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Special Features
- All 27 episodes from the 2003-04 season
- On-screen music track guide viewing mode on six episodes
- Unaired scenes
- Featurette on casting the series
- Inside the real OC with executive producer McG
- Featurette on the music used in the series
- Season 2 sneek peak
- Weblinks
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It looked like a standard teen soap on the outside, but once you scratched the surface of the glittery, sun-dappled Fox drama The O.C., you'd find underneath a number of surprisingly well-developed characters, fun plots that played around with their soap conventions, and some of the wittiest dialogue this side of an Aaron Sorkin show. The setup was pure high concept: hunky, brooding Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) was a good kid from Chino starting to go bad, and thanks to the interference of his lawyer, Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher), finds himself whisked away from the wrong side of the tracks to the mansions and manicured lawns of Orange County. Soon, Ryan finds himself living in the Cohens' pool house, involved with troubled rich girl Marissa (Mischa Barton), and bristling against the societal confines of his new home, as the people may be richer but they're just as screwed up as anyone else. Still, somehow, he manages to bring out the humanity of the superficial people around him, and they become all the better for knowing him.
Okay, enough with the Beverly Hills, 90210 scenario--what The O.C. turned out to be was the most addictive TV soap in recent memory, and one with a brain to boot. Smarter than Melrose Place, sexier than 90210, funnier than Felicity, and not as enamored of itself as Dawson's Creek, The O.C. reveled in clever and hilarious dialogue (the pilot episode earned a WGA nomination) and quirky, eccentric characters. Most noteworthy was breakout star Adam Brody, who as Ryan's geeky newfangled brother-type Seth practically stole the teen heartthrob mantle away from Russell Crowe-lookalike McKenzie. Barton was a bit of a blank as the troubled Marissa, but her best pal, the blissfully superficial Summer, was played by Rachel Bilson as the perfect supporting character in a dizzy farce. And the adults, especially Gallagher and Kelly Rowan as the supportive Cohens, grounded the other half of the show in you know, like, maturity. Not that The O.C. ever forgot the fun that was to be had in TV-land, as most every other episode ended with a fistfight or someone falling into a pool--sometimes both. Here was a soap you could purely enjoy without guilt. --Mark Englehart
Product Description
When Ryan Atwood, a tough, guarded, fiercely intelligent 16-year-old plunges headlong into the wealthy, privileged community of Newport Beach, he soon discovers that the ruling families of Orange County are every bit as territorial as the tough crowd with which he ran on the streets of Chino. For Sandy Cohen, the idealistic public defender who takes Ryan in; his wife Kirsten, the linchpin of O.C. society; their awkward adolescent son, Seth; and the beautiful troubled girl next door, Marissa Copper - Ryan's presence will forever change their lives.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
126 of 141 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The first season of "The O.C." was the guilty pleasure of the 2003-2004 television series, although when it popped up in the summer of 2003 that really was more the end of the 2002-2003 television series. After CBS had its great success with the original "Survivor" as a summer series, it took a while for somebody to take the next step, which was what FOX did when they offered up this new soap opera into the wasteland of summer reruns. Actually, the first seven episodes that aired in August and September constituted a test run for "The O.C.," which came back with another twenty episodes starting at the end of October.
The appeal of the show based on the early buzz and media attention was supposed to be on the relationship between Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie), the boy from the wrong side of the track who is given a second chance by a compassionate lawyer, and Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), the spoiled little rich girl who lives next door. Basically the selling point was that he looked like a young Russell Crowe and she looked like a young Twiggy. But star-crossed lovers have been down to death, especially with the entire bad boy meets good girl angle, and the real reason we got hooked on this show was the Cohens, Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Seth (Adam Brody).
Clearly the sarcasm gene is dominant on the male side of the Cohen family. When Seth is once again the target of golden boy Luke Ward (Chris Carmack), he goes down with his mouth flapping, noting that at least he does not shave his chest. As Sandy says where he accuses Seth of being sarcastic and his son denies the charge, "Well, it's hard to tell sometimes." Actually it is just safer to assume the Cohens are being sarcastic. As the only female Cohen points out about her strange little home, "It's just a laugh riot around here." She, of course, is being ironic (rather than sarcastic), because as Sandy tells Seth, "I love your mother more than words, but not funny." But she's cynical and he's self-righteous, and it appears to be working out fine as long as her father stays out of the picture.
