| The O.C. | |
|---|---|
 Title as seen in seasons 3 and 4 | |
| Genre | Teen drama |
| Created by | Josh Schwartz |
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | "California" byPhantom Planet |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 92(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production location | California |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | August 5, 2003 (2003-8-5) – February 22, 2007 (2007-2-22) |
The O.C. is an Americanteen drama television series created byJosh Schwartz that originally aired onFox in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, with a total of four seasons consisting of92 episodes. The series title, "O.C.", is aninitialism ofOrange County, the location inSouthern California in which the series is set.
The series centers onRyan Atwood, a troubled and gifted young man from a broken home who is adopted by the wealthy and philanthropicSandy andKirsten Cohen. Ryan and his adoptive brotherSeth, a socially awkward, quick-witted teenager, deal with life as outsiders in the high-class world ofNewport Beach. Ryan and Seth spend much time navigating their relationships with girl-next-doorMarissa Cooper, Seth's childhood crushSummer Roberts, and the fast-talking lonerTaylor Townsend. Storylines deal with the culture clash between the idealistic Cohen family and the shallow, materialistic, and closed-minded community in which they reside. The series includes elements ofpostmodernism, and functions as a mixture of melodrama and comedy.[1][2]
The series premiered with high ratings and was one of the most popular new dramas of the 2003–2004 television season. It was widely referred to as a pop cultural phenomenon and received mostly positive reception from critics.[3] However, ratings declined as the show went on. The low ratings led to its cancellation in early 2007.[4]
The O.C. has been broadcast in more than 50 countries worldwide.[5] The series has also been released on DVD as well as oniTunes and streaming servicesHulu andMax.[6]
Thefirst season focuses on Ryan Atwood's arrival in Newport Beach to live with Sandy and Kirsten Cohen, who take him in after his mother kicks him out. A major theme of the first season is the culture shock Ryan feels as he adjusts from a life ofdomestic abuse and poverty to living in a superficial high-class society. He quickly befriends and bonds with Seth Cohen, and begins to have a romantic relationship with Marissa Cooper. Although coming from very different backgrounds, Ryan soon discovers that he deals with similar issues to his new peers, such as self-identity conflict and familial alienation. The relationship between Ryan and Marissa flourishes when he supports her through her parents' divorce. As the show progresses, Ryan takes a very protective role over Marissa, showing Ryan to be a much more stable, controlled person than originally portrayed. Other storylines include Seth's development from a friendless loner to having two romantic options in Summer and Anna, as well as the arrivals of Oliver Trask, a troubled teen who befriends Marissa during their coinciding therapy sessions, and Theresa Diaz, Ryan's close friend and former love interest from his hometown of Chino. Meanwhile, Sandy Cohen frequently comes into conflict with Caleb Nichol, Kirsten's father and a wealthy industrialist who is said to "basically own Newport."
Thesecond season ofThe O.C. continues to follow the tumultuous romantic relationships between Ryan and Marissa, Seth and Summer, and Sandy and Kirsten. Josh Schwartz, the show's creator, stated that in the second season, the show would "no longer be about Ryan's past; now it's going to be about Ryan's future," and that this season would "slow down the storytelling a little bit ... and evolve the characters."[7] For example, the story closely follows Ryan in his advanced physics class, where tension is created between him and another student, Lindsay, who presumes that Ryan will be useless as a lab partner, who thus prevents him from contributing to the work that must be submitted. Ryan's character begins to grow when he stands up to Lindsay and convinces her to allow him to contribute, forcing them to work together to complete the assignment. They later become involved romantically, creating extreme complications and relational shifts amongst the now "Cooper-Nichol" family. The Bait Shop becomes a prominent social destination for the teenage characters. A number ofrecurring characters are introduced, such as D.J., Lindsay Gardner, Zach Stevens, andAlex Kelly, with whom the main characters form a variety of relationships. Ryan's brother, Trey Atwood, gets out of jail and threatens to bring Ryan's old life into his new one. Sandy and Kirsten also face new conflicts after drifting apart during the summer. The second season ends with Marissa shooting Trey after Ryan confronts him for attempting to sexually assault Marissa.
Thethird season creates many dynamic changes with regards to relationships and power within the characters' society. Firstly, Marissa is expelled from the Harbor School. The Cooper family, left with little money, is forced to move into a trailer park. Julie Cooper-Nichol, once one of the richest women in all of Newport, struggles to put food on the table for her daughters. Marissa's life begins to spiral out of control, as she struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, as well as dealing with the loss of her close friend Johnny. Similarly, Kirsten confronts her alcohol addiction and eventually leaves rehab, only to encounter more problems when she begins business with a con artist. The other characters look towards college, with Seth and Summer competing for a spot atBrown University. Sandy's moral compass becomes imperiled when he takes over Caleb's old position as head of The Newport Group, pursuing a project to establish morelow-income housing in Newport. Ryan also attempts to resolve his individual relationships with his mother, and with his childhood friend Theresa Diaz. He also pursues the idea of a post-secondary education, with encouragement from both Sandy and Kirsten to visit Berkeley. However, Ryan's life is quickly put on hold when, in the season 3 finale, Ryan decides to drive Marissa to the airport, and they are run off the road by Kevin Volchok, Marissa's most recent love affair gone wrong. In the last few minutes of the episode, Ryan pulls Marissa out from the burning car, only to watch her die in his arms.
