The Heartbreak

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


Season = 1
(2003-2004)
Caption = Ryan and Theresa before the Valentine Dance
Episode = 19
Airdate = February 18, 2004 (FOX)
Writer = Josh Schwartz
Director = Lev L. Spiro
Production = 176518
Episode list = "The O.C." (season 1)
List of "The O.C." episodes
Prev = The Truth
Next = The Telenovela

"The Heartbreak" is the 19th episode of the FOX television series, "The O.C.". The episode was written by Josh Schwartz and was directed by Lev L. Spiro. It originally aired on Wednesday February 18, 2004.

Guest starring

Plot

Articleissues
cleanup = May 2008
fansite = May 2008
inappropriate tone = May 2008

Morning. Sandy seems a little down. Kirsten rounds the corner into the kitchen and shoots him with a foam arrow for Valentine's Day. This doesn't perk him up. He's still thinking about what could've happened with Oliver and that gun. Kirsten thinks it's time to move on and celebrate Valentine's Day, which Sandy mocks as a marketing feat, not a holiday. Seth sides with Sandy and the bickering continues until Ryan enters. Then it's time for school.

Ryan, suspension lifted, is once again roaming the halls. Marissa spots him and greets him with a needy hug. They talk about Oliver briefly and she says she just wants things to go back to normal ASAP. He doesn't say anything. Marissa asks if they'll be hanging out anytime soon and Ryan mentions the Valentine's Dance Kirsten is hosting. Marissa remembers and says she'll be going too, so maybe they'll...see each other there?

In the lounge, Summer is playing Galaga when Seth swoops in. By the way, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. And since Anna and Seth broke up, he'd like to know what she's doing on this special day. So, Cohen, you think after Anna dumps you, you can just choose me and I'll be interested in you? She's busy tomorrow. She'll be at the Valentine's Dance.

Sandy swings by Kirsten's office for lunch. He breaks the news to her that because he has to meet with the city inspectors about the restaurant, he'll probably be just a little late to her dance. No. That will not happen. Kirsten absolutely forbids it with all of her wifely powers. They start to argue about who supports the other's ventures more and pretty soon lunch is off.

Jimmy comes home to the apartment to find Marissa waiting for him. She tells him that he got a little note and a box of cookies, which he finds out is from a secret admirer. Marissa opens up to her dad about her and Ryan being on the rocks.

Meanwhile, Seth has dropped by Summer's incredibly girly bedroom to talk shop. But first he's distracted by Summer's purple My Little Pony toy. The pony is named Princess Sparkle. Summer's about to kick him out when he begs for a chance to explain. He claims that it's not like he's choosing Summer. The reason he and Anna broke up in the first place is because for Seth, it's always been Summer. Summer kisses Seth and then throws him on the bed. They have sex.

Love is in the air and now Luke is standing on the front porch of Julie Cooper's. Luke, what are you doing here? inquires Julie. Uh, did Marissa bring her bio textbook home? Julie informs him that Marissa doesn't live here anymore. Right. Must've forgot. Um, anyway, uh, do you need a ride to the Valentine's Dance tomorrow? Julie says she's going to lay low after her breakup with Caleb. Luke leaves and Julie looks like she thinks she knows what that visit was really all about.

Seth and Summer lay in his bed, not knowing what comes next. Over in the pool house, Marissa pops in for a visit and she only has one thing in mind. She pins Ryan to his futon and starts attacking him with kisses. But he stops her. Don't you want to? Ryan is still concerned by everything that happened. Marissa wants everything back as it was and wants to make it up to him. Stuttering apologies, she leaves.

The next morning, a blinking Seth comes into the pool house brimming with his news. He and Summer had sex. Seth then immediately describes a cavalcade of his fears about his lack of bedroom ability and Ryan tells him that he's no relationship expert. It looks like he and Marissa are on the way out. Ryan heads out to the dance hall to help set things up.

On the beach, a limping Summer confesses to Marissa what happened with Seth yesterday. And she's feeling just as confident as Seth is. Marissa admits that things went terrible last night with Ryan. Summer tells her that Oliver wasn't her fault, but she points out that Ryan kept trying to warn her and she didn't listen.

Back at the Cohen home, Sandy's in a good mood, but Kirsten still isn't speaking to him. He ruined her favorite holiday. Seth comes in and needs to talk with dad about girl stuff. They might need to have "the talk". The men reconvene in another room. Sandy asks him if he was, you know, responsible. Check. He reassures his boy that it's always going to be awkward the first time, but next time, go with a little foreplay if you want to be successful.

At the hall, Luke asks Ryan how things are going with Marissa. Is she coming tonight? Is her mom coming tonight? Then Ryan turns around and nearly runs into Theresa, his Chino ex-girlfriend. She'll be working at the dance tonight. So, um, it's good to see you.

