Goodbye Beautiful World

Before this post even gets going, I would like to state for the record that P&C is decidedly NOT a "celebrity" or "pop culture" blog whatsoever. While I reserve the right to touch on these subjects from time-to-time, anyone can buy a copy of US Weekly on any newsstand in the country, so please do so with my blessing. That being said, I am truly sad to say goodbye to The O.C. which Fox has decided to cancel after four seasons. I saw this tragic news on Bravotv.com, which cited Broadcasting and Cable as well as TV Week.

Anyone who saw the first season (I say first, since the other three have fallen off a bit,) will know why I'm so distraught. The brilliant wit of rich brainiac teens living in the shadow of the South Coast Plaza mall, the Jewish-WASP familial strife, the seduction of young men by MILFs on practically every episode...and not to mention the fabulous fashion being worn by girls far too young to wear such fabulous fashion. I adore Adam Brody - the geeky, charmingly-erudite guy who's so irresistibly self-aware, and I think the Rachel Bilson-Mischa Barton one-two punch was wholly refreshing as far as teen plot story lines go. Remember how Kelly, Donna, and Brenda were mostly snipey, bitchy, and competitive? Marissa and Summer were best friends, smart, and they got along great. They also knew how things stood: Marissa gets Ryan, Summer gets Seth - let's not trade boyfriends.

And then there's Ben.

Sigh, Ben.

Benjamin McKenzie - the hottest thing to hit teen TV in well, ever. I am of the 90210 generation and was rasied on re-runs of Happy Days and The Brady Bunch like everyone else. But Brandon, Dylan, Richie, Potsy, Chachi, The Fonze, Bobby, and Greg have absolutely jack nothing on Ryan.  His blue eyes and slow-spreading smile, his cool quiet and bad boy exterior masking a brilliant mind and a heart of gold. God, I'd just tune in just to hear him utter...hardly any lines at all, and then make out with Marissa...oh, and get into a fight. The boy gets into fights faster and better than any guy on television. The beauty of such handsome sexiness is always offset by a few cuts and bruises.

While the story lines of The O.C. weren't particularly original as teen dramas go: girlfriend stealing, bad kid-does-good, rich families in beautiful settings, divorce, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, drug use, etc., there were a few high points in the plots. Corporate politics, trophy wives who are hot-to-trot (can you see Mrs. Walsh doing that?,) multi-cultural families, and even homosexuality - girls, not guys.  The clothes, the parties (on practically every episode,) the parents who were really in love, the nobility of doing "the right thing".

 But now, it's all over but the cryin' and I'm sure the series will close in a golden-dappled sunset that only a view from Spyglass Hill could supply. At least, I'm pretty sure that the lighting effects over the inifinity pool will be terrific - especially accompanied by the latest angsty teen band of the moment.

I just hope Ben sticks around at the pool house long enough for me to go knock on his door some night... 

Comments

[Genevieve]

LOOOOOVE the O.C. and I too mourn its departure from TV. It's "90210" remixed and done with so much wit and screwball antics. Season 3 kinda flatlined sometimes, especially with Marisa's li'l sis Caitlin ("I'm gonna roll Harbor..." Ew. More proof that just because you were an Abercrombie & Fitch model does NOT mean you should act), but this season they were back on track. (I realized I didn't miss Mischa Barton AT ALL!) The O.C. was pure bubbly. And p.s. Annie, Ben is mine. MINE!