A new life for Ryan Atwood, the Cohens and the Cooper families, and basically everyone else in the wealthy, picturesque, secretive, turbulent community of Orange County.

Be prepared to meet spoiled rich kids and watch Ryan struggle to fit in with his new crowd...

Faced with the prospect of life in a group home, Ryan decides to run away from Newport, but Seth and Marissa convince him to stay and hide in a vacant building project. Jimmy discusses his recent financial woes with Kirsten, and she offers a solution. After Luke witnesses a close encounter between Marissa and Ryan, he confronts Ryan and a fight breaks loose. Ryan's presence in Newport is exposed in a big way, and two arrests are made.

Sandy comes to Ryan's rescue once again, after he has a difficult stay in Juvenile Hall. Seth makes Kirsten aware of his anger over Ryan's situation, and Kirsten makes a compromise. Ryan's mother, Dawn, makes a surprise visit to Newport, and things don't go quite as she and Ryan may have planned. The monetary secret involving Julie, Jimmy, Kirsten and Sandy comes to a head.

It's time for the annual Cotillion ball. Cherished by many, hated by most, it's the time when Newport's finest young ladies enter society. More information about Jimmy's business trouble comes to light, and Kirsten's loan to Jimmy is not happy news for Sandy.

Ryan takes a job at the Crab Shack diner. A co-worker at the diner might mean bad news for the Newport kids. Ryan asks Marissa out on a date. Sandy attempts to help Jimmy sort out his life, and gives him some bad news. Julie reveals a long-held secret to Kirsten. Disaster strikes at another one of Holly's parties.

Kirsten's father, Caleb Nichol, comes for a visit along with his new girlfriend, Gabrielle. 24-year-old Grandma Nichol has arrived. Kirsten finds her job in jeopardy, while Sandy considers making a change. Much to Ryan's disappointment, Luke decides he wants a second chance with Marissa... but who will Marissa choose? Summer makes the moves on Seth, who wonders if her feelings are real.

The Newport kids plan an end-of-summer trip down to Tijuana, Mexico (aka "T.J."). Jimmy has plans of his own, which don't sit well with Marissa. Sandy gets a new job, which Kirsten can't understand. Summer, Seth, Ryan and Marissa find themselves in a strange place together. Jimmy takes it too far. Disaster strikes one of the O.C. kids.

Everyone is back home in Newport, and Marissa is recovering. Julie points her finger at Ryan and forbids him from seeing Marissa, who does not appreciate the help. Sandy starts his new job, but finds himself surprised by the case work. Kirsten finds herself surprised by Sandy's new co-worker. Ryan enrolls at his new school, with conditions. Julie gets an intervention, and Jimmy gets a new roommate.

Back to school for the O.C. kids. No one really wants to be there, except for the gossips. Ryan doesn't feel like he fits in at his new school, and Luke doesn't make the situation any better. Sandy accepts a case at his new job, a case that will test his relationship with Kirsten and her father. Anna and Seth hatch a plan. Marissa chooses her man.

Couples are plentiful in 'The O.C.' It is a night of firsts. Now that they are free to love one another, Ryan and Marissa plan their first official date. Kirsten sees her father with a new woman, and fears Sandy has found a new woman of his own. Seth takes matters into his own hands with a girl, and is taken by another girl.

It's Thanksgiving time in ‘the O.C.' It's time for family reunions, and Ryan gets called home by his family. Is it because of the holiday, or is it for a favor? Marissa decides to go along for the ride, but ends up going down Ryan's bad-memory lane instead. Seth plays the player role, but not very well.

Seth and Kirsten want to avoid facing the world after their respective displays at Thanksgiving. Sandy has some advice for Jimmy, which doesn't sit well with Julie. Ryan and Luke find themselves getting along after an O.C. loved-one comes out of the closet to face negative reactions.

Ryan, and the World, are officially introduced to the bi-religious holiday Chrismukkah, thanks to Seth. And Seth insists he has TWO Godly forces helping him as he plays TWO girls. Marissa has some 'discount shopping' to do, and finds herself in an embarrassing situation, or two, or three. Kirsten does something that could cost her more than just her job. Summer and Anna each have very special gifts for Seth, but which one will he like the most? And a new boy enters the Newport scene.

