User reviews

Having watched this entire series twice. Once when it aired back in 2003 and now in 2021, I can honestly say that they don't make shows like this anymore. The plot line is simple and at times predictable with high volumes of unnecessary drama. But it has a deep honestly rooted in realism. The characters and plot line actually feels real. This is one of those teen drama's that even after almost 20 years feels fresh.

This might sound silly but i'm not lying or being exaggerating - this tv show changed my life. It gave me a good feeling for the rest of my life. I could watch this show many times all over and all over again without getting bored or tired.

Everything about this show is perfect, everything! The views, the music, the far-out characters, the lines, the sets, the clothes and THE MOST OF ALL - THE CAST!!

I remember starting watching this show around the time when i just got a depression. I would sleep and then in between drown myself into this blue world of drama and comedy. This show got me through it. This show made me feel alive and became as my passion.

This show was never long-wided, NO WAY! You never knew what was about to happen. This show had everything - excitement, funny humor, drama, thriller and love!

I'm so thankful for Josh Schwartz making this show because it LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. I MEAN, LITERALLY. I admire it and look it as a perfection. I've showed this show to all of my friends and they thought that this is at least very good! I also managed to turn the other one into a fan.

I want everything to watch OC if they haven't seen it because this show gave me a lot and still means a lot to me! No kidding!

When my girlfriend told me she was going to start watching this show, I figured it would give me 60 minutes a week to myself. But when I actually watched part of the first or second episode, I was surprised to find myself starting to get drawn in.

Here's what I like about this show: First, the kids talk like kids (even if some of them look like adults!). I don't know about anyone else, but after Dawson's Creek and The Gilmore Girls, I find it refreshing to see a show about teenagers who have trouble expressing themselves instead of speaking in pithy, self-aware sound bites.

Second, this show does a believeable job of presenting the class issues involved in having a "poor kid" move in with a "rich family". Others have pointed out that it avoided the initial cliche by having the two teenage boys become friends, but later episodes have shown that in spite of their friendship and common interests (e.g. comic books), there are still deeper issues of class and sexuality that show how different their "worlds" really are.

And finally, I was surprised to see that the writers were actually able to make me care about the problems of the rich characters! (The adults, anyway). For too many nighttime soap operas, portraying the "problems of the rich" are just a way to get us "unwashed" types to sneer at the "problems" that money brings ("I wish I had those problems!"). In "The O.C.", the writers actually explore questions of money, class (again) and love in the various adult couples in a way that brings Jane Austen to mind; we can relate to the struggles the characters are going through even if their day-to-day lives are completely foreign from our own.

All in all, a surprisingly enjoyable TV soap opera that doesn't require you to check your entire brain at the door.

I started this show with not very high expectations and must say the first few episodes just made me cringe. I found it unrealistic, cliché and it involved some bad acting from the younger actors. But it rapidly gained on quality and the story lines just sucked me in. The show has both good and bad times. It went down in the season three and the beginning of season 4 made me think that it will turn into garbage. But once again they gained on the entertainment and I felt sad at the end saying good bye to the characters I now loved.

And I must say I didn't always love them. Some characters, like the main one Ryan, I had a love/hate attitude towards. Mostly love, but there were times when I wished somebody would kick his ass and though he was annoying. Then there was Summer. Oh man, did I not like her in the first seasons! But her character went through some great development as at the end I loved the girl.

And there were characters that I always cared about. Julie, a bit of a villain but the one that one just can't dislike. A strong, beautiful woman who can manipulate everyone and yet has a kind heart. And Sandy! Isn't he the kind of dad many would wish they had? And Seth, one of the best characters on the show. He makes us laugh and we love him.

The show is a sort of a soap opera with concentration on teens. But the adults also play a huge role in this one, which makes it even more entertaining as I haven't been a teen for a long time. And it manages to keep the viewer watching with fun stories and with characters we love.

This is quite the cultural melting pot - and I'm not just talking about Chrismukkah. It's half soap opera, half teen drama, brought together in a fast-moving, wise-cracking, pop culture-referencing, blink-and-you've-missed-it comedy-drama in the 'Gilmore Girls' mold. Plus the soundtrack rightly spawned a good half dozen compilations.

And it really is a case of 'blink and you'll miss it' as the crazy merry-go-round of incestuous, will-they-won't-they relationships play out. By and large it's silly fluff with the occasional dark moment, but it's always entertaining. The characters are great, Adam Brody's Seth being the standout performance.

I actually missed this show completely when it first aired and am currently only on Season 2... so far, so good.

