And, with Marissa expelled, Taylor Townsend (Autumn Reeser) steps into the void as the "scheming, young, in-training socialite" who is going to clash with Summer. "It's a real sort of 'All About Eve' (relationship) between Taylor and Summer."

Kirsten is still in rehab, where she's made a new friend (played by Jeri Ryan of "Star Trek: Voyager," who will be around for at least seven episodes). Not that we should expect her to be a good friend.

"(Ryan) was really great and has the ability to be really sweet and really charming and turn on a dime," Schwartz said. "So she's brought a lot of that to the role and kind of played both at the same time.

In a few weeks, there will be a "new young, business partner" for Sandy as he takes over the Newport Group in the wake of his father-in-law Caleb's death. "He has to be careful that he doesn't become what he beheld and not turn into Caleb Nichol," Schwartz said.

While Julie Cooper-Nichol is expecting to inherit the bulk of her late husband's estate, she's "in for a bumpy ride" when his will is read. She's going to get back together with her ex-husband, Jimmy (Tate Donovan), at least for a while.

"Julie and Jimmy are going to make another run at it — but you know that Jimmy Cooper," Schwartz said.

"We're also looking to expand Summer's family. . . . You're going to see a lot more about her family and her dad and all of that."

And we'll be getting the now-traditional Chrismukkah episode — the Christmas and Hanukkah hybrid Seth came up with as the product of a Christian-Jewish marriage. This year it will be a "bar mitzvahkah, I guess is what you'll have to call it, which will be Ryan's honorary bar mitzvah," Schwartz said.

The young producer — he just turned 29 last month — feels like he learned something from taking the show from it first season through its second season — lessons he'll put to use in its third season.

"I just want to say that I'm really excited about this year. . . . I think it will be our best season yet," Schwartz said.

---

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com