The OC Episode Guide

The OC Season 1

Pilot:

After stealing a car with his older brother Trey, Ryan Atwood meets public defender Sandy Cohen . Although Ryan is brooding and pessimistic, something about him reminds Sandy of himself at that age. When Ryan's furious mother, Dawn Atwood , turns up, Sandy gives Ryan his contact details. Dawn tosses her son out and Ryan calls Sandy as a last resort.

Sandy takes Ryan to his mansion in Newport Beach. While Sandy talks to his wife, Kirsten Cohen, who is not happy with the situation, Ryan goes to the end of the driveway to have a smoke, where he meets the Cohen's beautiful neighbour, Marissa Cooper.

Kirsten allows Ryan to spend the night in the pool house. The next morning, he meets the Cohen's slightly dorky son, Seth Cohen. They go sailing together, where Seth tells Ryan about Summer Roberts, the unrequited love of his life.

That night, Ryan is introduced to the glitzy Newport social scene. After a charity fashion show, Ryan and Seth attend a drug and booze soaked after party. Summer sets her sights on Ryan, which causes friction between him and Seth. Later, Marissa's boyfriend Luke Ward tries to beat up Seth, and Ryan comes to his rescue.

Marissa drinks too much and her friends leave her passed out on her driveway. Ryan takes her to the pool house.

The next morning, Marissa is gone and a furious Kirsten wants Ryan out of her house. Sandy drives him back to Chino, only to discover that Dawn and her boyfriend have cleared out.

The Model Home.

Ryan returns to the Cohen house, where Sandy and Kirsten make preparations to send him to a Group Home . Faced with this prospect, Ryan decides to run away. He is intercepted by Seth, who has a better idea.

They run into Marissa, who, determined to prove she is not a superficial bimbo, joins them. They go to one of Kirsten's abandoned model homes . Seth and Marissa help Ryan hide out by bringing him provisions the next day.

Their rendezvous is interupted by Marissa's father Jimmy Cooper, who has arranged a meeting with Kirsten. Marissa is horrified when she overhears him asking Seth's mother for money.

His hide-out almost discovered, Ryan tells Seth and Marissa that he is going to Texas, where one of his mothers old boyfriends lives. Their breakfast is ruined by the appearance of Luke, with whom Ryan gets into a fight.

That night, Marissa visits Ryan at the model home. Thinking that he is leaving the next day, he spurns her advances.

Luke, who followed Marissa, gets into a fight with Ryan, knocking over a candle, which starts a fire. Luke runs out of the house, but goes back to get Ryan. Later, when questioned by police, he admits that he was involved with the fire as well as Ryan.

The Gamble.

Sandy informs Ryan that Kirsten's company is not pressing charges, but because he does not have a guardian, he will have to stay in Juvenile Hall. Here, Ryan makes an enemy.

Due to his part in the 'model home fiasco', Seth is grounded. This doesn't stop him from going to visit Ryan. Kirsten, frustrated with the inane chatter of her socialite friends, agrees to join him. Marissa does not.

At juvvy, Ryan's tormentor makes lewd comments toward Kirsten. Ryan tries to put a stop to it, and is attacked. Kirsten signs Ryan out. The three spend the day setting up for yet another Newport Beach black tie event, where Ryan runs into Marissa and Luke. The atmoshphere is tense. But Ryan and Kirsten bond as they discuss her work.

Sandy manages to find Ryan's mother. Although they fight over dinner, they reach a ceasefire, and spend the next day touring Newport Beach. They have fun that night at Casino Night, and Ryan seems sure to move away with his mother.

Julie Cooper, Marissa's mother, is furious when she discovers Jimmy has borrowed money from Kirsten, of whom she has always been jealous. She 'accidently' tells Sandy about and Sandy confronts his wife.

Seth is estatic when Summer calls him her good luck charm, and orders him to stay by her side all night - even though she can't get his name right.

Dawn, supposedly on the wagon, drinks too much and calls attention to herself when she falls over. Marissa races over to help, but Luke stops her and helps Dawn himself. Mollified by this, she slips her hand into his, their rift seemingly mended.

The next morning, Kirsten catches Dawn about to leave. The two women talk and Dawn tearfully tells Kirsten that she will be a better mother for Ryan. Ryan comes out to find his mother leaving.

Kirsten and Ryan go into the kitchen and Kirsten tells Sandy and Seth that Ryan will be staying with them now.

The Debut.

Papers are signed naming the Cohens as Ryan's guardian, and he promises to stay out of trouble. However, as a condition of becoming part of the family, Ryan must attend the annual cotillion.

Kirsten takes Seth and Ryan to get suits, and Ryan runs into Marissa and Luke. He informs them that he will be living with the Cohens now. Kirsten interupts before things too intense. She informs Marissa, lead debutante, that Seth and Ryan are white knights, for girls who need a last minute date.

A man from the SEC visits Sandy at his office and informs him that Jimmy is currently under a fraud investigation. Later, he tells Kirsten that he is siphoning money from his clients accounts, but Kirsten convinces him not to say anything to their friends yet.

Ryan and Seth go to a cotillion rehersal, where Ryan meets his date, Anna Stern, who has just moved to Newport Beach. Summer, who asked Marissa to set her up with Ryan, is not happy, but Seth is delighted when she agrees to go with him.

Jimmy runs into Marissa's friend Holly and her father, Greg. Greg asks for money from his investment account, which Jimmy obviously doesn't have. Ryan and Seth go to Holly's beachhouse party and although Luke punches him, Ryan does not fight back. Ryan and Marissa decide not to go to cotillion.

At the club, Seth tells Anna that her date won't be coming, and ends up talking to her about comic books. With Marissa not going, Summer and Luke decide to go together, and Summer unceremoniously let's Seth 'off the hook.' Anna asks Seth, who accepts.

Marissa visits Ryan and convinces him to come with her. When they turn up together, Luke breaks up with Marissa and leaves. Ryan and Marissa decide to go together. Dateless Summer asks Seth to go with him, but he says no (very reluctantly.)

Greg finally discovers Jimmy doesn't have his money, and punches him. Sandy and Ryan end up in the brawl. Ryan comforts a tearful Marissa. Luke turns up, and she tells both boys she wants to be alone.

The Outsider.

Ryan and Seth have lunch at The Crab Shack, where Ryan complains about having to rely on the Cohens for money. Ever so convienently, one of the waiters is fired and Ryan gets a job.