The O.C. Episode Recaps: Season 1 Episode 11 "The Homecoming"

111 - "THE HOMECOMING"
Aired 11/19/2003

The family gathers in the kitchen. Seth begs Kirsten to not ruin Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday, by trying to cook. Kirsten's complete lack of knowledge of what to do with the turkey and inability to identify a cranberry doesn't bode well. Ryan, Seth and Sandy jump in to save the food.

A phone call. It's Ryan's brother, Trey. Calling from jail. Trey hopes Ryan is going to swing by the jail for a visit today since Mom is nowhere in sight. Ryan tells the Cohens he's going to go down there for a visit, but he'll be back by dinner.

Ryan and Seth prepare stuffing and candied yams, and Ryan wonders what Trey is going to want. A favor? Money? Seth asks why Ryan doesn't talk about Trey more, but Ryan cuts such talk short.

Ryan is about to leave for his Trey visit when he spies some cologne on Seth's dresser. When did you start wearing cologne? Oh right, Anna is coming over today. Ryan thinks that's good since Anna's a cool chick and into him. Seth has to confide something, but he needs Ryan's vow of secrecy. Summer kissed him but swore him to silence. So now he has two girls after him instead of the usual zero. Ryan isn't very sympathetic to Seth's plight.

The first guests arrive in the form of Jimmy and Marissa. Sandy and Kirsten immediately start sizing up his appearance, which Jimmy doesn't get. Little does he know Rachel the hot lawyer is in his future. Meanwhile, Ryan and Marissa sneak out to the poolhouse for some smooch before she leaves for her mother's. Ryan says that's cool, baby, I gotta see Trey anyway. This intrigues Marissa. She wants to see where he comes from. Ryan doesn't think that's a great idea and sends her off.

Rachel! Jimmy, meet Rachel. Why don't you kids have a seat? We'll just be in the other room. Ryan heads out to visit Trey, only to find Marissa waiting in the car for him. She's insists she's coming along and she's pretty excited about it. Some people wouldn't take a hot model into the prison yard. Ryan isn't some people. He and the girl drop in on Trey. Trey tells Ryan when he got arrested, he owed six grand to some guys. And those guys have friends on the inside who rough Trey up to remind him of his debts.

Ryan and Marissa head out. He plans on dropping her off at the bus station to send her home because he needs to pick up a stolen car and deliver it to a chop shop to pay off Trey's debt. Marissa's afraid that he'll get caught, but Ryan says he has no choice. It's his brother. Marissa refuses to leave him.

Back in happyland, Anna Stern arrives at the Cohen homestead. She'll a guest tonight because her parents went back to Pittsburgh, and she doesn't enjoy being around the Pittsburgh Sterns. While Anna is getting stuff out of the fridge, Sandy mouths his approval to Seth and gives him the universal "pound that" signal. Another joke from Anna and Seth starts to think that maybe Ryan and Sandy have a point about Ms. Anna Stern.

Outside, Rachel is hip to the Jimmy Cooper fix up and calls Sandy on it. He's a white collar criminal! Sandy tells her Jimmy's a good guy, but she suspects he's doing this because of what's happening between them and says it's not happening with Jimmy. Inside, Jimmy calls Kirsten on the fix up plan as well.

Jimmy and Rachel end up in the family room together and apologize for the awkwardness of the fix up. But then they start to bond over their mutual love of Thanksgiving Day football and ESPN Classic. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Anna and Seth continue making flirtsy with each other. It's a real holiday love connection! Speaking of which, Julie Cooper and Caleb drop by. Their caterer's truck broke down, so maybe they'll have dinner here. They find Jimmy and Rachel in front of the TV and we have the ex-wife and her new boyfriend next to the ex-husband and his awkward fix up. Hey, what's the score of the game, Jimmy?

In a less bountiful land, Ryan is cruising his old neighborhood. He goes to Arturo's house to talk about the car. But his sister Theresa answers the door. It's a little tense because they used to have a past and here's Ryan after five months and his new girlfriend. Seems that Theresa was Ryan's first girl next door.