We just need to pretend that the show ended one season earlier

This show is great. It is emotional, funny, dramatic, corney and hooking. There is a lot of struggle, love and life happening the whole time and you grow to love all the characters. However I honestly feel like the 4th season ruined the show. It turned really weird and different than the other seasons and I am really disappointed with how it ended. It didn't even seem like the same show by the end.

First off, to state something quite clearly, I disagree with the legions out there who criticize Mischa Barton as Marissa Cooper. Look, I have studied this show, especially her performance. I have scrutinized her every move. The girl is poetry in motion. I think "the actress has a difficult streak" but that is her personal life, I am talking Marissa Cooper here, and she did great! It is grossly unfair to discriminate against her because or your own petty jealousies, people. I think she gave Marissa more than just a dash of Mischa and it worked. Marissa comes across as "not exactly thrilled with this world", somewhat aloof, and that's the Mischa Barton trademark and that's what many of you can't take. Look at her performance again and you'll see how much she gave the character.

I would not have bought this series had it not been for my considerable interest in anything MISCHA. I had seen lots of photos of her and she was my driving force for obtaining the DVDs. Believe me, the style of the show is a long way off from being my kind of thing, especially with the first half of the pilot episode. I am now halfway through the third season (incidentally, with all my reading about the show I know the drastic outcome, the fate of Marissa, although thankfully not the exact details) and I've become a fan of the Captain Oats/Princess Sparkle bit as well, and I think highly of Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan so I am a true O.C. fan BUT BUT BUT it would never have happened were it not for Mischa. So I will leave it up to the other fans to enthuse about the rest of the show. It is just so damn fashionable to kick sand at Mischa that I find it my solemn duty to defend her performance. Everybody who knows The Raven knows she is my muse for the female lead in my own novel, so lay off!

Prior to writing this, I saw ep. 15 of #3 and just allow me to mention that if Willa Holland as Kaitlin Cooper was merely a story arc, ooh big mistake. I can check out on Wikipedia now to see if she's coming back, but I won't add yet another season spoiler. Obviously, the producers would have seen she is the added injection the show needs (debatable, actually, I find Mischa to induce an overload of just-sit-there-in- amazement) and especially as Ms. Barton is scheduled to not be part of the final season, Willa should become main cast. I know it is past history. But please don't e-mail me the outcome.

I don't understand how this show has become so popular amongst the teenage viewing population. First of all, the actors are at least 10 years older than the characters they play. E.g. Ryan is supposed to be 17 years old or there abouts but is played by a 28 year old actor. It's just not convincing to see typical high school students looking like post-graduate university students. Perhaps Ryan, summer, seth and co. were all too stupid to graduate highschool the first time and have had to repeat for the 10th year in a row? Generally, the quality of the dialogue is shocking at least compared to deep and meaningful dialogue in dawsons creek. This show is overrated and is one of the worse i have seen. You may diagree... but to each their own!

It is at times corny, melodramatic, predictable, unbelievable as hell and sugar-coated. And yet? It works.

This show, which by all accounts should have been written off as a redo of good ole' Bev Niners, is funny, quirky and absolutely delightful. Somehow, over the first few episodes, it turned from being a guilty pleasure to just a genuine pleasure. This is largely due to the combined talents of Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Adam Brody and Ben McKenzie. They work as a family. They're funny. They're sweet. And somehow, Peter Gallagher is hot!

Adam Brody's ad-libs, Ben McK's baleful glances, Kelly Rowan's endearing nature and Peter Gallagher's eyebrows all add up to a fantastic hour of television that I await all week. The writing is quick, the acting (for the most part) is great and the in-jokes crack me up. Despite its silly premise, this show is pretty smart. And endearing. And really, really funny.

Would a public defender ever adopt his young client? No. Would ador(k)able, funny, smart Seth Cohen ever be considered unpopular? Probably not. Does Tate Donovan even look old enough to drink, let alone have a teenage daughter? Nah. My advice? Get over all that, sit back, and enjoy being entertained.

Cause this is how we do it in Orange County.

You really can't go wrong with The OC!

Great characters, writing, location and style! Full of teen angst, family dynamics, love, heartache, tears and laughter.

