A new life for Ryan Atwood, the Cohens and the Cooper families, and basically everyone else in the wealthy, picturesque, secretive, turbulent community of Orange County. Be prepared to meet spoiled rich kids and watch Ryan struggle to fit in with his new crowd...

Faced with the prospect of life in a group home, Ryan decides to run away from Newport, but Seth and Marissa convince him to stay and hide in a vacant building project. Jimmy discusses his recent financial woes with Kirsten, and she offers a solution. After Luke witnesses a close encounter between Marissa and Ryan, he confronts Ryan and a fight breaks loose. Ryan's presence in Newport is exposed in a big way, and two arrests are made.

Sandy comes to Ryan's rescue once again, after he has a difficult stay in Juvenile Hall. Seth makes Kirsten aware of his anger over Ryan's situation, and Kirsten makes a compromise. Ryan's mother, Dawn, makes a surprise visit to Newport, and things don't go quite as she and Ryan may have planned. The monetary secret involving Julie, Jimmy, Kirsten and Sandy comes to a head.

It's time for the annual Cotillion ball. Cherished by many, hated by most, it's the time when Newport's finest young ladies enter society. More information about Jimmy's business trouble comes to light, and Kirsten's loan to Jimmy is not happy news for Sandy.

Ryan takes a job at the Crab Shack diner. A co-worker at the diner might mean bad news for the Newport kids. Ryan asks Marissa out on a date. Sandy attempts to help Jimmy sort out his life, and gives him some bad news. Julie reveals a long-held secret to Kirsten. Disaster strikes at another one of Holly's parties.

Kirsten's father, Caleb Nichol, comes for a visit along with his new girlfriend, Gabrielle. 24-year-old Grandma Nichol has arrived. Kirsten finds her job in jeopardy, while Sandy considers making a change. Much to Ryan's disappointment, Luke decides he wants a second chance with Marissa... but who will Marissa choose? Summer makes the moves on Seth, who wonders if her feelings are real.

The Newport kids plan an end-of-summer trip down to Tijuana, Mexico (aka "T.J."). Jimmy has plans of his own, which don't sit well with Marissa. Sandy gets a new job, which Kirsten can't understand. Summer, Seth, Ryan and Marissa find themselves in a strange place together. Jimmy takes it too far. Disaster strikes one of the O.C. kids.

Everyone is back home in Newport, and Marissa is recovering. Julie points her finger at Ryan and forbids him from seeing Marissa, who does not appreciate the help. Sandy starts his new job, but finds himself surprised by the case work. Kirsten finds herself surprised by Sandy's new co-worker. Ryan enrolls at his new school, with conditions. Julie gets an intervention, and Jimmy gets a new roommate.

Back to school for the O.C. kids. No one really wants to be there, except for the gossips. Ryan doesn't feel like he fits in at his new school, and Luke doesn't make the situation any better. Sandy accepts a case at his new job, a case that will test his relationship with Kirsten and her father. Anna and Seth hatch a plan. Marissa chooses her man.

Couples are plentiful in 'The O.C.' It is a night of firsts. Now that they are free to love one another, Ryan and Marissa plan their first official date. Kirsten sees her father with a new woman, and fears Sandy has found a new woman of his own. Seth takes matters into his own hands with a girl, and is taken by another girl.

It's Thanksgiving time in ‘the O.C.' It's time for family reunions, and Ryan gets called home by his family. Is it because of the holiday, or is it for a favor? Marissa decides to go along for the ride, but ends up going down Ryan's bad-memory lane instead. Seth plays the player role, but not very well.

Seth and Kirsten want to avoid facing the world after their respective displays at Thanksgiving. Sandy has some advice for Jimmy, which doesn't sit well with Julie. Ryan and Luke find themselves getting along after an O.C. loved-one comes out of the closet to face negative reactions.

Ryan, and the World, are officially introduced to the bi-religious holiday Chrismukkah, thanks to Seth. And Seth insists he has TWO Godly forces helping him as he plays TWO girls. Marissa has some 'discount shopping' to do, and finds herself in an embarrassing situation, or two, or three. Kirsten does something that could cost her more than just her job. Summer and Anna each have very special gifts for Seth, but which one will he like the most? And a new boy enters the Newport scene.

