The O.C. first aired in 2003 and I was an angsty sophomore in high school. I remember watching the show. I, of course, remember the first episode when Ryan meets Marissa, and at the time it seemed so romantic that he picks her up (blacked out drunk – yikes) and carries her into his pool house where he very chivalrously leaves her to sleep. I mean, look, I KNOW it’s corny as hell, but I was like, wow. I wish I was Marissa. I realize now as a 35-year-old, that’s loaded with issues, but I digress….
As a teen, I never did finish season 3. I’m not sure why. Maybe I was deep down just too loyal to Mischa Barton to keep going after she dies in Season 2.
Welp, fast forward to 2020. A hell of a year for many folks. Felt like everyone was going through it in more than one way. Whether it was adjusting to a global pandemic, tuning in to the racial unrest following the murder of George Floyd, having Trump as a President…. It was honestly a tough year.
And alas, one night, while scrolling through the streaming channels for something to watch, we saw the good ol’ O.C. on HBO. What started out as a “lol yeah right, this shit’s about to be so bad” moment, quickly turned into an evening routine that both my husband and I looked forward to as we quickly ran through all three seasons.
I’m a show snob for sure, and I can honestly say the O.C. ranks up high for me. I could never get into Gossip Girl or the Hills, but The O.C. – you have my heart.
Without a doubt, there are some hilariously corny moments, like when Ryan slow motion runs into the New Year’s Eve Party at Oliver’s to kiss Marissa at the last second before the clock strikes midnight.
The drama is definitely there. The writing really isn’t half bad. Seth keeps it quick-witted for at least the first two seasons before it starts to get a bit tired.
Ryan’s acting… it’s not great. He’s pretty monotoned emotionally, even when he’s supposed to be fighting or pissed off. But that’s also part of what makes it so hilarious to watch.
And I mean, woah with the gaslighting in this show. Ryan gets gaslit A LOT by these rich people. Most of the fights he gets into aren’t actually his fault, ahem to the whole Oliver ordeal, and that house burning down was not on him, damnit. But that’s a whole post for another day…
Marissa and Ryan’s dynamic is pretty… frustrating. All series long. They can’t really ever seem to get it right. And their on screen chemistry is not where it’s at.
I have to say, the characters who I consistently enjoyed the most until the end were Sandy Cohen and Julie Cooper.
When it’s all said and done, there’s just something about The O.C. that keeps you coming back.
I could go on. I’m not even sure how to wrap up this post and how much I thoroughly enjoyed re-watching the whole series. It was exactly what I needed when I was going through an especially shitty time at work and in general (hi 2020). I’m probably gonna write even more posts about this show because I still have so much to say, lol.
I recommend giving it a watch. You’ll get in some good laughs, whether it’s a line that’s actually meant to be funny (cue Seth and Summer). A flashback into the early 2000s – oh the style and those pooka shell necklaces, and the language like when Luke accuses Ryan of “mackin’ on his girl”. Or the hilarious fight scenes between Ryan and… well lots of people. It’s good shit.
My spouse and I both often grieve the fact that it’s over, and jokingly (but also seriously) ask each other “Will we ever find anything like The O.C. again?”