Thefourth and final season begins five months after Marissa's death in the car accident. Ryan starts the season in isolation as a broken, grieving man, seeking revenge on Volchok. With the help of Julie, both she and Ryan are able to track Volchok down in Mexico, and turn him in to federal officials. The continued love of the Cohen family and the company of the eccentric Taylor Townsend guide him back to the light. Meanwhile, Seth and Summer face the problems of a long-distance relationship as Summer leaves to attend college. The first half of the season focuses on the characters accepting the reality of Marissa's death. The second half focuses on the characters "finding themselves" while facing myriad identity crises. This final season contains multiple surprises, such as a new addition to the Cohen family, a visit to an alternate universe in which Sandy becomes mayor, and a natural disaster that leaves Newport devastated.
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | U.S. viewers (in millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||
| 1 | 27 | August 5, 2003 (2003-08-05) | May 5, 2004 (2004-05-05) | 9.48 | |
| 2 | 24 | November 4, 2004 (2004-11-04) | May 19, 2005 (2005-05-19) | 7.44 | |
| 3 | 25 | September 8, 2005 (2005-09-08) | May 18, 2006 (2006-05-18) | 5.83 | |
| 4 | 16 | November 2, 2006 (2006-11-02) | February 22, 2007 (2007-02-22) | 3.96 | |
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In 2002, creatorJosh Schwartz met withJoseph "McG" McGinty Nichol andStephanie Savage of production companyWonderland Sound and Vision. They told Schwartz they wanted to create a television show based in McG's hometown ofNewport Beach,Orange County, California.[27][28] Savage suggested producing a police or extreme sports21 Jump Street-style show, but Schwartz knew little about the genre. Having had experiences with people from Newport Beach during his time at theUniversity of Southern California, Schwartz came back to them with his own characters.[29]
Schwartz pitched to studios a show portraying a romance between Lucy Muñoz—whose father worked on the wealthy Atwood family's Newport estate—and Ryan Atwood.Warner Bros. Television was interested, but because of other shows that year based on a white man-Latina womanRomeo and Juliet–like romance, asked for changes. Schwartz and Savage modified the pitch to what they later described asThe Breakfast Club set in an Orange County gated community.[30] The show was pitched to Fox in August 2002.[31] The network targeted a summer launch for the show,[32] andDoug Liman was brought in to direct the premiere after McG withdrew due to his scheduling conflicts withCharlie's Angels: Full Throttle.[33] The show was confirmed for the2003–2004 schedule in May,[34] and an August 5, 2003, broadcast date was selected in June.[35]
Schwartz later said thatThe O.C. was like atrojan horse: "The horse is a glossy nighttimesoap in the tradition ofBeverly Hills 90210, with bikinis and bonfires and fistfights at galas. The soldiers inside were our characters."[30] He said that inspiration for them came fromLarry Sanders,[36]Cameron Crowe, and other "quirky character-driven shows likeFreaks and Geeks,Undeclared, andMy So-Called Life".[37][30] At USC, Schwartz attended theSchool of Cinema-Television,[38] and later said thatThe O.C. was "very much based on sort of the experiences I had when I was in college"[36] as a "Jewish kid from the East Coast ... surrounded by all these kids from Newport Beach who were water-polo players, and these very blonde girls who only wanted to date them. I felt very much like an outsider." Although Orange County residents criticized the show's title, stating that people did not call the county by the phrase, Schwartz stated that USC students did say that they were from "The O.C."[39] He also stated that Cohen family inseason one resembles his own family life,[40] adding that "The dynamic between Sandy and Seth is very much based on me and my dad."[41] Schwartz reasoned that, "As much as our audience enjoys living vicariously in this wealthy world, I think the true wish fulfillment comes from wishing that they had a family like the Cohens — where the parents could be that cool and that grounded and that loving, but also real parents."[42]
Schwartz said that he wrote the highly regarded pilot episode in his boxer shorts. "I had no idea what would come of it and there was just that purity to it."[43][44] The script for the pilot attracted most of the regular cast to the project, including film star Peter Gallagher, who said of the pilot:
In that recently post-9/11 America, I read this script and thought it was astounding. I thought it was exactly the right story to be telling at that point in time. It was about a family living in a not very embracing community, one that doesn't necessarily share all their values. [...] they don't lose their sense of humor or their inclination to help. They still open their arms and embrace this outsider kid. And I thought that was powerful in an era with a kind of xenophobia, a kind of looking-over-your-shoulder and getting small and angry, sort of creeping into the PATRIOT Act–fueled environment. This espoused a kind of America... It just felt right. And it had a sense of humor.[8]