It's New Years and "love" is in the air. A sister returns home, and throws a party. Oliver casts his spell. Sandy and Kirsten find themselves in a rut, and out of their environment. Seth finally makes a decision between Summer and Anna. 2004 is born.

Hailey discovers she isn't as welcome as she might have thought. Perhaps the Cohen house is full? Luke makes some new friends, while Seth and Anna try to tell a friend about their decision. Rooney sings, a lot, and Oliver noses, a lot. Trouble brews.

Oliver plans a trip for the gang, but things don't go as well as everyone might have hoped- except for Oliver of course. Summer really plants herself into "friendship" within Anna and Seth's relationship. Jimmy and Sandy decide to go into business together. Caleb and Julie return from Europe, and Hailey and Kirsten butt heads. Ryan finds himself in the cold.

Sandy and Jimmy have plans to sign papers for the Lighthouse... but is Jimmy ready? Oliver makes his plans official to Ryan, but Ryan just cannot catch a break from anyone and finds himself in an all too familiar position. Summer has a "big" new boyfriend... for a little while. And Julie gets a job.

Changes are happening within the couplehoods of the O.C.'ers. Lines seem to be blurred. Oliver reveals himself as he falls apart, but not before Ryan is completely left in the cold. Someone loses school, one loses work, two lose their partners, and one more loses it all.

It's Valentine's Day in Newport, and everyone is preparing for the Valentine's singles benefit. Luke has a new crush, while Sandy gives Seth some sex advice. An old friend of Ryan's shows up in town, which forces Marissa to lay her feelings on the table. Seth and Summer take their relationship to another level.

Ryan and Marissa begin their life together as "friends", but both discover that it might be harder to do than to say. Theresa drops into Newport for work, and another visit. Julie and Luke realize the meaning of "booty calls", and Seth and Summer make a declaration.

Anna announces that she is leaving Newport to go back to Pittsburgh, which leaves Seth feeling saddened and guilt-ridden. Legal troubles brew for Caleb and Kirsten while Sandy works to solve them. Luke and Julie's secret romance is getting harder to contain, and Theresa brings a bit of trouble from Chino to the O.C.

When Summer and Marissa run into Grady Bridges, the star of Summer's favourite prime-time soap 'The Valley', he invites them to an LA party, and they accept. On the road trip to LA, Seth, Summer, Marissa, and Ryan run into Hailey, now working at a strip club. Jimmy and Sandy present their restaurant to Newport's finest and approach Caleb for some financial help.

Nana Cohen comes to California for Passover with some sad news. Ryan searches for Marissa, who'd gone missing after learning Julie and Luke's secret, and he finds her in the most unlikely of places. Summer tries to impress Nana. Jimmy and Hailey take a step forward.

Jimmy and Sandy run into a roadblock in their effort to re-open the Balboa Lighthouse restaurant. Summer and Seth take it upon themselves to finally make Marissa feel more at home at Jimmy's. Everyone is shocked when Caleb makes a proposal, which sparks a near-fatal accident for Luke. Marissa, and Sandy and Jimmy each strike deals with Caleb. An old O.C. friend moves away.

Marissa plots to ruin her mother's happiness by inviting someone from her mother's past to the wedding shower, while Sandy attempts to hide Theresa's return to the O.C. from Ryan. When Ryan discovers Sandy's lies and Theresa's reasons for coming back, he puts himself in a dangerous situation. In the meantime, Seth's unimpressive first meeting with Summer's father leaves their relationship in doubt.

It's Bachelor and Bachelorette party time for Caleb and Julie. Caleb and the boys head off to Las Vegas while Kirsten organizes an evening at the Cohen house for Julie, strippers included. Seth and Ryan get themselves into a tricky situation in Vegas while back home, Summer pines over lost love, and Marissa comforts Theresa. Jimmy and Sandy learn of Caleb's true motives. Julie and Hailey take a swim, while Theresa has some shocking news for Ryan and Marissa.

