When Ryan and Taylor have an argument over where they stand with their whatever relationship they have, they both fall off a ladder while Ryan is putting up Christmas lights and both wake up in a alternate reality of what life is like had Ryan never came to Newport: Sandy is the uptight mayor of Newport Beach and married to Julie Cooper; Kirsten is married to Jimmy Cooper; Seth is still a socially awkward geek and Summer is a mindless, narcissistic party animal who is engaged to Chester "Che" Winchester, whom is having a fling with the sex-addict Julie. Ryan also learns from Kaitlin that Marissia in fact died from a drug overdose three years prior during the road trip to Tijuana, and Ryan was not there to save her. Back in the real world, Seth tries to arrange his annual Christmukka party and then tries to move it to the hospital where the comatose Ryan and Taylor are. Also, Julie and Katilin are planning to go to Riverside to visit Julie's parents, but get detoured when they try to stop Taylor's insensitive mother from leaving town for the holidays.
—Anonymous