The Cliffhanger

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


Season = 3
(2005-2006)
Caption = Kaitlin
Episode = 14
Airdate = February 2, 2006 (FOX)
Writer = J. J. Philbin
Director = Michael Lange
Production = 2T6264
Prev = The Pot Stirrer
Next = The Heavy Lifting

"The Cliffhanger" is the 65th episode of the FOX television series, "The O.C.". The episode was written by J. J. Philbin and was directed by Michael Lange. It originally aired on Thursday, February 2, 2006. It is generally regarded as one of two "sweeps" episodes in the season. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E6DA1F3FF931A35751C0A9609C8B63|title=What's On Tonight|last=Gate|first=Anita|date=2006-02-02|work=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|accessdate=2008-08-05] [cite press release |title=Fox Rocks February Sweeps|publisher=FOX|date=2006-01-30|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060130fox01|accessdate=2008-08-05]

Guest starring

Plot

It's early morning and Sandy enters the pool house in a panic, waking Ryan with the news that Seth is gone. Gone? Thinking quick in his sleep, Ryan comes up with "Calc exam." Seth probably went to school early to study. Sandy's about to go find out, but Ryan volunteers for the job. Before leaving, Sandy wants to make sure that if there was anything going on with Seth, Ryan would tell him. Right? Uh, yeah.

Ryan tracks Seth down by the pier. Seth confesses to Ryan that his Brown interview didn't go so well... actually, it didn't go at all. And to top it off, he then lied about it to Summer. Ryan thinks Seth should talk to her about it, but Seth explains that Summer thinks pot is totally juvenile. It'd be like telling her he's into Beanie Babies. Ryan makes Seth a deal. Seth tells Summer about missing the interview and Ryan keeps his mouth shut about the pot.

In the trailer, Kaitlin's getting ready for her surf lesson with Johnny, and Marissa's trying to act like she doesn't care. Kaitlin follows Marissa out the door and asks if she can honestly tell her that she has no feelings for Johnny. Marissa is suddenly at a loss for words. Yeah, that's what Kaitlin thought. Oh, and there's Johnny, just in time to have overheard their conversation.

At the Cohen's, Kirsten and Julie are looking through profiles for their new dating service, but Julie's not exactly in the mood for making other women's dreams come true. She's still sulking over the loss of Dr. Roberts. Suddenly Kirsten has a brainstorm. Set Dr. Roberts up on a date. That way Julie will be back on his radar, but it won't seem like she's pursuing him. Julie likes it. Aloof but thoughtful. Then, of course, after being confronted with the idea of dating a Newpsie, he'll realize Julie is the only one for him.

Seth tracks down Summer at school with the intention of telling her about the missed interview, but after seeing how excited she is about their future together at Brown, he can't seem to bring himself to do it. Instead, he takes the opposite approach and tells her that he knocked it out of the park. He turned on the Cohen charm and the lady swooned. The lady? Um, Shelley's a guy. Oh, right, yes, but the thing is, Seth's gender-blind and now he really has to get to class.

At the beach, Kaitlin's first surf lesson isn't going so well. Johnny's distracted. Kaitlin tells him it's the story of her life - she likes a guy and he's in love with her big sister. Johnny tries to explain that it's complicated but Kaitlin isn't exactly sympathetic. She tells him to uncomplicate it, and if he won't, she knows someone who will.

Back at the Newport Group, Matt explains to Sandy that just because they've got Bill Merriam and the hospital board on their side, doesn't mean it's a done deal. They've still got to convince the board of physicians. And liquor and ladies won't work on them. Matt suggests another angle - turns out he's got a personal connection with the daughter of the head of the board. They went to school together and now she's one of his most trusted advisors. And best of all, she had a thing for Matt. Sandy doesn't like it. He draws the line at family.

Julie stops by Dr. Roberts's house to thank him for hosting Kaitlin's birthday party. And to show her appreciation, she brought along a book profiling some of Newport's most eligible bachelorettes. Unless, of course, he doesn't want to get set up? No, apparently he's game. Dr. Roberts starts flipping through profiles and decides that there are so many fantastic women, he's going to have to take more time and get back to Julie.

Meanwhile, Kaitlin's been waiting for Ryan in the pool house. When he finally arrives, Kaitlin tells him she's not getting anywhere with Johnny because he still thinks he has a shot with Marissa. And today, when Kaitlin asked Marissa point blank if she had feelings for Johnny, Marissa didn't deny it. Ryan thanks Kaitlin for the heads up and shows her the door. But Kaitlin's not done. She wants Ryan to do something about it... yes, so she can hook up with Johnny, but also so Ryan will find out where he stands, once and for all.

Ryan man-of-action meets Marissa at the diner and tells her that until she figures out her feelings for Johnny, he doesn't want to see her.

Sandy and Matt meet with the head of the physician's board, Henry Griffin, to brief him on their plan, which includes volunteer hours from some of the doctors. Griffin claims it's been a rough year for doctors -- their budget has been stripped and they're barely staying afloat. Then Sandy congratulates him on the new luxury birthing wing. Now no one should have to suffer the indignity of giving birth without a flat screen TV. Griffin responds that they have to cater to the residents of Newport. Like it or not, that's the type that lives here. Sandy counters that that's not the only type.

At school, Summer stops by the career counselor's office and discovers that Seth never made it to his Brown interview. In fact, he was just there explaining the situation. Something about a tractor-trailer accident.

