The Escape
September 16, 2003
Big plans
Seth plans a trip to Tijuana to end the summer, with a reluctant Ryan in tow. Needless to say, they're not revealing their real destination to his parents. Sandy will be going into his own den of iniquity - a corporate law firm wants to interview him. Ryan is alarmed that Sandy would turn his back on the poor and downtrodden, but Kirsten scoffs at the idea. Sandy has been sticking it to "The Man" for 15 years. He's not going to sell out now.

Uncomfortable issues
Seth says the trip will help Ryan get over Marissa. Ryan bristles - he's over it, he says. Next door, Marissa is singing the same tune to Summer. Summer is more interested in hearing about Marissa's tryst with Luke. Marissa was under whelmed. Summer graphically urges her to get back on that horse. Ew.

Moving out
Jimmy begs for Kirsten's help - Julie is kicking him out, and he has no apartment. Kirsten helps him find a place, but wants to know how the girls are taking it. Yeahthat. Not really had that conversation yet. Kirsten tells him to tell Marissa or she'll never forgive him. Marissa knows something is up - she tells Luke that she thinks she should stay to help her dad.

At your service
At the Crab Shack, the cool kids plan their trip to Tijuana while Seth eavesdrops. Luke and Marissa enter, and Marissa snips at Ryan. She still hasn't gotten over the in-bed-with-granny incident at last week's party. Seth hasn't gotten over Summer's impromptu kiss - he's convinced that she's finally in love with him. When Marissa announces she's out, Summer is left stranded. Seth jumps at the chance to offer her a ride.

Road trip!
Summer begs Marissa to join her in Seth's car for the trip to Tijuana. Marissa refuses, but when she tells Jimmy she'll be around for the weekend, he freaks. Looks like Marissa is going. She's not thrilled to be trapped in a car with Ryan, and neither of them is happy to hear Summer and Seth bickering the whole way down. That bickering is interrupted when Summer and Seth tussle over the steering wheel, sending the car off the road. The four of them end up at a seriously grotty motel while the car gets fixed.

Working it
Sandy meets Rachel, an old (and hot) rival of his, at the snooty law firm. Rachel reveals that the firm was impressed by the way he handled the Jimmy Cooper case, and they really want to hire him. Kirsten can't believe he's seriously thinking about it, but Sandy says he'll be able to do pro bono work and bring in a monster paycheck. Sounds like Sandy is tired of being a kept man.

Stay or go
Ryan asks Marissa if she's gong to stay mad at him forever. I'm not mad, Marissa says, furiously. She barely starts thawing to Ryan when Jimmy calls with the news that he and Julie are divorcing. Marissa is devastated. When they find out about the divorce, Summer convinces Marissa she doesn't want to be at home. On to Mexico. When they get to Tijuana, they go searching for the cool kids - after a pit stop in a pharmacy so Summer can pick up some prescription painkillers for her step mom.

Regrets?
At the new apartment, Jimmy asks Kirsten if she's ever had any doubts about her marriage, and if she's ever thought about what would happen if she's ended up with Jimmy instead of Sandy. Kirsten admits she and Sandy have their issues, but doesn't go into detail. Jimmy takes that as his cue to kiss her. Kirsten flees. Back at home, Sandy reveals that he's taken the corporate job - he's going to be one with "The Man" now.

TJ
The cool kids are getting toasted. Holly sluts over to Luke and entices him out onto the dance floor. Luke doesn't fight too hard. Our heroes wander into the club, and, after the obligatory alcohol, find Luke and Holly with limbs - and tongues - entwined. Marissa and Summer blame Holly. Holly blames Luke - he hooks up with everything that moves! True, but your timing on that little revelation sucks. Marissa flees. Summer eventually finds her in the hotel room. With her dad moving out, and Luke outed as a big ho, Marissa feels like she has no one to turn to. She steals Summer's pain pills and runs away again. She washes down a handful of pills with a hefty shot of tequila, and then staggers out into an alley. The boys and Summer find her there, unconscious and maybe dead.