Julie and Caleb walk down the aisle, as Ryan and Theresa face a difficult decision regarding their pregnancy. Marissa moves into Caleb and Julie's new castle on the cliff, and Seth struggles to find himself when things around him seem to fall apart. Life in The O.C. comes full circle from one year before.

The summer is coming to an end, and Seth hasn't returned home to Newport. In the midst of home renovations, Sandy and Kirsten are strained and missing their son. Ryan has begun his new life with Theresa in Chino, as Marissa is alone and in a dark place. Summer is slowly getting over Seth.

Now that Ryan and Seth have returned to Newport, its time to get back to school. The boys reunite with their former girlfriends but it becomes apparent that things will not be going back to the way they were. Caleb's legal troubles catch up with him, and Hailey has bad news for Jimmy.

After Caleb is released from custody, he must make some decisions about the Newport Group, and his decisions don't sit well with Kirsten. Seth is determined to win back Summer's friendship, even if it means getting a job. Ryan has a string of awkward encounters with a new girl at school, while Marissa faces being alone.

It's a new era in Newport Beach. Kirsten and Julie try and work together at The Newport Group, while Sandy tries to find out what Caleb is hiding. Seth and Ryan go on a double date with Lindsay and Alex, but it ends differently than the four of them might have expected.

It's the annual "SnO.C." winter dance. Seth wants to take his relationship with Alex further, but she might have other plans. Marissa's secret relationship with D.J. is exposed, while Zach continues his pursuit of a Seth-free relationship with Summer. Sandy solves Caleb's legal puzzle ending with a shocking twist.

It's Chrismukkah once again in The O.C. and this year, Seth wants to take it global. As Caleb is faced with the looming prospect of going to prison, Sandy convinces him to come forward and reveal the truth about his involvement with Renee. Julie and Jimmy spend some quality time together. Caleb's confession shocks the Cohen and Nichol family to the core, and nothing will be the same again.

After Caleb's confession, The Cohens try to welcome Lindsay as part of the family. Jimmy is faced with a choice when Marissa finds out about his relationship with his ex-wife, Julie. Seth attempts to be a "bad boy" like Ryan to impress Alex. Summer finds out what Zach did on his Christmas break while Ryan and Lindsay want to know if it is too awkward for them to be together.

When Sandy forgets his and Kirsten's 20th wedding anniversary, he finds himself going to a lot of trouble to make it up to her. Seth and Ryan's respective relationships with Alex and Lindsay add to the trouble, and doubt falls upon their futures together. Marissa and Julie continue to butt heads over DJ, and Summer wants to take her relationship with Zach to the next level.

Seth is thrown when Alex's ex arrives in town for a visit, and is even more thrown when he finds out who it is. Julie has a plan to try and save The Newport Group, which to everyone's surprise, might actually work. Lindsay sticks out when she joins Summer and Marissa for a girls night out; meanwhile, Ryan, Seth and Zach contemplate playing it safe on a guys' night in. But nothing ever goes as planned.

Things heat up between Sandy and Kirsten when Sandy decides to help his mentor in law school find his daughter, Rebecca, whom was Sandy's first love. Seth and Zach start up a comic book based on their lives in Newport, while Summer questions why she's been left out. Ryan makes the attempt to unite Lindsay and Caleb after Lindsay tells Ryan she is curious in getting to know her "new" father. While Julie is in Paris, Marissa looks for new ways to rebel; in doing so, her friendship with Alex increases.

After hearing about Lindsay and Ryan's failed attempt at dinner with Caleb the night before, Kirsten arranges a dinner that she can supervise. But her presence makes no difference when Ryan and Caleb butt heads and disaster strikes. Sandy keeps Rebecca's presence in Newport a secret from Kirsten after deciding to take her case to court. Marissa and Alex's relationship intensifies, while Seth and Summer spend a lot of time together at Zach's insistence.

It's Valentines Day 2005 in O.C. when Sandy and Kirsten's conflict about Rebecca continues. Ryan tries to make peace with Caleb to spend Valentines Day with Lindsay. While Seth, Zach, and Summer head to San Diego in hope to make their Comic Book idea succeed Seth has a breakdown and ends up in a lonely state. Marissa and Alex take a step forward in their relationship while Julie returns from her trip in hope to reconnect with Marissa.

