The Throwback: The O.C. Season 1

The Throwback is a feature that reviews past films and television shows in a modern context. Even with all the new projects we watch, it's always fun to look back on what once was on the big and small screen. The Throwback is our way to do so.

The year was 2003 and we didn’t know it, but we were aching for a teen drama to define us high schoolers and undergrads who had survived Y2K. Like "90210" and "Dawson’s Creek" before it, “The O.C.” tugged at the audience’s heart strings with heavy teen romance and drama that only the most dysfunctional could claim as their own. All of this went down with the sunny backdrop of the rich and famous in Newport Beach, California.

The success of “The O.C.” can be seen prominently in watching back season one almost ten years after its airing. The initial run of episodes beats the audience over the head with certain themes and concepts that are even more blatant when watching episodes back to back. But after Ryan and the crew return from Tijuana in episode seven, the series settles into the storytelling that makes it memorable.

The show follows Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) as he integrates into Newport after being taken in by a socially conscious rich family, the Cohens. Sandy Cohen, (Peter Gallagher) his wife Kirsten, (Kelly Rowan) and their son, the sarcastic nerd with style, Seth (Adam Brody) act as the conscience of the town while frequently straying from the path themselves. The foils of the Cohens, the Coopers, live next door and fall in and out of favor with the audience in every episode.

Fans of “The O.C.” identify story lines as semi-independent sagas and everyone has their favorites. Season one has some of the most memorable with Ryan squaring off against both Luke, (Chris Carmack) who then turns into a fan favorite and Oliver, (Taylor Handley) the spoiled kid with mental issues. Seth goes back and forth between girlfriends with Summer (Rachel Bilson) and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) and the audience opens the book on how dysfunctional the extended Cohen family is.

It’s worth noting that the fashions and musical choices in season one have not aged well. But as a show that prided itself on being in the forefront of both at the time, it’s not “The O.C.’s” fault that indie rock has gone back underground and pants have gotten tighter. The show is fun for those who experienced it first hand and those of a similar age experiencing the DVDs for the first time. If you haven’t watched yet, it might be a good time to prepare you for the summer through theirs that lasts 365 days a year. When you’re ready, Luke will be waiting in episode one with his arms wide, “Welcome to the O.C., bitch.”