"The O.C." Finale: Going Out On Top

So, if you read my previous post, you know that I was very worried about “The O.C.” finale. There were just too many things in the previews that I didn’t like and I was concerned we were headed for another gutwrenching moment like the end of season one.

But in the words of the late, great Jerry Orbach (from “Dirty Dancing”), when I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong. And I couldn’t have been more wrong about this one…

Warning: The remainder of this post contains details of tonight’s series finale of “The O.C.”…

From the incredibly confusing opening scene, it was obvious that this episode was going to be classic “O.C.”—smart, funny, and not taking itself too seriously. When I first heard that the final episode would pick up six months after last week’s, I didn’t like it since the show had been playing stupid time tricks all season. But this time, it actually made a lot of sense as it helped move the story along more quickly and produced the best five minutes of the whole season—even if it did confuse the crap out of me.

The Cohens were living with Julie and Kaitlyn. Taylor and Ryan had broken up and Taylor had gone back to Paris. Seth and Summer were living a slothful existence in Summer’s room, a la Joey and Chandler in their La-Z-Boys in season two of “Friends.” But most shocking was that Julie was pregnant and engaged to the Bullet—not Frank.

But by the end of the hour, everything was back to normal. Taylor and Ryan patched things up, Frank finally admitted that he wanted to be a part of his child’s life, Julie decided to try and make it on her own and the Cohens returned to their Berkeley home with their new baby, Sophie.

As I said, classic “O.C.”…

“The O.C.” was always at its best when it was funny and this episode was full of funny moments. I especially liked how the show mocked soap operas by having the guys who owned the Berkeley house conveniently be a midwife and a wedding planner (“I know this sounds a little random…”). It was also great when Bullet decided to move the whole wedding ceremony to the house because Julie wouldn’t do it without “KiKi.”

In fact, it was all so great that I didn’t even mind the episode’s most heartbreaking moment—when Seth and Summer said goodbye. As much as I hated it, it actually made sense. But that didn’t stop me from crying anyway…

Thankfully, though, it didn’t end there as there were a few things the previews didn’t give away…

With Patrick Park’s “Life’s A Song” playing over it, we got a montage showing us the future of all of the characters. Julie graduated college with Kaitlyn, Bullet, Frank and Frank and Julie’s son cheering her on (in a scene extremely reminiscent of “The Object of My Affection”). Ryan went to Berkeley and became a part of the class of 2012.

But the moment that made me actually clap my hands was the sight of Summer in a wedding dress as she walked down the aisle to her beloved Seth. It was a wonderful moment we had waited four years to see. Granted, we didn’t get to see the whole thing, but just knowing they ended up together was enough for me.

We can’t really say the same about Taylor and Ryan since their future was left a little ambiguous. The two shared a meaningful look at the wedding, but that was all we got. And even that was okay with me.

The final scene showed Ryan, the architect, walking away from a building site and noticing a young kid sitting by himself, looking very much like Ryan after he was kicked out by his mom in the pilot (which we saw in flashback).

“Hey, kid. Do you need some help?”

The kid didn’t answer as the show faded on Ryan’s concerned face.

And yes, I cried again, because my beloved “The O.C.”—that had frustrated me for two long years—had gone out on top...

An "O.C." Finale Preview

My plan for this week was to do a little hypothesizing as to how “The O.C.” will end based on things I’ve read or seen. I even studied every detail of this picture.

But with each promo FOX shows, hypothesizing becomes less and less necessary.

And I get more and more nervous…

In last week’s uneven episode, the stage was set as Seth and Ryan walked down memory lane as Seth was able to save his brother. Sandy and Kirsten learned they were having a girl, Taylor made up with her mom, and Kaitlyn made up with Frank.

But it was the episode’s final scene that truly signaled the end—the Cohen home in ruins.

Which leads me to this question: Was that really necessary?

Josh Schwartz has promised us a satisfying ending. But if the commercials are correct there may not be anything satisfying about it.

