Una nueva vida para Ryan Atwood, las familias Cohen y Cooper, y básicamente todos en la adinerada, pintoresca, reservada y turbulenta comunidad del Condado de Orange.

Prepárate para conocer niños ricos mimados y ver a Ryan luchar por encajar en su nuevo grupo...

Ante la posibilidad de vivir en un hogar comunitario, Ryan decide escapar de Newport, pero Seth y Marissa lo convencen de quedarse y esconderse en un proyecto de construcción vacío. Jimmy discute sus recientes aflicciones financieras con Kirsten, y ella le ofrece una solución. Después de que Luke fuese testigo de un encuentro cercano entre Marissa y Ryan, él confronta a Ryan y se desata una pelea. La presencia de Ryan en Newport es expuesta a gran medida, y se hacen dos arrestos.

Sandy acude al rescate de Ryan una vez más, después de que él haya tenido una estadía dificultosa en la correccional para menores. Seth le hace notar a Kirsten su enojo respecto a la situación de Ryan, y Kirsten hace un compromiso. La madre de Ryan, Dawn, hace una visita sorpresa a Newport, y las cosas no salen tal y como ella y Ryan planearon. El secreto monetario entre Julie, Jimmy, Kirsten y Sandy llega a un punto crítico.

Es hora del baile Cotillón anual. Querido por algunos, odiado por la mayoría, es momento de que las jóvenes más finas de Newport entren a la sociedad. Más información sobre los problemas de negocios de Jimmy salen a la luz, y el préstamo de Kirsten hacia Jimmy no son noticias felices para Sandy.

Ryan toma un trabajo en el restaurante Crab Shack. Un compañero de trabajo puede significar malas noticias para los chicos de Newport. Ryan invita a Marissa a una cita. Sandy intenta ayudar a Jimmy a arreglar su vida, y le da unas malas noticias. Julie le revela un secreto a Kirsten. El desastre se desata en otra de las fiestas de Holly.

El padre de Kirsten, Caleb Nichol, viene de visita con su nueva novia, Gabrielle. La abuela Nichol de 24 años ha llegado. El trabajo de Kirsten peligra, mientras Sandy considera un cambio. Para decepción de Ryan, Luke decide que quiere una segunda oportunidad con Marissa, ¿pero a quién elegirá Marissa? Summer le presta atención a Seth, quien se pregunta si sus sentimientos son reales.

Los chicos de Newport plenean terminar el verano con un viaje a Tijuana, Mexico. Jimmy tiene sus propios planes, los cuales no le sientan bien a Marissa. Sandy consigue un nuevo empleo, el cual Kirsten no logra entender. Summer, Seth, Ryan y Marissa se encuentran juntos en un extraño lugar. Jimmy lo lleva al extremo. El desastre golpea a uno de los chicos de O.C.

Todos están de vuelta en casa en Newport, y Marissa se está recuperando. Julie señala a Ryan y le prohíbe ver a Marissa, quien no aprecia la ayuda. Sandy empieza con su nuevo empleo, pero se sorprende con el caso en que debe trabajar. Kirsten se sorprende con la nueva colega de Sandy. Ryan llega a su nueva escuela, con ciertas condiciones. Julie es intervenida, y Jimmy tiene un nuevo compañero de piso.

Los chicos del O.C. están de vuelta en la escuela. Realmente nadie quiere asistir, excepto por los rumores. Ryan no siente que pertenece en su nueva escuela, y Luke no que la situación sea nada mejor. Sandy acepto un caso en su nuevo empleo, un caso que va a poner a prueba su relación con Kirsten y su padre. Anna y Seth arman un plan. Marissa elige a su hombre.

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.