If I had to rate the seasons from amazing to just ok, they would be;

1 - Season 2 2 - Season 1 3 - Season 4 4 - Season 3

The O.C.-one of the best shows ever and forever, and that's why: not only is it an encouraging, positive show that lifts you up when you need to watch something to forget the world and its cruelty, it does so without being destructive/not at the cost of other people/values. There is no clumsy, obvious affirmative action (which is always reverse racism underneath), there is no bashing of Europeans/non-Americans for the sake of a nasty political agenda/clumsy propaganda, there is no twisting of historical facts (especially European ones), no turning European legends into villains and so on. And yet, it is a thrilling, entertaining, sometimes thought-provoking show – yes, it can be done, and it can be done successfully and artfully. True, there have been shows about teenagers in rich neighborhoods before, true, there have been shows about unlike couplings/brothers. There have been shows about noble criminals and teenage romance. But this show unites it all in a unique and charming way, and adds a lot of heart and soul and smartness. This is not just a dumb teen/romance/hypocritical family show, these are beautifully written, round (and perfectly cast) characters with heart and wits – entertaining and educating at the same time (without being overly didactic). This is the show I would recommend to parents to show their kids in order to show them how to behave in the world. A truly uplifting, funny and also instructive show – for viewers and writers alike, this is how it is done, you can entertain/be entertained without violence and xenophobia. A plus!!

First of all, this rating is not by IMDb's crazy standards. This show has some real weaknesses that are reflected in my rating. Yes, I loved the characters, and the story has some really thrilling moments that I could have never predicted, but you have to look past the surface to truly judge it fairly. And that's why it comes short of being a proper good show (which, to be fair, most shows aren't anyway).

So, what are these flaws I'm talking about? Well, basically every single episode bases its story line on one simple mechanic: One character tells their partner or friend a lie, and this is later discovered and creates conflict. Also, the plot devices usually arise from a character doing something really stupid, that makes no logical sense. Obviously, this is more noticeable when it comes from, say, Ryan or Sandy, than when Seth or Summer do it. Either way it's a sign of lazy writing, and very much along the mainstreamed and mediocre line of most similar shows. Not saying it's a deal breaker, but it definitely separates decent or good shows from great ones. No matter how much we like the characters, we can't just look past obvious flaws in a show, like so many people on this site do (just look at Friends, it's rated almost 9/10, which is absolutely absurd).

Another big plus are some of the turns in the overall plot or main story that we follow through a season. There are some really dramatic and touching moments that I though were very well executed. And I guess that is what lifts this show past just having great characters, and makes me think of it fondly and with assurance that I will remember it.

I recommend this to anyone who can withstand some bad writing and illogical turns to experience all the good that it has to offer, which again, can be said for a lot of shows.

At first I didn't think I was going to enjoy this show but after a few episodes I found myself completely hooked and unable to stop watching it.

I thought it was going to be a very typical high school drama show but it wasn't at all as I expected it to be.

I think anybody at any age can watch it and enjoy it thoroughly.

The only thing that bothered me was that they made up problems that where very unlikely to happen in real life.

You also got very attached to the characters.

It is one of the best series that I have watched.

The O.C. (or O.C. California, as it's called in Germany) did get off to a good/great start. The characters were refreshing, they did work with/against one another and you had fun watching it. Even if you're not used to the lifestyle of the rich and beautiful. OK not everyone is rich in this series of course (but they do look "astonishingly" enough very pretty ...

Seriously though: What works kinda nice at the beginning starts to wear off ... Season 3 was weak, so it was no wonder, that the show got canceled. It was more of a wonder, that they even got the go-ahead for a (shorter) fourth series (finale). Or in other words: There's only so many problems that you can go through without them repeating themselves.

But enough about the bad things. The humor was always a big plus on the show and it worked out quite well. And it did exactly what it promised: Entertain it's target audience (and then some) -> teenagers (especially girls of course), and for that it receives my 7/10 points!

I just finished viewing the very last episode of one my most favorite TV shows that's known as 'The O.C.' and wanted to share my thoughts on what it meant to me and why! It grabbed my attention from the very first episode with incredible acting and a great cast with awesome chemistry amongst them and with a quirky and witty scrip and also showed fabulous taste in fashion and makeup which was fun to look at all the time! Great indie bands featured in the background always seemed to strike up the right mood and accentuate the emotional drama occurrences during the show! It introduced me to some fabulous artists which I've since become fond of (ie. 'Phantom Planet', 'The Killers', & 'Imogen Heap' to name a few!) It affected me on a personal level with the story lines of family conflicts, relationships, parties, and reminded me of my high school days gone by, and every single season finale (and several episodes) seemed to cause me to bawl my eyes out they were so meaningful! Unlike other family drama shows it had the guts to show the hard topics in honest ways and from the perspective and young and old teenagers and adults and parents which made it unique! Every character was important in their own way and every character developed and dealt with their own struggles and challenges and although new ones came and went it never affected the show's story and direction! I'll admit this past season was a bit different without one of the main characters 'Marissa' who was killed off at the end of the past season but that didn't change the show as I feared it might...instead it kept it's integrity with the core characters who still reminisced and looked back fondly on her character who in a way was still there in their memory! I'm extremely pleased with how they ended the show completing everyone's story in a creative and positive way that encourages all of us in the real world to follow our dreams no matter where they might lead us! A lot of people who didn't follow the show might have thought it was cheesy but it wasn't at all! It was light hearted and silly when it needed to be to balance out the tough topics it dealt with! It came along a head of it's time perhaps and wasn't appreciated fully for it's full worth in the TV industry! I don't watch any other family dramas (I used to watch 'Once & Again' which was sadly canceled as well!) and there will never be a show that will fill the hole it's left! It was such a different show than every thing else on TV and I will sorely miss it! I feel sorry for those who may not have had the privilege of being touched by the show and it's story lines, script, acting, characters, music, etc... because it was truly a one of a kind!

