Seven-of-nine-of-twelve-steps

On the heels of the news that the O.C. will start months earlier than we'd expected comes word that Jeri Ryan will be joining the cast as a fellow rehabber who befriends Kirsten. This marks an interesting career turn for Ms. Ryan, who used to specialize in teenage boy lock-the-bathroom-door roles: first a hot alien with requisite skintight outfit on Star Trek: Voyager, then a Van Halen video-esque teacher on Boston Public.

Anyway, now we can speculate as to the nature of the friendship that will develop between Kirsten and Jeri. Will Jeri be the hopelessly screwed-up wretch who makes Kirsten realize that her life is really pretty darn good? The spunky party girl who pulls her off the wagon for midnight trips to the watering hole down the street? Or maybe even the hyper-religious fanatic who can't stop talking about how liquor is the devil's blood and they're both going to hell unless they can bleed out the remnants, and just wait over here while I sharpen my stiletto heel on the windowsill? (Okay, that last one probably belongs on The Inside, but oh right they CANCELLED THAT.)

I guess we'll have to stay tuned.