Julie stops by to tell Kirsten that she finally heard from Dr. Roberts. He wants to be set up with Laura Cross. Kirsten apologizes but Julie says it's her fault for letting Kirsten do the scheming. From now on, if there's any manipulating to do, she'll be in charge.

In Johnny's room, Chili tells him that in all his years of loving ladies and getting nothing in return, he's never been as bad off as him. Normally he would advise going cold-turkey, but Johnny's in too deep. He's got to take his shot. There's always a chance that Marissa will feel the same way.

Sandy and Kirsten are dining out when Sandy spots Matt at the bar by himself. They're about to invite him over, when he's joined by a very attractive young woman. Kirsten recognizes her from a profile in the OC Weekly. Maya Griffin. Apparently she's an up-and-coming Newpsie. Well, if she is, she's got a lot to learn. Sandy tells Kirsten that Matt's using her to get to her father, who's the head of the board.

Marissa meets Johnny at the pier and he confesses his love to her. When he was hurt, she took care of him, and even when he told her to stay away, she showed up at his door. Maybe she loves him too. He asks her to think about it, then he takes off.

At breakfast, Sandy asks Seth how he's handling all the pressure of exams, college applications, etc. Seth claims it's all under control. Suddenly Summer shows up and asks to speak to Seth... upstairs... alone...now.

In Seth's room, Summer confronts him about missing his interview and lying to her about it. He confesses that he got scared and was too embarrassed to tell her. She's got this natural confidence and people like her. He's a social outcast with a mumbling problem. Summer tells him that they've got to be honest with each other, or it's never going to work. So, is there anything else he needs to tell her? Anything at all? Nope.

Sandy calls Matt into the office on a Sunday and tells him he saw him at the yacht club with Maya Griffin. Matt explains that Maya heard they'd met with her father and gave him a call. Sandy doesn't care. When Kirsten ran the place, a lot of creepy guys in nice suits tried to use her to get to her father. He didn't like it then, and he doesn't like it now. Then he tells Matt to come in Monday with a real game plan.

Johnny drops by the pool house and tells Ryan that he finally told Marissa he's in love with her. He tried to live with the feelings but just couldn't any longer. He's sorry. Ryan tells him to get out.

Julie sits incognito at the bar of a nice restaurant where, just behind her, Dr. Roberts and Laura Cross are having a romantic dinner for two. Suddenly another Newpsie, Karen Baker, comes in and recognizes her. Then Karen recognizes Laura, and pulls Julie over to their table. Dr. Roberts asks if Julie's been spying on him but Julie is too humiliated to speak, and bolts out the door, practically knocking over a waiter as she goes.

Kaitlin finds Marissa sitting on a bench, staring out at the ocean. She reminds Marissa of a time when they were little and their dad used to take them to Baskin Robbins and Marissa would have to taste all the flavors before she finally decided on one. And then it was always the wrong one. And Dad would have to take her back in to get another one. Marissa assumes Kaitlin's trying to make the point that everything's always about Marissa, but this time she's not. She's trying to make the point that Marissa doesn't trust her instincts. Hmm.

Johnny's mom delivers a letter that Marissa dropped off for him.

Then Marissa pays Ryan a visit in the pool house and apologizes. For wanting to be with Johnny? No, for making Ryan wonder if she did.

Johnny stops by the trailer and invites Kaitlin on a trip to the beach. Just him, her, and a bottle of tequila. The occasion? Johnny just thinks it's time they got a chance to party.

Summer stops by Seth's and is surprised to find his bedroom door locked. Inside, Seth tries to air out the pot smell before opening the door, then suggests they watch the DVDs she brought downstairs.

At the beach, Johnny's drinking most of that bottle of booze. Kaitlin goes off to find some driftwood for the bonfire and he pulls out the letter from Marissa and burns it. Then he starts climbing a steep rock formation.

Meanwhile, at the trailer, a tearful Julie is about to drown her sorrows in a Hot Pocket and wine cooler, when Dr. Roberts stops by to thank her for fixing him up with Laura. She tells him she's glad it worked out, then tries to shut the door, but he blocks it. What do you want? You. When he's not with her, he misses her.

Ryan and Marissa have finally gotten past Ryan's silent treatment, and are making out on his bed when Marissa gets a call from Kaitlin. Johnny's drunk and he won't come down off the rocks. Ryan asks Kaitlin if he's really in trouble. Yes. That's all it takes. He's on his way.

Meanwhile, Seth and Summer have just finished watching 'Save The Last Dance' and Seth just can't say enough about it. Or about the blue screen that's now in front of him. It's just so blue. Summer excuses herself to go to the bathroom, and heads upstairs for a little search and seizure. She finally finds what she's looking for. Eww, pot.

At the beach, Ryan sends Marissa down to Kaitlin while he takes the back way up the rocks. Ryan reaches the top and starts moving in, but Johnny backs away. Ryan tells him to be careful. Then Johnny slips off the edge and starts falling. Kaitlin dives her head into Marissa, Marissa sheltering Kaitlin from seeing what happens. Ryan reaches out to grab Johnny, but his hands gripped nothing, leaving Johnny Harper to fall to his death.

Music

*"Love Knows How to Fight" by M. Craft
*"Hide Away" by Rock Kills Kid
*"Cava Del Rio" by Senza
*"Wasted" by Black Flag
*"Fall at Your Feet" by James Blunt

Trivia

*This would be the final appearance of Johnny Harper (Ryan Donowho).

References

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/oc/recaps/314.htm Recap from the official website]