(S04E09) So far everything about this season has been good. So I suppose it was inevitable that we'd get to a storyline that I'm not a big fan of. Of course I'm talking about Chris Brown. I really think he is a talented guy (he's got one hell of a singing voice), but this isn't the right venue for him to showcase his skills. His character (Will) just doesn't feel right.
It doesn't help that the storyline he's been tossed into is completely flat. Kaitlin has felt distant nearly the entire season and now it's further highlighted because the only character she's connected to just showed up. I'm not buying him as the dorky band-geek either. It feels forced for the sole purpose of creating the "beauty and geek" aspect between him and Kaitlin.
Alright, I'm done ranting about that. Let's move on to the rest of the episode. Can we talk about how much I love that Ryan's father is Hercules?
I thought Kevin Sorbo played the part of Frank well. You can't argue about the casting either. He was the perfect fit for that role. Despite the fact that the whole bit about him not actually having cancer was completely predictable, I liked the dynamic between Ryan and his father. It was much better than any of the episodes that his real mother was in. It was actually pretty surprising to see Sandy get so defensive about Ryan but I liked that side of him. It's almost as if his adopted son's rough and tumble attitude rubbed off on him.
What's with the kiss between Frank and Julie though? As far as I knew, Sorbo had only signed on to do two episodes. Now that we know The OC is done for sure at the end of February, I'm not so sure it was a good idea to leave something like an ambiguous kiss out in the open. Then again, I may be reading into this too much since Julie will kiss just about anything with a pulse.
Speaking of love, the entire process of "planning the marriage" between Seth and Summer was probably the best written bit all season. It was hilarious, touching, and just really well done. Neither of them want to do it but they're both too stubborn to say something. Seth asking Summer to learn how to cook and convert to Judaism was priceless though. I wonder if Neil will be in the next episode when Seth visits him in Seattle? Maybe we'll get some more Grey's Anatomy references? Or what about Luke Ward? Didn't he move to Seattle with his Dad? It'd be cool if they brought him back once more before the show takes a bow.
There's plenty of tension to build between Seth and Summer now. I'm guessing the two of them won't be happily engaged for long. That isn't to say they won't eventually tie the knot before the show ends. Then again, if she started using the word "frak" more often (and in front of Cohen), he might warm up to the idea of marriage knowing that his bride to be is Battlestar Galactica savvy.
Quotable:
Seth (scolding Ryan for being rude to Pancakes): "How dare you talk to your nephew that way."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-05-2007 @ 10:42AM
David said...
They have to get married, the show is canceled.
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1-05-2007 @ 1:06AM
Jen said...
Oh, I adored the chutzpah part. "It's chhh" "Chhhhh" "Chhhhhhhh."
Although by the end, the marriage thing was almost getting very mean-spirited! Is a potential breakup in the works (short term of course...they wouldn't make one last.)
The dad not having cancer? Totally expected. They could have done a little bit better than that.
The guy that played the band geek? I knew some hot band geeks in my day...but for this show, he wasn't believable. At all. Was pretty stilted acting. Did like the stunt he pulled on Kaitlin, however. Woof.
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1-05-2007 @ 10:04AM
Jamie said...
Luke moved to Portland, Oregon with his father, not Seattle.
Loved the episode, I'm really glad to see Ryan belonging in the Cohen family and Newport again. Especially when he called Sandy 'Dad' twice.
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1-05-2007 @ 10:04AM
Chris said...
So does anyone have the over under for the number of head-bobs Chris Brown did during the episode. In the preview, he threw out 4 in his brief time, so to me that meant he could get around 57 in his time on screen in the whole show. I stopped counting after 10. Someone should do a Chris Brown bobble head, then tell it to stop acting.
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1-05-2007 @ 10:06AM
Kate said...
I think you might be right about doing the whole cancer plot better. I did like Kevin's portrayal though. I wonder if he will ever review his own work. He has been known to do that.
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1-05-2007 @ 11:08AM
Lisa said...
I loved this episode! So many great scenes: Ryan and Frank, Frank and Sandy, Sandy and Ryan, Ryan and Seth, Seth and Summer, Summer and Julie, and every scene with Pancakes! The fans aren't giving up on The OC. We've been told to send courteous emails to the CW at feedback@cwtv. com telling them why we want The OC to continue and commiting to watch if they convince Josh to get on board!
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1-05-2007 @ 12:54PM
marah said...
and the preview for next week??? WHOA. i LOVE the taylor/ryan storyline. not enough of it in this episode. i was like "ok, ok, ok... caitlin, frank, julie... i get it. move on."
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1-05-2007 @ 2:37PM
jake said...
More people need to know that all new episodes will air on thurs at 9 until feb 22.
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1-05-2007 @ 4:26PM
Jennifer said...
Two words for Seth and Summer: Marital Chicken. All things considered, that was pretty hilarious. And it didn't end during this episode, either!
Yeah, that dude playing Will can't act. Meh.
I did think Kevin Sorbo was coming off as "too nice" to be the same ol' abusive jerk who he had to have been before jail. I do have to give a bit of props for the part during the fight where he went all surly and Old Frank came creeping out.
He and Julie did have some obvious vibe going on, to the point where it would have seemed odd to me if he didn't kiss her. She seemed quite sympathetic to him. But eh, yeah, that won't go anywhere now.
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1-06-2007 @ 10:03AM
Melanie said...
Yeah, new band geek guy can NOT act. How do people that bad get hired onto popular (okay, apparently unpopular) shows anyway?
I can't believe The OC got canceled so soon. It was so big for awhile! Marissa and that awful third season are entirely to blame. I just wish Fox would give fans a chance to rediscover the show, rather than put it up against all of the most popular shows on television.
Can you guys at TV Squad please do an article on that? Why would they doom an otherwise very successful show to failure like that, rather keeping it in its niche, on Wednesday?
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1-11-2007 @ 7:56AM
Will said...
Great episode. I loved the cutting back and forth they did at the beginning.
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1-11-2007 @ 6:15PM
isabel said...
Great episode. I want the subtitles, is there enybody who's got them?
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