Date of airing: November 18, 2004 (FOX)
Nielsen ratings information: 7.42 million viewers, 4.9/8 in Households, 3.2/9 with Adults 18-49
written by: Stephanie Savage
directed by: Lev L. Spiro
Finally, an episode that felt like a true season premiere, and we are only three episodes in. Two new characters have been introduced, a new set has been established for the characters to hang out at (and for the show's producers to promote some up-and-coming alternative rock bands), a couple of new jobs have been fished out of the pool for two of the characters while another has lost their job, and there was a sense of change in this episode, with Ryan and Lindsay somehow finding a connection at the very end (albeit the change coming out of nowhere, considering their dislike for each other for 38 of the 43 minutes), and Seth and Marissa sobbing side-by-side in their pain and sorrow, somehow making me think that it might have been appropriate for the two to hook up, just so they are no longer the loneliest people in Newport Beach.
I was wondering if the writers thought about bringing Seth and Marissa
together for a little fling here, because seeing them sitting together
and taking a shower in the same emotional crisis should normally bring two people
together forever and always, and they should have all the beautiful
children and die as old people together in the same bed, holding hands.
Because really, Marissa’s story cannot just be all about Ryan, while
Seth’s story cannot just be all about Summer, right? That would make this
show boring. This is still a weekly primetime soap opera, so people
better be dating all the other people and never stay single. There
should always be sex for everyone, with everybody. Case in point: Seth. He annoyed me with his chase for Summer in this episode, almost deserving a death sentence for that kiss at the Bait Shop.
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| If you are lucky, you will end up alive after this conversation. |
It was a solid episode. Lindsay might have been a bit of a cliched character, and her thoughts of dumb and stupid Ryan, the guy she has not even met yet, were coming from the book of television tropes, but I remember again why I loved Shannon Lucio so much back in the day, and why not even someone like Olivia Wilde (who looked very punk-ish in this episode, which was also kind of cool) could make me change my mind. Lindsay is the uncorrupted outsider here, not giving any flying craps about who does what in this rich school of even richer kids, but at least having the smarts to back up her pissed-off attitude, although maybe she thought a little too much that she could rule her stay at Harbor by doing everything alone, not even thinking about the possibility that teamwork is also a thing during advanced classes.
I mean, right after Ryan went up to the teacher and told him that he did not attribute anything to the report, would that not be the first sign of Lindsay having underestimated Ryan, and that she should not think of him as a dumb jock? Would that not be a big clue of how Ryan is not like all the other rich water polo players with an infinity pool (I did not even know they were called infinity pools until now)? She is the Andrea Zuckerman-type character in THE O.C., the one who comes from far away to study at the best high school to have a chance at an ivy league college, and like Andrea back in BEVERLY HILLS, 90210, she kind of hangs out and maybe crushes a little bit on the central main character of the show. And besides all that, Lucio is very charming and cute here. No wonder I was crushing on her back in the day. Her red hair may be helping. Olivia who?
Seth’s story might have been dumb and troped-up as well, but I guess the writers needed to make clear for good now that he and Summer will not be happening for at least a good amount of episodes, which I am thankful for. Summer can deal with someone else than “her” Cohen, and Seth can be given a different storyline until he decides to go back to Summer and fight for her love, because it would be nice if those two central characters would get to do something else in the show than just be the story anchor for each other. It kind of started in a good way during this episode, as Seth was actually asking for help from Marissa – seeing those two together could start things up, and I do not particularly mean it in a romance-type way. The two have never shared moments that could depict them as friends, and I would not mind seeing them being friends, while Ryan and Seth are unable to be “just friends” with their ex-girlfriends. Let Marissa nerd it out with Seth for once. Who knows, maybe she will have fun. Sex for everyone, I said!
Meanwhile, there was an adult storyline going on as well, and I barely cared. Again, as it is always the case with adult storylines full of crime and rich white dudes. For a moment, I did care just a little though, as Sandy quit his job (so, he will go back to becoming a public defender?) and Kirsten was threatening to quit, making them both unemployed, creating an opportunity for some money problems in this show full of attractive white people with attractively large sums of money. But Sandy did not even care that he did not have a job, and Kirsten ended the hour with a better one offered to her. Ugh, such lucky people.
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| Two of the loneliest people in town spend a day suffering. |
On the other side of town, there was this interesting conversation between Jimmy and Julie. Interesting because it was not filled with loathsomeness, and instead with appreciation and respect and understanding. Finally, the two stopped hating each other, and it was almost like they were about to start falling in love with one another again. Besides all that, Julie deserved to be going through the same crap she went through less than a year ago with Jimmy – if you marry for money, then you have to live through the consequences when the money is not there any longer.
But what did my eyes and ears catch here? Julie got an executive job? She is actually going to have to work now? Color me shocked. How long will that last and will she be bitching and moaning about how hard it is to be an executive in the next episode?
