face when I saw him punch the dean. I was cheering for Ryan, but I could not believe what he had just done.
Triangle 3: Seth, Summer, and Taylor Townsend
“There is nothing I hate more than perky blondes trying to take over the world.” That pretty much sums up little Miss Townsend. This whole plot line seemed to be just for the comic relief, until it turns out to be Taylor who gets Marissa and Ryan in trouble. Once again, ingenious on the writer’s behalf. I thought the little moment where Taylor totally goes off on Summer represented every single girl I can not stand. Especially one who is….blonde, perky, and wants to take over the world. Except this girl is real. Whoops, too much info. Not much to say about this triangle, except that I hope we see more of Townsend. I want to see Summer use her boxing skills and pull, what apparently is not so old-school anymore, a Ryan Atwood. Can’t you just picture Seth as the cheerleader? He would be attempting to control Summer’s moves with an imaginary controller. (Oh yeah, baseball? It was so just a fad. Thank god, because Seth playing baseball was just way…too straight.)
Triangle 4: Jimmy, Julie, and the Mafia
For starters, I don’t really know if that money guy is from the Mafia. But I prefer to think he is, rather than the truth: That he is just some pissed off yacht buyer who loves to sail and takes the whole pirate thing a little too far. We all knew that Jimmy couldn’t be back in town just to support his family. That would be way too normal and caring. Jimmy? Not normal and definitely not the traditional caregiver. I mean, honestly. This guy stole money so his daughter could have a pony, hooked back up with the woman who ruined his life, and then skipped town just so he wouldn’t have to face his other daughter. (By the way, I thought Caitlin was making a comeback this year? Did anyone else hear the little comment about how all the clothes Marissa couldn’t wear anymore would go to boarding school?) Julie appears to be making strides towards being a real mother, although that involves money and sticking out her chest. Oh yeah, one hell of a mother she’s got there… Now, Jimmy proposes when Julie is drunk. Was he afraid that she would say no otherwise? Aren’t those two just a match made in heaven? He is marrying her for her money, just like she divorced him because he was broke.
How will this be resolved? Well, of course, the will! I still hold true to my last statement about what everyone will get in the will (go read it, this part will make more sense). Except, I think Sandy will get the Newport Group because Caleb doesn’t trust Kirsten. In addition to a bong, of course. Oh, and Ryan won’t be needing a new leather jacket, seeing how he already has one, so he will be getting a self-help book titled “How to Hold Back Your Fists of Fury”. What will happen when Julie is left with nothing, meaning Jimmy has no way to resolve his money issues? Time will only tell.
Random Thoughts to End With:
Will Ryan and Marissa actually do it next week? Part of me thinks they won’t. Remember how they teased us with them getting back together in The Risky Business? However, more of me thinks they will. Notice the parental discretion advised bit at the end of the trailer? Why would they need to put that unless there is a big sex scene?
How many guys do you think will tune in JUST to see that scene?
What happened to Jess? Wasn’t she supposed to go to Las Vegas with Trey? How come she hasn’t shown her prissy little face since then?
How will Marissa adapt to public school? Public school is nice where I am, and I've watched Laguna Beach a few times. Newport doesn't look all that shabby, but it's definitely not Harbor. Will Ryan and Marissa ACTUALLY go to public school is probably the better question.
How pissed off will Ryan be when Sandy tells him to stop seeing Marissa? Do you think Sandy would ever say that if Kirsten had been home?
Rating: 9 out of 10. That’s pretty high for me, people. The only episodes that have ever gotten tens were The Perfect Couple, The Countdown, The Ties that Bind, The Return of the Nana, and The Dearly Beloved.
Now it’s your turn. Obviously, your review of my review doesn’t have to be this long. I would like to take this space to thank Travis for putting a link up on the main page, and for those of you who commented. Comments make me happy and are more likely to keep me reviewing. Tell me why you liked the episode, or why you didn’t, and what you thought of my review. Did it make you laugh or just make you scowl? Tell it NICELY though. Don’t tell me it sucked because I just can’t stand that. We each have an opinion and this is mine. Thanks again.
