the graduates
Because I chose to watch the series finale of Will & Grace on Thursday night, I had to wait until this afternoon to see the season three finale of The OC on TiVo with dollymatters.
I was spoiled by some inconsiderate folks over at the_oc, so I already knew that one of the main characters was going to die (and which, at that). Going into the episode knowing that already, I expected it, you know... it wasn't as shocking. But it was still a decent episode.
I loved the graduation scene. For some reason, I just love graduations. They're such an emotional time. I'll be going to my best friend's graduation next weekend and I'll probably cry. I feel like these kids on the show are my friends, too, after watching it for three years, so it was emotional seeing them graduate high school. I was proud of them and it was just so great that Ryan's mom could come and everything. It was so sweet that she saved up her money and bought him that car as a graduation present. As much as Dawn screwed up, she really does care about her son, you know? She made some awful decisions, but seeing her face light up with pride at his graduation just proved how much she loves him. The same with Julie Cooper... the way she was overcome by emotion and pride at seeing Marissa graduate... and the talk she had with Marissa about her mistakes over the past few years and how she regretted them but she was really just wanting the best for her daughter... it goes to show that these parents make mistakes like all parents, but they love their kids above all else.
I thought it was kind of selfish of Jimmy to send Marissa a plane ticket and assume that she wanted to come work manual labor on a ship that was sailing to Greece. I mean, had she been in contact with him? Did she mention that she was uneasy about college? For him to just assume was kind of presumptuous. Marissa had a great opportunity to go to UC Berkeley and I don't know why she wanted to squander that. I know it would have been good to see her father again, but they could have worked something out, you know?
I'm really happy that Seth got accepted to Rhode Island School of Design. It doesn't make up for how crappy he was to his girlfriend when he first got rejected by Brown. I was so frustrated with his actions this season: smoking marijuana, blowing his Brown interview, getting rejected from school, lying about it to his parents, forcing an end to his relationship with Summer, burning down his dad's office... the list goes on. But I guess everything worked out for the best, you know? His burning down the Newport Group made Sandy realize how much he wanted to go back to the public defender's office. When Kirsten told Seth that his accidentally arson might've been for the best, I smiled. I think it will take a tremendous strain off of their marriage when he's back where he wants to be and not so entrenched in corporate corruption.
And then for the big finale shocker that happened in the last five minutes of the show... damn. I just can't believe that they killed Marissa. I understand that Mischa Barton wanted out of her contract, but still! There just had to be a better way to do it. They could have just kept up the storyline about her sailing to Greece so that it was open-ended and she could come back to the show if she changed her mind. (I guess if she changes her mind over the summer, they could play it off like she didn't die the same way they did with Trey at the beginning of this season. But Marissa staying alive would have kept that opportunity open for the remainder of the show.) I mean, seriously... I'm just so disappointed with the writers right now. It was a fitting death scene, what with Ryan carrying her the same way he carried her during season one when she passed out in Tijuana... and after leaving the model home, where she first really hung out with Ryan and realized that maybe she had a thing for him. The only part that I really disliked about the death scene was the lack of emotion. In my mind, Ryan would have been much more overcome with grief, perhaps yelling and screaming and urging her not to die. Marissa should have told Ryan that she loved him... or vice versa... I don't understand why neither of them said that. Was it just understood? Or was it being questioned? Did she still love Ryan? Maybe it was left open-ended like that because we'll never know. They weren't together anymore... but I really think that they still loved each other. I think that Ryan will always love Marissa and he'll never be able to forget her.
I'm really anxious to see what happens next season. Part of me wishes that this had been the last season and that it had ended a bit differently, with everyone going their separate ways (Seth and Summer to Rhode Island, Sandy and Kirsten sans Newport Group and alcohol problems, Marissa going to Greece, Ryan going to Berkeley, Taylor going to Sorbonne, and Kaitlin going to Harbor and living with Julie and Neil). It just would have made more sense that way. I really don't know that I'll be all that captivated by a Kaitlin-centric season four. Who knows, perhaps the drama will be entertaining and I'll be proven wrong. It just seems like... with the absence of Marissa, Seth, Summer, and Ryan, the show is going to lose its direction. I'm sure that Seth and Summer will come back to Newport a lot to see their family (God knows they can afford the plane tickets to come home every weekend if need be) and Ryan as well, considering he'll still be only a few hours away in Berkeley. They'll definitely make appearances on the show. But the reason I've been watching this show for three years was the cast... the fearsome foursome. The show revolved around them and their lives. It's just going to be so different next season. I'll definitely watch the first few episodes to see where they're trying to take it (who knows how they will react to Marissa's death... plans may totally change). I guess I'll decide after the first few episodes if the show has any life left in it and if it's worth watching. I hope it's not horrible... because I have a feeling it will be the last season and I don't want my favorite show to go out with a bad season. I just don't think Fox is treating it right... they should move it to a new night and time. Thursday night is going to be the most competitive time slot next season... The OC will be up against Grey's Anatomy and CSI, among others.
Oh, well. I'll watch my seasons one and two on DVD and anxiously await the release of the third season. I'll definitely buy it when it comes out. I may be one of the few and far between that actually liked this season. I just found it hard to give up faith on one of my favorite shows, and I commend the writers, producers, etc. for keeping me tuning in week after week. I hope that next season things work out for the show and that they're able to keep up great storylines and the majority of the cast. Otherwise, I'm not sure it will have the same flair and I really don't want to lose interest in this show. I guess we'll see what happens in November.
