The O.C. - The Complete First Season (DVD, 2004, 7 disc Box Set)

This review is designed to share some insights on the television show "The O.C." from the perspective of someone who grew up in Chino Hills, California and spent Saturdays in the summer enjoying the surf and turf of Orange County.

The series (written and produced by Josh Schwartz) focuses on the lives of an very wealthy Orange County family consisting of a driven corporate real estate executive (Kelly Rowan) and her compassionate husband lawyer (Peter Gallagher) and their hilarious, and nerdy son (Adam Brody) who adopt a troubled teenager Ryan Atwood from Chino Hills (Benjamin MacKenzie) after being abandoned by his alcoholic single mother. Here you find a clash of two different worlds: the rich and poor and the melting pot of liberal and conservative, Christian and Jew.

Romance, drama, glamour, fights, drugs, sex and rock and roll play an expected part in this drama in the lives of teenagers and adults in the O.C. as they seek to find purpose and significance within the broken world they are living.

Although on the surface this show looks to be just another teen drama it digs much deeper and addresses many societal problems of child neglect, social injustice, prejudice, corporate greed, adoption, abortion, divorce and re-marriage, alcoholism, break-down in the current child welfare system and much more!

The show regularly asks the question- can a poor kid from a neglected background and the poor town of Chino Hills if transplanted into a supportive, loving family with healthy boundaries overcome the habits, expectations and societal limitations he has grown up with and learn to become a healthy young man who can in turn make a positive contribution to society? As you shall see, this is not an easy task. In fact it is one that drives the Cohen's to question their decision on more than one occasion. In the end, it will be worth it for the viewer of the O.C. because people do matter. Both worlds are tainted with equally devastating weaknesses. And both can and do find redemption. But it requires some tough choices along the way. Some make them, others don't.

A side note: Chino Hills actually is not poor today! In fact it is one of the wealthiest in California. But there are some parts that remain poor.)

The show centers much of its attention on the privileged teenagers Marissa Cooper and her best friend, Summer who is the obsession of Seth, and Ryan Atwood's mixed and evolving affections for Marissa. Together they grow up in the often "plastic" yet entertaining O.C. As they have fun, date, face challenges or ponder some of the deeper issues in life they discover they have much more in common with each other than they ever imagined. I think you will enjoy Season One of "The O.C."

For music lovers there are many excellent "Indie" aka alternative bands introduced throughout the series including Cold Play, Youth Group, Roonie, Matt Pond PA, and Phantom Planet whose theme song for the O.C. "California" simply rocks!

A final note: the show explores a lot of issues facing teenagers these days and parental supervision is therefore recommended for some episodes due to adult themes and sexuality. Nevertheless, I still find a lot of good in this well acted drama worth recommending it to others. However, seasons 2 and 3 contain episodes that exploit teenage sexuality in counterproductive ways in order to boost viewership and ratings and I don't recommend them. Season 4 offers humanistic redemption, but nonetheless inspiring.