If you haven’t seen any of the commercials—which reveal just about everything—I’m not going to spoil it for you. I’m just going to warn you to have lots of tissues, because there’s going to be something that you’re not going to like. Something that keeps making me hear that song…

“Hallelujah, hallelujah…”

You better get the tissues now…

“The O.C.” series finale airs Thursday, February 22nd at 9 p.m. on FOX.

And to relive all of my “O.C.” moments, just click on the “O.C.” label at the bottom of this post…

"The O.C." Moment: In the beginning...

I can remember the night “The O.C.” premiered. August 5, 2003.

I remember it because I actually had no intention of watching it—no matter how much FOX promoted it. But it came on, and I was so sucked in by those first five minutes, I had to keep watching.

The show began with a bang as Trey and his younger brother, Ryan, stole a car and then crashed it running from the police. Ryan’s lawyer, Sandy Cohen, showed up and the series moved from there. From the first moment I heard those opening strains of Phantom Planet’s “California” as Ryan tried to find a place to stay, I knew that “The O.C.” was something special…

TV pilots are a tricky thing. You have to make enough of a splash to get people to notice. But you also have to introduce enough of the characters and story to get people to come back. “The O.C.” did both beautifully. The clothes were hot, the music was cool, the scenery was gorgeous, the writing was snappy and smart and the characters were well-defined as we found out everything we needed to know in that first episode.

All of the typical teen soap elements were there as well including a love triangle (Ryan-Marissa-Luke), unrequited love (Seth and Summer) and disapproving parents (Kirsten and Julie). But on this show they didn’t seem quite so clichéd.

I have to admit I get a little sad watching the pilot now, because no matter how good the show was, nothing it ever did compared to that first amazing hour.

If you have SOAPNet, you’ll be able to watch reruns of “The O.C.” beginning next month. I encourage you to check out that first episode to see what good television is all about. It’s just a shame that it couldn’t stay that way…

Pick of the Week: "California, here we come" one final time...

If you've been reading this blog for the past month and a half, there should be no surprise that my Pick of the Week is "The O.C." series finale.

It's just such a shame that this once red-hot show has to go out opposite the biggest "Grey's Anatomy" of the season.

"The O.C." series finale airs Thursday, February 22nd at 9 p.m. on FOX...

In preparation for the big event, Wednesday, I'll list my picks for the best and worst series finales of all time. Then Thursday, I'll have a finale preview, plus we'll relive the series premiere in my final "O.C." moment...

The "O.C." Moment: Amy's List

When trying to come up with a list of the best “O.C.” moments, I had to consult my friend, Amy, who—like me—has been with the show from the beginning. In fact, Amy has almost every one of the show’s six soundtracks (They were Christmas presents from me, actually.).

So when I asked her what she thought, she gave me a list and instead of picking just one, I decided to share the entire list with my comments…

The death of Marissa
This would’ve been much more of a shocker if not for those annoying FOX promos and Mischa Barton spilling it the night before on “Access Hollywood.” A lot of people have said that this was the death of the show. But for me, it was a total rebirth. It’s been really great to see Ryan actually smile this year—especially since Ben McKenzie looks so good doing it.

The many men of Julie Cooper
When we first met Julie, she was just the typical television rich wife—all about the money and clothes, not so much about the family. But when she and her husband Jimmy split up after Jimmy lost all of his clients’ money, she became the best tramp on TV. Her first post-Jimmy relationship was Caleb Nichol, Kirsten’s father. And then came the doozy—Luke, her daughter Marissa’s ex-boyfriend. Caleb had dumped her and Luke just happened to come over when she was feeling lonely and it spiraled from there. Of course, everyone found out, Luke ended up leaving town, and Julie married Caleb. But Julie and Caleb didn’t work out (big surprise) and Julie ended up having an affair with Jimmy, her first husband. After Caleb died, Julie planned to marry Jimmy; but he got himself into trouble again and left town. That left Julie penniless and she was forced to live in a trailer park—until she fell for Summer’s father, Neil. But Julie’s grief over Marissa’s death killed that relationship and Neil moved to Seattle—although he allowed Julie to stay in the house. Julie then went through a younger man phase—including her daughter Kaitlyn’s tennis instructor. But she soon caught the eye of Bullitt, a wealthy businessman. However, Julie only had eyes for Ryan’s dad, Frank, who recently gave her a promise ring. Phew!