When I think of season 1, which was a whole phenomenon. And blew out of the water, what MTV advertised as the « real O. C. », back in 2003. It's a round number, like eight. And when season 2 is paired with it, it soon falls to maybe six. But if I were to add seasons 3 and 4, then the whole series would drop to five. So I'll settle with seven. The first couple of seasons were huge, and those that made The O. C., the best teen drama of early 2000s. Back when One Tree Hill was struggling to get to where it did, soon after it began. The cast was packed with up and coming young actors. And movie veterans. Like Dawson's Creek did on its first year, it reinvented the genre, adding it the right amount of self awareness, to give it more edge and originality. And pop culture references, for the fun. That goes without saying, the soundtrack was a big part of the show's qualities for me. It introduced me to new favorite bands like Sufjan Stevens, Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, or The 88. While comforting me in my love for others. I used to buy one, sometimes two CDS of albums heard on the show, each weeks. And stopped at season 3. Because there, the music stopped being this good, as well. Watching each episodes when they dropped, was a ritual for me. And its song selection, which spawned six official CDS, perfected my taste for the indie scene. It even had great musical guests invited to perform, at the show's club, at one point. The Bait Shop. As I was saying earlier, the whole series appeal lies in the first year. It has the best and most iconic episodes. And everything looked so fresh and ready to take on the world, there. Unfortunately, season two, is where the writing strayed. And even creators admitted, some storylines were added to give those ratings a push. So after one of the leads died, in maybe what seems to be the worst season of the series. The finale never recovered from this departure, and the show was canceled (?) the following year. I think it's one I've watched the most, first when episodes « aired », and then on DVDS, with all my relatives and friends. And even though it is flawed, not only does the second half don't live up to the first's excitement, but some of the acting, from a couple of the female cast. Was cringeworthy, to say the least. It is the teen drama that introduced me to my first soap opera. And artists and songs, I listen to on a daily basis. As well as making the genre popular on TV again, and giving the go-ahead to a lot of more or less, good « copycats ». So maybe now you can understand why I'm so conflicted about it?...

Absolutely love the OC. Lots of nostalgia watching this after Sixth Form back when I was 15/16. Seasons 1 and 2 were great, 8.5 respectively, however Season 3 really let the OC down. The Jonny storyline was so so boring, give me Oliver even!

Season 4 however, is possibly the BEST season of all. Rewatching them all through lockdown and it's just amazing. Very funny and the OC at its best. Definitely worth a watch - it's currently available on Amazon Prime. So sad it got cancelled after Season 4, I feel it had really found its footing again with Taylor, Bullit et al

The O.C. was yet another program susceptible to the hype, and by the beginning of the second season, had used in almost predictive repetition pretty much any dramatic ploy the writers could conjure up to lure audiences into a Thursday night with the Cohens and friends. But, the audience is primarily composed of teenage and twenty-something females who were drawn to the show specifically for its unsophisticated teeny bopper qualities and exaggerations, I'm not sure why the show's creators try so hard and, having done so, they near completely nullified the effectiveness of the few good actors on the show (namely, the Cohen parents). By the end of the third season, the show had become almost as trite and insipid as an episode of Seventh Heaven that even those characters who were initially interesting (Seth, for example) had become just as irritating as the rest (although, I would say Rachel Bislon's character Summer, although originally an annoying character rose in the ranks of tolerability despite the rest of the young castmates). In the end, I have to wonder, what kind of bad mojo the people of Newport were playing with, because they seem to have bad karma at every turn that make the victimized female leads of Lifetime's made-for-TV movies seem like a paradise. Why would anyone want to even hang around them? Everything that even seems remotely good suddenly takes a nose dive into something that either ends in swimming pool fist fights before a crowd of stunned, and formally dressed, onlookers, or it will end with a jail term, death, or some kind out to avoid any of those fates. I guess Marissa was right when she told Ryan in the first episode that he could get in less trouble had he stayed in Chino.

Although I had higher expectations for the show by the middle of the second season, if the entire third season is any indicator, expect more of the same.