Entertainment

These 9 'O.C.' Episodes Will Make You Wish It Was Summer Year-Round

by Tatiana Tenreyro
Warner Bros. TV

Summer is at the verge of ending and it already feels like it went by too fast. If you’re a summertime lover who is already dreading the incoming chilly weather, now is the perfect time to curl up on the couch and re-watch these summertime The O.C. episodes that will make you wish it was that season year-round. Every O.C. episode feels like it takes place in the summer given its beachy setting, so even those that are set in the winter holidays feel summery. But there are some particular episodes that capture the best parts of the warm season: beach parties, new romances, school ending, and new beginnings.

Many of the show’s best summertime episodes took place during the beginning of the first season with tons of drama-filled parties until school starts. But there are so many other moments that’ll put you right in the summer mood. From road trips, to more beachside parties, to even the bittersweet graduation episode, there are plenty of episodes here that’ll make you wish fall could just wait a bit longer to come.

If you want to make it feel like summer as the foliage changes outside, stream The O.C. in your favorite warm weather outfit and revisit these nine episodes.

1

'The Model Home' (Season 1, Episode 2)

Ryan adjusting to his new life with the Cohens while lounging in the pool with Seth and mocking his pal for sporting a turtleneck in the midst of August is as summery as it gets. Plus, who can forget that dramatic beach party that ended with burning down the model home?

2

'The Outsider' (Season 1, Episode 5)

This is one of the ultimate summer episodes, featuring Summer and Marissa spending quality time at the beach and figuring out what to do with their free time while waiting for school to start. Plus, a big part of The O.C.'s summer episodes are the show's booze and drama-filled parties. Holly Fischer's party is particularly memorable because it has both cute moments like Ryan asking Marissa out on their first date, and darker moments like Ryan's Crab Shack co-worker Donnie's gun going off, shooting Luke.

3

'The Escape' (Season 1, Episode 7)

What says summer more than a trip to Mexico? This one ends on a sad note when Marissa passes out in an alley, but it's an episode that for the most part feels reminiscent of fun summertime adventures with friends.

4

'The Rager' (Season 2, Episode 19)

This one isn't set in the summer, but it does feel like one of the show's summertime episodes thanks to its party-centered story. To celebrate Trey's 21st birthday, Marissa throws a massive party at her mansion, but things go awry once an overdosed guest is found in the pool.

5

"The O.Sea" (Season 2, Episode 23)

The core four celebrate the incoming ending of the school year with The O.Sea dance, reuniting Seth and Summer.

6

"The Shape Of Things To Come" (Season 3, Episode 2)

The best way to celebrate summer is with a summer kickoff carnival. But this one goes awry when Ryan and Marissa are kicked out of the carnival and told they're both expelled from Harbor.

7

"The Man Of The Year" (Season 3, Episode 24)

This episode takes place when summer's right around the corner. It has some somber Cohen moments but there's also plenty of comedic relief when Marissa visits Kaitlin's boarding school and helps her out, bringing one of the most memorable moments with Kaitlin's roommate Hadley's (Lucy Hale) quote: "I get so horny in the summertime."

8

"The Graduates" (Season 3, Episode 25)

This is one of the most bittersweet summertime episodes from The O.C. and the show in general. It starts out on an optimistic note, with the core four graduating and Marissa making big plans of joining her dad on his boat, as the rest excitedly think about beginning their new lives in college. But things take a turn for the worse when a drunk Volchok causes Marissa's death.

9

"The Gringos" (Season 4, Episode 2)

This episode is set in the fall, but Ryan and Seth's return to Mexico gives off similar vibes from the first season's summer trip.

Summer officially ends on Sept. 22, but these episodes would even make fall fans miss the season already. It's time to sit back, make yourself a piña colada, and re-watch The O.C.