Previously On:
We are shown: Lindsay and Ryan kissing, Lindsay and Kirsten becoming “friends”, Marissa drunk at Jimmy’s goodbye party, Seth being grounded and Seth and Alex talking about her liking him.
Its déjàvu as we once again open with a shot of Ryan. This time he is eating breakfast and gets a call from Seth. It turns out Seth snuck out and went to Alex’s. He wants Ryan to cover for him. Ryan is reluctant to lie to Sandy.
At the other side of the house we see Sandy and Kirsten waking up. She wishes him a happy anniversary, his face gives away the face he obviously has forgotten and doesn’t even know how many years they have been married. It’s their 20th anniversary. She realizes he has forgotten but he denies it and says he has planned a celebration.
Sandy runs into Ryan and is looking for Seth. Ryan lies but Sandy realizes he it and figures out Seth left to go see his girlfriend. Uh oh bad boy Cohen just got busted!
Cut to the intro and CALIFORNIA!!
Off to school with the boys. Seth is mad because Ryan’s lie didn’t work. Seth comes out with his line of the night early on, “If we were buddy cops, and sometimes I think we are, I would be riddled with bullets right now.”
Zach and Summer are being all gross lovey dovey. Zach goes to get her a coffee. I hate this guy! No personality, no spark. Just a whipped nerd who has everything going for him. Summer asks why Seth is wearing the same shirt he wore yesterday and jokes that he shacked at his girlfriends. Ryan tries to lie but he failed again. Zach comes back with coffee but Summer is all of a sudden nauseous and no longer wants it.
For some reason Marissa is not at school but is instead being a bitch to her mom and Caleb.
Back at school Lindsay and Ryan talk about how he is a bad liar. Lindsay isn’t ready to tell Kirsten about the two of them. But she wants to come over tonight to “study”. Oh they are so getting busted. Ok I saw that in the preview so I am cheating a bit.
Over at Casa Cohen Sandy is chilling with Kirsten. He tells her that he is taking her to Laguna Beach for the weekend. She figures he made the reservation at the last minute, which he no doubt did. She tells Sandy that she doesn’t want to leave Seth alone.
A little later the boys arrive home and Sandy orders them to the kitchen. Seth apologizes. Sandy grounds them both. He tells them if he can’t trust them by themselves they will have to stay with Caleb which means Julie Cooper as well. Sandy feels satisfied that the threat of a weekend with Malibu’s Most Hated Bitch will get the boys in line.
Over at Summer’s place the girls are studying French. Summer is upset because Seth had sex first, or at least she assumes because of the sleepover. Marissa tells her not to worry and that she shouldn’t care anyway. Summer tells Marissa that her and Zach are ready to sleep together.
Hey another shot of Ryan studying. Lindsay comes over and they start to kiss but try their best to actually study, but their best means about 30 seconds of studying before they start making out again.
Meanwhile Sandy and Kirsten eat ice cream and decide to go get boys to have quality family time instead of sticking them in their rooms alone. Sandy goes to get Seth and catches him going out the window.
Lindsay and Ryan are making out. The stud has Journey’s Open Arms playing in the background. More proof that the writers of The O.C. are obsessed with Journey. Kirsten comes in and sees Ryan on top of Lindsay with his shirt off. Yikes!! Your sun making out with your sister!
On that incestuous note we head to commercials.
After these two new incidents Kirsten doesn’t feel she can trust boys and wants to cancel the weekend away. She is obviously very upset about Ryan dating her sister.
The boys try to make amends by making pancakes for the parents. They aren’t buying it. Ryan apologizes to Kirsten. Seth tries to apologize to Sandy. Kirsten tells Sandy that they can’t leave them alone. Sandy is determined to celebrate their anniversary.
DJ comes to pick up Marissa. Julie tries mend things with Marissa, she wants the family to have a photo. Marissa is having none of it.
Lindsay and Ryan talk about them getting caught by Kirsten. They wonder how long it will take for her to understand things.
Sandy goes to talk to Alex at The Bait Shop. Sandy decides to talk to Alex instead of threatening her. He tells her about the anniversary and asks her to talk to Seth to set him straight. Alex seems shocked that Sandy was civil and respectful towards her.
Over to Zach at school. Summer is in a cute kilt just asking to be taking advantage of. She goes over to Zach and kisses him. She hints at doing something just the two of them. He is busy because his sister is coming back in town. She tells him she really likes him and wants to take it to the next step, he agrees and says he didn’t want to say anything because he didn’t want to rush things. He suggests this weekend and he will tell his parents. Turns out his next step is to introduce her to his parents. What is wrong with this boy?
Seth goes to visit Alex and he wants to make out. She asks him what they are doing together. She mentions that his parents are worried about him and tells him that Sandy stopped by the club. She tells him she needs some space and time.