Although the show is set in Newport Beach, financial penalties imposed for filming outside thestudio zone meant much of the show was filmed in theManhattan Beach,Los Angeles County region.[45] Many of the beach scenes were also filmed inHermosa Beach,[46]Redondo Beach andTorrance.[47] Sites in Los Angeles County were used for many different on-screen locations, which include Ryan's hometown ofChino, Luke's father'sPortland home, Johnny's father'sIndio office andTijuana.[45][48][49]
For the first episode, "Premiere", the Cohen family home was shot on location inMalibu. A mock pool house was built for use in the pilot, and taken down after filming completed. The Cohens' home was recreated on a soundstage at Raleigh Studios in Manhattan Beach for filming during the rest of the series;[50][51] the pool was only 4-feet deep meaning that the cast had to act on their knees.[52] External shots of the original house remained in use throughout the show.[50][51] The pilot was shot on35 mmfilm stock, while subsequent episodes used digitally post-processed16 mm in order to reduce the cost of production.[50]
The Harbor School is the local school that the show's adolescents attend. Based on Newport'sCorona del Mar High School, which executive producerMcG attended,[53] the filming location wasMount St. Mary's College, a private woman's college inBrentwood, Los Angeles.[45] TheUniversity of California, Los Angeles was the location used to representBerkeley,[54] and theUniversity of Southern California was used to representBrown University.[citation needed] The FAA First Federal Credit Union building inHawthorne was used to depict the Newport Group in season two.[55][56][57]Wayfarers Chapel inRancho Palos Verdes was used three times on the show—twice for a wedding and once for a funeral.[58] The Cohens' original home in Berkeley, which they return to in "The End's Not Near, It's Here", was shot inSouth Pasadena.
The restaurant dubbed theCrab Shack on the show is actually local landmarkThe Crab Cooker. Julie refers to the restaurant in a third-season episode by its real-life name.[59] Scenes from the show were also shot at the landmarkWattles Mansion located in Hollywood.[60]
The Cohen household is a fictitious "McMansion" built by Caleb Nichol and The Newport Group. The house is based on two homes located in Malibu, California. The exterior shots of the front of the home and the driveway were filmed from a home on Ocean Breeze Drive in Malibu, California, built in 2002. This was filmed multiple times and used continuously for all four seasons. The interior, backyard, and infinity pool were filmed for the pilot episode in another home down the street also in Malibu. The pool house was built for the pilot episode. The interior, backyard, and pool house were rebuilt at Raleigh Studios in Manhattan Beach after the show was picked up to save on production costs.[citation needed]
Alexandra Patsavas, who had previously worked on shows includingRoswell andCarnivàle, was appointed asmusic supervisor onThe O.C..[61] Patsavas worked alongside creatorJosh Schwartz, in selecting the music to be used. Schwartz said that he had "always intended that music be a character on the show"[62]The O.C. madeindie rock a "main focus of the series" and also its marketing plan,[63] releasing six soundtracks throughout the series. In thesecond season, a fictional new night club and concert venue, called The Bait Shop, was introduced. Bands includingthe Walkmen,the Killers,Modest Mouse,the Thrills,Rachael Yamagata,Death Cab for Cutie andthe Subways all made guest appearances on the show performing at the venue.[64][65][66][67][68] In addition to having guest artists perform on the show, it also premiered many new music singles from artists including theBeastie Boys,U2,Beck,Coldplay,Gwen Stefani, andthe Shins.[69]
Many bands gained exposure through the show, which caused an increase in sales of their music.Rooney, who were the first band to guest appear on the show, experienced a "200 percent increase in sales" after their appearance.[70] Even artists who just had their songs featured benefited:Imogen Heap became "a household name stateside,"[71] andYouth Group, who recorded a song specifically for the show, had "more than 5,000 iTunes downloads [of that track] in its first week" following it being played.[72] However, not all bands were keen to feature on the show.Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were asked to perform, but they turned it down because they were worried that it could diminish their credibility.[73] Some fans and critics echoed that sentiment by stating that such appearances and mass marketing techniques are creatingsell-outs.[74]
Generally the music was well received. Ben Spier fromEntertainment Weekly described the show as a "mixtaper's dream"[75] andRolling Stone commented that the soundtrack was the reason people kept watching the show.[76] However, Karyn L. Barr fromEntertainment Weekly stated that using acts likeU2 on a show that dedicated time to indie bands was "selling out."[77] Noah Davis ofPopMatters.com criticized the show for neglecting plotlines and replacing them with "the gang's countless trips to the Bait Shop."[78]
The series touches on themes such asinter-generational conflict,social class,social mobility,social alienation,sexual performance anxiety,hope,loneliness,virginity,emotional insecurity,environmentalism,alcoholism,drug addiction,gambling addiction,mental illness,homophobia,bisexuality,May–December romances,teen pregnancy,political activism, and eventuallydeath and the acceptance of loss. These topics are examined through both lighthearted comedy and heightened operatic drama.
