Better late than never, spoilers for "The O.C." coming right up...Still more comedy goodness from this resurgent season, centering once again on the unbridled wackiness (and kinkyness) of Ms. Taylor Townsend. Bribing gay men with Asian cinema collectibles, doing her best '80s music video babe impression, trying to get the Harbor kids to play board games... I'm trying to think of the last scene she was in that wasn't funny. Hell, she's even managed to make Ryan funny -- or, at least, to reveal that Ben McKenzie has a gift for deadpan.
Seth and Summer's pact to go back to Rhode Island in the fall felt oddly poignant, since we all know the chances of season five are all but non-existent, but I liked Seth's aborted attempt to play Ryan Atwood, Summer's utter disdain for Che, Summer taking responsibility for her own actions, of course, Summer introducing Pancakes to Seth.
At the moment, I feel like every "O.C." episode review just turns into a list of things I liked, so to those I'll add Kaitlin briefly seeming like a real teenager, Kirsten and Sandy auditioning to be Replacement Seth, Julie's reaction at discovering she had inadvertently made herself eligible to attend that one bitchy girl's Pimps 'N Ho's party, the confusion over ownership of Dr. Roberts' house and its various rooms, and the revelation of where "Che" comes from.
Am I wrong? Is there something to complain about right now that I'm missing?
Great episode. This year the fun is back as opposed to last year's endless melodrama revolving around the wooden Marissa. Ryan becomes less boring with Taylor around and everyone else in the Cohen household seems to feed off her energy. If only the shift to more Taylor could have happened last year, as I also fear it is too late.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the only season that could the first one a run for its money in terms of fun and originality.
If impending cancellation is what it takes to air episodes like this, bring on the axe!
ReplyDeleteI've never been a huge fan of the show, but it's definitely growing on me this season. My only complaint would be next week's preview alluding to the return of Mischa Barton. Say it ain't so!
Alan - you're a guy with pull right? You got Turk to dance again. Can't you do anything to save this show? Cant you write a scathing column to FOX? Or figure out a way to hype this? It's sooooo good and no one is seeing it. Can't it move to the CW?
ReplyDeleteCan you at least explain why FOX would rather keep TIL DEATH at 8 then the OC or Bones repeats. This show can't get better!
Tons o' fun, I thought. And Melinda Clarke's facial expressions at the end were hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI haven't laughed that hard at a show as I have this episode. It deserved an "A" for me. Taylor alone, and her chemistry with Ryan (and it's really great to see him smile) makes it a winner. I'm sorry it took 4 seasons to get to her charm. And I'm also sorry the ratings are so low this season, when this is the most I've enjoyed it since the 1st season! Oh, well--better to have it go out with a bang!! Keep up the good work, Josh Scwhartz!
ReplyDeleteCan't complain. Better the show get canceled now while it's on top then continue on into mediocrity like others before it.
ReplyDeleteThis may have been my favorite episode of the show's entire run -- hilarious, affecting, and without the slightest bit of the overblown melodrama that dominated the past few seasons. It made me lament how much better seasons two and three could have been if they'd offed Marissa, Queen of Angst back during the Mexico trip in the first season.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, hey Alan, did you catch the Wire reference on last night's SNL? It didn't make up for what was an otherwise awful episode, but was so surprising that I had to rewind the TiVo to make sure Bening had actually said, "Here at Stanfield and Partlow..."