The O.C.

Season 1 Episode 15

The Third Wheel

0
Aired Thursday 9:00 PM Jan 07, 2004 on FOX
9.3
out of 10
User Rating
461 votes
11

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Episode Summary

EDIT
The Third Wheel
go
Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
AIRED:
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.
FAN RECAP

Who was the Episode MVP ?

The O.C. Listings

Full Listings
Tuesday
No results found.
Wednesday
No results found.
Thursday
No results found.

Fan Episode Reviews (11)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • this was a good ep

    9.0
    By cube2k8, Jun 06, 2010
    in this ep of the show the oc luke is tring to make new friends since alot of his old ones dont like him anymore and so the gange gets invited to a runy concert from marris new friend oliver and then they all go and they start to enjoy the concert but thing is ryan thinks its weird and he goes to get some air and finds out there is a guy selling drugs to him and ryan goes to break it up and its a undercover cop arresting him and he gets sandy down here to help out and ryan wants olvier to tell marris what happenmoreless

  • As always, interesting new developments and odd plot twists here and there.

    9.0
    By ZaleIsBackAgain, Nov 22, 2009
    While Luke has been trading fists with Ryan for the most part of the show so far, things have taken a drastic turn in just the couple past episodes. What makes teen dramas so fun to watch is not only the drama and conflict in relationships, but also the reward you get out of seeing a large group of friends enjoying each others company. How the episode ended with the cast playing Playstation 2 together just hit a soft spot. Though it also made us more aware that with the addition of Oliver Trask glaring from a distance that the drama isn't going to stop.



    What was particularly cool to see was how Luke has integrated himself into the group of friends and he has developed himself into quite the character. The big brute surfer boy that is into his own nuts so much. And the situation with Seth, Anna, and Summer has elevated itself nicely. The three way love triangle was at a standstill, but now it looks like Summer's jealousy is trying to separate the two from each other.moreless

  • Who isn't a third wheel in this episode? You've got everyone mixing it up ...

    9.1
    By AnAppleADay, Jan 23, 2008
    You got Ryan, Marissa and their third wheel, Oliver. Then you've got Seth, Anna and their third wheel, Summer. But then again, you've got Ryan, Seth and their third wheel, Luke. Then there's Hailey - who is the totally unwanted fifth wheel in the Cohen household ... she is the Ryan and Seth's third wheel in every conversation they try to have and she is Sandy and Kirsten's third wheel whenever they're trying to be aloooooone. She's also (always) been the third wheel to Kirsten and Jimmy's friendship - and she takes it to a whole new level in this episode by kissing Jimmy, which kinda threw him and sends him running home quickly.



    Now, the thing with Oliver is kinda weird. I don't think there's a girlfriend - long distance relationship or not. I wonder if he's even a patient at the clinic Marissa goes to. I admit I'm late watching the first several episodes of The O.C. (I missed almost the whole first season until now!) and I kinda get the feeling he's there for a different reason - like one of his parents is a doctor there or something. I don't know, but I did think this the first time he came on screen. It looks like he's got a thing for Marissa and it has bad written all over it.



    Ryan and Marissa agree they're always together and she starts to try to spend a little time with other friends (i.e. Oliver), which is how they got invited to the concert in this episode. I thought Ryan's whole attitude about Oliver was a little off - he seemed mad right from the start and maybe he's got the weird vibe I've got rolling off Oliver, but it just came off as plain old jealousy to me. Seems too soon for that for me. I dunno.



    Seth and Anna are just too cute together. The way they flirt, tease and tickle each other is adorable. I like them and I hope they are together for a little while before he eventually gets together with Summer! I really like Anna!



    Poor Sandy and Kirsten. They've got a grown kid - no, make that 2 grown kids - living in their house and with them always being so busy (the teenagers), you'd think those two would get some alooone time. Nope. Not a change. Now you've got a third kid in the house - Hailey. I don't know if I like her. She's selfish and petulant. She's snotty and rude. She's spoiled and yet she insults Kirsten and Sandy's lifestyle because they want and have nice things. She's hoity-toity and judgemental. She just wants what Kirsten has. There. That explains it all. She wants the house. She wants the money. She wants food. She wants Jimmy. It's that simple.moreless

  • Oliver twist, that seems to fit the description.

    9.2
    By Dark_Davis, Jul 22, 2007
    Hailey's staying with the Cohen’s causes problems in the house, and she quickly becomes unwelcome. Ryan and Seth’s relationships get in the way of their time together, and it’s nice to see that Luke is getting along with Ryan. It’s just a shame that everyone is so mean to Luke now, even though he was a jerk, he does not deserve the way he is getting treated. Oliver seems to be getting on some peoples nerves, and though I think he means well, he does seem to cause problems for Ryan. His rich attitude seems to conflict with Ryan, and I although I don’t mind Oliver, I just don’t see them all being friends in the end. Ryan and Oliver don’t have a lot in common, and Hailey doesn’t make things better with her pokes at Ryan. Ryan, Seth, Oliver, Marissa, and Luke all get ready to go to a music concert, but Ryan doesn’t like the idea of Oliver hanging out so much with Marissa. Seth is pressed to tell Summer about his choice, and his delaying in telling her could be bad news for him. It seems I was right about being suspicious of Oliver; he looks to be a drug addict. Ryan finds out Oliver’s secret, and when Oliver gets sent to jail for being caught, Ryan calls Sandy to help get him out. This was a surprise to me, but I guess Ryan really cares about Marissa, even if it means busting out a friend she likes when he doesn’t. At the end all is good, except for Oliver, who just wants to have friends like the other kids.moreless

  • The gang go to a Rooney concert. And new secrets are reavled.

