#TheOC S1E2: The one where tempers flare so hot, a house is literally burned to the ground.
It's a sad scene at the Cohen household tonight. Yes, Ryan is here, but Sandy has been told that he must be turned over to Child Protective Services tomorrow morning. Sandy has managed to secure a space for him in a group home, but things are looking bleak.
Because everyone wants a brand new teenager.
Sandy and Ryan are signing paperwork allowing Ryan to enter the system. Seth points out the absurdity of the situation: the Cohen house is massive, yet they're shipping Ryan off to a group home. Kirsten is in a bad mood because the model home for her new housing development is still not finished. The contractor just disappeared! Solidarity, sister. We have all been there. Jokes are made about Kirsten's lack of cooking skills, but they mostly fall flat as everyone is thinking about the events of tomorrow.
Later in the evening, Seth heads out to the pool house to check on Ryan, only to find that Ryan has his hobo bag packed. He's heading out on his own. Seth wants to come with him but Ryan says no, despite Seth's continued pleading. Seth comes up with a brilliant idea: Ryan can live in the empty and abandoned model home! What can go wrong? As Seth gathers supplies, Ryan heads to the end of the driveway to wait and encounters Marissa. She is surprised and delighted to see he's still around and delays her plans to celebrate Summer's birthday in order to drive Seth and Ryan to the model home. While in the car, they have a conversation about music. She says she's into punk music: Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Cramps, and Stiff Little Fingers. Which is bananas because Rooney is playing on the radio and Rooney is the exact opposite of punk! Who is in charge of things like this?
Dogtown, meet your new Z-boy
They arrive at the model home and it has an empty pool in the backyard! Seth goes full-on Dogtown, channeling his inner Tony Alva, while Ryan and Marissa enjoy a moment. But then Marissa's phone rings and it's Luke, wondering where she is. She has to leave. SAD!
The next morning, Kirsten has called Johnny Law because Ryan is missing. Seth is questioned but he says he barely knew Ryan and suggests that he has gone to Mexico to get into cockfighting. He and Marissa make plans to take supplies to Ryan later that morning. Marissa breaks her date with Luke.
Let's be honest: both SECs are bad news
Meanwhile, Jimmy Cooper is in a state. He's got some issues with the SEC. And, no, not the Southeastern Conference in college football. No one is looking for Jimmy to coach at Ole Miss or Auburn. We're talking the Federales. This is not a surprise because Jimmy nearly choked on his drink at the fashion show when someone at the table said they were counting on Jimmy to make them rich. That seems like the wrong response from your hedge fund manager, doesn't it? It's also not a surprise because he has a ridiculously large collection of Hummel figurines on his bookshelves. What kind of man has a collection like that? ONE WHO IS UP TO NO GOOD, THAT'S WHO.
As he's in a panic state, Julie enters the room and asks for a check to pay for the boarding of Kaitlin's pony, China. She also needs money because China has alopecia! I knew that ponies could get depressed, but I had no idea they could lose their hair! Jimmy decides to ask Kirsten for money.
All you need is a loofah and a mix CD
Marissa and Seth arrive with supplies for Ryan's stay. Toilet paper, a loofah sponge, and a Mix CD she has made for him. But they forgot food! Oh no! It's okay, though, because they head to the diner where they discuss Ryan's plans for the future. He talks of heading to Texas where he can work construction. I hope he's thinking Austin because tons of great bands are located there. As they're talking and laughing and enjoying life, Luke and his gang walk in. Uh oh. Marissa says she will distract them so that Seth and Ryan can leave by the back door - but the manager yells at them to use the front door. As they're sneaking out, Seth runs into the busboy and causes a loud crash. Luke sees them. He approaches Ryan, looking for a fight. Ryan obliges. "You know what I like about rich kids? [lands punch] Nothing!" Ha! Good guys win! And escape. But the damage is done.
You know what I like about rich kids? Nothing!
Fast forward to the night. They have discovered that a new contractor is starting work on the model home tomorrow, so this is Ryan's last night there. He has all sorts of candles lit. An astonishing number, to be honest. And not the good kind. Pillar candles. The most dangerous candle of them all! But it's probably okay. Marissa shows up and wants to spend the night with him, but Ryan says no because he has no life there. He'll have to stay in hiding when she goes back to school. Marissa leaves ... but Luke and his crew have followed her and now know that there's something going on between Ryan and Marissa. Luke and crew bust into the house and start a fight. Luke pushes Ryan into some scaffolding where there are tons of precariously placed pillar candles - and they fall onto a drop cloth! Ryan gets away, but one of the other guys grabs him. It's three on one! They punch Ryan and he falls, knocking over open paint cans (which have miraculously not dried out in 30 days!) and now the paint is fueling the fire! Ryan is unconscious. Luke and crew start to leave, but Luke develops a conscience and rushes back into the fire to save Ryan. He drags him outside of the house and leaves him.
Luke wonders later if Ryan was really still alive or not, so he gets into his truck and heads back towards the house. Ryan has made his way to the main road and is trying to hitch a ride. We see where this is going. Luke pulls over and the two establish a sort of truce. Luke drives Ryan back to the Cohen house. WHERE THE POLICE ARE WAITING! "Are you Ryan Atwood? We have some questions for you!" Luke steps up and says, "It's not his fault. It was an accident. I was there." "Well, then, we have questions for you, too!" They are both cuffed and put into the back of a police car.
End credits roll.
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