The WORST episodes of The O.C.
Every episode of The O.C. ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of The O.C.!
The O.C. is an idyllic paradise, a wealthy, harbour-front community where everything and everyone appears to be perfect. But beneath the surface is a world of shifting loyalties and identities, of kids living secret lives hidden from their parents, and of parents living secret lives hidden from their children. Cohen, Cooper, Nichol families, and Ryan Atwood, a troubled teen from the wrong side of the tracks, who is thrust into this world, and who will forever change the lives of the residents of The O.C.
#1 - The Goodbye Girl
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/3/2004
Anna is leaving. Theresa is staying. Seth thinks he's the reason for Anna's planned return to Pittsburgh. And Ryan knows he's why Theresa is staying. But what is either guy going to do about it? Caleb is Riviera's Man of the Year (uh-oh).
#2 - The Journey
Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/16/2006
A little Cohen arm-twisting convinces Ryan that, yeah, he should do something special on his 18th birthday. So who's he going to invite to the party at The Bait Shop? Sadie? For sure. Marissa? Well...
#3 - The Outsider
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/2/2003
Ryan hangs out with a youth not from the moneyed Newport set, causing Seth to feel blown off. Jimmy's family faces hard choices because of his business crimes.
#4 - The Pot Stirrer
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/26/2006
Little sister. Big problems. Kaitlin feels she's spent her whole life in Marissa's shadow - maybe now it's time for some payback. Seth, meanwhile, may be seeing his college plans go up in smoke.
#5 - The Road Warrior
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/9/2006
Ryan road-trips with Sadie. Strip poker, anyone? Summer learns - ew! - about her dad and Julie. Kirsten worries that The Newport Group is corrupting Sandy. And Marissa is a suspect in Johnny's death.
#6 - The French Connection
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/2007
Taylor's ex-hubby writes a hot-selling wrotic novel. Who's the lead character? Three guesses and the first two don't count. Seth seeks Neil's permission to marry Summer. Kirsten uncovers Julie's biz scam.
#7 - The Undertow
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/2006
Trouble's at the door. It's Jess, Trey's sometime girlfriend, and she's coming on to Ryan like Little Miss Vulnerable. Seth and Summer discover a, uh, wheelbarrow. And all those burning Volchok-Marissa glances ignite a bonfire.
#8 - The Dawn Patrol
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/13/2006
No party, no surf. It's a different Dawn Patrol: Ryan's off to Albuquerque to invite his mom Dawn to graduation (maybe). Seth quits Summer (oops). And, at Volchok's party, Marissa sees something secretly poured into a drink (uh-oh).
#9 - The Anger Management
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/17/2005
Divide and conquer. Taylor schemes to separate Summer and Seth. Volchok tries to goad Ryan into a fight. Julie upends Charlotte's charity scam.
#10 - The Truth
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/11/2004
Julie wears out her welcome with Caleb: true. Seth thinks Summer's hot: true. Oliver is crazy-mad about Marissa: true. Now sure of it, Ryan races against time to keep Oliver from hurting himself or Marissa.
#11 - The Heavy Lifting
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/9/2006
Life goes on. Love goes on. But how can anyone focus on Valentine's Day after Johnny's tragedy? Well, maybe love and understanding are the medicines everyone needs now. Even so, nothing will be easy.
#12 - The Dream Lover
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/2007
Take her, I want her. Ryan overcomes his indecision and competes with Henri-Michel for Taylor's affections. Che leads Seth on a trek of spiritual renewal. Embrace your inner otter, Seth!
#13 - The Secrets and Lies
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/30/2006
A race to the bottom: Marissa's ties with Volchok may send her into substance-abuse free fall...but not before she gathers herself enough to save the Ryan-Sadie match. The Newport Group events turn violent.
#14 - The Third Wheel
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/7/2004
Ryan doesn't know much about Oliver, Marissa's therapy friend, but he knows he doesn't like him. Yet, Ryan still assists Oliver when he runs into trouble with the law at a Rooney concert.
#15 - The Groundhog Day
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/25/2007
Free Newport Chuck! Che - with more than activism on his mind - enlists Seth in a plan to spring a groundhog from it's Feb. 2 rites. Kirsten has a 40th birthday party...and reveals another reason to celebrate.
#16 - The Return of the Nana
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/2005
Nana's getting married - news that has Sandy, Seth and Ryan off to Miami. Back at the OC, Zach wows Summer with a home-cooked meal, Kirsten sorts out her Carter feelings and Trey's feelings for Marissa take a terrifying turn.
#17 - The Brothers Grim
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/24/2005
T is for trouble. And for Trey, Ryan's brother, who's out of prison and trying to go straight while staying temporarily in the pool house. The tape no one was supposed to see is seen by all of Newport.
#18 - The Day After Tomorrow
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/6/2006
The Sweatshirt Bonfire is the party where all the seniors wear the sweatshirt of the college they'll be attending. Hey, Seth's not wearing a sweatshirt. What's up with that?
#19 - The Rivals
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/21/2004
People who won't be on each other's Christmas-card list: Ryan and Oliver. Their rivalry for Marissa intensifies, with Ryan risking his standing at Harbor to unmask Oliver's true character.
#20 - The Shower
Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 4/21/2004
Kirsten, Marissa. Neither is the hostess with the mostest. But they reluctantly host Julie's wedding shower just the same. Seth's get-acquainted lunch with Summer's dad is a FEMA-sized disaster.
#21 - The Risky Business
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/7/2005
A yard sale sans yard - aka The Oc Charity Yard Sale! But it does offer many items, including the crystal egg from Risky Business. But wait...the egg is missing, and Ryan and Seth must scramble to get it back!
#22 - The Disconnect
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/8/2005
Maybe Seth should accompany Summer to college. She's the one who (surprise!) aces the SAT. Another surprise: Sandy's right-hand man jeopardizes a Newport Group account by hanging out at a strip-club.
#23 - The My Two Dads
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/2007
Warm hearts, cold feet: Seth and Summer each look for a way to call off the wedding. Who will crack first? Ryan's biological father plays the Big-C Card in hopes his son will see him.
#24 - The Father Knows Best
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/17/2005
Did they or didn't they? Seth can't stop thinking about Summer's and Zach's stay in San Diego. Will he or won't he? Julie plants doubts that could derail Caleb's decision to adopt Lindsay.
#25 - The Blaze of Glory
Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/17/2005
$500,000 is still the going rate to keep Julie's porn past off the net. Meanwhile, Seth plays matchmaker, suggesting that Ryan help Marissa plan the school's spring bonfire. Someone's gonna get burned.