In the early 2000s, Fox’s The O.C. was the quintessential teen drama. As the name suggests, the show takes place in Orange County, California, specifically, Newport Beach; however, what the name doesn’t mention is the intense set of scenarios that unfold when a 16-year-old boy from from the hood, Ryan, gets thrown into the cutthroat society of Newport’s richest. I watched this series for the first time this summer for the tropical vibes and intense romance, but what I didn’t expect was a show that paved the way for modern teen dramas by breaking boundaries and exploring intense situations.
The O.C. stands out from the start by already addressing darker, real world problems that can come with trauma. Rather than solely sticking to light hearted romance, the show addresses classism from the very beginning. Ryan Atwood is a 16-year-old boy from Chino who gets taken in by Sandy Cohen, who he met in juvie as his public defender. In the first episode, we see Ryan get kicked out by his alcoholic mother and taken advantage of by his older brother. This is when Sandy comes in to save the day and take in Ryan. Sandy lives in Newport Beach, Orange County with his wife Kirsten and his son Seth. While staying in Newport, Ryan attends high society fundraising events and private school. Due to his past, he gets into fights and is labeled an outsider. We also meet Ryan’s love interest, Marissa Cooper. Although she is a Newport native, we see her struggle with a lot including her parents’ divorce, an overdose, alcoholism, the death of a friend, sexual assault and more. The show faces these issues head on rather than tip toeing around them.
Another character who is unique for his time is Seth Cohen, Ryan’s adopted brother. Seth Cohen is the comedic relief, but he also introduced “geek chic” before it was a thing. Usually, the jock or the bad boy is the heartthrob, but not in The O.C.. Seth unapologetically loved comic books, anime, video games and indie rock. Yet, he was still able to win over the heart of popular girl Summer Roberts. Seth took over the role as the show’s main heartthrob, overthrowing the bad boy main character Ryan. He showed the world that being a geek is not weird, it’s desirable.
The O.C. also changed the game when it comes to TV soundtracks. Instead of opting for whatever was charting at the time, they introduced indie rock into the mainstream. Seth Cohen was a huge representative of this, often raving about Death Cab for Cutie being his favorite band. Another outlet for exposing indie rock to its audience was the Bait Shop, a fictional venue in Newport for live performances. The teens would go to the Bait Shop often, and the venue was frequently a setting for drama to unfold. Some of the featured indie rock bands did live performances during the show. These bands include Death Cab for Cutie, Rooney, The Walkmen, Modest Mouse and The Subways. My personal favorite band appearance episode on the show was when The Killers performed “Mr. Brightside.” The episode included the teens entering the venue and navigating through the crowd as the song began, and later in the night the love triangle between Seth, Summer, and Zach came to a head. The show was a major factor in helping catapult the song into success, success that lasts even today.
The O.C. combined romance filled teen drama with “geek chic,” classism and indie rock, cementing its place in 2000s pop culture. It was a pioneer for its time, inspiring future shows such as Gossip Girl, 90210, and Laguna Beach. The O.C. cannot be ignored, and that is what solidifies it as a true icon of its time.