Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Of all the great things about television, the greatest is that it’s on every single day. TV history is being made, day in and day out, in ways big and small. In an effort to better appreciate this history, we’re taking a look back, every day, at one particular TV milestone.
IMPORTANT DATE IN TV HISTORY: September 2, 2003
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: If there was one TV couple that defined the 2000s, it was that of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) on The O.C. Their doomed relationship began in the pilot episode when Ryan told Marissa that he’d be “whoever you want me to be,” but really kicked off thirteen years ago today when they had their first adorable date.
After trying, failing, and trying again, Ryan successful scheduled a date with Marissa to eat mac ‘n cheese and help babysit her sister, Kaitlin (Shailene Woodley). The two are all adorable and giddy until the plan falls apart when Seth (Adam Brody) wants Ryan and his new friend, Donnie (Paul Wesley), to take him to a party on the wrong side of the tracks. They go, Ryan misses his date, and the Cohen’s Range Rover is destroyed. Later the boys tell Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) that it was vandalized in the IMAX parking lot after seeing a shark movie. Seems believable.
After realizing how upset Marissa is that Ryan didn’t show up, Seth goes and explains the situation to her. She agrees to a redo date much to Ryan’s delight. Marissa dons the perfect dress and expertly fixes her hair before heading over to Ryan’s pool house for his signature meal, grilled cheese. Marissa, ever the polite guest, bring some leftover mac ‘n cheese along and thus begins the cutest and cheesiest first date ever.
They talk about real things, like Marissa’s dad facing jail time, compliment each other on their superior cooking skills, and end up pushing each other into the pool fully clothed. They laugh and Ryan tells Marissa that she has no choice but to have fun. While drying off after their impromptu swim, Ryan, always the gentleman, offers Marissa one of his sweatshirts. She responds in the most perfect way humanly possible saying,��“Can I borrow one of your tank tops so I can look as cool as you?”
Ryan doesn’t like that and the two laugh and joke around before beginning to lean in for the, what is sure to be iconic, first kiss. Before they can make it to that point though, Ryan’s phone rings and it’s Seth. Seriously, Cohen?! Seth nervously reveals that Donnie is super dangerous and brought a real life gun to a Newport party. Ryan, being the responsible one for once, rushes off to rescue Seth, thus ruining the, what was sure to be perfect, ending to his first date with Marissa.
Even though Luke (Chris Carmack) ends up getting shot and Ryan and Marissa couldn’t have their fairytale first date, this was actually one of the couple’s best moments in the three seasons that they were an item. That’s right, it gets way worse than gun wielding psychos and interrupted moments. Here’s a little preview of what’s to come in their relationship: alcoholism, death, and stalkers. At least they’ll always have the memory of the night they ate way too much cheese.
