Occasionally, a teen show will have a character finding it hard to say “I love you” for the first time. Whether it’s Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Blair (Leighton Meester) taking a handful of episodes to utter these three little words to each other in Gossip Girl or Rory (Alexis Bledel) shying away from professing her feelings toward Dean (Jared Padalecki) in Season 1 of Gilmore Girls, this narrative device always manages to keep viewers entranced in the story and rooting for a character to be vulnerable to their significant other. The same happens in The O.C. in Season 1, Episode 14, titled “The Countdown.” After Marissa (Mischa Barton) and Ryan (Ben McKenzie) finally beat the odds against them as a couple, the latter doesn’t know how to respond when Marissa says “I love you” for the first time. Instead of saying it back, he ends up uttering “thank you,” and regretting it immediately.
After that, Ryan spends the entire episode trying to muster up the courage to be candid with her and make up for his mistake. With the new (and clearly shady) character Oliver (Taylor Handley) inviting Marissa and her friends to his New Year’s Eve party, Ryan feels even more uneasy about not telling his girlfriend that he loves her because he believes that Oliver might try to charm her into his arms. Although it takes until seconds before the clock turns midnight for Ryan to arrive at the festivities and lock lips with Marissa, the anticipation over him getting there on time and making amends with her is done to perfection. It’s one of the most unforgettable moments of the show, and over 20 years later, I still can’t stop thinking about it.
Marissa and Ryan’s New Year’s Eve Kiss Was Teen TV At Its Finest
The New Year’s Eve scene wasn’t the first time that Ryan and Marissa kissed in the show, yet the dramatic elements leading up to it make it the most memorable. After all, Ryan isn’t with Marissa at Oliver’s party and is dangerously close to missing the opportunity to make amends with her before midnight. The thrill of Ryan running against the clock is furthered by him going up the staircase, gasping for air. In the meantime, Marissa spends the whole night looking at that door, waiting for him to show up as she gradually loses hope. With her expression turning somber, Oliver sees this as the perfect opportunity to win her over by the countdown.
As he positions himself in front of Marissa for a toast while everyone shouts the seconds left until the new year, it becomes clear that he is ready to kiss her. The tension builds and builds as the camera cuts back and forth between Ryan trying to get to the right floor in time and Oliver preparing himself to lean over toward Marissa. To Oliver’s dismay, Ryan arrives in just the nick of time. With the help of slow-motion magic, the scene becomes even more irresistible because the audience has the time to absorb the dramatic turn of events. The slow-motion effect allows for the intensity to continue, as Ryan slowly meets Marissa and pulls her towards him, as they enjoy a passionate kiss, while Oliver is left in the corner disappointed.
The Finley Quaye Needle Drop Was One of the Many Iconic Tracks Featured on ‘The O.C.’
In addition to the impeccable build-up of this New Year’s Eve moment, the couple’s romantic exchange feels as moving as it does onscreen due to one of The O.C.‘s greatest assets: its soundtrack. From the iconic theme song to several other needle drops throughout the seasons, there was something particularly great about the early-2000s music featured in the series and, in a way, the story and its backing tracks worked in unison. Finley Quaye‘s “Dice,” which plays both in the lead-up to Marissa and Ryan’s epic kiss and during it, fits perfectly here, not only for its sound but also because of its lyrics. In the chorus, Quaye sings “Nothing can compare to when you roll the dice and swear your love for me,” which is exactly what Ryan is doing by laying down his guard and being vulnerable with Marissa about his love for her.
Following their heated, slow-motion embrace, the scene also marks Ryan’s first time saying “I love you,” after having so much difficulty telling her that throughout most of the episode. Hearing this phrase come out of his mouth after their kiss makes for purposeful teen TV by feeding the audience with the right scenario to make them want to cheer a couple on. When the anticipated “I love you” came along, fans of the show couldn’t help but get overjoyed that the pairing managed to overcome an obstacle and finally experience a happy turnout (at least momentarily). When Marissa jokingly replies with a “thank you,” it feels silly and cute at the same time, as most romantic scenes in teen dramas can be.
The Scene Was Made Better Given the Challenges the Pairing Faced in Season 1
Another reason why this instance in “The Countdown” holds a special place in The O.C.‘s roster of memorable moments is because of everything that came before it. When Sandy (Peter Gallagher) takes Ryan under his wing in Episode 1, he meets Marissa in the Cohens’ driveway and there is an instant connection between them. Yet, he is the bad boy from Chino, and she is the princess of the Orange County elite. A relationship between them feels prohibited by social class standards, and even more forbidden because Marissa is already dating the popular heartthrob Luke (Chris Carmack).
However, as the series unfolds, the Coopers lose their wealth due to Jimmy’s (Tate Donovan) debts and Marissa’s parents get a divorce. These events take a toll on her because, like any other teen, she feels like her entire world is falling apart because of this. When she, Ryan, Summer (Rachel Bilson), and Seth (Adam Brody) go on a trip to Tijuana for a much-needed getaway, the character sees her boyfriend making out with another girl, which only piles up on all the tragedies she had already experienced until then. When she almost dies from an overdose during the trip, Ryan also feels like his world is collapsing with Marissa nearly gone. By the time the New Year’s Eve moment comes along, the two characters have gone through so much that they deserve to enjoy some peace together.
Overall, it’s hard to pick apart the best moments in the entire show, given that so many instances became pop culture landmarks. From the scene where Marissa shoots Trey getting recreated on SNL to her devastating death making audiences continue to sob to this day, there is a lot to remember from The O.C.‘s epic four-season run. Yet, this particular New Year’s Eve kiss is undeniably one of the many moments that cemented The O.C. as iconic television.
The O.C.
A troubled youth becomes embroiled in the lives of a close-knit group of people in the wealthy, upper-class neighborhood of Newport Beach, Orange County, California.
- Release Date
- August 5, 2003
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 4
The O.C. is available to stream on Max in the US.
