It’s Been 9 Years Since THIS Episode of The O.C. Aired, and We Think It Was One of the Best. Do You?

Fresh off Megan’s column on our favorite guys from The O.C., let’s feast on this—it has been nine years (as of yesterday) since “The Goodbye Girl” (season 1, episode 21) aired, and Seth chased after Anna, Luke and Julie got down and dirty, and Theresa’s boy toy, Eddie, showed up to complicate things for Ryan.

In short, it was one of the best episodes of The O.C. (so much so that when the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored The O.C. that year, Warner Bros. chose to air that episode to its members). Let’s revisit those best moments, shall we?

This moment where Seth tries to dissect Ryan’s kiss with Theresa, and Adam Brody is pure Adam Brody:

Seth: “What level was it? Was it like a Christina-Madonna peck or a Britney-Madonna sort of smooch, or was it like a full-on Al and Tipper Gore lip-lock?”

Theresa, looking way older than the 18-year-old she was playing. Who else thought she looked like she was 30?

The opening sequence because it’s awesome.

Peter Gallagher’s eyebrows…because they totally would win in a battle featuring J.R. Ewing’s brows.

This exchange (after the picture):

Seth: “Check out Gramps; he looks so grumpy.”>

Anna: “That’s because he is.”>

Summer: “I don’t know why—he’s on the cover of > Riviera magazine!”>

Anna: “It’s hard to believe that doesn’t leave him happy and fulfilled, right?”>

Summer: “Totally! I know!”>

Anna: [Gives a look]>

Summer: “I love the society page! It’s like all of a sudden the people we know are famous! Wow, Diana Cohen totally got a chin implant!”>

Anna: “They have chin implants?”>

Summer: “Oh yeah, my dad does them all the time. He says chins are the new nose.”>

Anna: “So did Picasso.” >

Summer: “Really, what hospital does he work for?” [Long pause] “Kidding! I’m not that dumb! Just shallow.”

I didn’t want Ryan kissing Theresa, but I was definitely for any scenes where Ben McKenzie got to crack a smile and show off his sexy side.

Remember original Kaitlin (before Willa Holland took over)?

__Well, that was Shailene Woodley! __(The Secret Life of The American Teenager, The Descendants)

Two guys sitting around drinking their coffee, thinking things would be a lot easier if they were Bert and Ernie.

Bad boy Eddie (because every bad boy needs a goatee and greasy hair) accuses Ryan of sleeping with Theresa, which has to be the reason she’s decided to stay in Newport. Or (cue scary music) is it?

Marissa invites Theresa to the party honoring Caleb and brings dresses to her hotel room. Because that’s exactly what two girls fighting over the same guy would do.

The gorgeousness that is Kelly Rowan. Why hasn’t this woman graced our screens more?

Meanwhile, these two lovebirds, May and December, can’t keep their hands off each other.

Oh, hi there, Jimmy! (Or, as I like to think of him…Joshua.)

If only I could have been an extra on that episode. Do you see the fruit display?!

What a waste of food. That seriously better have been plastic grapes.

Anna’s letter to Seth telling him that she has to leave for Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, scare yourself with this little tidbit—texting was just starting to come into the mainstream at this point. No wonder she handwrote that thing.

__Best lines ever uttered by Seth and Ryan (on the freeway as Ryan drove Seth to presumably John Wayne Airport in Orange County). __

Seth: “What is up with this AC? My Jew-fro is frizzing out, I look like Screech! (Pause) > What is this music?”>

Ryan: “Do Not. Insult. Journey. All right?”

__Sandy and Kirsten…putting the sexy back in parents. __

Sandy: “If anybody’s going to put you into handcuffs, it’s going to be me.”

Seth runs after Anna at the airport and basically becomes a bar mitzvah again as he truly becomes a man and fights for someone worth fighting for.

And then this happens:

Seth: “Maybe it’s the champagne talking, but I’m just going to say it. Please do not leave because of me. You love me. I read it. And I get it, OK? And I’m so sorry if I did anything to hurt your feelings or cause this, but I don’t want you to leave, OK? None of us do.”Anna: “Seth…I love you…as a friend.”

Seth: “What?”

Anna: “I love you as a friend. Look, I think you’re an amazing guy. A little self-absorbed maybe, but great. And if there’s one thing our relationship taught me is that we don’t have a lot of chemistry.”

Seth: “So you’re not leaving because of me?”

Anna: “I’m leaving because I need to leave. But who knows what the future holds? Who knows, maybe one day we’ll be perfect for each other. I don’t know. I do know I have to go to Pittsburgh. I thought I could make this home, but I can’t.”

Seth: “Anna, wait a second! What am I going to do without you? All your jenga wisdom, what am I going to do without that?”

Anna: “Confidence, Cohen.”

Oh heck, let’s just watch it, shall we?

Ryan: “I could always hang out with Luke. I wonder what he’s doing right now?”Seth: “Discovering fire? Hunting and gathering? Shaving his chest? You guys could do that together.”

Just another reason this show was so awesome.

What episode of The O.C. was your favorite (and yes, I know nothing can top season 1’s Chrismukkah!)?

Photos: Everett Collection, YouTube