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The O.C. (Season 4)
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 10/1/2002
Posts: 14,726
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Season Premiere tonight!
Canadians: CTV at 7pm, or Fox at 9pm
Here's an article, one in many glowing reviews for tonight's episode.
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'The O.C.' fights back
Marissa's death seems to have re-energized this cast and these writers' for season four
By BILL BRIOUX -- Toronto Sun
There are certain truths in television. Move a show, lose 20% of the audience. If you want your show to go four-and-out, cast Jason Gedrick, Ted McGinley or Eric Balfour. Sitcoms are dead -- until the next big one comes along.
Here's another one: Kill off one of your main characters, kill off your show.
All In The Family was never the same without Edith Bunker. M*A*S*H turned to mush after Henry Blake's 'copter crash, ER without Dr. Mark Greene -- bad medicine.
Last spring, pretty but wooden Mischa Barton made a shocking departure from The O.C. Her character, high school princess Marissa, was killed in a car accident.
At the time, the stunt seemed like a desperate ploy to extend a prime-time soap that had slid in the ratings. Here's another shocker -- tonight's fourth season premiere (7 p.m. on CTV, 9 p.m. on Fox) is one of the series' best episodes.
Marissa's death spiked the show's central love story, the Romeo-and-Juliet pairing of the beautiful and privileged girl next door and Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie), the sullen young turk from the wrong side of the tracks.
Tonight's hour, and a peek at two subsequent episodes, suggests that The O.C. is more than okay. Instead of dead-ending the series, Marissa's death seems to have re-energized this cast and these writers.
The story picks up five months later. Ryan, who skipped Marissa's funeral, is still beating himself up -- literally. He lives behind a Fight Club-like bar where he gets pummelled nightly. Marissa's hot mom, Julie (Melinda Clarke), is back on the pills, much to the chagrin of her latest rich hubby (nicely overplayed by Michael Nouri) and her problem-child daughter Kaitlin (Willa Holland). Schemer Julie's latest mission is to get Ryan to track down the dude who drove her little girl to her death.
Blank-faced McKenzie has always run the gamut of emotion from A-to-B. His limited range as an actor fits perfectly with his new persona -- the damaged, grieving lover, stunned into an emotionless shell.
The rest of the Cohens are soldiering on. Kooky Seth (Adam Brody) is moving forward with his comic-book business. He still pines for Summer (Rachel Bilson), now thousands of miles away at Brown University.
There she hooks up with a tree hugger played by Chris Pratt, who demonstrated he could juggle teen hunk/comedy relief as Bright on Everwood.
The Mom and Dad, Kirsten and Sandy Cohen (played by Kelly Rowan and Peter Gallagher), are still enabling all these horny kids, providing food and shelter and well-fueled SUVs. The O.C. always did a good job balancing the mom and dad and kid storylines, and that hasn't changed.
Tonight's show ends with Ryan returning under the Cohen roof to discover that Seth has turned everyone into comic-book characters, with Ryan emerging as the family's unlikely superhero. Ironically, with the death of Marissa, the characters have never seemed less cartoony, more three dimensional.
This series is still cool with the kids -- who will probably get over Marissa a lot quicker than Ryan did.
One new-media note: You can catch tonight's O.C. season premiere, plus the second episode, free on demand at ctv.ca (click on "The CTV Broadband Network"). While Global is already streaming Survivor, Deal Or No Deal and a few other U.S. reality shows, The O.C. becomes the first U.S. drama streamed on a Canadian broadband provider.
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Member Since: 8/6/2003
Posts: 50,977
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I totally agree about the part that says the 4th season premiere is one of the best The O.C. episodes EVER. It's actually my third favourite. I was amazed by the quality of the episode, so Marissa really did a good thing when she left Orange County.
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 6/29/2002
Posts: 77,601
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People weren't kidding, the season opener was awesome
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 1/15/2002
Posts: 1,940
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Damn! That was such an awesome season premiere, and from what I hear, it only gets better. Marissa dying has really really helped the show.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/24/2001
Posts: 1,557
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After last season's finale and killing off Marissa, I was like the show wont ever be the same, it's over. But I was REALLY surprised at how well done the season premiere was. I liked how it was months later and still showed each character coping with her death and trying to move on. It was really sad too..I feel so bad for Ryan and Julie and Summer Loved Seth's comic book though
I'm interested to see Taylor's storyline next week too
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 10/1/2002
Posts: 14,726
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Great premiere.
But ratings got sliced 2.5/4 ratings share.
That's 50% less than Season 3.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 10/1/2002
Posts: 14,726
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The 2nd episode of Season 4 is the best the O.C. has been since "Rainy Day Women" in Season 2 (Spiderman kiss episode for anyone who doesn't know).
It's absolutely hillarious. It's twisted (lots of surprises). And it's just classic OC-style writing and plot development. Honestly, brilliant.
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 6/29/2002
Posts: 77,601
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I thought 4x01 was better. But 4x02 was good as well. Julie is incredible
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Member Since: 8/6/2003
Posts: 50,977
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I just wish people would realise this season is amazing and come watch it again!!! Hope Fox will stick to the wednesdays, it's an easier day than the thursdays (aka Grey's Anatomy and CSI).
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 10/1/2002
Posts: 14,726
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Man it's Grey's.
No girl will pick OC over Grey's - at least where I go to school anyway.
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Member Since: 8/6/2003
Posts: 50,977
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sam's Town
Man it's Grey's.
No girl will pick OC over Grey's - at least where I go to school anyway.
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Not only the girls, I'd say. That's why OC needs to stay on the wednesdays, now that Lost is gone for 3 months, the ratings will probably get better!
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Member Since: 10/13/2003
Posts: 48,022
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 10/1/2002
Posts: 14,726
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Another fantastic episode. Julie is dynamite.
- Ratings were just as bad on Wednesday. That could also be attributed to Fox's last minute decision for this "double header". But it could also be (the more likely scenario) that the show has lost it's pop culture "za".
Shame. The show is better than ever.
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This is so far as good as season 1
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/24/2001
Posts: 1,557
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I had NO idea it was on Wed night and I missed it except for when I switched over during Lost commercials ... can someone tell me what happened
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Member Since: 5/17/2006
Posts: 6,429
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Quote:
Originally posted by Anthony Kerty
Not only the girls, I'd say. That's why OC needs to stay on the wednesdays, now that Lost is gone for 3 months, the ratings will probably get better!
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You can watch it online on their offical oc myspace site Before the episode airs
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Member Since: 8/6/2003
Posts: 50,977
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The stupid Fox has to promote somewhere else BESIDES their official website. Damn it. It can't end now when it's enjoyable again!
And I TOTALLY agree with Sam's Town: Julie is the BEST. Anywayz, the critics are saying the 4th episode is one of the best things on TV EVER - so, if so far it's good as it is, imagine what we're goin' to see next week!!
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Member Since: 7/1/2005
Posts: 12,107
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I missed everything but the first episode and I can't watch it on myspace, so does anyone have links or something? Now, I'm curious.
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Member Since: 8/6/2003
Posts: 50,977
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Quote:
Originally posted by Exodus
I missed everything but the first episode and I can't watch it on myspace, so does anyone have links or something? Now, I'm curious.
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Do you use *******? I have ******* links.
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Member Since: 7/1/2005
Posts: 12,107
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Quote:
Originally posted by Anthony Kerty
Do you use *******? I have ******* links.
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aww...I don't. Do you have like megaupload or something?
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