Within the series,Seth Cohen has a Jewish father and aProtestant (Presbyterian) mother. As a way to merge the two religions, Seth claims to have "createdChrismukkah" when he was six years old. The series included annual Chrismukkah episodes for every season of its run. Particulars of when exactly the holiday was celebrated were not given; Seth simply said in the first season's Chrismukkah episode that it was "eight days of presents, followed by one day ofmany presents."[79] Chrismukkah later received mention in the television seriesGrey's Anatomy.
In December 2011 the pop-culture websiteThe A.V. Club reviewed all four Chrismukkah episodes for its "TV Club Advent Calendar." The writer noted, "When thinking back on holiday specials of yore for this project, the first thing that popped into my head wasn't nostalgia for my Rankin/Bass- and Chuck Jones-filled youth. Instead, I immediately focused on a much more recent obsession: Chrismukkah. Created byThe O.C.'s Seth Cohen ...." The reviewer continued, saying that "A thread of underlying sadness unites all four Chrismukkah episodes, but it's a sadness that begs to be redeemed by the end of the hour. Chrismukkah is really about traditional Christmas togetherness and your standard happy ending; it's the everyday miracle of people coming together to create something magical."[80] Entertainment Weekly also ranked the episodes.[79] The show helped popularise the term as an actual holiday in mainstream media.[81][82]
Several episodes feature a fictional show-within-the-show calledThe Valley, an in-show equivalent toThe O.C.[83]The Valley, likeThe O.C., has a fictional reality TV counterpart,Sherman Oaks: The Real Valley, which causes Seth to ask, "Why watch the plight of fictional characters when you can watch real people in contrived situations?" The second season also focuses on the creation of a fictional comic book calledAtomic County, written by Seth Cohen, that is used for similar self-deprecating purposes.
The Valley andAtomic County are used throughout the series to comment on aspects of the show itself, such as message board criticism of the show's reliance on love triangles, the trope of mid-twenties actors portraying teenagers, and the inability of the series to be renewed for another season. In addition, several of the characters talk as if they are aware that they are in a television series. One episode in the second season finds Seth commenting that "we tried some new things," but that "last year was just better," echoing response from fans that the second season was inferior to the first.
USA Today remarked thatThe O.C.'s "undertone of sarcasm and self-parody' was one of the aspects of the series that made it compelling. Writer Ken Barnes opined thatThe O.C. took "meta-TV" to its "sublime peak" withThe Valley. He continued, saying that the "device allowed producers and writers to have fun mocking critical and public perceptions ofThe OC, its supposed soap-operatic excesses and pop-culture obsessions.[84] In a book written byAlan Sepinwall that examined the series, Sepinwall noted that "Schwartz spends enough of his day trolling message boards to know exactly what fans are complaining about and which references to other shows and movies they've caught, and he incorporates it into his scripts."
An entire chapter of the book is devoted to perceived self-mockery within the series, with much attention given to the episode "The L.A." from Season One. ProducerAllan Heinberg said that many instances of meta-commentary had to be cut if the network or Schwartz felt they had gone too far, saying that "Sandy at one point had a speech about theGolden Globes that we felt was maybe a little inside."[85] Schwartz similarly declined a request to haveThe O.C. actors portray themselves onArrested Development, another FOX show set in Orange County.[39]
The first season premiered at 9:00 p.m. (EDT) on August 5, 2003, on Fox, and wassimulcast in Canada onCTV.[86][87] The original, English-language version of the show also aired in other continents. In the United Kingdom, the first episode was aired at 9:00 p.m. (GMT) on March 7, 2004, onChannel 4,[88] but subsequent episodes were first shown on sister stationE4, a week in advance of being shown on Channel 4.[89] In Australia, the pilot was first broadcast on theNine Network but the channel later dropped the show.[90][91]Network Ten picked up the show and by the fourth season was airing episodes within days of it being broadcast in the U.S.[92] In New Zealand, the show was aired onTV2,[93] and in Ireland it was broadcast onTG4.[94] In South Africa it premiered on April 1, 2004, on satellite television channelGo and was shown on terrestrial channelSABC 3 in December 2006.[95] In India, the English-language channelZee Café debuted the show on December 30, 2005.[96] For thefourth season, in the week before an episode was broadcast on television, it was available viaon demandstreaming throughFox Interactive Media's MySpace and MyFoxLocal stations.[97]
It was also aired in non-English speaking countries. It aired across Latin America on theWarner Channel,[98] in Brazil the show premiered on November 3, 2003[99] and the last episode was aired on April 12, 2007.[100] It was also broadcast on theSBT television network under the nameO.C. – Um Estranho no Paraíso was broadcast between 2004 and 2009.[101] In addition to being broadcast by the versions of the Brazilian terrestrial television channelsGlitz (2012-2013),[102]VH1 (2012)[103] andMTV (2013-2014).[104] In France, it aired onFrance 2 under the nameNewport Beach.[105] It aired in Germany onProSieben,[106] in Switzerland onSF zwei,[107] and in Russia under the nameOC – Lonely Hearts onSTS.[108] In Italy it was shown onItalia 1,[109] with pay-per view channelJoi being the first to make available episodes of the third season onwards through thedigital terrestrial television serviceMediaset Premium.[110][111] In Poland the series was broadcast under the local titleŻycie Na Fali onTVN in 2006 and 2007 in adaytime block from Monday to Friday at 2:00 p.m. with single episodes attracting up to a million viewers. Then, it was also repeated onTVN7.[112]
