Episodic Classics: The O.C., "The Graduates" | Season 3, Episodes 25

There’s something to be said about Marissa Cooper’s characterization in Season Three of The O.C., as it arguably provides two of the character’s best episodes (in terms of actual character growth and maturity), while also otherwise providing the nadir of the character’s existence. Those two episodes would be “The End of Innocence” (in which Marissa handles the possibility of moving healthily, finally sees and addresses her father for who he really is, and presents herself as a rock to her mother) and “The Graduates” (the season finale, which, surprisingly, is the most mature and at peace Marissa ever is).

I wrote the above in my first review for this season of The O.C., and having just rewatched “The Graduates”—and the rest of this very long season—I still stand by this argument. In fact, I find that the strange trick about the episode is that, while it perhaps provides the only true and natural ending for Marissa Cooper, it does so while also being the rare time in which Marissa Cooper exists as a character that could exist further and not have such a tragic ending. Somehow, I always find myself regretting how things end, despite also very much believing that it was the natural end for the character. Because the version of Marissa in “The Graduates” is a character I actually would’ve been interested in following all these seasons.

Essentially, on the one hand, it makes sense for Marissa to die young and in a situation where Ryan finally can’t save her; on the other hand, in providing an episode in which Marissa finally shows the growth and maturity that’s never been seen before, The O.C. gives us a glimpse of a version of the character that potentially could have worked. On the third hand that I’ve grown for just this discussion, based on everything involved in the creation and execution of the Marissa character (from the writing to Mischa Barton’s performance), all signs point to The O.C. being unequipped to sustain the version of Marissa that exists in “The Graduates” for any longer than just this episode.