It's New Years and "love" is in the air. A sister returns home, and throws a party. Oliver casts his spell. Sandy and Kirsten find themselves in a rut, and out of their environment. Seth finally makes a decision between Summer and Anna. 2004 is born.

Hailey discovers she isn't as welcome as she might have thought. Perhaps the Cohen house is full? Luke makes some new friends, while Seth and Anna try to tell a friend about their decision. Rooney sings, a lot, and Oliver noses, a lot. Trouble brews.

Oliver plans a trip for the gang, but things don't go as well as everyone might have hoped- except for Oliver of course. Summer really plants herself into "friendship" within Anna and Seth's relationship. Jimmy and Sandy decide to go into business together. Caleb and Julie return from Europe, and Hailey and Kirsten butt heads. Ryan finds himself in the cold.

Sandy and Jimmy have plans to sign papers for the Lighthouse... but is Jimmy ready? Oliver makes his plans official to Ryan, but Ryan just cannot catch a break from anyone and finds himself in an all too familiar position. Summer has a "big" new boyfriend... for a little while. And Julie gets a job.

Changes are happening within the couplehoods of the O.C.'ers. Lines seem to be blurred. Oliver reveals himself as he falls apart, but not before Ryan is completely left in the cold. Someone loses school, one loses work, two lose their partners, and one more loses it all.

It's Valentine's Day in Newport, and everyone is preparing for the Valentine's singles benefit. Luke has a new crush, while Sandy gives Seth some sex advice. An old friend of Ryan's shows up in town, which forces Marissa to lay her feelings on the table. Seth and Summer take their relationship to another level.

Ryan and Marissa begin their life together as "friends", but both discover that it might be harder to do than to say. Theresa drops into Newport for work, and another visit. Julie and Luke realize the meaning of "booty calls", and Seth and Summer make a declaration.

Anna announces that she is leaving Newport to go back to Pittsburgh, which leaves Seth feeling saddened and guilt-ridden. Legal troubles brew for Caleb and Kirsten while Sandy works to solve them. Luke and Julie's secret romance is getting harder to contain, and Theresa brings a bit of trouble from Chino to the O.C.

When Summer and Marissa run into Grady Bridges, the star of Summer's favourite prime-time soap 'The Valley', he invites them to an LA party, and they accept. On the road trip to LA, Seth, Summer, Marissa, and Ryan run into Hailey, now working at a strip club. Jimmy and Sandy present their restaurant to Newport's finest and approach Caleb for some financial help.

Nana Cohen comes to California for Passover with some sad news. Ryan searches for Marissa, who'd gone missing after learning Julie and Luke's secret, and he finds her in the most unlikely of places. Summer tries to impress Nana. Jimmy and Hailey take a step forward.

Jimmy and Sandy run into a roadblock in their effort to re-open the Balboa Lighthouse restaurant. Summer and Seth take it upon themselves to finally make Marissa feel more at home at Jimmy's. Everyone is shocked when Caleb makes a proposal, which sparks a near-fatal accident for Luke. Marissa, and Sandy and Jimmy each strike deals with Caleb. An old O.C. friend moves away.

Marissa plots to ruin her mother's happiness by inviting someone from her mother's past to the wedding shower, while Sandy attempts to hide Theresa's return to the O.C. from Ryan. When Ryan discovers Sandy's lies and Theresa's reasons for coming back, he puts himself in a dangerous situation. In the meantime, Seth's unimpressive first meeting with Summer's father leaves their relationship in doubt.

It's Bachelor and Bachelorette party time for Caleb and Julie. Caleb and the boys head off to Las Vegas while Kirsten organizes an evening at the Cohen house for Julie, strippers included. Seth and Ryan get themselves into a tricky situation in Vegas while back home, Summer pines over lost love, and Marissa comforts Theresa. Jimmy and Sandy learn of Caleb's true motives. Julie and Hailey take a swim, while Theresa has some shocking news for Ryan and Marissa.

