The End of Innocence (The O.C. episode)

Infobox Television episode
Colour = #ffaa44
Series = The O.C.
Title = The End of Innocence


Season = 3
(2005-2006)
Caption = Julie and Jimmy at the Yacht Club
Episode = 3
Airdate = September 22, 2005 (FOX)
Writer = Stephanie Savage
Director = Michael Lange
Production = 2T6253
Prev = The Shape of Things to Come
Next = The Last Waltz

"The End of Innocence" is the 54th episode of FOX television series, "The O.C.". The episode was written by Stephanie Savage and was directed by Michael Lange. It originally aired on Tuesday September 22, 2005.

Guest starring

Plot

At the diner, the gang mourns what was supposed to be the "best year ever!" Seth, more specifically, mourns the fact that without Ryan at Harbor, he's going to go back to being an object of ridicule.

Sandy's home dealing with some kind of construction emergency for the Newport Group, which he's taken over in Kirsten's absence; but keeping the Newport Group afloat is not his only worry. He's also worried about Ryan, who's now home trying to figure out what he's going to do with his life. Sandy thinks Ryan needs to take some time off from Marissa while he gets out of the hole he's dug for himself. Ryan thinks Sandy's over-reacting.

Julie has great news for Marissa. She's been on the phone with Kaitlin's boarding school and they've agreed to take her. Apparently the more elite the school, the more accepting they are of criminals. But Marissa wants to stay in Newport and help rebuild their family. Touched by the sentiment, Julie agrees to let Marissa stay if she agrees to stop seeing Ryan.

Jimmy stops by the Cohen house to apologize to Sandy for, well, everything. But it turns out that's not the only reason he came over. He and Julie have been living in limbo waiting for the will to be read, and...is there any way Sandy could make a call to find out when it's going to happen? Sandy agrees to do what he can. Anything for the soon to be Julie Cooper-Nichol-Cooper.

Dean Hess tracks down Seth and Summer in the student lounge and coerces them into "volunteering" to be stage hands for the drama club...which means for Taylor Townsend. They're free to say no, but unless they want to join Ryan and Marissa in the streets, they better start showing a little school spirit.

A jubilant Jimmy meets Julie for dinner. He then convinces her to move up the wedding to this Saturday. Julie goes for the idea - an understated brunch with close friends and family instead of a big fancy event with strangers. Then a honeymoon in Hawaii. Then back to reality. Speaking of reality...Julie's called every school in the surrounding area and none will take Marissa. Jimmy tries to convince her that it won't seem so bad when she's hanging out in Hanalei bay. Julie asks Jimmy what he thinks of the educational system in Kauai.

Meanwhile at the cabin, Sandy stops by with some news. They're reading Caleb's will on Friday, because Caleb died. Kirsten's going to need a little time to decide if she can make it. She's worked so hard to put her dad behind her and now she's seen Charlotte on the verge of relapse. She doesn't want to push herself before she's ready.

Ryan and Marissa are not exactly taking time apart. They're in Marissa's room, on her bed, when Julie tries barging in. Ryan quickly hides on the balcony and a somewhat disheveled Marissa opens the locked door. Julie announces that the wedding's been moved up to Saturday. Great! Then they're taking their honeymoon in Hawaii. Not particularly original, but OK. And the whole family's going. OK, Marissa's happy to work on her tan. And then the whole family's staying...as in moving to Kauai for good. OK, not great.

Ryan's whipping up an omelet while Seth feeds him helpful suggestions like, Ryan could move to Hawaii and become a scuba instructor, or work in a macadamia nut plant. Ryan has a better idea. How 'bout Marissa moves in with us? Seth thinks that plan might conflict with Sandy's plan for Ryan and Marissa to take a time out.

Marissa breaks the news to Summer, who has no intention of letting Marissa leave... until she learns that Marissa actually wants to go if it means giving her family a chance for a new beginning.

On the boat, Jimmy receives a visit from his business friend Don. A confident Jimmy assures Don that he'll have his money tomorrow night. Don tells Jimmy he's rooting for him, but warns that this is it. No more chances.

Ryan visits Sandy at The Newport Group and asks if Marissa can move in with them. Sandy can't believe he's even asking...but Ryan reminds him that they're both here because somebody gave them a break. Now Marissa needs one. Oh O.K., he'll see what he can do.

