TV Review: The O.C. Episode 3.19

Thursday, March 30, 2006

From FOX: Julie and Dr. Roberts announce their engagement and the Cooper ladies move in with Summer and her dad. Meanwhile, Marissa drifts away from the group and Summer when she seeks solace in the bad company of Volchok and his crew. Ryan tries to move on with Sadie, but Seth's concerns for Marissa get in the way. At the Newport Group, Sandy's woes with Matt continue and Kirsten surprises Seth with a night out in "The Secrets and Lies episode

My Rating: 3 out of 4

Tonight's episode of The O.C. starts off at The Bait Shop with Summer watching the new couple of Ryan and Sadie. She is definitely picking up the new hot couple vibe from the two, but what shocks her is seeing the other new couple that has developed from the Marissa and Ryan, that of Volchok and Marissa. Seth spies these two on the dance floor just before they get hot and heavy with the public display.

The next morning, Summer arrives at the trailer, but Marissa already has company, Volchok has spent the night. He hides, and the girls hear from the parental units. They are back from their trip, and they want to meet the girls for dinner. Just in the few minutes we see of Volchok with Marissa, we can see his no good for her. He will return her to her season one roots and fast. In the other hand, Sadie looks to have made the Ryan the happiest I've seen him all season.

As for the Sandy story line, it continues on from last week. Sandy even breaks a date with his wife. He has been forced to fire Matt as I suspected he would be last week. This is probably the good-bye to Matt. However, Matt threatens Sandy on his way out the door, so this will more than likely keep him around for a bit.

That night, the girls are at dinner with their parents, and they are told that Julie and Neil are now engaged. Summer takes the news well, but Marissa rushes off the moment that Volchok calls her, giving Julie one parting shot before exiting stage left. On the other parental end, Kirsten ends up going out on a date with Seth, once Sandy postpones theirs. While on the way home, Seth receives a call from Summer.

She tells him about the engagement and about Marissa ditching the announcement dinner to go with Volchok. She decides they need to tell Ryan about his ex's new love interest. However, Seth interrupts Sadie and Ryan's make-out session to do it. However, Ryan doesn't think Marissa seeing Volchok is his problem, so he isn't going to get involved. That doesn't last long when he sees Marissa in the hallway at school. He finds her hidden alcohol stash, but she runs off.

Kirsten helps Julie pack up the trailer, so she can move in with Dr. Roberts. It is definitely time for her to move on. The new couple are definitely causing a rift between the two best friends, Summer and Marissa. The two are now becoming sisters, and summer confronts Marissa about Volchok. The confrontation turns ugly and words are exchanged between the two. Ryan doesn't stay out of it as much as he said he would either. When he overhears some conversation among Volchok's friends. After Sadie leaves, he goes back in to tell them he wants to see Volchok.

The next morning he meets Volchok at the pier. Ryan isn't there to tell Volchok to back off, but he does tell the surfer that he needs to look out for Marissa because he won't anymore. Back at the Roberts house, Summer and Marissa are still at odds with one another, and the parents are clueless as to why. As for Ryan, Sadie looks to be on her way out now that her aunt's house has sold. With Ryan still having Marissa issues, she is ready to leave. The new hot couple is over before it really had a chance to begin. However, after talking to Seth, he decides to ask her to stay. However, she leaves before he gets the chance to ask.

Marissa ends up bailing on the family dinner, and it causes an awkward first family dinner. Neil is waiting for her to arrive for dinner, but it is obvious to Julie and Summer she won't be arriving, and she saves Julie from explaining what is happening. Marissa is out with Volchok at the beach, and he actually tries to talk to her, but she questions him and cuts him off.

As for Kirsten, she ends up tricking Seth into going to an AA meeting with her, and he isn't all too happy about it. He starts to leave, but she talks him into staying. At the meeting, Kirsten gets her chip for being nine months sober, and she credits Seth with her sobriety. Sandy is dealing with his own problems with Matt's firing. Matt is threatening him and Griffin, so Sandy goes to the other man, and he says he'll handle it. His version of handling it though is having thugs come to Matt's place and destroy it while beating him up. Sandy finds him there afterwards.

Marissa ends going to the life guard station she always used to go to with Ryan, and she finds him there. The two exchange words briefly, and Ryan tells her about Sadie leaving. In a surprising moment, Marissa goes to look for Sadie, catching her at the bus station just before she leaves. She tells Sadie she should stay and that Ryan does care for her. It works because Sadie is waiting for him when he returns home from the beach. As for Marissa, she returns to the beach and takes her first hit of what appears to be cocaine from Volchok.

This episode was another good one for The O.C. We have a lot more drama built in on all ends, and it keeps the episode moving better. The series always seems to do a bit better when Marissa and Ryan are at odds with another, and this time is no exception. We have another new episode next Thursday night, and we finally learn the answer to the college question. Who will go and where?