Back in the nice neighborhood, Julie surprisingly isn't taking to Rachel. Kirsten and Sandy realize she and Caleb can't stay, but how do they get rid of them? Caleb comes into the kitchen because he wants to talk to Kirsten. She doesn't want to talk, so Anna jumps in and asks if he knows his development is going to pollute and destroy hallowed ground. Sandy gloats at the reaction of the youth to Caleb.

To escape the awkwardness, Seth goes to answer the door. Standing there is Summer. More awkwardness. She was supposed to go to Marissa's, but nobody is there. And since she's here, maybe she and Seth should talk about what didn't happen the other night. Seth agrees, but thinks they should talk in the pool house. And walk around the front of the house to get there. As soon as they do get there, Summer pins Seth against the wall and begins a kissing offensive. She can't help it or explain it.

Over in Chino, Marissa spies pictures of Ryan on the fridge. Theresa asks Marissa how Ryan could just leave one day and never call. You grow up next to somebody, you think you know them. Outside, Arturo shows Ryan the car in question and wonders why he's doing this. Because it's his brother, that's why.

Back to Newport. Kirsten's rage is starting to bubble over. She doesn't appreciate Caleb picking this to be the one Thanksgiving he comes over for. Seth comes back inside and Anna spots him. Where have you been? She wonders if he would like to spend some alone time in the pool house. Umm…how about my room instead? Upstairs, Anna tries to give Seth the Summer treatment, but he nervously avoids it. Anna fights through the distractions and it's kissing time! Seth introduces her to his toy horse, Captain Oats, before running out and calling Ryan with his 911.

Dude, how do you handle trouble with two girls at once? Staring at Marissa and Theresa, Ryan can't offer much help. Seth gets off the phone and tries to tell Kirsten that Marissa is in Chino. He yells because the blender is on, and everybody hears him. Trouble.

Stuff's about to go down and Ryan sends Marissa off. She doesn't want to go, but Ryan is in enough trouble with Julie and since Marissa lied to him about her okay with being here, she has to go back. You take the car, I'll take the bus.

Back in the pool house, Seth and Summer go at it some more. Seth giggles because he can't believe this is finally happening. Those words bring a realization to Summer. This can't be happening! She's confused and wants to go inside. Seth comes up with a litany of excuses why she has to stay here and he rushes inside.

Inside, the lid has finally blown off. Julie blames Jimmy for Marissa being in Chino. Caleb blames Jimmy for being a bad parent. Sandy and Rachel blame Caleb for ruining the environment. Julie blames Rachel for being here. Kirsten blames Julie for being an uninvited guest. Julie blames Kirsten for bringing a kid from Chino into Newport. Caleb blames Sandy for that too. Julie blames Jimmy for trying to get laid on Thanksgiving. Jimmy excuses himself for making up for lost time, Julie tells Rachel not to expect much passion, Kirsten offers up another round of margaritas and Seth goes flying by on his way upstairs.

Upstairs for more kissing! He's a regular kissing bandit, he is. Until he realizes Summer needs attention too. I'll be right back! Downstairs, Summer has now entered the house proper. That'll have to wait because Ryan has brought the car into the shop. But the guy wants interest. Interest in the form of punching. Ryan gets drilled, but Marissa pulls up and he runs to the car. They speed off. Seems that Marissa followed him there. Good idea.

In a happier place, everybody is arguing about who ruined Thanksgiving. In the den, Sandy is advising Seth about love. Tell Anna you like Summer. No? Really? Well then, tell Summer you like Anna. Be a man, son. Hey is something burning? The turkey! The smoke alarm draws everybody into the kitchen. Anna? Summer? Seth! Both girls say "I kissed you!" and storm out, leaving Seth with some 'splaining to do.

Ryan drops back in on Trey, who thanks him for dropping off the car and tells him to forget about his brother and move on. He has a chance now, so don't blow it.