Seth and Summer are on a tropical island set, attempting to raise a straw roof onto a tiki hut as Taylor Townsend barks orders at them. Then Taylor proceeds to insult both of them. When Summer strikes back, Dean Hess swoops in to rescue Taylor. One more incident and there will be consequences.

Marissa stops by the pool house and Ryan surprises her with the good news that he's asked Sandy if she could stay with them. Marissa's touched by the gesture but her parents are back together and they finally have a chance to be a real family.

Before Kirsten heads out for the reading of the will, Charlotte warns her that her dad probably has a surprise waiting for her. Hopefully it'll be a good one.

Sandy, Kirsten, Julie and Jimmy assemble for the reading of the will. Caleb's lawyer explains that Caleb's wish was to split his fortune equally between his daughters and his wife. Unfortunately, after careful scrutiny of his account, it appears that Caleb Nichol was broke. The only thing he left was a personal letter to Kirsten, written the day he died. Kirsten takes the letter and runs out of the office, sure that it was written after she accused her dad of being the cause of all her problems. She should've listened to Charlotte.

Ryan takes Marissa down to the beach and surprises her with the romantic Tiki hut that Seth and Summer "borrowed" from the Drama Club .

Meanwhile, after telling Julie it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, Jimmy takes off for his boat with suitcase in tow. Don's already there waiting for him. Jimmy attempts to explain that he ran into some unexpected complications when two thugs escort him into a black SUV.

Back at the Hut, Ryan asks Marissa if she's ready to do this. They've done a lot, but not this. Marissa starts to unbutton her shirt, giving Ryan the answer he wanted.

Sandy tries to track down Kirsten but she's busy buying a bottle of vodka and checking into a sleazy daycare.

Don's thugs have escorted Jimmy down to the pier and are holding his head under water as he thrashes helplessly about.

In the morning, Ryan and Marissa are awakened by the ring of Marrisa`s cell phone. They run down to Jimmy's boat and see that he's been badly beaten. He explains that he's in a lot of trouble and needs to go. Marissa tells him that if he needs to go, he should go, but she doesn't want him coming back. The goodbyes are too hard. Jimmy hands Marissa a ring and asks her to marry Julie. He knows it makes no difference now, but she really does love her mother.

The property manager of the cabin, supposedly owned by Charlotte's dad, stops by to let Charlotte know the family who actually owns it is returning sooner than they thought. Charlotte claims the place is hers for two weeks, and apparently that would be true if her check had cleared. While the manager waits at the door, Charlotte grabs her things and escapes out the back window.

Kirsten returns home and apologizes to Sandy for giving him a scare. She's sick of hiding from her life, and wants to start living it again. They open Caleb's letter together and Kirsten quickly realizes it's an apology.

Marissa shows up at the restaurant where the wedding's supposed to take place momentarily and hands her mother the ring. Julie takes one look at Marissa's face and seems to know what's happened.

Seth and Summer return the kitchen to the Home Depot and while Summer's out getting the torches, Dean Hess shows up and gives Seth a month detention for stealing Home Depot's paint. He could, however, be persuading to reduce the sentence if Seth gives up his partner in crime. Seth claims to have acted alone. O.K., then let's make it two months detention. Seth's proud of himself for not selling Summer out. It may be the first brave thing he's done in his life.

Sandy and Kirsten return home with Chinese take-out and Seth asks if she's really home for good. Yep, and she's never leaving again. Then they proceed to break down the past few weeks: Caleb's broke, Ryan and Marissa have been kicked out of school, Jimmy Cooper just sailed out of town again, and Seth got two months of detention for taking the stuff from the drama club.

Music

*"Wish I Was Dead Pt 2" by Shout Out Louds
*"Gangsters and Thugs" by The Transplants
*"Salvation" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
*"Baby Blue" by All Sad Girls Are Beautiful
*"In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" by Matt Pond PA

Trivia

* This would be the last appearance of Jimmy Cooper in present reality. However, the characters would still talk about him and he appeared in the alternate universe in the Season 4 Chrismukkah episode married to Kirsten and Jimmy appeared in flashbacks as a teenager in The Case of the Franks.
* The episode reached 6.5 million viewers in the U.S. Nielsen Ratings.
* Summer states that instead of helping the drama club and working for Taylor Townsend, she would rather "free animals from labs", which she does and ultimately gets suspended from Brown for in "The Sleeping Beauty" in Season 4.

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/oc/recaps/302.htm Recap from the official website]