I’m not sure why, but first time around I missed out on “The O.C.” It was an American TV series that ran for 4 years until 2005/6. However I have just had a week and a bit of watching all 96 ‘hour long’ episodes. Now I feel sad (in so many ways!).
I guess I should wax lyrical about the concept and the story arc. Hmmm. How can I do this without making it sound boring? Well, keeping it short, it was set in the rich playground that is Orange County, and follows the tale of a very wealthy couple and their son that take in and adopt a boy from the bad part of town. He becomes part of the family, a son to the parents and brother to their son, and what you watch develop and play out is partly a teen series with their first loves and school issues, and partly a study of grown-ups and their issues – which I’d guess aren’t too different from those of the teens.Towards the end of the four seasons, and before it could run a full final season, the plug was pulled mid-way leaving a hastily put together ‘wrap’ of the story to leave it on forever, although there was a flash-forward to show us how people and things turned out x years later. In truth, the first two seasons were stronger than the last, but I’d argue that the show doesn’t deteriorate that much during its decline anyway.
What was good about it was that each episode took you in a direction you might not expect, yet it did it with ease and without losing you. So many shows include an element of “WTF is going on?” in the mind of the viewer. They were able to brilliantly craft genuine laugh out loud moments, moments of great suspense, and moments of real sadness. The scripts felt real and the actors were believable, and it was an excellent ‘moment in time’.
But, the reason for this article is not necessarily to encourage you to go and buy or rent the 4 seasons of The O.C. but to discuss my feeling of disconnection from the show.
I’m guessing watching 96 episodes of anything in a crammed session is not healthy and somewhat hypnotises the viewer to living and breathing what they are watching. I’m guessing that the ‘disconnection’ is almost a kind of grieving for the loss of the show. I guess such a disconnection also affects the more rabid followers of Big Brother once it’s over, so I’m not looking for sympathy. It’s my own fault!
However, I do have to say out loud once more how I really enjoyed The O. C. and really miss it now it’s gone. Sigh! Crammed viewing: Don’t try this at home!
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