The Cold Turkey

Infobox Television episode
Series = The O.C.
Title = The Cold Turkey


Caption = Sandy, Taylor and Seth
Season = 4
Episode = 3
Airdate = November 9, 2006 (CTV)
Writer = J. J. Philbin
Director = Michael Lange
Production = 3T5253
Prev = The Gringos
Next = The Metamorphosis|

"The Cold Turkey" is the 79th episode and the third episode of the fourth season of the FOX television series, "The O.C.".

Guest starring

Plot

Thanksgiving at the Cohen house! Tensions are still running high among the family.

Summer balks at coming home but after a conversation with her needy father she agrees to return. Julie is a family outcast after masterminding the plan to go after Volchok. Taylor pops up, married and hiding from her mom. Kaitlin decides to join the Cohens, along with a few other surprise guests. Ryan is still mad at Seth and determined to get revenge on Volchok.

Kirsten issues Seth and Ryan off to the grocery store in an attempt to mend fences between them. They run into Julie, who corners Ryan to update him on her PI's search for Volchok.

Sandy secretly takes Volchok on as his client, making arrangments to turn himself in. Sandy believes this is the best way to let Ryan move on with his life. Ryan sees Sandy with Volchok and wants answers. Not happy with Sandy's perceived interference Ryan's quest for Volchok continues.

Summer avoids an intimate moment with Seth by rambling about poverty in America. (Of course it's not Seth that she is avoiding... it's the image of Marissa in the comic book art lining Seth's bedroom wall.) She drags Seth off to a homeless shelter and they end up bringing home a handful of smelly and disheveled "guests" to the Cohens for Thanksgiving dinner. Seth attempts to force Summer to face what is really bothering her but she ends up leaving instead. Meanwhile Dr. Roberts attempts a similar conversation with Julie to the same end, with the addition of Julie confronting him about his affair. She indicates that their marriage is over.

Finally, Sandy takes Ryan to the hotel where Volchok is. He punches Volchok once, but passes up the chance to kill him, so that Volchok will "have to live with what you did". They end up discussing their feelings about Marissa's death and emerge together, at which point Volchok is taken into custody.

Summer goes to see her dad and finds Julie sitting at the elegant Thanksgiving dining room table alone. From the airport, Summer leaves Seth a phone message saying that she has decided to go back to Brown early because she's not ready to face the past. Back at the Cohen's house, the odd dinner party continues. The doorbell rings and Sandy opens the door to a teary Julie who apologizes. She is invited to join the meal, but instead she and Ryan head out to the poolhouse to talk alone. Julie asks Ryan to "tell me about her". He begins by sharing his memory of the first time he ever saw Marissa. Talking about her smile, they sharing memories of Marissa.

Music

* "Once More With Feeling" by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
* "Black Swan" by Thom Yorke
* "All My Days" by Alexi Murdoch

Trivia

*This was the last episode to feature Cam Gigandet, who played Kevin Volchok.
* When Summer is leaving Newport for Providence her father is describing a hospital, "Seattle Grace" which is known to be "wonderfully quirky", a nod to the hospital featured on the ABC drama "Grey's Anatomy", whom The OC's 4th season faced off against in the 9:00 Thursday spot.

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/oc/recaps/403.htm Recap from the official website]
* [http://imdb.com/title/tt0897146/ Full Cast & Crew] at the Internet Movie Database
* [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a12628/ Recap] from Television Without Pity
* [http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-495048023462006205 Video Clip of The OC, Season 4, Episode 3]