Due to low ratings, it was rumored that the show would not return for a fifth season.[113] In June 2006, Fox confirmed that "the current order forThe O.C. is 16 episodes", but added that there was a chance to add more installments.[114] In September 2006, Rachel Bilson said that she felt like "the show is over",[115] and co-star Kelly Rowan stated that many of the cast realized the show was close to being cancelled. Rowan said that "when [the fourth season] was picked up for just 16 episodes this year the cast had a feeling the end was near."[116]
On January 3, 2007, Fox announced thatThe O.C. was to be cancelled. In a statement, Schwartz said "This feels like the best time to bring the show to its close" adding that "what better time to go out than creatively on top."[117] Fox launched an official campaign on their website calledSave The O.C., which garnered over 740,000 signatures.[118][119] There were rumors that the show would be saved bythe CW. The CW presidentDawn Ostroff confirmed in January 2007 that while the move was discussed, it was decided against.[120]
The main reason for the cancellation was the decline in ratings. Many media outlets have reported that the main factor behind this drop was the death of the lead character, Marissa Cooper. As one of the show's central figures, her departure alienated many fans. Her tragic death in a car accident was seen as the beginning of the end for this teen drama.[121][122]
The O.C. was syndicated onSoapnet from 2007 until 2012 in the United States, and the series began airing on Pop in 2016. The show became available for streaming on CW Seed in 2015, andHulu in 2016. In 2020, it was taken off ofHulu for rival streaming serviceMax.
All four seasons are available on DVD inRegions 1, 2 and 4.
| Season | DVD | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | The O.C. – The Complete First Season | October 26, 2004 | |
| Season 2 | The O.C. – The Complete Second Season | August 23, 2005 | |
| Season 3 | The O.C. – The Complete Third Season | October 24, 2006 | |
| Season 4 | The O.C. – The Complete Fourth and Final Season | May 22, 2007 | |
The O.C. The Complete Series was released on November 27, 2007, in Canada and the United States,[123] which included the first season remastered in widescreen.[124] The complete series was also released as a Region 2 DVD on November 19, 2007, but did not include the remastered version of the first season.[125] Additionally, the boxset included a note from Josh Schwartz, a printed conversation between Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, two rare bonus discs, a season four gag reel, andAtomic County excerpts.
For registered members of selected regionaliTunes Stores, the complete series is available to purchase and download.[126][127][128][129][130][131] These seasons are also available in the US asvideo on demand fromAmazon Video.[132] The fourth season was also made available in theZune.[133]
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Season one ofThe O.C. received generally positive reviews from critics and is frequently regarded as the best season. Upon the show's premiere, Gael Fashingbauer Cooper ofMSNBC described Ryan and Seth's friendship as "the most promising plot".[134]The New York Times noted that "Mr. Schwartz pulled it off, sneaking a truly smart show past the gatekeepers in the guise of something commercial and trashy and fun."[135] The reviewer also praised how the show "steered clear of both Aaron Spelling-style camp and the soggy earnestness that often characterises teen drama" and praised the integration of the adult cast into the plotlines.IGN called it "far more engaging and interesting" than its predecessors in the teen genre. The reviewer pointed to the show's sense of humor and respect for its audience, praising the series as "very funny" and "well-acted", while referring toMischa Barton as the weak link.[136]Time Magazine critic James Poniewozik was fond of the premiere episode, saying that the show "looks to have enough heart, talent and wit to generate a few seasons' worth of luxurious suds. As Ryan would say, in the teen-soap business, being 100% original doesn't make you smart. Delivering a formula with so much style and believability that it feels new again—that does."[137]
Despite much positive reception, the first season was not without some criticism.San Jose Mercury News criticized the plot and the casting, saying that "the storylines usually involve the obligatory three-episode-arc drug problems or lost virginity with dialogue designed to keep a dog up to speed,"[138] and that "Whoever at FOX thought Benjamin McKenzie could pass for anything younger than 25 should be fired."[138]
Thesecond season was widely regarded as inferior to the first,[139] but still received generally positive reception. IGN noted that the second season contains some of the best moments of the series, and praised the bisexual romance between Alex and Marissa.[140] It was said to have "managed to surpass its ratings ploy outer trappings to actually work as one of the better Marissa plotlines, at least initially, by doing a solid job of portraying her "I've never done this before..." confusion and excitement." Another review praised episodes "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't" and "The Rainy Day Woman" as standout quality hours of the series, and praised the storyline that focused on Sandy and Kirsten's marriage.[141]