Sandy tells Kirsten that he is ready to go away. He assures her that the boys will be fine staying at Caleb’s. Kirsten doesn’t think so. She is mad because she feels Sandy is too easy on them and she always has to be the one who disciplines them. She brings up Seth running away to Portland and blames Sandy. She is also upset he forgot their anniversary. He wants to talk about it later. She tells him she cancelled the reservations so they have plenty of time to talk.
Time for Fox to make some more money.
Back to Sandy relaxing by himself. He sees Seth come home. He wants to talk to Seth find out where Bizzaro Seth has come from. They are discussing why Seth has been acting differently. Ryan walks by and Sandy calls him over. Sandy chastises him for lying about still dating Lindsay.
Lindsay shows up to talk to Kirsten. Lindsay apologizes to Kirsten tries to explain. Kirsten wants to take a step back from things. She wants to just be friends. Weird scene there!
Zach and Summer are off to meet his family. The family talk about what is going on in Kashmir. Summer thought they said Cashmere and makes an ass of herself. She tries her best to make a good impression but their conversation is over her head. Oh poor stupid Summer. At least you look hot in a kilt!
Seth is at the Bait Shop to see Alex. Turns out he wants his job back because he isn’t getting his allowance anymore. She is upset at Seth because he doesn’t realize how good his parents are. She feels that the two of them will never work out because his parents will approve not approve of her.
Caleb, Julie and Marissa are getting ready for the family picture. DJ shows up. Caleb doesn’t seem to know what is going on. DJ is upset because Marissa lied to him about Julie approving. Julie goes to talk to him. She offers him $5000 to never see Marissa again. He gets in his car to leave. She drops the check in his lap saying Marissa is only using him to upset her family and he should get something out of it.
Lindsay and Ryan on the pier. Ryan decides they should break up because he doesn’t want to cause problems for Sandy and Kirsten. He things they should just be friends. Ok can we please go ONE EPISODE with these two NOT breaking up and getting back together? Lindsay tells Ryan that she chose him over Kirsten and now she has two people who just want her as friends instead of a boyfriend and a sister. Oh boo hoo! Just move to Tennessee and have sex already!
Back at the Cohen household Sandy goes over to Kirsten and tells her to get ready because he has hired some babysitters, who happen to be policeman.
Well that explains the cops from the preview. I was kinda hoping Seth would be put in the slammer for a night for auto-theft. And now more commercials.
After that we see Sandy and Kirsten enjoy a dinner at a fancy restaurant. Kirsten apologizes for blowing up on him. Just then the two policeman show up at the restaurant and tell Sandy the boys managed to sneak out.
Marissa and Summer relax at Summer’s pad place watching the news. Summer is trying to be more informed. Marissa is upset because DJ hasn’t called her back since the photo incident. Summer feels she messed up lunch with Zach’s family.
After that boring interlude we head back to Kirsten and Sandy sitting in the back of the cop car. They go to show up at Bait Shop (why are they going there). They enter into the dark room and then SURPRISE! Oh Sandy you dog! Someone knows how to get out of the doghouse! The O.C. does have lessons. When you forget an anniversary do something big to make up for it.
The boys toast the two of them and say lots of cheesy things. Sandy goes on stage to sing. He thanks the boys and Alex for helping to put things on. He starts to sing and is does not seem like his voice at all. The crowd yells Ashley Simpson-like insults, just kidding.
For some reason Zach is in attendance. He sees Summer reading the news. She is worried he is going to break up with her. He tells her that he likes her because she is different from his family. They kiss.
Julie tells Marissa she is better off without DJ. She tells Marissa she gave DJ $5000 as a test and him taking the money shows he did not care for her. Marissa runs off. Personally I would just take the money and still date the girl. Well actually I would never date sketchy Mischa Barton.
Kirsten and Ryan are talking and trying to making things all better between the two of them, Kirsten tells him and Lindsay should dance motioning towards a now entering Lindsay.
Seth introduces Alex to Kirsten who comments on her tattoo.
Marissa runs into DJ outside and he tells her that he can’t “do this anymore.” She assumes he took Julie’s money. He says it’s not that. He knows Marissa only wants to date him to piss of Julie. She doesn’t deny it. He gives her the check because the name is blank and tells her to go on a shopping spree. They then say their goodbyes. Hmm… I wonder if this is a permanent goodbye to DJ? I doubt it though.
Back to more Sandy singing…and fade to black.
All in all a decent if somewhat repetitive and formulaic episode.
Next week on The O.C.:
Seth invites out Alex but her ex-bf has shown up. Lindsay and Marissa conflict over Ryan. Another Ex-conflict. Ryan has a dramatic LINDSAY!! Scream. Seth seemingly breaks up with Alex, whom I thought dumped him this episode. So Yeah more back and forth between the couples.
