The Last Waltz (The O.C. episode)

Infobox Television episode
Colour = #ffaa44
Series = The O.C.
Title = The Last Waltz


Season = 3
(2005-2006)
Caption = Kirsten
Episode = 4
Airdate = September 29, 2005 (FOX)
Writer = John Stephens
Director = Ian Toynton
Production = 2T6254
Prev = The End of Innocence
Next = The Perfect Storm

"The Last Waltz" is the 55th episode of FOX television series, "The O.C.". The episode was written by John Stephens and was directed by Ian Toynton. It originally aired on Thursday September 29, 2005.

Guest starring

Plot

Marissa's first day at Newport Union - Orange County's answer to public education. The gang tries to comfort Marissa, but they're the ones who need comforting. She's actually looking forward to a school where not everybody knows everything about her life and you don't have to be stared at all the time. So why is everybody staring?

Dean Hess tracks down Seth and Summer in the student lounge and tells Seth he'll see him at 3 in the men's locker room for some much-needed toilet scrubbing. Seth asks the Dean if he's sure this is detention, because it's feeling more like a work release program.

Back at the Cohen residence, Sandy's excited about Ryan's new tutor for his home-schooling program. She tutored Stallone's kids. But Ryan's actually been thinking about going to Newport Union so he can look after Marissa. Sandy tells him he needs to start thinking about himself and college and SATs, not Marissa.

Meanwhile, Julie gets a visit from the foreclosure agent, who informs her that she's hereby notified that her house and its contents are being seized for repayment of debt. She has 48 hours to vacate the property.

Marissa literally runs into tough girl Heather in the halls of Newport Union. Heather tells Marissa that she'll be happy to let her pass once she admits that she thinks she's better than her. But Marissa doesn't think that. Oh, so now Marissa thinks she's stupid. Just in the knick of time another student, Casey, steps in and Heather takes off. Marissa thanks Casey and tells her she doesn't know why Heather's got it in for her. Um, Casey's guessing it's the bag and the shoes and the Chanel necklace. Right.

Summer's supervising preparations for the upcoming school dance when Taylor Townsend comes in asking if Summer needs any help. Not from her, thanks. Taylor admits she can sometimes be a pain. She tattled on Marissa and got Ryan kicked out of school. Taylor tells Summer that she has no friends. Big surprise. She just doesn't trust people so she tries to control them, which drives them further away. She's working through it with her therapist. Great, don't stop now. Taylor continues to try to appeal to Summer's soft side and finally wins her over with a little anecdote about how nobody ever writes anything nice in her yearbook. And it's her senior year.

Marissa meets Johnny while trying to open the wrong locker - his. He introduces himself and offers to let her store her books in his locker until she finds her own. Then he introduces her to Casey, his girlfriend, who she's already met. And a goofy "Seth-like" kid named Dennis who wants to be called "Chili." They ask Marissa if she'd like to grab some food with them. Unfortunately she can't. Her boyfriend's giving her a ride home. They offer to give her a ride home instead. Marissa calls Ryan, who doesn't mention that he's actually already waiting for her out in the school parking lot, and asks if he'd mind if she got some food and a ride home with some new friends. Ryan, being the selfless guy he is, tells her to go out and have fun. And then he watches her do just that.

The next morning, Julie stops by Marissa's room and asks if she'd like to spend a few nights at Summer's house. Then she proceeds to make up an elaborate story about how there was some mix-up and the house accidentally got put up on the market. But Marissa sees right through her cr

Marissa is in the process of moving into Summer's house when she remembers she was supposed to meet Ryan for breakfast at the diner. No problem, he'll eat alone.

Back at the Cohen residence, Kirsten receives an impressive bouquet of flowers from Charlotte. Then a follow-up call in which Charlotte pretends she's still at the lake thinking of her good friend Kirsten, when in fact she's at a sleazy motel in Newport with her boyfriend hatching a plan to swindle Kirsten out of the millions they assume she recently inherited from her dad. Coincidentally, she's going to be in Newport and would love to have lunch.

At school, Taylor pulls Summer aside and confides that she overheard Dean Hess telling Dr. Kim that he knows Seth didn't steal the tiki hut alone. And that if Seth doesn't tell him who his partner-in-crime is by the end of the day, he'll be suspended.

Kirsten surprises Sandy with a quiche for lunch and Sandy surprises her with the news that the Newport Group is on the verge of collapse. It can still be salvaged if she wants to sell off some assets and restructure the debt. It's up to her. Kirsten says it's time to let it go.

