The OC Season 3 Episode 3: Hate To Say I Told You So

Previously: Season 3 Episode 2: Ryan Being Ryan

Watching The OC last night, I was trying to type this post in my mind found it impossible to find a hook, an angle to latch onto. Usually, Marissa does something ridiculous or Seth makes a wry comment that lets me ease into a review. But last night? Neey-ada.

And I figured out the problem. It's Lost. While I don't quite have the testicles to proclaim Wednesday night's season premier Best Hour of TV Ever as TVGasm did, it was, well, the best hour of television I'd watched so far. There was genuine suspense. Each scene, though separated by time and space, melded into each other seemlessly. The begging, the middle and the end - they were all tied together with a single string.

The OC comes off downright amateurish by comparison. And I guess that's the point. It is a sendup to 90210, and to an extent, Saved By The Bell. But I can't help but think how willing I am to suspend disbelief for a show set on a fictional island about people who could very well be ghosts of flight crash victims, yet the logical plot holes are so glaring on a supposedly realistic show set in a real life community.

And the problem is, less than 24 hours after watching some gripping television, The OC gets a wee bit boring because it rarely offers any real surprises.

So yeah, Jimmy's back in financial trouble, except this time, it's some shady loan shark, not the FBI. Oh, he's catching a beatdown. Jimmy thinks remarrying Julie and cashing in on Caleb's inheritance. I predicted last week that Caleb might have nothing to give.

Now, I'd pat myself on the back for predicting the above, but who didn't? This was supposed to be the main thread in this episode, but it was just oh so utterly predictable.

I held out hope that, maybe, because Tate Donovan's a "special guest star" and all, they might go ahead and kill him. And when I saw his limp body floating in the Pacific as Matt Pond sang gently and Ryan humped Marissa not too far away, my eyes brightened up a tiny bit. But no such luck. Next morning, we see Jimmy, who actually doesn't look bad for catching the Worst Beatdown Ever, back on his boat. Dude, just sail off to Hawaii. I don't even know you any more.

Oh, about Ryan and Marissa. Well, about fucking time. I'm surprised they didn't just stress fuck over the summer. Maybe I should try the "I'm leaving town and this is our last chance to see each other nekkid" thing too. The whole dinner-and-flowers thing doesn't work, that's for sure.

Wait, before I forget, Julie mentioned Marissa's little sister again! This happens, what, every 6 months? Marissa's obviously forgotten about her since all her talk about her family being back together always omits Kaitlin. Anyway, does Kaitlin even know that her mom remarried? And her stepfather died? And her parents threatened to get back together? And that her mom can't pay her tuition?

Anyway, to Seth and Summer, who so far are having the most boring Best Year Ever. Kudos to Seth for not throwing Summer's perfectly tight ass under the bus, but he loses points for (a) congratulating himself and (b) well, if he did rat her out, he wouldn't get much Summer lovin' any more.

As for Dean of Discipline and the female Karl Rove, meh. Guess I could say that for the rest of the episode. Hopefully, they'll do something with Jeri Ryan's character. Enough set up, give me the payoff.