As Sandy continues working on Rebecca's case, Kirsten questions how strong their feelings are for one another. Seth continues his downward spiral in the aftermath of Zach and Summer's Valentine's night together, while Marissa confronts her fear about her relationship with Alex. Caleb offers Lindsay a place in his family, but not without a paternity test.

It's a rainy day in Newport where Lindsay decides to take the DNA test and makes a difficult choice regarding her life with Caleb while Ryan helps her through it. Sandy still wants to help Rebecca with her case and tries to convince her not to run again. Kirsten is still upset and wishes her marriage would go back to normal and for Rebecca's case to be over with. Meanwhile, Seth thinks he's lost Summer forever untill Summer is unable to hide from her feelings once and for all. Marissa moves out of the Cooper-Nichol mansion and moves in with Alex after she tells her mother about Alex being her girlfriend.

After Lindsay moves to Chicago with her mom, Ryan is heartbroken and Caleb's confused. Seth, Summer, and Marissa invite Ryan to the mall to get his mind off things. Caleb tags along to vent when Sandy tries to make amends with Kirsten by searching for her wedding ring or even a grand gesture that will take her back to when Sandy first proposed. Meanwhile, Alex learns that Marissa might not be as into her as she thought she would be. Kirsten and Julie call an editor for Newport Living but at the same time Julie's Riverside past catches up to her.

Spring has flung in Newport where Marissa recruits Ryan to help her with Harbor School's Pep Rally Bonfire. Alex accepts that her and Marissa are from two different lives and knows she is fighting a lost cause. Seth is stuck and misses last year's good times while Summer disagrees and tells him it's time to move on. Meanwhile, Julie still doesn't know what she is gonna do about her blackmailer and seeks some advice from Sandy. Kirsten wants Carter to stick with the magazine despite his reservations.

When Ryan's brother, Trey, gets out of jail and gives Ryan a call, the Cohens give him a warm welcome. Though, Ryan knows nothing good can come from it. Zach returns from his Italy trip and gives some news leaving Summer curious and Seth ... not really sure what to think. Meanwhile, after Julie admits her naked mistake to Kirsten, they both agree to get Caleb in on it for more help. Newport Living is officially launched.

Sandy reluctantly serves as host/auctioneer at yet another OC benefit; Trey lies to Ryan to prove that he can be self-dependent; Carter reinvigorates Seth and Zach's comic book dream, much to the annoyance of Summer. Marissa moves in with the Cohens.

It's Trey's 21st birthday and Marissa, anxious to help Trey and Ryan forge a relationship, throws a birthday party for Trey at the Cooper-Nichol mansion that turns out to be a rager. Seth is left in hot water by both Summer and Zach, but why? Sandy wants to continue his friendship with Carter, leaving a confused Kirsten. Meanwhile, Julie shares some memories with an "old" friend and in the process learns a few things and gains a few ideas.

Sandy and the boys devise a plan to save Trey from going to jail after he took the fall for supplying drugs at his birthday party. Kirsten and Carter, fulfilling more than their editorial duties, take a trip to Featherbrook's winery. Meanwhile, Caleb returns home and questions his marriage with Julie.

Sandy, Seth and Ryan travel to Miami to visit the Nana after she tells Sandy she is getting married. Unable to go because of work, Kirsten is left on her own to deal with her feelings for Carter. Trey misinterprets Marissa's friendship; Zach invites Summer to a home-cooked dinner.

Seth and Zach declare themselves rivals for Summer's affections; Marissa is still reeling from being nearly raped by Trey; Sandy confronts Kirsten when her drinking problem becomes very apparent; Caleb hands divorce papers to Julie.

Seth and Zach squabble over who should take Summer to the prom and who will meet George Lucas for dinner; Sandy takes drastic actions with a recovering Kirsten; Ryan starts to piece together what happened between Trey and Marissa, courtesy of Theresa; Julie's attempts to poison Caleb take a surprise turn.

Kirsten hits rock bottom after Caleb's funeral, prompting Sandy to finally take action; Jimmy Cooper resurfaces and almost immediately renews ties with a mourning Julie; Jess bullies Trey into participating in a drug deal that turns into a shootout; Ryan finally learns the truth about what happened between Trey and Marissa, leading to a bloody confrontation.