Summer visits Dean Hess and confesses that she was Seth's partner-in-crime. The Dean expected as much and tells Summer that with this on her record, he really can't allow her to remain as Social Chair. Who would replace her? Taylor Townsend? Good suggestion. The Dean will let Taylor know Summer recommended her. Suddenly Summer realizes she's been played...again.

Julie stops by the Newport Group and asks Sandy about getting a loan, but you can't take personal loans from a company. People go to jail for that. But if she needs a loan, he and Kirsten can help her out. Julie declines, claiming she'll just sell off a few of her many stocks.

Summer confronts Taylor in the corridor, letting her know that she may have won this round, but the war is not over. Taylor scoffs at Summer's threat and walks off.

Marissa is reading a poster for a school dance when Johnny stops by and asks if she's going. Well, does it have a theme? Yeah, the theme is school gym, bag of pretzels, and Chili spikes the punch. Tough girl Heather shows up and apologizes to Marissa for being such a jerk. Marissa accepts her apology and Heather asks if that means she's not going to shoot her now. That is the reason she got kicked out of the private school, isn't it? Marissa runs off and Johnny follows her. Marissa confides that it's true, that is why she got kicked out and now everyone's going to know. Johnny confides that everyone pretty much knew already. He saw the story on the news. She did what she had to do. Ryan sees Marissa in tears and misjudges the situation. He hops out of his car and runs into the school to rescue her from Johnny, clearly embarrassing Marissa in the process.

The next day, Ryan calls Marissa to apologize and ask her out to the movies. Sounds fun but she's planning on staying home and catching up on her homework. But she'll probably need a break, so they'll talk later.

Kirsten and Charlotte meet at the Harbor Bay Club for lunch. They spend a few minutes reminiscing about their peaceful retreat in Lake Arrowhead and then Charlotte tells Kirsten that she's actually pitched the idea of a place where women could go between rehab and home to some investor friends of hers. She started looking at some property in Sedona and then she realized that Kirsten just has to be a part of this-as in her money just has to be a part of this. Just a couple million to start. Kirsten's flattered but she just doesn't have that kind of money. When her father died, he left her nothing. Well, what about the Newport Group as a silent partner? Nope, she's closing up shop. Charlotte warns Kirsten that the issues with her dad aren't going to disappear just because her dad's company has been dissolved.

Julie gets another visit from the foreclosure agent, but this time he's brought movers and a deputy to make sure she doesn't get in their way.

Johnny, Casey, and Chili show up at Summer's door unannounced and tell Marissa they're taking her to the school dance. It's non-negotiable because if she doesn't go, they're not going, and she'd be ruining their night too.

Ryan and Seth arrive at Summer's just as Marissa is about to get in the car with her new friends. I thought you were studying? She was, but there's this dance, and she really needs these friends right now. Ryan tells her she should go. Marissa heads off to the Newport Union dance with her new friends, Seth and Summer head off to the Harbor School dance and Ryan is left alone in the driveway.

At the dance, Marissa sees Heather and her posse staring at her and pointing make-believe guns. Johnny tells her that public school kids, all kids really, smell fear. She just has to go in there and act like they're not looking at her.

At the Harbor School dance, Taylor takes the stage and takes credit for Summer's beach theme creation. And there is one other person without whom none of this would be possible...Dean Hess!

Ryan's sitting alone at the diner when he gets a call from Seth worried that Ryan's going to look back on tonight and say, "That's when I started losing her. Man, I should've done something." Ryan says he's got to go.

Ryan speeds to the Newport Union dance. Runs to the door, sees Marissa laughing with her new friends. Suddenly the fight drains out of him. Seth shows up to stop him from doing whatever he was going to do but no longer is. They head back out, but not before Marissa catches a glimpse of them leaving.

Meanwhile, Summer's wandering the halls looking for Seth when she sees Taylor in a make out session with someone. Not just someone, the dean.

Ryan returns to the pool house to find Marissa waiting for him. They dance under the stars to their new song - "Forever Young" by Youth Group.

Music

*"Circles" by Bob Mould
*"Fire Fire" by M.I.A.
*"Ain't No Game" by Basko
*"I Don't Want To Fall In Love" by She Wants Revenge
*"Natural" (Radio Edit) by Infusion
*"Triumphant" by Royksopp
*"Forever Young" by Youth Group

Trivia

* The song Forever Young by Youth Group is established as Marissa and Ryan's song in this episode. The song is played again in The Road Warrior when Ryan and Marissa break up for the last time.
* The name of this episode "The Last Waltz" was taken from the name of The Band concert The Last Waltz.Fact|date=January 2008

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/oc/recaps/304.htm Recap from the official website]