Six degrees of Theresa
We just couldn’t get rid of her. Every time you turned around she was there—Theresa, Ryan’s ex-girlfriend from Chino (Navi Rawat). First, she just happened to show up as a waitress at a Newport function Ryan attended. Then in season two, Ryan just happened to run into her on the street. Next, in season three, Kirsten just happened to see her at the airport. I really hope that she doesn’t just happen to turn up under some earthquake rumble. Then again, I’ve never forgiven her for her part in that horrible season one finale.

The music of “The O.C.”
During its red-hot days, “The O.C.” was known as much for introducing indie artists as it was for its stories, producing six soundtracks. But the music actually became a story as the show always had just the right song for every occasion. The show helped bring several acts into the mainstream including Death Cab for Cutie, Rooney, and Jem. For a complete list of the music used in every episode, visit http://www.musicfromtheoc.com/.

Don’t forget that the next-to-last episode of “The O.C.” airs tonight (Thursday) at 9 on FOX…

"The O.C." Moment: Ryan and Taylor's First Kiss

When I first heard the rumors over the summer that “The O.C.” might be planning a Ryan-Taylor romance, I was horrified. After all, Taylor was neurotic, annoying and totally wrong for our brooding hunk.

But in one moment, the show totally made me realize how wrong I was…

Taylor Townsend was first introduced to us in season three as Marissa’s chief rival at Harbor. But her character later evolved into a bit of a leech, sucking every ounce of attention she could from Seth, Summer, Ryan and Marissa, since she got very little attention from her snobby mother at home.

When this season began, Taylor was hiding from her mother, who thought she was in France. Apparently, Taylor had married a Frenchman after he told her he loved her. But when she realized she couldn’t spend the rest of her life with someone she didn’t love, she came back home. However, Henri-Michel wasn’t going to give up so easily, sending his lawyer to bring her back.

Knowing that she didn’t have the will power to say no, Taylor asked the only friend available to go with her—Ryan. When the lawyer told Taylor that the only way Henri would grant a divorce was if she had been unfaithful, Taylor lied and said that she and Ryan were lovers. After Ryan discovered what Taylor had done, he told her she was on her own. But when Sandy reminded Ryan that he was all about saving people, Ryan ran off to save Taylor.

When Ryan arrived at the restaurant, Taylor was in tears, telling the lawyer that she didn’t love Henri-Michel. In a classic “O.C.” moment, Ryan ran to her, apologized for being late, and gave her a passionate kiss. The lawyer said he knew love when he saw it and would tell Henri-Michel. Ryan just walked away, but Taylor was left in a lovestruck daze…

Although not every moment of their relationship has totally made sense, it’s been nice to see Ryan in a happier place instead of all of the gloom and doom he was forced to go through with Marissa. I really hope they get a happy ending…

“The O.C.” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX…

"The O.C." Moment: Your Friendly Neighborhood Seth Cohen

“I’m from Southern California. I’ll melt,” Seth tells Ryan in the opening scene of “The O.C.” episode, “The Rainy Day Women.” It was pouring the rain, and no one was really sure what to do. In fact, Seth, since he didn’t own a raincoat, wore a Spider-Man mask outside to protect himself. The mask didn’t really make sense at first, but its purpose would soon become awesomely clear…

Summer was at the airport, preparing to fly to Italy with her new boyfriend, Zach. She was going to be a bride’s maid in Zach’s sister’s wedding. Seth, realizing the implications of the trip, made one last attempt to get Summer back. But when it failed, he left a message on her cell phone, wishing her a good trip.

As Summer listened to the message at the airport, she saw a little boy, who looked like Seth, playing with a toy horse (like Seth’s). Realizing she was with the wrong guy, Summer tearfully told Zach that she couldn’t go and took off.