In the season three opener, we start off with senior year starting in a few days. It has been a couple of months since the shooting. Trey has been in a coma all this time leaving the D.A. impatiently waiting for his side of the story. Feeling the pressure from the community the D.A. continues to put pressure on Ryan, Marisa, Seth, Summer and others for more information. Meanwhile Julie is steaming mad because Caleb’s accountant won’t give up the goods on Caleb’s will and Kirsten is still in rehab.

Social Chair Marissa tries to plan this year’s carnival but is having much difficulty due to a little pest named Taylor. Sandy is surprised to find Kirsten has been released from rehab but instead of informing him, she has been living with another woman named Charlotte who she met in rehab. Julie and Sandy meet with the Dean and Dr. Kim to discuss Ryan and Marissa’s future at Harbor High. Later Ryan and Marissa partake in a similar meeting. Elsewhere Jimmy meets a man and feels more than open to discuss his money problems with him.

Jimmy must make once more the difficult decision to leave or stay with his family; Kirsten returns to the Cohen household while Charlotte has to leave her house; Marissa and Ryan face a possible separation; Taylor lords over the school musical and makes Summer and Seth her stooges.

Marissa struggles with attending a public high school, and her new friends make Ryan jealous; Charlotte's ruse is up when she learns that Kirsten did not inherit any money from Caleb; Julie's mansion is repossessed, leaving her with nothing; Taylor's power play dethrones Summer as commitee chairman, who then learns an interesting secret about her and Dean Hess.

Ryan decides to make a life-changing decision that Sandy reluctantly supports; Marissa looks to her new friends to help with her latest crisis with Ryan; Summer and Seth go on a mission to reveal a secret between Taylor and Dean Hess; Charlotte makes Julie an offer that she can't refuse.

Marissa discovers something in Johnny that Ryan lacks and Charlotte convinces Julie and Kirsten to throw a charity event. After discovering fake IDs in Charlotte's purse, Julie confronts her.

When the gang heads to The Bait Shop to see The Subways, Taylor's horsing around causes a major rift between Seth and Summer. Marissa, determined to end the potentially explosive rift between Ryan and Volchok, does whatever it takes to watch out for Ryan. Meanwhile, Matt, Sandy's Newport Group partner, goes above and beyond the call of duty when he learns he has to cut Newport Group staff.

Ryan, Summer, Seth, and Marissa think about what they'd like to do with their lives as they compile their college applications, but they run across several obstacles; Johnny's surfing career takes an unfortunate twist; a revealed secret complicates Julie's friendship with Kirsten.

Marissa visits Johnny at his house after his accident to see how he is doing. Julie and Kirsten get a contract for their new catering business while Sandy, Ryan and Matt meet with investors.

Chrismukkah has returned to the Cohen house and Seth suggests to have a Bar Mitzvah to Ryan to raise money for Johnny's knee surgery after his accident but Ryan then pulls out after seeing Johnny and Marissa get too close.

Ryan, Seth and Summer launch a campaign to get Marissa back into Harbour. With the help of Dr. Kim they get the board of trustees to hear the case will Marissa be permitted to return for her final semester?

It's winter break and Kaitlin Cooper has returned home from her Montecito boarding school.

Kaitlin starts going out with Johnny with the sole motive of making Marissa jealous. Seth starts getting nostalgic as he prepares for his Brown interview.

Sandy and Matt's hospital project hits a roadblock. Kirsten and Julie run into troubles of their own with their matchmaking business. Marissa confesses her feelings to Johnny. Summer finds out out about Seth.

Kaitlin prepares herself to head back to school. Ryan has doubts about his relationship with Marissa after helping out Sadie. Kirsten and Julie make plans for a Valentine's Day party.

When Ryan and Sadie go on a road trip to search for one of Johnny's relatives they end up in Ryan's old neighborhood in Chino, which brings the two closer together. While the two are away Marissa is implicated in Johnny's death and Seth and Summer learn the truth about Julie and Dr. Roberts new secret.