    10
    By CurlyGrl11, Jun 06, 2007
    I love this episode of The O.C. it was great! I love how the whole gang went to a concert and hung out together. But that Oliver guy is just weird. My favorite character in this episode had to be Luke! He was hilarious it was really good to see this side of his character! The whole Seth and Anna thing was weird, because I love Seth and Summer, he and Anna just seem better as friends. But Marissa is starting to get on my nerves, doesn't she see the real Oliver? Well, anyways this episode was funny, new secrets were reaveled, and it was another great installment.moreless
See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

Ben McKenzie

Ben McKenzie

Ryan Atwood
Mischa Barton

Mischa Barton

Marissa Cooper
Adam Brody

Adam Brody

Seth Cohen
Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson

Summer Roberts
Peter Gallagher

Peter Gallagher

Sanford "Sandy" Cohen
Kelly Rowan

Kelly Rowan

Kirsten Cohen
See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

Antonio Leon

Antonio Leon

Man/Cop

Guest Star

Rooney

Rooney

Themselves

Guest Star

Luke Bugenhagen

Luke Bugenhagen

Passing Kid

Guest Star

Samaire Armstrong

Samaire Armstrong

Anna Stern

Recurring Role

Taylor Handley

Taylor Handley

Oliver Trask

Recurring Role

Amanda Righetti

Amanda Righetti

Hailey Nichol

Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (6)

    • Trivia: The band Rooney makes a guest appearance. Rooney member Robert Schwartzman is the brother of Jason Schwartzman, former drummer of Phantom Planet who provided the OC's theme song.

    • Goof: At the end of the episode, Oliver is watching the gang inside the Cohen's house, but in the 1st episode it shows that the Cohen's live in a gated community with a guard, so Oliver could not have gone in without anyone knowing.

    • Goof: When Seth is getting ready for the Rooney concert, he is tying his tie. Seth does up his tie's knot, the camera angle changes, and then he ties up the knot again.

    • Goof: On Seth's wall, above his bed, there are posters of Rooney. Before then, there was no posters or mention of the band. Now all of a sudden that Oliver can get them in, he has posters and they love the band?

    • Goof: When Kirsten, Sandy, Haley, and Jimmy are playing connect four, Haley puts a red piece on a red stack to make 3, when there is already a stack of 3 yellows that she should have blocked. Then, on Kirsten's turn, she doesn't win the game and she doesn't block Hailey, but puts the piece on her far left.

    • Goof: At the end of the episode, when they are all playing playstation 2, it shows Luke and Seth playing Dynasty Warriors on the machine, but on the tv screen it is only set on single player mode (multiplayer is dual screen), yet Seth has a controller in his hand and so has Luke and they are both clicking buttons.

  • QUOTES (13)

  • NOTES (2)

    • Throughout the show both Ryan and Oliver say how they don't like themselves, but where Ryan was just joking when Marissa says they should spend some time apart to be with friends, Oliver was serious as he talks to Ryan about having no friends.

    • Music:
      "Saturday Morning" by The Eels
      "Popular Mechanics For Lovers" by Beulah
      "Sorry Sorry" by Rooney
      "Blue Side" by Rooney
      "Want In" by Laptop
      "Burn Baby Burn" by Ash
      "Should I Know" by Buva
      "I'm Shakin'" by Rooney
      "Popstars" by Rooney

  • ALLUSIONS (1)

    • Jimmy: ... and you were watching Silver Spoons ...
      Silver Spoons was an '80s sitcom about a young boy named Ricky Stratton and his millionaire father, Edward, who live in a house filled with toys. Edward took raising his son seriously, and tried to avoid spoiling him while still letting him enjoy his childhood.

See All Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

Forums: The O.C.

See All Posts

Watch Full Episodes: The O.C.

See All Full Episodes

Season 1 Episodes

See All
Ep 27
The Ties That Bind
Ep 26
The Strip
Ep 25
The Shower
Ep 24
The Proposal
Ep 23
The Nana
Ep 22
The L.A.
Ep 21
The Goodbye Girl
Ep 20
The Telenovela
Ep 19
The Heartbreak
Ep 18
The Truth
Ep 17
The Rivals
Ep 16
The Links
Ep 15
The Third Wheel
Ep 14
The Countdown
Ep 13
The Best Chrismukkah Ever
Ep 12
The Secret
Ep 11
The Homecoming
Ep 10
The Perfect Couple
Ep 9
The Heights
Ep 8
The Rescue
Ep 7
The Escape
Ep 6
The Girlfriend
Ep 5
The Outsider
Ep 4
The Debut
Ep 3
The Gamble
Ep 2
The Model Home
 more

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

Related Shows & Movies

TV.com Properties | Shows | Movies | Videos | News | Listings | Community | People | Photos | Forums | Web Series |
| Closed Captioning | Rating Guidelines | Mobile | TV.com Blog
TV Guide Digital Network

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use