In contrast to the first two,Season 3 of the series was met with mostly negative reception.[142] After the eventual cancellation of the show, Schwartz admitted that "the whole first half of the third season was a total mess."[143]IGN faulted a season which, in their opinion, had "far too much time and too many episodes spent with the less than beloved character Johnny." IGN also noted that "Kirsten and Sandy both suffered from unsatisfying stories," and that the departure of character Caleb Nichol had been a mistake "as he had been a great character to bounce off both of the elder Cohens."[142] In September 2007, Schwartz admitted in an interview forNew York that the show "went down the wrong road" with Johnny.[143] In 2023 he said "We lost our sense of irony, our sense of fun. We became the type of melodrama we would have made fun of in Season 1."[30] The season did, however, receive some praise. The new character Taylor Townsend was stated as being "played to perfection by Autumn Reeser" and her character was described as "one of the greatest elements ofThe O.C."[142] Jeffrey Robinson ofDVD Talk described the storylines as "very intelligent and also incorporate a great deal of humor to keep your interest."[144] While looking back on the series in an interview for the complete series box-set, Schwartz explained that "somewhere around Season 3, for reasons too numerous to discuss, I lost focus. The network wasn't really supporting the show." Schwartz went on to say that the third season was probably "the most important season, because it's where I learned the most. About television, about myself as a writer, about discipline and trying to hold onto your focus even if you're hearing a lot of opinions or being forced to add things creatively that you don't agree with. And I don't think Season 4 would have been as fun or as adventurous or as weird and zany and ultimately emotional if it weren't for that experience."[145]
The final season is generally regarded by fans and critics as a return to form for the series.Variety's Josef Adalian said that "[the show] is once again in great creative shape." He added that "the scripts are snappy, the plots make sense, the acting's solid, [and] the music is appropriately indie" but criticized Fox for "throwing away" the show by giving it the Thursday 9:00 p.m. timeslot.[146] Buddytv.com praised the season premiere, saying "this episode is the best OC episode since the show's first season. The absence ofMischa Barton character ofMarissa Cooper is the best thing that's happened to The OC in a long time. The cast is now exceptional from top to bottom and the show is, at least in the first episode, much darker in tone than the first three seasons. This is a good sign."[147] Later in the season, Buddytv.com lamented that "The OC is winding down, in all likelihood, and it's a shame. The show is hitting its creative stride just now, in its fourth season, and no one cares."[148] CriticAlan Sepinwall said of the premiere, "Damn. That was... not bad. No, better than that. That was good. Confident, in character, funny on occasion (any scene with Che), genuinely touching at others (the comic book store intervention), really the most like itself the show has felt in a long time, maybe even going back to season one." In a review of a later episode, Sepinwall related that the fourth season was a "resurgent season" and that "every "O.C." episode review just turns into a list of things I liked."[149]
Belinda Acosta ofThe Austin Chronicle agreed, praising the show's "new energy" and its ability to successfully cover "the transition between high school and college that other series have stumbled over."[150]Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker commented that the fourth season was "a succession of terrific subplots" and praised new main cast member Taylor "as a fine, funny love interest for Ryan."[151] Greg Elwell ofDVD Talk described Bullit as "the breakout character of the season" but commented that the season's "dark opening (...) didn't do much to keep viewers around."[152]IGN's Eric Goldman was also critical, saying that "as amusing as Che was, his inclusion into some later episodes gets a bit tired." Goldman also commented that "the second half of Season 4 wasn't quite as solid as the first [half]"; however, he added that while the fourth season had to prove itself again as an enjoyable watch "Josh Schwartz rose to this challenge (...) once again creating a show that was witty and self-aware."[153]
Thepilot episode attracted 7.46 million viewers in the United States,[154] came second in its time slot behind the season finale ofLast Comic Standing,[155] and was the highest rated show of the night in the 12–17-year-old demographic.[156] The most watchedO.C. episode was "The Rivals", the seventeenth episode of season one. It attracted 12.72 million viewers, and was the lead-out toAmerican Idol, which attracted 29.43 million viewers that week.[157]The O.C. was the highest-rated new drama of the 2003–2004 season among adults aged 18 to 34,[158] averaging a total of 9.7 million viewers.[159]
For the second season, the show moved to an "ultra-competitive Thursday"[160] timeslot against the likes ofSurvivor,Joey andWill & Grace. This is often cited as a cause ofThe O.C.'s decline in popularity.[161][162] The move improved Fox's performance at the new time slot, but lost the show viewers,[163] as average viewing figures decreased thirty percent from the previous season to 7 million.[164]
