One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'The O.C.' Is 10 Years Old Today: 5 Things We Learned From The Show
Rachel Bilson, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton, and Benjamin McKenzie at The 2003 Teen Choice Awards at Universal Amphitheater on August 2, 2003. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Ten years ago today, we were introduced to The O.C., the Fox series that brought us plenty of teenage angst, constant noshing of bagels, that earworm theme song, and a new holiday, Chrismukkah.
The fun began when Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie), who was from the troubled streets of Chino, moved to Newport Beach to live with Sandy and Kristen Cohen (Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan) and his much wittier surrogate brother, Seth (Adam Brody).
Let's not forget equally troubled rich girl Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), her bitchy mother (Melinda Clarke), and sassy girl-next-door Summer (Rachel Bilson).
Ryan was supposed to be the focus of the series, but smart-aleck geek Seth became the breakout star for moves like inventing the holiday mash-up Chrismukkah. (On-again, off-again girlfriend Summer provided the Santa-themed yarmulkes for the occasion.)
Lessons we learned from the show's four seasons:
1. Bagels make everything better.
Sponsored message
2. Chrismukkah is the best time of the year.
3. Anyone would go lesbian for Olivia Wilde.
4. A typical greeting when you first move to Orange County involves a beating on the beach, along with the phrase, "Welcome to the O.C., bitch."
5. A serious shooting scene should be played in slo-mo, with the sappiest, most inappropriate song possible.
Sponsored message
As for the theme song, "California" by Phantom Planet, that was only driven out of our collective consciousness with the appearance of Weezer's equally catchy "Beverly Hills."
Where has the cast been since the show wrapped in 2007?
McKenzie starred for five seasons on the just-canceled Southland, Gallagher now stars on Covert Affairs and Bilson on Heart of Dixie. Brody has mostly been on the big screen, in movies including Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Oranges, and the upcoming Lovelace. Wilde was last seen in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and regularly shares way too much information about her sex life with fiancé Jason Sudeikis.
The show's creator, Josh Schwartz, went on to create the lovably geeky Chuck and the sexy teen soap Gossip Girl.
Related:
Video: 'Mad Men' Comes To California As 'The O.C.'
Love for The OC appears to have been a Fad
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
