A year ago today the last episode ever of The OC aired. I’m not going to say it doesn’t feel like a year has passed because it actually does feel like that much time has gone by. Last year I was headed to a lovely apartment to watch the finale with my gals. It was sad on many levels. We spent every Thursday night together for years and we knew that was ending. It was as though we knew for whatever reason – work, friends, life – we’d never be able to schedule time together with such ease. Watching The OC together was more than just watching a show together. It was a time to unwind, break bread and share copious amounts of Pinot and/or Chardonnay with each other. This was different from other nights because we shut out the world and welcomed the Cohens and the rest of
And yes I know, the show wasn’t always on Thursday night. But whatever night and time FOX aired the show before the Thursday night move, well we were there for that too.
I’ve tried and tried to only pick 5 all-time favorite episodes, but can’t do it. You know like when asked which 5 movies you’d bring if on a deserted island? Well, seeing as how said deserted island doesn’t have the means to play the movies I think I can tweak the answer a bit and make the list with 23 of my can’t live without episodes. They aren’t really in favorite order. I think going through each episode each season and picking my favorites tells the story better. Feel free to disagree and keep it to yourself….I kid.
- The Pilot. I remember watching all of the commercials FOX aired that summer and thinking, psssht. What shit. I’m too old for teen dramas. And then I watched that summer and knew before the first commercial break that I was hooked. This show was smart, witty and had a kick ass setting.
- The Model Home. Marissa didn’t suck. Her problems were real and her attitude made sense. One of my all time favorite scenes will forever be Ryan, Seth and Marissa in the yard of the model home….Seth skate boarding in the empty pool, Ryan sharing a bit about his life and learning more about Seth, Marissa and the world they came from. Plus the Jimmy Cooper borrowing 100 grand from Kirsten was awesome. She just had that money….to lend. And it was HER money. This was a crazy place.
- The Homecoming. Kirsten can’t cook, Seth has two ladies, an absolutely hilarious kitchen fight with Caleb, Julie, Jimmy, Sandy, Kirsten, Rachel…, Fresh margs?!... I don’t feel so good. Heh. Ryan did musicals in
- The Secret. Luke’s big gay dad and You (Kirsten) kissed Jimmy Cooper? So much in one episode.
- The Best Chrismukkah Ever. The title says it all.
- The Heartbreak. Kirsten makes me really like Valentine’s Day. I could do without Theresa, but Ryan telling off Marissa and her bangs was wonderful. And
- The Ties That Bind. You knew they’d all be together next year or umm the show is no more. But still. Can you honestly watch Kirsten break down at the end and not cry with her? Seth’s explaining his life pre Ryan to Summer.
- The Distance
- The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn’t. The kitchen scene alone was worth all the Lindsay drama.
- The Rainy Day Women. Welcome back
- The Showdown. Julie Cooper’s dress when she showed up in the morning to talk to Kirsten…only Julie dressed like that and it was acceptable!
- The Dearly Beloved. Get your hands off of me! The vodka bottle crashes to the ground. All of the Sandy and Seth scenes. All were amazing. The actually not cheesy intervention (I hadn’t seen or cried at one since Party of Five)….Cringing when Kirsten told Ryan, “I let you into this house.” Ryan responds – “Yeah you did because my own mom couldn’t take care of me. Because she wouldn’t get help even though I asked her to. I don’t want to see that happen again to someone I love.” And then Seth makes Kirsten break down. Rip my heart out. And we still had the shooting. That scene alone kept the roomies and me up all night…is he dead??? No the blood fell this way not that way. We were so CSI that night. And we don’t watch CSI. It was so intense we couldn’t even sleep. But we did. It was a long summer.
I’m not going to say anything for most of the season 3 episodes. Most were not good. Lots of anger was unleashed from us gals. What happened to Kirsten? She was a favorite and so very strong in season one and two and then gone and zombie like in season 3?
13. The End of Innocence
14. The Pot Stirrer
15. The Dawn Patrol
16. The Man of the Year
17. The Graduates
Then came season four. Sadly, I don’t share the love for the season like others do. I didn’t hate it, but it still wasn’t season 1. The Cohens should’ve had more time together. Some kitchen scenes and mornings with the paper, coffee, bagels and witty banter. Kirsten was still pushed to the side. I did love all of the Julie and Kaitlin stuff. Who knew Little Coop was going to be so awesome?
18. The Avengers
19. The Gringos
20. The Cold Turkey. Kirsten had an important part! And the homeless showing up was pretty funny. Then the Ryan and Julie scene. Still makes me cry when I watch it.
21. The My Two Dads. Ryan calling Sandy his dad? Who doesn’t feel their heart smile when watching that? The end scene…Cohen family time on the couch watching meerkats because that’s what Kirsten wanted to watch. I love the Cohens. Even the stupid Seth and Summer wedding crap can’t ruin the episode.
22. The Night Moves
23. The End’s Not Near, It’s Here. Truth? Hated it. Hated. We all did. Later that night I re-watched it and finally cried and cried. The last maybe 15 minutes are wonderful. That’s what the episode should’ve been. About the Cohens and Ryan. I’ve re-watched that ending a handful of times. I still haven’t watched the Josh commentary. Just can’t bring myself to do it yet. Maybe this weekend I’ll do that. I never like when a family moves in a show. I want to know they are where they have always been so moving to
I will one day sit down and watch all of season four again. Perhaps I will appreciate it more. Maybe I won’t be so harsh when viewed a few years later. I’ll let you know when that happens.
I don’t know if anyone is still reading? But you must’ve been a fan too if you made it this far. Feel free to share your thoughts. And thanks to Josh, Stephanie, the cast and crew for such an awesome show. The first spec script I wrote was of The OC. And that’s because the characters were so fresh and real I could get into their heads. They were original and had such depth to them. Getting to play around with them for a while made me realize that’s the kind of story I want to tell. Almost forgot, the music, including the season one score which returned in the series finale, was always perfect.
I can only hope that one day someone feels that way about a show I write for. I got to meet Josh once at the Tribeca Film Festival. Even have a picture with him which is framed. Yes, I’d stalk him if not for the 3,000 miles separating us! I got to tell him I love the show, but that was pretty much it. I was almost speechless. He was really cool and not even rushing me, but I just couldn’t think of anything else to say. That’s obviously not me under normal circumstances. Hopefully one day I get to sit down and talk with him. Pick his brain about the show. As if he doesn’t get that enough.
Final exchange between Seth and Ryan - “At least I leave you funnier than when I found you,” Seth says. “I’m a lot better off than when you found me,” Ryan says. “Me too,” Seth says. Aren’t we all better off, Seth? Aren’t we all?
1 comment:
this made my sunday morning. sigh. i miss those days. thinking about them in retrospect in your writing makes them seem so poetic. they were. they were.
i watched some season one last night. those were the days.
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