For the third season, average viewing figures decreased a further twenty percent from the previous season to 5.6 million.[165] The Thursday 9.00 pm timeslot placed the show against two other popular shows,CSI andGrey's Anatomy.[166]
The fourth season premiered in November 2006 with very little promotion or advertisements from FOX, and was once again in the Thursday timeslot.[167] The premiere episode attracted 3.4 million viewers,[168] which was a series low.[169] For the series finale, 6.7 million viewers tuned in. This was 76 percent more than the season average of 4.6 million viewers.[170][171]
| Season | Episodes | Timeslot (ET) | Season premiere | Season finale | TV season | Rank | Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Tuesday 9:00 pm (2003) Wednesday 9:00 pm (2003–04) | August 5, 2003 | May 5, 2004 | 2003–04 | 57 | 9.69[159] |
| 2 | 24 | Thursday 8:00 pm | November 4, 2004 | May 19, 2005 | 2004–05 | 98 | 6.86[172] |
| 3 | 25 | Thursday 8:00 pm (2005) Thursday 9:00 pm (2006) | September 8, 2005 | May 18, 2006 | 2005–06 | 127 | 5.60[173] |
| 4 | 16 | Thursday 9:00 pm | November 2, 2006 | February 22, 2007 | 2006–07 | 190 | 4.28[174] |
For the debut episode, "Premiere", Schwartz received aWriters Guild of America Award nomination forBest Screenplay in an Episodic Drama,[175] and casting directors Rush and Silverberg nominated in the Dramatic Pilot category of theArtios Awards.[176] Luke's declaration in the premiere episode of "Welcome to the O.C., bitch" was placed 83rd byTV Land in its100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases in 2006.[177][178][179] The first season picked up fourTeen Choice Awards, and was nominated for another two. Additionally it was nominated for the Outstanding New ProgramTCA Award,[180] and in Australia it won aLogie Award for Most Popular Overseas Program in2005.[181] For the second season the show was nominated for fiveTeen Choice Awards, and won four of them, including best drama. It was nominated for the Favorite Television DramaPeople's Choice Award, andKelly Rowan won aPRISM Award for Performance in a Drama Series Episode, withPeter Gallagher getting a nomination. The second-season finale was nominated for a PRISM TV Drama Series Episode award.[182] The third season was nominated for fiveTeen Choice Awards and won four of them, including "Choice Drama/Action Adventure Show" and "Choice Actor: Drama/Action Adventure," which Adam Brody won for the third consecutive year.[183]
Schwartz said in 2023 that Marissa died in the third season because many online fans by then disliked her storyline, and the network wanted to kill a main character to increase ratings:[30]
The night that the show aired, we heard from a whole other swath of the audience that loved the show, watched every week, didn't feel the need to log into a forum to analyze it. For a lot of people, Marissa was the character they were watching for, Mischa was the actress they found the most exciting and Ryan and Marissa were endgame. We violated that in one fell swoop. It's now part of the legacy of the show. We've had to accept it.
The O.C. popularized its setting, Orange County, and led to copycats likeMTV's reality showLaguna Beach: The Real Orange County and theBravo documentary seriesThe Real Housewives of Orange County,[184][39][30] and its success as a prime-time soap opera helpedMarc Cherry getDesperate Housewives on the air.[39][30] The show generated a dedicated and thriving international fan community. DVD Verdict said, "The O.C. has become one of those rare shows whose influence has begun to extend far beyond the television screen, and has actually started to take an active role in shaping American teenage pop culture."[185] Fans of the show, sometimes dubbedOC Groupies,[186] have been active in developing a large number of fan websites and forums dedicated to the program. Famous fans of the show include the Bush twins,Jenna andBarbara,[187] andPrincess Beatrice.[188] Additionally, actual UC Berkeley students created in 2004 the Sandy Cohen Public Defender Fellowship in honor of Peter Gallagher's character Sandy Cohen. The fellowship is awarded to students who plan to work as public defenders and has been presented by Gallagher.[189]
Comedy groupthe Lonely Island created a parody ofThe O.C. called The 'Bu. AtBoston College, students created and produced a parody titled "The BC" that received nationwide acclaim and features inThe New York Times andCBS Evening News. On April 14, 2007,Saturday Night Live aired a Digital Short titled "Dear Sister" that satirized the final scene ofThe O.C.'ssecond-season finale.[190][191] The short became popular enough to beget a wave of re-enactments and parodies using "Hide and Seek" with the music set to slow-motion scenes of violence from various films and television series. In 2020, theNetflix showOuter Banks was compared toThe O.C. by publications such asGlamour.[192]
Marvel describedRunaways (created for television by Schwartz and Savage) asThe O.C. of the Marvel Universe, even before they hired Schwartz and Savage to run the series.[193]
IndependentWashington University in St. Louis newspaperStudent Life said that, "The O.C.'s" legacy will live on through its viewers. Whether you wear a 'Save Marissa' shirt, a leather wristcuff or hoodie in honor of Ryan or listen to Death Cab for Cutie, as Seth did, know that "The O.C." was a cultural phenomenon that will not be forgotten."[194]
The characters and setting ofThe O.C. have appeared in several officialtie-ins outside of the television broadcast, including in print and on the Internet.