Julie and Caleb walk down the aisle, as Ryan and Theresa face a difficult decision regarding their pregnancy. Marissa moves into Caleb and Julie's new castle on the cliff, and Seth struggles to find himself when things around him seem to fall apart. Life in The O.C. comes full circle from one year before.

The summer is coming to an end, and Seth hasn't returned home to Newport. In the midst of home renovations, Sandy and Kirsten are strained and missing their son. Ryan has begun his new life with Theresa in Chino, as Marissa is alone and in a dark place. Summer is slowly getting over Seth.

Now that Ryan and Seth have returned to Newport, its time to get back to school. The boys reunite with their former girlfriends but it becomes apparent that things will not be going back to the way they were. Caleb's legal troubles catch up with him, and Hailey has bad news for Jimmy.

After Caleb is released from custody, he must make some decisions about the Newport Group, and his decisions don't sit well with Kirsten. Seth is determined to win back Summer's friendship, even if it means getting a job. Ryan has a string of awkward encounters with a new girl at school, while Marissa faces being alone.

It's a new era in Newport Beach. Kirsten and Julie try and work together at The Newport Group, while Sandy tries to find out what Caleb is hiding. Seth and Ryan go on a double date with Lindsay and Alex, but it ends differently than the four of them might have expected.

It's the annual "SnO.C." winter dance. Seth wants to take his relationship with Alex further, but she might have other plans. Marissa's secret relationship with D.J. is exposed, while Zach continues his pursuit of a Seth-free relationship with Summer. Sandy solves Caleb's legal puzzle ending with a shocking twist.

It's Chrismukkah once again in The O.C. and this year, Seth wants to take it global. As Caleb is faced with the looming prospect of going to prison, Sandy convinces him to come forward and reveal the truth about his involvement with Renee. Julie and Jimmy spend some quality time together. Caleb's confession shocks the Cohen and Nichol family to the core, and nothing will be the same again.

After Caleb's confession, The Cohens try to welcome Lindsay as part of the family. Jimmy is faced with a choice when Marissa finds out about his relationship with his ex-wife, Julie. Seth attempts to be a "bad boy" like Ryan to impress Alex. Summer finds out what Zach did on his Christmas break while Ryan and Lindsay want to know if it is too awkward for them to be together.

Kirsten hits rock bottom after Caleb's funeral, prompting Sandy to finally take action; Jimmy Cooper resurfaces and almost immediately renews ties with a mourning Julie; Jess bullies Trey into participating in a drug deal that turns into a shootout; Ryan finally learns the truth about what happened between Trey and Marissa, leading to a bloody confrontation.

In the season three opener, we start off with senior year starting in a few days. It has been a couple of months since the shooting. Trey has been in a coma all this time leaving the D.A. impatiently waiting for his side of the story. Feeling the pressure from the community the D.A. continues to put pressure on Ryan, Marisa, Seth, Summer and others for more information. Meanwhile Julie is steaming mad because Caleb’s accountant won’t give up the goods on Caleb’s will and Kirsten is still in rehab.

Social Chair Marissa tries to plan this year’s carnival but is having much difficulty due to a little pest named Taylor. Sandy is surprised to find Kirsten has been released from rehab but instead of informing him, she has been living with another woman named Charlotte who she met in rehab. Julie and Sandy meet with the Dean and Dr. Kim to discuss Ryan and Marissa’s future at Harbor High. Later Ryan and Marissa partake in a similar meeting. Elsewhere Jimmy meets a man and feels more than open to discuss his money problems with him.

Jimmy must make once more the difficult decision to leave or stay with his family; Kirsten returns to the Cohen household while Charlotte has to leave her house; Marissa and Ryan face a possible separation; Taylor lords over the school musical and makes Summer and Seth her stooges.

Chrismukkah once again returns to the Cohens. Ryan and Taylor have an accident while putting up the holiday lights and they end up in a sort of parallel universe, where all is not like it is meant to be, since Ryan does not exist. While - in the real world - everybody is worrying about them, except Taylor's mom, they eventually manage to fix things, also thanks to a letter from the past.