The O.C.

Overview

This modern soap opera mines the intertwined lives of the Cohen, Cooper and Nichol families for drama, with a contemporary music soundtrack adding to the proceedings. Ryan, a teenager from the wrong side of the Chino tracks, finds himself in well-to-do Newport Beach — an enclave of Southern California’s Orange County. Taken in by a lawyer and his family, Ryan winds up in the midst of snarky, wealthy high schoolers and their sun-drenched angst.

It was so trite and clichéd, it was painful.

Main character, Marissa Cooper, had relationships with men and one woman. It happened, conveniently, around sweeps.

Marissa’s sexual orientation, other than her known heterosexual identity, was never confirmed by the series, and was reported to be “Marissa just experimenting with the fairer sex and not committing to a full-on romantic, sapphic relationship.” The executives did, however, cite her relationship with Alex as an important one, and one that was successful with viewers.

Jason Schwartz said that the network was “nervous” about the storyline and wanted it “wrapped up as fast as humanly possible and Alex moving on out of the OC.” Because of that, the show is possibly gay for ratings.