The O.C. "Donna Martin graduates!...

• Jan 13, 2006 03:00 AM ET
• by TV Guide News

The O.C.
"Donna Martin graduates! Donna Martin graduates!" That was one of my all-time favorite Beverly Hills, 90210 moments. It was camp at its finest. And just as Tori Spelling gets her own VH1 show, the notorious B.A.G. costars on Freddie, Jason Priestley goes all Love Monkey on us, Luke Perry receives a Windfall and Jennie Garth stars in What I Like About You, it's only right that The O.C. pays homage to an awesomely classic moment in teen TV.

OK, the Harbor High student body didn't actually come together to chant "Free Marissa," but T-shirts and signs were made up. Taylor defied her mean mama and got more than 300 students to sign a petition to reinstate the once-troubled girl. So why did Marissa almost ruin the whole thing by choosing to stay at Newport Union when little Johnny Wohnny got rejected from the surf tour? Somebody please explain this to me. And when it was hearing time, I felt like I was watching Footloose all over again, except without the whole "Please, let us dance" campaign. I was half-expecting John Lithgow and Lori Singer to make uncredited appearances. Come on! Instead of reading from the Bible, Ry-Wren brought up transcripts of old board meetings. It turns out that in 1996, some kid had been expelled and then received a reprieve. A few more things: I say this every week, but Sandy rocks. And I feel that public-school education is getting the shaft here. Everyone's preaching "Free Marissa." Does that mean they're saving her from... gasp... going to a... gasp... public school? (Not cool.) Or do they just want to free her from her expulsion? In other news, Julie Cooper-Nichol and Summer's dad? I'm warming up to them.