Ryan thinks about not inviting Marissa to his 18th birthday after their falling out but Sandy tries to get him to invite a relative. After months of avoiding telling Summer and Marissa the truth Neil and Julie tell Summer and Marissa the truth.

When an old friend returns to Newport, Ryan decides to help her, which causes problems for him and Sadie. When Summer and Seth run into another rough patch Taylor tries to help them out. Sandy has to deal with more problems with the Newport Group and Marissa must deal with being alone.

Julie and Dr. Roberts announce their engagement and the Cooper ladies move in with Summer and her dad. Meanwhile, Marissa drifts away from the group and Summer when she seeks solace in the bad company of Volchok and his crew. Ryan tries to move on with Sadie, but Seth's concerns for Marissa get in the way. At the Newport Group, Sandy's woes with Matt continue and Kirsten surprises Seth with a night out.

When college acceptance and rejection letters are received the kids must consider what path they are going to follow. Ryan and Sadie are trying to decide what they will do after high school. Taylor holds a college party and Summer and Marissa fix their friendship problems.

Ryan decides to go and invite his mother to his graduation party. Taylor and Summer work together to try and find out what Seth is hiding, but Summer ends up getting hurt. Marissa realises she is in bad company after she finds out how low Volchok's friends can go. Sandy is able to fix his work problems with Matt but while doing so he hurts Kirsten.

Graduation is just weeks away and Ryan, Seth, Summer and Marissa leave Newport to attend their respective pre-frosh orientations at UC Berkeley and Brown. While dropping the boys off at the airport, Kirsten is surprised to see Theresa and her all-too-familiar-looking baby boy. While visiting Brown, Seth runs into Anna on the quad and they instantly connect. Could this be the end of Summer and Seth? Meanwhile, Kirsten and Sandy attend a hospital benefit where Kirsten vents her frustrations and falls back into an old habit.

Harbor School's Senior Prom brings out the best and the worst in everyone. Taylor hits a high at prom, while Summer falls flat with her surprising prom date. Seth and Anna come up with a prom plan to win Summer back. Meanwhile, Marissa convinces Volchok to go to the prom and Ryan brings an unexpected old flame. When one of the girls is elected prom queen, it truly becomes a night to remember. Later, when Taylor's prom funds are missing, Ryan returns to his old ways and prom night turns brutal.

Ryan and Volchok make a deal after a fallout at prom. Sandy is chosen as Man of the Year, but this sparks the DA to dig deeper into his involvement with the hospital problems. Marissa goes and sees Kaitlin at her boarding school and Seth visits the Newport Group HQ and lights up the joint.

It is graduation day for Ryan, Seth, Summer, and Marissa at Harbor High School. After graduation they all went out to eat and celebrate their graduation. Ryan's mother gave him a new car as a graduation present. Marissa is going to spend a year on a boat with her father as her graduation gift. Seth finally got into RISD for second semester. Summer is still going to Brown University in the fall. Volchok is still mad at Marissa and Ryan so he decided to crash Ryan's car.

Seth works at a comic book store in Newport. Kirsten drops by the store to ask Seth if he has something to send Ryan in a "care package" she is preparing. Later, Seth tries to talk Ryan into coming to dinner at the Cohens' but the latter isn't easily persuaded, saying he works nights, etc. At her dorm, Summer and a friend named Che try to rally students for a protest. Summer gets a phone call from Taylor who seems to be in Paris.

Ryan and Seth go to Mexico to find Volchok, but Seth secretly phones home worried about what Ryan might do if they find him. A distraught Sandy and Kirsten decide to go after the boys and try to stop Ryan before he does something he might regret. Meanwhile, Julie and Kaitlin are forced to participate in a clothing drive at the school, and Summer and her hippie friends try to save a tree.

It's Thanksgiving time. Volchok is back in town and Ryan seems eager to take revenge. At first Sandy and Kirsten try to talk him out of this but, then, Sandy makes Ryan face Volchok. Julie's behavior turns Kaitlin away and permanently jeopardizes her relationship with Dr. Roberts. Summer starts protesting against poverty issues and turns the Cohens' Thanksgiving dinner into a homelesses' refuge. It's clear she hasn't got over Marissa's death yet. Veronica kicks Taylor out as soon as she discovers her beloved daughter married a French man during her European trip.

