Entertainment
 

The O.C.

From The O.C. Wikia

The O.C.
Genre Teen
Dramedy
Soap
Running time 44 minutes
Creator Josh Schwartz
Executive Producer Bob DeLaurentis
Seasons 4 (as of May 12, 2006)
Episodes 76 (at the end of Season 3)
Network Fox
Debut August 5, 2003

The O.C. is an American television dramedy program broadcast on the Fox Network in the US and on various networks around the world. It was an immediate hit upon its release in 2003 and was the first teen drama to capture critics and audiences alike since Beverly Hills 90210 a decade earlier. "O.C." is short for Orange County, California. The series, created by Josh Schwartz, debuted on August 5, 2003, with the tagline, "The best new show of the fall is coming this summer." The show's third season originally aired in the U.S. on Thursday nights at 8:00 Eastern, the same time slot it held in the second season, before moving to 9:00 PM Eastern in January 2006. The series has been noted for its music selections, which have helped some previously little-known bands gain exposure, so much so that to date, the producers have released five compilation albums featuring highlighted performers. To date it has aired in more than 35 countries worldwide. Mixing comedy, drama, melodramatic soap conventions and tongue-in-cheek humor, the O.C. helped bring young viewers back to FOX and has launched its stars onto magazine covers around the globe.

[edit] The main cast

  • Peter Gallagher plays Sandy Cohen, a lawyer and former public defender who brings Ryan Atwood to his home. He is currently the CEO of the Newport Group.
  • Kelly Rowan plays Kirsten Cohen, the wife of Sandy Cohen and the mother of Seth Cohen and former CFO of her late father's real estate company (Newport Group) and a recovering alcoholic.
  • Benjamin McKenzie plays Ryan Atwood, a troubled outsider from Chino who comes to live with the Cohen family in Newport Beach after Sandy rescues him from a troubled life. He has an on/off relationship with Marissa.
  • Adam Brody plays Seth Cohen, the only child of Sandy and Kirsten. Seth is known for his quick quips and popular culture references.
  • Melinda Clarke plays Marissa's mother Julie Cooper-Nichol (possibly Julie Cooper-Nichol-Roberts, pending a wedding to fiance Dr. Neil Roberts) (formerly Julie Cooper), who was married to financial planner Jimmy Cooper in the beginning of the first series. After learning that he stole a large sum of money from clients, she eventually divorced Jimmy and married Caleb Nichol.
  • Rachel Bilson plays Summer Roberts, the socialite of the four main teen characters — the love interest of Seth, and best friend to Marissa. She is the daughter of Dr. Neil Roberts.
  • Autumn Reeser plays Taylor Townsend, a student who battled Summer for full control of Harbor High School's social scene. Taylor was extremely lonely, and upon realizing this, Summer and Seth became friends with her. In the season three finale, Seth tells her she has become inner circle material. Making her apart of the short-lived “Fab Five.” She is the daughter of Veronica Townsend. SHe becomes Ryan's girlfriend in Season 3 and helps him get over Marissa.
  • Willa Holland plays Kaitlin Cooper, the younger sister of Marissa and the younger daughter of Jimmy and Julie Cooper. She returns from boarding school to Newport for a while in Season 3 and states that she is staying in Newport for good in the Season 3 finale, saying that she intends to rule Harbor. After Marissa's death she lives with Julie and Dr. Roberts and gets Marissa's bedroom.

[edit] Former regulars

  • Chris Carmack played Luke Ward, Marissa's jock ex-boyfriend and regular cast member episodes 2-24.
  • Alan Dale played Caleb Nichol, Kirsten's businessman father and eventually Julie Cooper's husband. His character was recurring throughout the first season until he became a regular during the second season. Additionally, his is the first main character to be killed off when he had a heart attack. It was found out that he was broke at the reading of his will, leaving Julie with nothing.
  • Tate Donovan played Jimmy Cooper, Marissa's (and sister Kaitlin's) father (and Julie's husband). He was a regular cast member for episodes 1-34, but his character left the O.C. for Maui. He returned following Caleb's death at the end of the second season and almost remarried Julie. After running into financial troubles (and being attacked) he decided to leave Newport again early in the third season. He used to live on a boat.
  • Mischa Barton played Marissa Cooper, the first of the "core four" to leave the series at the end of season three (episodes 1-76). Marissa was arguably the most conflicted of the main characters, battling with drug and alcohol addiction due to tumultuous relationships with her parents, boyfriends and her fellow classmates. She was Summer's best friend and Ryan's on and off love interest. She was killed in a car accident after her last boyfriend, Kevin Volchok, ran her and Ryan off a cliff while driving under the influence.


[edit] External Links

Retrieved from "http://oc.wikia.com/wiki/The_O.C."