This is not to say that the others do not have their moments. After all, Marissa does listen to the Cramps and Stiff Little Fingers instead of Avril Lavigne, but none of the others are in Sandy and Seth's league. As for Ryan, as Seth points out he is now a Cohen, which means he has entered "a world of insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt." The problem is that with Ryan around to protect him, Seth fears that he might be getting soft, but he obviously does not need to worry about forgoing the "Seth Cohen retaliatory zinger."
Plus, Seth's love life is much more interesting than what Ryan is going through, where he and Luke just keep punching each other out over Marissa (pay attention and you will notice that only one of the first seven episodes does NOT have a punch thrown in it). Seth, on the other hand(s), is trying to juggle both Anna (Samaire Armstrong) and Summer (Rachel Bilson). Of course he makes the wrong choice. Anna already has a fine appreciation of graphic novels, whereas Summer has to be schooled in the basics of comic books. Seth still wants Summer because he has been the girl of his dreams (if you know what I mean), and having her fall for him provides a level of validation that Anna can never hope to match, even with her Jenga skills. She tries hard, but Summer is just not good enough for Seth.
I think the standout episode of the first season is "The Heartbreak," where Seth loses his virginity to Summer only to discover that the experience was not all that he thought it would be. Not only does Seth get a hearty pat on the back from Sandy, but his father also brings up the idea of foreplay, which compels Seth to try, try again. Yes, there is the joke about Summer declaring they are not having sex again and Seth agreeing that they have had "enough pain and suffering," but the idea that first love could be so disastrous is rather appealing. If there is a lesson here regarding teenage sex it would be that you should know what you are doing. None of these kids do and see what happens to them.
By the time we get to the first season's cliffhangers the only one I really cared about was Seth heading out to sea. The relationship between Ryan and Luke ends up being more interesting than the one between Ryan and Marissa, who find a new reason not to have sex pretty much every single week. Jimmy Cooper (Tate Donovan), Marissa's father, rips off everybody in town and still comes across better than his wife, Julie (Melinda Clarke), who goes after Kirsten's father, Caleb Nichol (Alan Dale) and ends up marrying him in the season finale. We dislike him the most because Sandy dislikes him the most. I do not care if Jimmy and Hailey (Amanda Righetti), Kirsten's sister, end up together because I am depressed over what happened with the restaurant and the competing meatloaf recipes.
Trash television is an important part of a balanced television diet. You can watch literate shows like "The Gilmore Girls," enjoy the take of "The West Wing" on important political topics, debate the wrong moves of the castaways on "Survivor," wrestle with God's will during "Joan of Arcadia," and enjoy the delightful wickedness of "Desperate Housewives." But sometimes you just need to wallow in a prime time soap opera, and with "The O.C." we have one that has the constant collision of characters and plot lines with the sort of wit we usually find only on Tina Fey's half of "Weekend Update."
The appeal of the show based on the early buzz and media attention was supposed to be on the relationship between Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie), the boy from the wrong side of the track who is given a second chance by a compassionate lawyer, and Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), the spoiled little rich girl who lives next door. Basically the selling point was that he looked like a young Russell Crowe and she looked like a young Twiggy. But star-crossed lovers have been down to death, especially with the entire bad boy meets good girl angle, and the real reason we got hooked on this show was the Cohens, Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Seth (Adam Brody).
Clearly the sarcasm gene is dominant on the male side of the Cohen family. When Seth is once again the target of golden boy Luke Ward (Chris Carmack), he goes down with his mouth flapping, noting that at least he does not shave his chest. As Sandy says where he accuses Seth of being sarcastic and his son denies the charge, "Well, it's hard to tell sometimes." Actually it is just safer to assume the Cohens are being sarcastic. As the only female Cohen points out about her strange little home, "It's just a laugh riot around here." She, of course, is being ironic (rather than sarcastic), because as Sandy tells Seth, "I love your mother more than words, but not funny." But she's cynical and he's self-righteous, and it appears to be working out fine as long as her father stays out of the picture.