Meanwhile, Seth, discovering that the satellite dish was out at his house, donned his Spider-Man mask and went up on the roof to fix it. But Seth slipped and ended up hanging upside down from the roof, with the dish cord wrapped around his foot.

It was obvious by this point what the purpose of the mask was, but that didn’t make the moment any less special…

When Summer arrived at the house, she found Seth, still hanging. “What are you doing here?” Seth asked her. “What do you think, Cohen?” she replied. Then, of course, she peeled back the Spider-Man mask to expose Seth’s mouth and gave him a kiss—just like in the movie.

The song in the scene was the matt pond PA cover of “Champagne Supernova,” recorded specially for the show. This was a bit of an echo of Seth and Summer’s Valentine’s Day dance to another Oasis cover, Ryan Adams’ “Wonderwall”…

On the DVD commentary for this episode, Creator/Writer Josh Schwartz said he fought hard to keep FOX from using the kiss in the previews, because he wanted to keep it a surprise. I’m glad he won…

If you’d like to relive my other “O.C.” moments, just click on the label below. And be sure to post your own memories.

“The O.C.” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX…

"The O.C.": Happy Doesn't Always Make Sense

Oftentimes, when a show knows it’s going off the air, it tries so hard to give everyone a happy ending that the stories don’t make sense.

Unfortunately, that’s what seems to be happening to my beloved “The O.C.,” as you well know if you saw last night’s episode…

Warning: The remainder of this post gives details about last night’s episode.

You know that I think Taylor and Ryan are a great couple, but didn’t they make up just a little too quickly? Taylor gets a therapist, who tells her not to speak to Ryan—which of course Taylor can’t do—until Taylor can get herself together. That made sense. But when Ryan shows up at the end of the episode, Taylor just chucks all of her pretty speeches out the window and goes with Ryan. And Ryan, even though Taylor has been ignoring him for weeks, just sweeps everything under the rug.

On second thought, maybe that was completely realistic…

I like that the show is trying to give Julie a happy ending and Bullet proposing to her totally makes sense, since his character is naturally impetuous. But Frank proposing to her (as cool of an idea as that is) doesn’t make us much sense since they’ve only been dating for a few weeks—although the passage of time on this show gets murkier by the week. And Ryan would help his abusive dad get together with Julie—Marissa’s mother—why?

As annoying as Che was starting to get, that story ended way too quickly. Wouldn’t it have been a lot funnier if Summer found out that Che thought her boyfriend was his soulmate? And is it just me or do Summer and Seth never have any scenes together anymore? I can’t help but think that the Adam Brody-Rachel Bilson split is starting to affect storylines.

And as for the Kirsten pregnancy, I’m not really sure what to say about that. If the show wasn’t cancelled, I might say that it was a clever twist in the Cohen family dynamic. But now it kind of rings hollow. I would rather think of Kirsten and Sandy spending the rest of their lives together—just the two of them—with Sandy righting injustices and Kirsten planning the parties to celebrate when he does.

So, yes, I’m a little disappointed at the show’s closing stretch, but I’m still holding out hope that the ending will be worth all of the stuff we had to go through to get there.

Remember that the series finale of “The O.C.” airs February 22nd on FOX—just four episodes away…

"The O.C." Moment: "Hallelujah"

If my life had a soundtrack, then whenever something bad happened to me, there would be someone singing, “Hallelujah, hallelujah…” just like on “The O.C.”

The song made its debut on the show in the second episode. Trying to protect Ryan from the police, Seth and Marissa hid Ryan in the Newport Group model home. To help him pass the time, Marissa made Ryan a “Model Home Mix” CD. “This song reminds me of you,” she told him, as we were introduced to those now familiar sounds…

“Well I heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do you?”