I was spoiled by some inconsiderate folks over at the_oc, so I already knew that one of the main characters was going to die (and which, at that). Going into the episode knowing that already, I expected it, you know... it wasn't as shocking. But it was still a decent episode.
I loved the graduation scene. For some reason, I just love graduations. They're such an emotional time. I'll be going to my best friend's graduation next weekend and I'll probably cry. I feel like these kids on the show are my friends, too, after watching it for three years, so it was emotional seeing them graduate high school. I was proud of them and it was just so great that Ryan's mom could come and everything. It was so sweet that she saved up her money and bought him that car as a graduation present. As much as Dawn screwed up, she really does care about her son, you know? She made some awful decisions, but seeing her face light up with pride at his graduation just proved how much she loves him. The same with Julie Cooper... the way she was overcome by emotion and pride at seeing Marissa graduate... and the talk she had with Marissa about her mistakes over the past few years and how she regretted them but she was really just wanting the best for her daughter... it goes to show that these parents make mistakes like all parents, but they love their kids above all else.
I thought it was kind of selfish of Jimmy to send Marissa a plane ticket and assume that she wanted to come work manual labor on a ship that was sailing to Greece. I mean, had she been in contact with him? Did she mention that she was uneasy about college? For him to just assume was kind of presumptuous. Marissa had a great opportunity to go to UC Berkeley and I don't know why she wanted to squander that. I know it would have been good to see her father again, but they could have worked something out, you know?
I'm really happy that Seth got accepted to Rhode Island School of Design. It doesn't make up for how crappy he was to his girlfriend when he first got rejected by Brown. I was so frustrated with his actions this season: smoking marijuana, blowing his Brown interview, getting rejected from school, lying about it to his parents, forcing an end to his relationship with Summer, burning down his dad's office... the list goes on. But I guess everything worked out for the best, you know? His burning down the Newport Group made Sandy realize how much he wanted to go back to the public defender's office. When Kirsten told Seth that his accidentally arson might've been for the best, I smiled. I think it will take a tremendous strain off of their marriage when he's back where he wants to be and not so entrenched in corporate corruption.
And then for the big finale shocker that happened in the last five minutes of the show... damn. I just can't believe that they killed Marissa. I understand that Mischa Barton wanted out of her contract, but still! There just had to be a better way to do it. They could have just kept up the storyline about her sailing to Greece so that it was open-ended and she could come back to the show if she changed her mind. (I guess if she changes her mind over the summer, they could play it off like she didn't die the same way they did with Trey at the beginning of this season. But Marissa staying alive would have kept that opportunity open for the remainder of the show.) I mean, seriously... I'm just so disappointed with the writers right now. It was a fitting death scene, what with Ryan carrying her the same way he carried her during season one when she passed out in Tijuana... and after leaving the model home, where she first really hung out with Ryan and realized that maybe she had a thing for him. The only part that I really disliked about the death scene was the lack of emotion. In my mind, Ryan would have been much more overcome with grief, perhaps yelling and screaming and urging her not to die. Marissa should have told Ryan that she loved him... or vice versa... I don't understand why neither of them said that. Was it just understood? Or was it being questioned? Did she still love Ryan? Maybe it was left open-ended like that because we'll never know. They weren't together anymore... but I really think that they still loved each other. I think that Ryan will always love Marissa and he'll never be able to forget her.
I'm really anxious to see what happens next season. Part of me wishes that this had been the last season and that it had ended a bit differently, with everyone going their separate ways (Seth and Summer to Rhode Island, Sandy and Kirsten sans Newport Group and alcohol problems, Marissa going to Greece, Ryan going to Berkeley, Taylor going to Sorbonne, and Kaitlin going to Harbor and living with Julie and Neil). It just would have made more sense that way. I really don't know that I'll be all that captivated by a Kaitlin-centric season four. Who knows, perhaps the drama will be entertaining and I'll be proven wrong. It just seems like... with the absence of Marissa, Seth, Summer, and Ryan, the show is going to lose its direction. I'm sure that Seth and Summer will come back to Newport a lot to see their family (God knows they can afford the plane tickets to come home every weekend if need be) and Ryan as well, considering he'll still be only a few hours away in Berkeley. They'll definitely make appearances on the show. But the reason I've been watching this show for three years was the cast... the fearsome foursome. The show revolved around them and their lives. It's just going to be so different next season. I'll definitely watch the first few episodes to see where they're trying to take it (who knows how they will react to Marissa's death... plans may totally change). I guess I'll decide after the first few episodes if the show has any life left in it and if it's worth watching. I hope it's not horrible... because I have a feeling it will be the last season and I don't want my favorite show to go out with a bad season. I just don't think Fox is treating it right... they should move it to a new night and time. Thursday night is going to be the most competitive time slot next season... The OC will be up against Grey's Anatomy and CSI, among others.
Oh, well. I'll watch my seasons one and two on DVD and anxiously await the release of the third season. I'll definitely buy it when it comes out. I may be one of the few and far between that actually liked this season. I just found it hard to give up faith on one of my favorite shows, and I commend the writers, producers, etc. for keeping me tuning in week after week. I hope that next season things work out for the show and that they're able to keep up great storylines and the majority of the cast. Otherwise, I'm not sure it will have the same flair and I really don't want to lose interest in this show. I guess we'll see what happens in November.