While you can kind of imagine why Ryan wouldn't have any waterproof clothing, being poor and from Chino, but why doesn't Seth have anything to protect him from the rain? Up until Ryan came into his life, didn't he spend every spare moment sailing? I know that sailing doesn't require you to actually submerge yourself in the water, but you do get wet. And even if he did manage to stay dry while sailing in Southern California, he did decide to move to the Pacific Northwest, you would think he would be smart enough to carry around some more rain protection than a Spiderman mask. Yes, I said a Spiderman mask. If it seems strange now, it gets only dumber later on.

Seth wants to talk to Summer. We have seen this scene a million times and honestly I want it to end. Seth sees Summer with somebody else. Seth becomes jealous/angry. Seth attempts to talk to Summer, but the words don't come out. Seth makes a joke, but it sounds like he is trying too hard to sound funny and aloof like season 1. Cut to Summer looking sad that Seth didn't actually say what was on his mind. It's the same thing over and over, and this time was no different. Seth was unable to convince Summer not to go to Tuscany. Oh how absolutely tragic.

With all of the trouble going on, it makes some strange bedfellows among members of the cast. Julie and Kirsten had never liked each other, but when it comes to complaining about how much their lives suck, housewives are always willing to call for a little détente and be on their gossipy way. Kirsten is at the office, avoiding her family (odd, since none of them are actually in her house), when Julie walks in, also trying to avoid her family. When Julie says they should add some cigars and scotch to the mix, you know that Kirsten isn't going to complain. Throughout all of the suckiness I have had to endure this season, I still get a laugh anytime Kirsten is going to get drunk.

Their whole conversation wasn't that great, except for the part when Julie said she had done some lesbian experimentation herself. "It was just a phase", she said, which means the writers have started thinking of ways to bail on the lesbian Marissa ship should the ratings grab relationship not work out the way they expected.

If there was another theme besides how sucky the rain is, it was 1992 Top 40. We had Blind Melon open the show, and now seth is listening to Boyz II Men, specifically "End of the Road". If this was 1995, perhaps I would believe that a high school student would be thinking about his lost love while listening to this group, but this is 2005, and kids have moved on. Haven't they? If somebody has been around long enough to have a greatest hits album, isn't that not indie enough for Seth? Ryan walks in, also finding the music choice strange, but he does inspire Seth to come up with one more grand romantic gesture. Remember "Summer Breeze", Seth's old boat? Seth is going to buy it back, and use that to win over Summer.

So Seth is listening to Boyz II Men, thinking about Summer. I wonder what Summer is doing? Why, wouldn't you know it, she is also listening to Boyz II Men, and she is thinking about Seth. If you haven't caught on, this is so we all understand that what they have is true love. It is more than a physical thing, it comes from a higher, more spiritual connection, and it starts with a shared appreciation of the Boomerang Soundtrack. Zach comes in, also wondering what the hell Summer is listening to, and wants to talk to her about how exciting the trip is going to be. I can understand why Summer has legitimate concerns about the trip, since she has known Zach for less than a year, doesn't know any of his family really, yet is still going to be thrust into the wedding party. But Zach is nice, and Seth hasn't said anything to her, so why not just go to Italy?

To buy his boat back, Seth needed money, and we know that's not that hard to come by. His parents are loaded, why not just get some money from them? Well, because Seth can get the money on his own, he just needs his old job back. He goes to ask Alex about working at the Bait Shop, and we now understand why you shouldn't have a teenager run your club. Not only does she give Seth the job that he has quit from twice already, she advanced him his pay so that he can buy back the "Summer Breeze". It's also very convenient that he happened to see Marissa when he was at Alex's apartment, meaning that he can spread the rumor all over town, meaning Marissa will get nervous and end the relationship within three weeks.

Posted by J-Unit on February 28, 2005 1:13 AM