Marissa had come to the home to spend the night with Ryan, but he told her they were too different and kicked her out. The song continued to play as she cried while driving away…

“Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing hallelujah”

The song’s big moment, though, was in the season one finale during the gutwrenching final scenes. The song began as Ryan rode away with Theresa, driving past Marissa standing at the curb—just as in the series premiere. I still get sick to my stomach every time I hear it…

“Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah”

After almost a two-year absence, the song resurfaced for another tragic moment in the relationship of Ryan and Marissa—Marissa’s death. The song played in the closing moments as she died in Ryan’s arms. This time, however, the song had a female voice…

“Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you”

“Hallelujah” has been used on numerous shows, including “Grey’s Anatomy;” but for me, it will always signify the most tragic moments of “The O.C.” It was written by Leonard Cohen for his 1984 album, “Various Positions.” But most music critics agree that the seminal version (heard in the first season) is by the late Jeff Buckley, which can be found on his 1994 album, “Grace.” The song has been recorded by many other artists, including Imogen Heap (the female voice in season three) and Rufus Wainwright for the “Shrek” soundtrack.

Interestingly, “Hallelujah” is not on any of the six “O.C.” soundtracks. The Imogen Heap version was scheduled to appear on “Mix 6” (the most recent CD), but it didn’t make the cut. I have to wonder if the producers were letting the song go, or just the memory of Marissa.

I know that I said earlier that I had better not hear the song again before the show goes off the air, but the truth is, when something bad happens (notice I didn’t say if), and they don’t play it, I’m going to be mad. So what if it makes people think about Marissa…

“The O.C.” airs Thursday at 9 p.m. on FOX…

“And she tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah…”

"The O.C." Moment: Merry Chrismakkuh!

“Drawing on the best that Christianity and Judaism have to offer,” Chrismakkuh made its debut December 3, 2003.

In one of the show’s patented rapid-fire dialogue opening teasers, “The O.C.” introduced us to Seth’s super holiday that consisted of “eight days of presents followed by one day of many presents.” And if you were one of Seth’s girlfriends, one of those presents would be the Seth Cohen starter pack which consisted of CDs from Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, The Shins, Kavalier and Clay and a DVD of “The Goonies”—because “it’s not just for kids.”

Of course, Ryan wasn’t eager to jump in at first since the holidays brought back bad memories for him, but thanks to a “Chrismakkuh miracle,” Ryan was able to see the light.

Or was the Chrismakkuh miracle Seth’s present of Summer in the Wonder Woman costume?...

Chrismakkuh became an annual tradition for the show, and with the exception of this year, it usually marked the best episode of the season.

In season two, the yarmaclaus (from the Jewish yarmulke) was added to the tradition as the Cohen family brought the holiday to Lindsay, Kirsten’s newly discovered sister (and Ryan’s girlfriend). In season three, to raise money for Marissa’s friend, Johnny, Seth threw a Chrismakkuh Bar Mitzvah-kah for Ryan—which gave Seth the Bar Mitzvah he always wanted (which included the Bar Mitzvah song, “That’s What Friends Are For”). This season, Ryan and Taylor traveled to an alternate universe where Sandy and Julie were married, Kirsten was married to Jimmy, and Summer was engaged to Che (who was sleeping with Julie). They were able to leave when Taylor told off her mom and Ryan said goodbye to Marissa.

I have to say I’m sad that I won’t be celebrating any more Chrismakkuhs with the Cohens. It almost makes me wish I had a half-Jewish family of my own…

Be sure to join me next Thursday for another trip down memory lane. In the meantime, feel free to share your “O.C.” memories by posting a comment…

"The O.C." Moment: "Welcome to the O.C..."

As I walked through the McDonald’s parking lot, the drive-thru music greeted me with the sounds of Phantom Planet’s “California”—better known as the theme to “The O.C.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Apparently someone at McDonald’s Muzak provider knew that I would be coming home afterwards to write my first “O.C.” moment.

And there’s really no other one I could start with…

When Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) came to Newport, he immediately clashed with the popular crowd—especially Luke Ward (Chris Carmack), the captain of the Harbor High water polo team. Luke’s dislike of Ryan came partly because Ryan was from Chino, but it was mostly because of Ryan’s instant connection with Luke’s girlfriend, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).