Seth visits Summer to chat. He wants another shot now that he knows what he's doing. She's certainly up for it. Except his massaging and neck kisses are more goofy than sensual. Summer asks what he's doing. Trying out a little foreplay? No, none of that Cohen. Summer tosses him down on the bed, chucks the top off and away we go again.

Outside the banquet hall, Ryan is telling Theresa all about Oliver and Marissa and therapists and guns and lies. She completely understands why he'd be so angry about it. Ryan says it feels good to finally talk with somebody about things. Marissa comes outside looking for Ryan and gets a dose of Theresa as well. Things get even more awkward when she realizes that Theresa will be at the dance tonight too.

Dance time. Seth drops in on Ryan, who's putting the finishing touches on his suit. Seth confesses that he and Summer went at it again, but it was still terrible so he thinks it might be over. Elsewhere, Summer is also considering skipping the dance tonight, but Marissa wants to go because Theresa is going to be there. Coincidentally, that's the same reason Ryan wants to go.

The event is now in full swing. Ryan and Seth stand around moping when Theresa comes over with a tray of food. Summer and Marissa spot this from a balcony. Marissa is just slightly threatened by the presence of Ryan's past. Julie Cooper's here. She and Kirsten also spend some time moping. Julie heads out, which catches the attention of Luke.

Ryan is sitting by himself at a table when Marissa joins him with a smile. Can we just start over? Hi, I'm Marissa. Ryan knows what she's trying to do, but he just can't. Sorry. At another table, Seth approaches Summer with apologies. Maybe in a few years he'll be ready for her. In the meantime, he just wants to bow out.

Ryan's getting some air outside when Theresa just happens to join him. A little flirting, a little talk. As it turns out, Theresa took this job hoping to run into Ryan. He asks her if she wants to get out of there. Inside, Marissa is in tears. Sandy comes over to console her. The thing about Ryan is, everybody has always abandoned him. Marissa argues that it seems like that's what he wants her to do too, but Sandy says you can't let that happen. Love is crazy. Kirsten, overhearing all of this, realizes that maybe Valentine's Day isn't ruined after all.

Cheered up a little, Marissa leaves with Summer. Just in time to see Ryan hopping into Theresa's car. Back at the pool house, the old couple is trading old tales. Next door, Luke is back on Julie Cooper's porch. Julie looked so sad when she left, Luke couldn't bear the thought of her being alone tonight. Full of wine and flattered by Luke's sweet talk, Julie kisses him and invites him in.

Sandy being the sweetheart that he is, he decorated the master bedroom for the holiday. Rose petals, candles and a rather large box of chocolates. So despite being against the non-holiday, Sandy Cohen caved in, for a romantic evening with the missus, if she will have him. And of course she will be his Valentine, just as soon as she has some of these caramel chocolates. They are her favorite after all.

As the night winds down, Seth sits alone in his room when Summer barges in. She lets him know that she was also a virgin up until the other day. Why didn't you tell me? Summer was trying to protect her reputation or something. Seth is socked with the realization that this was a special moment in their lives and they both blew right past it. So what if they slowed things down and started over? Seth puts on a record and they start to dance.

A nervous Marissa barges into the pool house demanding to know where Theresa is. If she's here, she has to know that Marissa isn't going to give up on him. She's not going to lose him! Marissa begs for Ryan's forgiveness, but he doesn't know if they should be together. Look how easy it was for someone to come between them. Ryan and Marissa break up, and Marissa leaves crying.

Music

* "Hello Sunshine" by Super Furry Animals
* "Billy Oddity" by Mojave 3
* "Summertime" by The Fire Theft
* "Anything But Love" by Squirrel Nut Zippers
* "Dreamtime" by Mastersource
* "Night Moves" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
* "Wonderwall" by Ryan Adams

Trivia

*This is the first episode to feature Bob Seger's 1977 song "Night Moves" playing in the background when Julie Cooper and Luke Ward first kissed. The song would later be used again in "The Proposal" blasting from a drunk Luke's truck before he crashed his truck. In season 4 "The Night Moves", the song is sung by Julie and Kaitlin Cooper. Josh Schwartz stated that "Night Moves" was the most expensive song used in season 1.
* In the scene in the party hall where "Luke" and "Ryan" are helping to set up for the party, Chris Carmack uses Benjamin McKenzie's real name instead of his character's name, "So Ben, how's everything with you and Marissa?"
*The episode debuted at 11 million viewers in the U.S. Nielsen ratings.

External links

*imdb title|0663884|Full Cast & Crew
* [http://www.fox.com/oc/recaps/season1/119.htm Recap from Official Website]
* [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a1619/ Recap] from Television Without Pity