104 - "THE DEBUT"
Aired 8/26/2003
Ryan and Seth are playing video games when Kirsten and Sandy enter and ask to speak to Ryan privately. Turns out, they spent the morning with Child Services applying to be Ryan's legal guardians. He worries that they might change their minds. Sandy says they won't, if there's no more trouble. Ryan vows, no more trouble.
Kirsten tells Ryan they need to go shopping for clothes and shoes and underpants and stuff. Ryan says he has everything he needs, but Kirsten says he also needs a tux. For Cotillion. The ball when the girls of Newport come out to society. It's a family tradition and he's part of the family now. Sandy comes home from a day of surfing and Jimmy meets him in the driveway to apologize for not asking Sandy if he could talk to his wife about the loan. Sandy asks how much money he lost and how he lost it, but Jimmy changes the subject.
While Ryan is searching for a tuxedo, he stumbles upon Marissa and Summer. Ryan says he's living with the Cohens now, which Luke finds hard to believe. Later, in Marissa's bedroom, Summer lays out her plans for her win Ryan over campaign.
Sandy's in his office when an officer from the Securities and Exchange Commission's Enforcement Division comes in asking if Sandy can help out with a case he's working on. The officer asks if he knew Kirsten's check was deposited into a personal account by Mr. Cooper. Yes, it was a loan. Did you know that Mr. Cooper is currently being investigated for fraud by the SEC? No, no he didn't.
At home, Sandy says he needs to have a private chat with Kirsten post haste. Ryan and Seth slink off and Ryan confesses that he's thinking about ditching Cotillion to stay out of trouble. Seth says no way, Ryan is a white knight who is duty bound to escort some lonely girl that Marissa is lining up for him. In the other room, Kirsten can't believe what Sandy has to say. Apparently, Jimmy was diverting people's investment funds to cover his own debts.
The next day, Kirsten confronts Jimmy. He says he wasn't stealing, just "borrowing" so his family could have whatever it wanted. As soon as one stock turns around, he'll be fine. Kirsten says it was stealing and he needs help. But where will it come from?
Ryan and Seth hit the Cotillion rehearsal. Marissa wants to introduce the boys to their dates and Summer immediately tries to sink her claws into Ryan. However, Marissa has lined up Ryan with Anna, a new girl from Pittsburgh. That leaves Seth and Summer as the only two sans date. A perfect match!
Marissa tells Ryan and Anna to take a waltz position, which is in neither's repertoire. She jumps in and demonstrates the correct position with Ryan. As Ryan slides his hand down her back into position, so many sparks fly a fire nearly breaks out. Anna takes note of the obvious flicker. Luke pops in and sees the positioning, but he plays it cool, informing the collected masses, "I'd be pretty jealous right now, if Chino wasn't gay." Anna realizes that Ryan is the kid that steals cars and sets houses on fire. And she's pretty excited that's who she's making her debut with.
After the rehearsal, Seth and Ryan are invited to Holly's annual cookout. Ryan wants to skip it to avoid trouble, but Marissa thinks if he's living in Newport, there's no reason they can't all hang out. Plus, Seth says they're like brothers now, and he can't go alone. In other news, Holly's father runs into Jimmy and says he has a real estate opportunity opening up and he wants to pull $250k from his investment fund. Jimmy hedges, but Holly's dad tells him to just bring the check to the Cotillion. Trouble coming!
Holly's party comes and Summer isn't really warming up to Seth. Ryan sits on the couch by himself, avoiding everything. Marissa takes note and starts talking to him. Luke, of course, also takes note and starts talking to him too. But not as nicely. Luke and Marissa argue over their differences in their talking to Ryan policy. Luke punches Ryan in the stomach, but he doesn't fight back.
It's Cotillion night and Ryan isn't going. Neither is Sandy. Or Jimmy Cooper. Or Marissa Cooper. She's not sure Luke is right for her. Her mother is positive Ryan isn't right for her. Seth is going, and when he gets there, he has to tell Anna that Ryan's a no-show.
At the Cohen house, Ryan and Sandy bond over video games and their shared dislike of all things Cotillion. Summer is on the phone with Marissa begging her to come. Ryan's not there, so she doesn't have to worry about Luke fighting. No deal. Summer then has some bad news for Seth. She's Luke's date now.
The doorbell rings and Ryan opens the door to discover Marissa wondering why he's skipping the ball. They agree to go together and Sandy drives. Holly's dad arrives at Cotillion and immediately corners Jimmy for his money. Jimmy ditches him.
Luke can't believe Ryan and Marissa have arrived together and gets into a lather. He says he and Marissa are done. Anna finds Ryan and says he missed his chance with her. Which is okay because Marissa needs a date and Ryan is a good fill in. Anna goes to find Seth and says he needs some confidence. For instance, he should confidently ask her to be his date tonight.
With Luke's departure, Summer tells Seth their date can be back on. But he passes to be with Anna. The drama finally ends and the dancing begins. And then the drama begins anew. Holly's dad buttonholes Jimmy and demands his money. Jimmy confesses that it's gone. He just needs that one stock to turn around! Holly's dad flies into a rage and punches Jimmy in the face, then jumps on top of him and bashes his head into the dance floor. Sandy tries to break up the imbroglio and is rewarded with a slug in the kisser. Ryan pulls them apart and Holly's dad exits, yelling, "He's a thief!" This probably isn't how Jimmy wanted people to find out his problems.
Everything calms down and Seth walks Anna out. He asks if he can see her again, but she can't. You see, she's spending the rest of the summer sailing to Tahiti. Ryan heads outside to comfort Marissa, and then Luke shows up, offering to help. But Marissa just runs off to be by herself.