In the series premiere, Ryan and Seth attended a wild party after Newport party girl Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) invited Ryan (She had a thing for Ryan and Seth had a thing for her.). When Seth ended up alone on the beach, the water polo team started knocking him around.

Ryan, who would become known for swinging first and thinking later, jumped in to help. Ryan ended up fighting with Luke, but he was outnumbered by Luke’s friends.

As Ryan lay on the beach, battered and bruised, Luke taunted him from above.

“Welcome to the O.C., b***h! This is how it’s done in Orange County.”

It became the catchphrase of the summer.

On the season one DVD, real Harbor students told Executive Producer McG that it was the running gag in the real Newport for about two weeks, but they had never heard anyone say it before the show. According to them, no one ever used the term the O.C. before Josh Schwartz did (which Orange County native McG gives him a hard time about on the DVD).

As for Luke and Ryan (and Seth), by the end of the season, they were friends.

Do you have a favorite “The O.C.” moment? Over the next six weeks, I’ll be sharing what I think are the show’s most classic moments. I hope you’ll share your thoughts as well…

"The O.C.": Where Did It All Go Wrong?

It could’ve been an ordinary teen soap opera, but it wasn’t. No, “The O.C.” was something truly special.

Yes, there were the requisite pretty people doing pretty things in pretty places. But there was also dialogue that absolutely crackled. There was great indie music that fit every scene perfectly. Plus, there were adult characters that actually had interesting things to do that we actually cared about.

So where did it all go wrong?

Any time a show becomes a sensation, everyone around it becomes a sensation as well. Creator Josh Schwartz was suddenly very much in demand and he left his baby in other hands to quickly crank out a spin-off for FOX (which never happened). When the key people of a show start working on other things, that always means trouble.

You could also argue that it was all too much too soon. “The O.C.” kids were featured on every magazine cover and every show coming and going. Even MTV created a reality show about the “real” O.C. Burnout was probably a foregone conclusion.

Then, there’s the scheduling. FOX moved the show to Thursdays hoping it would give the network some much needed traction on an important night. But it never happened.

However, I believe that the answer to the question is a very simple one—that absolutely atrocious season one finale.

When the series began, Seth Cohen was an unpopular geek who had pined his entire life for the popular Summer Roberts. And by the end of the season, he had actually won her heart. But when Seth heard that Ryan was leaving Newport, he decided he couldn’t face living there without him and he left his beloved Summer to sail away in his boat.

It made absolutely no sense. And if the season finale of “24” hadn’t been the next week, I may have thrown something through the TV.

It was bad enough that Ryan was going back to Chino to help take care of a baby that might not even be his; but for Seth to leave everything he ever wanted because of that was absolutely ridiculous.

And the show never recovered.

When “The O.C.” returned for its second season, the characters were unrecognizable. Ryan was studious and boring, Kirsten and Sandy’s marriage was crumbling, and Marissa decided to pursue a relationship with another woman, who had been sleeping with Seth. Midway through the season, Josh Schwartz returned to right the ship, but the changes didn’t stick as the show sank into even more gloomy melodrama that only the death of Marissa last season was able to rescue it from.

But it was too late. The show had been too inconsistent for too long and too many people had already stopped watching.

I’m terribly sad that the show was cancelled after finally straightening things out, but I’m also happy that the show will get to go out on top. Not everyone can say that these days and hopefully, those of us who have stuck it out will get the payoff we deserve.

But if I hear one note of that “Hallelujah” song, I’m turning off the TV…

The News I've Been Dreading

So now there’s another reason for you to watch tonight’s “The O.C.”...

Because soon you won’t be able to watch at all.

This morning I got the news I’ve been dreading. “The O.C.” has been cancelled. The final episode will air February 22nd.

Interestingly, there has been some Internet buzz that the CW might be interested in the show (since it is produced by Warner Bros.), but it might be time to let it go. Though I must say that will be easier said than done.

I’ll have much more in the coming weeks…