RIP Jimmy Cooper

I’m still really, really enjoying The OC so far this season. Obviously, when twenty-somethings are – and have been – playing high school students, you have to assume some suspension of belief. I’m gladly willing to do that, but there’s a difference between the age of actors and plot points that are just too stupid/ridiculous to let slide.

Seth and Summer taking the South Pacific set would definitely fall under that. They know Dean Hess is gunning for them and they know Taylor Townsend is scrutinizing their every move (love both of those characters so much, by the way), yet still they take it. Too stupid for two at least somewhat intelligent people to do. Even though I didn’t make a lot of sense and set up an unneeded and unwanted opportunity for Seth to reaffirm his loyalty to Summer, it gave us this exchange, so I can’t complain too much:

Dean Hess: ”I’m going to keep you here….with me.”

Seth: ”That’s creepy.”

Priceless.

Also, every OC fan is really confused about the whole Jeri Ryan thing, so I’m hoping it doesn’t venture too far off into Oliver Territory, although how could it not at this rate, especially when you consider it’s a delusional, family-less guest star interested in one of our main characters. Kudos for the writers, though, for keeping it completely ambiguous over who or what Jeri Ryan wants. Three episodes in and still really no idea? That has to be some sort of OC record for stretching out a storyline.

As far as the will reading went, I don’t think we can say it’s predictable, because despite the fact I called it, we also called about thirty other scenarios. It would had to have been one helluva twist for the writers to make it somewhat realistic and still not able to be eventually predicted by a dozen veteran OC watchers more than seasoned in how Newport works. I like that the will is out of the way and Caleb reconciled things with his daughter, albeit it from the grave.

Regardless of nit-picking, I’m still going to look forward to OC Thursdays and watch loyally, it’s just some minor policing to cleanse my conscience so when people go “You watch it, but can you believe they did that?...”, at which point I can at least point to here as evidence as I’m not so blindly in love with the show I can’t see the faults.

I’m just so blindly in love with it that I don’t care.






Dear Jimmy,

Jimmy, why must you do it? Every time you come back and then leave again, you’re breaking hearts. Marissa’s, Julie’s, mine. Have you no shame? I understand you’re intrinsically unlucky, but can’t you just try harder? Why must you continue to dabble in investments when you obviously suck at them? Why couldn’t you just give that guy the freaking boat, the bank be damned?!

I thought you were dead, Jimmy. Dead. Do you know what that felt like when the Miami Dolphin fan on the show may have been? The guy who had the balls to kiss Kirsten, despite the obvious fact she wasn’t leaving The Eyebrows, but you just had to know, consequences be damned, and I respected you for that. You’re the guy who jacked Caleb Nichol and his retainer of high-priced lawyers right in the middle of a Las Vegas restaurant and made us all fist-pump and shout your praises. There was no problem you couldn’t scheme or charm your way out of.

You tried to marry your way out of the situation, but Caleb got his sweet, otherworldly revenge on you for that shot to the face. The cash dried up, The OC went all violent on us and we got the most disturbing pier scene since Baywatch went off the air. But you survived, because you’re a champ, but then you ran, in an act that can be described as both cowardly and noble. Cowardly because you were just leaving your problems, noble because you were protecting the family you loved by leaving them, despite the fact you were getting back together.

I can’t be mad at you, Jimmy. (James, should I channel JuJu for a moment.) You nailed the trifecta of Newport – Julie, Kirsten and Hailie. You’ve been involved with nearly as many fist-fights as Ryan, but you kept coming back for more. Why? Because you’re a Dolphins fan, Jimmy, and we can’t let stuff like bleeding faces, loves jetting to Japan (see: Reunion and North Shore) or empty bank accounts stop us. We gotta persevere. So while you’re letting your wounds hill and sipping tequila shooters somewhere, I’ll be sure and pour one out for you in respect for the guy who didn’t let the number of screw-ups in his life stop him from coming back….or leaving again.

Here’s to you, Jimmy Cooper. You will be missed.

Obsessively Yours,

Chris Wilson