Eightnovelizations have been released by the publisherScholastic Inc. with the permission of Warner Bros. & Fox. They are:
With the exception of'Twas the Night Before Chrismukkah, written by Andes Hruby,[195] all the books were written by authorsCory Martin andAury Wallington.[196][197] An official biography book titledMeet The O.C. Superstars (ISBN 0-4396-60602), written by Monica Rizzo, was also published.[198]
Several unofficial books relating to the show have also been published.
| Country | Local title | Channel | Dates aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | City of Light: The O.C. Thailand | One31 | March 8, 2016 – May 17, 2016[201] |
| Turkey | Medcezir ('tide') | Star TV | September 13, 2013 – June 12, 2015[202] |
A Turkish adaptation, namedMedcezir ('tide'), was created in 2013 and aired onStar TV. The first season consisted of 38 episodes.[202] It features young Turkish artistsÇağatay Ulusoy andSerenay Sarıkaya.
A Thai adaptation, namedCity of Light: The O.C. Thailand, was created in 2016 and aired onOne 31. The first season consisted of 21 episodes.[201] It features young Thai artistsChaiyapol Julien Poupart andMarie Broenner.
Several types of products based on the series, such as clothes, toys and games, have been licensed for release. Licensed items of clothing released included T-shirts, jumpers, underwear and flip-flops, which are sold from the 20th Century Fox store.[203] Other accessories available included keychains, notepads and aChrismukkah wrapping paper.[204] An official bath set and "OC Beauty To Go Cooling Set" was released in 2004.[205][206]
AMC Beauty released fragrances in October 2006, named "The O.C. for Him" and "The O.C. for Her" in 0.5oz and 1.7oz versions.[207]LeSportsac, in a partnership with Fox, releasedThe O.C. collection" in August 2006, which was a fashion line of bags and accessories.[208]
Screenlife Games andMattel launched anO.C. themed version ofScene It?, a DVD trivia game based on the first three seasons.[209]Cardinal Games released The OC Game, another triviaboard game.[210] In 2006,Gameloft released a mobile game based on the show.[211]
A partnership withSephora included one of their beauty editors writing on the official OC Insider site,[212] and the inclusion of articles about their products.[213]TheOCInsider.com andStarbrand.tv[usurped] also included comprehensive guides of fashion and styles featured on the show, providing details to customers of how to obtain these items.
The O.C. has given rise to a number of spin-offs, some developed and others not.Atomic County was a spin-off based on the cartoon characters in Seth's comic book of the same name. It was created byThe O.C. writerJohn Stephens and artistEric Wight, who was responsible for the comic book drawings featured on the show.
In 2005, Schwartz announced he was writing a spin-off which followed the life of Marissa's younger sisterKaitlin at boarding school.[214] It was set to premiere in January 2006, but the airing of the spin-off never occurred. Schwartz attributed this toGail Berman, president of Fox Broadcasting Company, moving toParamount in May 2005.[215]
There were plans to turn the show into something of a reverse spin-off. Schwartz planned to release a spin-off of his seriesGossip Girl entitledValley Girls, originally to premiere in the fall of 2009. Schwartz wanted to tie in the younger versions of the characters from bothThe O.C. and the principals fromValley Girls to establish a continuity withGossip Girl.
The O.C. Musical took place on August 30, 2015, at the Montalban Theater in Los Angeles, selling out in minutes when tickets went on sale earlier that same month. While not officially authorized by FOX or Warner Bros. TV, Sucker Love Productions' musical was supported by the show's cast and producers, withAutumn Reeser portrayingJulie Cooper and briefly reprising her role asTaylor Townsend for the first time in 8 years. CreatorJosh Schwartz and starsRachel Bilson,Melinda Clarke, andKelly Rowan also reunited at the musical. The cast includedAwkward starGreer Grammer asSummer Roberts andPretty Little Liars star Brendan Robinson asSeth Cohen.
(XLS). Retrieved on 2008 – 07-17.
Media related toThe O.C. at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related toThe O.C. at Wikiquote
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