The O.C.’s real focus was its characters, and thus the series' highlights aren’t dramatic climaxes, but rather its comedic beats.
Teen dramas have often been disparaged as soapy and lowest common denominator, the type of TV shows meant to pull in numbers but not necessarily critical acclaim. Thankfully the tide seems to be turning, this old-fashioned notion being put to rest as newer shows like. Instead, it’s a classic fish-out-of-water story about troubled teen Ryan Atwood , who’s taken in by the upper crust yet surprisingly warm Cohen family in Newport Beach.
Brody and McKenzie breathe life into dialogue that was already hilarious and witty to begin with . Series creator Josh Schwartz wrote many of the episodes in the show’s first—and best—season, along with Allan Heinberg, Peabody winner Melissa Rosenberg, Erica Messer, and Stephanie Savage . Savage holds the special distinction of writing the first Chrismukkah episode, “The Best Chrismukkah Ever,” which mines plenty of humor from Seth’s attempts to merge his parents’ winter holiday traditions.
Of course, you need funny people to deliver these lines, and beyond Ryan and Seth the cast is full of well-rounded characters portrayed by talented actors. Peter Gallagher is a comedic heavyweight here at Sandy Cohen, Seth’s empathetic, straight-talking lawyer dad. He and Brody have a great back-and-forth, with Brody bringing all the bratty attitude of a teenager to their conversations, while Gallagher swings back at underhanded comments with the good-natured ribbing of a cool dad.
Another parent who consistently brings the laughs is Julie Cooper, played by Melinda Clarke. Clarke inhabits the role with a devilish sense of fun, hamming up certain scenes in a manner surely informed by her earlier stint on. Julie, like Ryan, comes from the wrong side of the tracks, but she has done everything in her power to bury her past life and appear to be the perfect Newport Beach housewife.
I could go on and on—there’s the hilarious himbo Luke , and Taylor Townsend fills in the Marissa gap in the fourth season with pithy one-liners and a much more engaging presence . Though the show’s earlier seasons are the strongest, both plot- and humor-wise, Taylor’s changed role and the writers’ quick dialogue meant thatSign UpMay 24, 2024 | 5:37pm
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