When Seth visits Summer, she realizes that her materialistic, gossiping self may be forever gone ever since she went to Brown. Ryan helps Taylor with her divorce. Temptation stirs when Kaitlin and Julie vow to stay out of trouble. And Sandy longs for a guy's night out.

When Taylor learns about Ryan's sleeping problems she devises a plan to help him but must then turn to Kaitlin when her plan backfires. At Brown Summer and Che step up their activism and it lands them more freedom than imagined. Julie also gets help from Kaitlin to help save the dating service.

Kaitlin takes down the school mean girl by throwing a rager at her house. Sandy and Kirsten find time to bond with Ryan while Seth is away visiting Summer at Brown but all he finds is an empty dorm room. Meanwhile Julie continues work on the dating service and finds out a new surprise.

Chrismukkah once again returns to the Cohens. Ryan and Taylor have an accident while putting up the holiday lights and they end up in a sort of parallel universe, where all is not like it is meant to be, since Ryan does not exist. While - in the real world - everybody is worrying about them, except Taylor's mom, they eventually manage to fix things, also thanks to a letter from the past.

Ryan and Taylor may be heading out on a Las Vegas road trip for New Year's Eve, but there's even more fun in store when Seth and Summer join them. Meanwhile Julie doesn't trust NewMatch's new accountant, and Sandy suspects the reason why.

Kaitlin is assigned a tutor after she presented a ruffled report to her class. Julie comes clean to Kirsten about who Frank really is. Summer and Seth continue their recent commitment despite how they really feel about it. When Ryan's dad comes to the Cohen's for dinner things don't go as planned.

Taylor's ex-husband comes to Newport and causes a rift in her relationship with Ryan. Seth goes to Seattle to obtain Dr. Roberts blessing, while Summer "travels to the past" for 48 hours. Kaitlin finds love, while Julie finds problems with Kirsten.

Ryan overcomes his indecision and competes with Henri-Michel for Taylor's affections. Che leads Seth on a trek of spiritual renewal. Meanwhile, Kirsten and Julie have to do some damage control.

Sandy, Ryan and Seth prepare for Kirsten's upcoming 40th birthday party, however Kirsten learns some news that will change her life forever. Kaitlin tries to stop her mother having a secret love affair. Taylor visits a therapist and Ryan pretends that he doesnt miss her. Elsewhere Che finally learns that Seth isn't his soulmate.

Seth and Summer come upon a fortune teller whose prediction makes the two question whether they are truly meant for each other. Ryan gets back in touch with his father (with a little help from Taylor). When the two teens discover a love connection between Frank and Julie despite her pending engagement, a Valentine's competition is sparked between "Team Bullit" and "Team Frank". Meanwhile, with a new baby on the way, Kirsten finds herself dwelling on an old secret involving Jimmy Cooper.

It's Taylor's birthday and she hopes Ryan will tell her he loves her. She's unsure whether she should tell him she got into Berkeley as well. Summer feels that Seth should find something in his life that he really cares about whereas Kirsten is having second thoughts about raising another child in Newport. Then the unexpected happens even though it's been predicted.

In the immediate aftermath of a violent earthquake that rocks Newport, everyone struggles to stay together and keep their spirits up. Sandy and Kristen are stranded at the local shopping center where Kristen has an accident. Across town, Julie and Kaitlin are stranded in a demolished ice cream parlor on the pier with a pitiful worker of the place. Meanwhile, Ryan is seriously wounded with a piece of glass in his side, but keeps the news from Taylor to avoid panicking her. Seth soon learns of Ryan's condition and attempts to drive him to safety while Summer and Taylor search the ruins of the Roberts' house for Summer's missing rabbit, leading to Taylor having a confrontation with her mother.

The Cohen family says goodbye in the series finale as the episode jumps six months after the earthquake to show the Cohens, Ryan, Taylor, Summer and the Cooper women trying to piece their lives back together. The Cohens find out that fixing up their old mansion would cost more than rebuilding it but Ryan and Seth see this as an opportunity to give Sandy and an expecting Kirsten a surprise that'll change their lives.