SEASON 3 EPISODE 5 - THE PERFECT STORM

In her new role as domestic goddess, Kirsten has painstakingly prepared a gourmet breakfast feast that goes utterly unappreciated. Before running out the door, Sandy receives a call from Dr. Kim regarding the college fair that the Harbor School is hosting that night. After the boys take off, Sandy informs Kirsten that Dean Hess has made it his personal crusade to ruin Ryan’s future. He’s attached a letter to Ryan’s transcript documenting his pathologically violent behavior. Unless a letter like that is rescinded, no reputable school is going to touch him.

Marissa’s worried about overstaying her welcome with Summer, when Julie calls from a dive motel and asks her to hang on just a little longer.

In the student lounge, Summer watches Taylor Townsend carrying on an overtly flirtatious text messaging session on her Sidekick. Summer’s convinced Dean Hess is on the receiving end but Seth isn’t yet on board with her tabloid theory.

Summer follows Taylor on a recon mission but Taylor turns the tables and accuses Summer of being obsessed with her. Summer proceeds to tell Taylor about a Dean Hess siting that has left an indelible imprint on her mind. Earlier in the day she witnessed Dean Hess kissing Ms. Applebaum, the volleyball coach – you know the one with the toned arms and legs for days. Taylor’s suddenly paying attention.

Kirsten is showing Julie a brochure for some luxury condominiums when Charlotte drops by. Julie takes off, but not before Charlotte has a chance to notice the giant rock on her finger. Charlotte casually picks up the brochure.

Summer tries to convince Marissa to join them at the college fair, but Marissa’s more concerned with her immediate future… as in getting her homework done. Tomorrow’s trig exam is as far into the future as she wants to look right now.

Ryan is feeling out of place at the college fair but Sandy convinces him he has as much right to be there as anyone. Sandy ushers Ryan over to the UC Berkeley booth. Meanwhile, Summer spots Taylor and Dean Hess outside in the midst of what appears to be a lover’s quarrel. But Seth doesn’t think a heated argument is proof of an affair. So Summer heads off to get Seth his proof.

Ryan is perusing the Berkeley booth when Dean Hess approaches Sandy and lets him know that no school is going to admit him. Sandy tells the dean that he’s killing Ryan’s one shot at a future, but Dean Hess isn’t taking the blame. He claims Ryan accomplished that all on his own. Ryan takes off.

The next morning, Seth wanders into the pool house and discovers that Ryan is making new plans for his future. He’s fired his tutor and dropped out of school. He’s done.

Julie is checking out the ocean front view from the condo for sale but it appears there’s been a slight misunderstanding. The agent was under the impression Julie was interested in a more… modest unit. And it turns out there’s another perspective buyer for this one… and it’s none other than Charlotte. What a surprise!

Seth is worried about Ryan dropping out of school, but Summer has a plan. She’s going to write an apology letter from Dean Hess to Taylor. Then, when they get back together, she’s going to expose them and use it as leverage to get Ryan back into school.

Back at the Cohen’s, Kirsten has just received a call from Ryan’s tutor requesting her final paycheck since he apparently will no longer be in need of her services. Um… what?

Johnny accidentally on purpose runs into Ryan at the diner, and Ryan assumes he’s there to do Marissa’s bidding. Johnny claims he’s not there to talk Ryan into anything, just to talk. Hell, he’s not going to college either. Johnny mentions that his uncle runs a commercial fishing operation and he’s always looking for new guys. It’s brutal work but you can’t beat the pay. Johnny agrees to take Ryan down to meet him.

The Cohens sit around the dinner table while Seth comes up with worse-case scenarios of what could have happened to Ryan. Finally, Ryan arrives and all breathe a sigh of relief… until he hands Sandy a guardian release form for his job on the commercial fishing boat. Ryan could be gone up to six weeks at a time and needs a guardian’s signature. Sandy doesn’t understand why Ryan would throw away his future on a fishing boat, but Ryan believes his future’s already been trashed. He tried it Sandy’s way, it didn’t work. Sandy tells Ryan he needs to keep trying but Ryan doesn’t think so. It’s time he made his own decisions. To Seth and Kirsten’s dismay, Sandy signs the release.

The next day, Kirsten tries to convince Sandy to change his mind, but Sandy believes his plan will ultimately pay off. Ryan’s got to come to the conclusion that he’s better off in school than out at sea on his own. Marissa drops by looking for Ryan, and Kirsten and Sandy quickly realize that she has no idea Ryan is shipping off at sunset.

Meanwhile, Summer is composing (or rather plagiarizing) a very flowery apology letter from Dean Hess to Taylor. Seth, who’s clearly on board now, has an even better plan. He bought a Sidekick and booked a room at the Mermaid Hotel. Now all they have to do is text Taylor an invitation she can’t refuse.

Charlotte stops by Julie’s seedy motel and tells her she got the condo. Congrats. Oh, and she put it in Julie’s name. Come again? Charlotte explains that Kirsten filled her in on Julie’s situation and since she knows what it’s like to fall on hard times herself, it moved her, so… So, you’re serious? Apparently she is.

An awkward silence hangs over Ryan’s “going away” dinner… then evolves into equally awkward conversation. Marissa takes off after discovering that Johnny hooked Ryan up with the job. Summer’s Sidekick buzzes. Looks like Taylor took the bait.