This is not to say that the others do not have their moments. After all, Marissa does listen to the Cramps and Stiff Little Fingers instead of Avril Lavigne, but none of the others are in Sandy and Seth's league. As for Ryan, as Seth points out he is now a Cohen, which means he has entered "a world of insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt." The problem is that with Ryan around to protect him, Seth fears that he might be getting soft, but he obviously does not need to worry about forgoing the "Seth Cohen retaliatory zinger."
Plus, Seth's love life is much more interesting than what Ryan is going through, where he and Luke just keep punching each other out over Marissa (pay attention and you will notice that only one of the first seven episodes does NOT have a punch thrown in it). Seth, on the other hand(s), is trying to juggle both Anna (Samaire Armstrong) and Summer (Rachel Bilson). Of course he makes the wrong choice. Anna already has a fine appreciation of graphic novels, whereas Summer has to be schooled in the basics of comic books. Seth still wants Summer because he has been the girl of his dreams (if you know what I mean), and having her fall for him provides a level of validation that Anna can never hope to match, even with her Jenga skills. She tries hard, but Summer is just not good enough for Seth.
I think the standout episode of the first season is "The Heartbreak," where Seth loses his virginity to Summer only to discover that the experience was not all that he thought it would be. Not only does Seth get a hearty pat on the back from Sandy, but his father also brings up the idea of foreplay, which compels Seth to try, try again. Yes, there is the joke about Summer declaring they are not having sex again and Seth agreeing that they have had "enough pain and suffering," but the idea that first love could be so disastrous is rather appealing. If there is a lesson here regarding teenage sex it would be that you should know what you are doing. None of these kids do and see what happens to them.
By the time we get to the first season's cliffhangers the only one I really cared about was Seth heading out to sea. The relationship between Ryan and Luke ends up being more interesting than the one between Ryan and Marissa, who find a new reason not to have sex pretty much every single week. Jimmy Cooper (Tate Donovan), Marissa's father, rips off everybody in town and still comes across better than his wife, Julie (Melinda Clarke), who goes after Kirsten's father, Caleb Nichol (Alan Dale) and ends up marrying him in the season finale. We dislike him the most because Sandy dislikes him the most. I do not care if Jimmy and Hailey (Amanda Righetti), Kirsten's sister, end up together because I am depressed over what happened with the restaurant and the competing meatloaf recipes.
Trash television is an important part of a balanced television diet. You can watch literate shows like "The Gilmore Girls," enjoy the take of "The West Wing" on important political topics, debate the wrong moves of the castaways on "Survivor," wrestle with God's will during "Joan of Arcadia," and enjoy the delightful wickedness of "Desperate Housewives." But sometimes you just need to wallow in a prime time soap opera, and with "The O.C." we have one that has the constant collision of characters and plot lines with the sort of wit we usually find only on Tina Fey's half of "Weekend Update."
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The O.C. is much better than I expected it to be. I had been hearing so much about this show but was not really that interested in seeing it. I read the reviews here on amazon and saw nothing but positive reviews which of course made me curious to check it out. I ended up purchasing this first season and I have to say I was really pleased with how good the show is. I like the fact that the show is not just about kids in high school, but also their parents and family and how they all interact. The cast is really good and believable enough to either make you love them or hate them. The show is very emotional at times and it is very addicting. I think what scared me away before I ever saw an episode was that I figured The O.C. was just another show about rich kids in California like Beverly Hills 90210 and/or Melrose place. The show is so much more than those other shows and has just the right amount of drama mixed in with just the right amount of heart. I highly recommend The O.C. for anyone who likes must see TV. I can't wait until season 2 comes out on DVD.
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By K. Blonde
Format:DVD
There is a secret in many American households. A secret that grown adults whisper about conspiratorially to each other in office buildings across the country. A secret that 50 year old women hide behind their hands to talk about over lunch. A secret that men desperately don't want their buddies to find out...That dirty little secret is the O.C., the show no self-respecting adult wants to admit watching, but we know you're watching it!
Fox was genius with this show in promoting it during the dead zone of summer reruns. Most of us were clamoring for ANYTHING to watch and they provided us with a smart, fun and addictive show that is just as good the second time around on these DVDs.
The O.C. tells the stories of families in a wealthy community in Orange County, California, that would be the O.C. bit for the uninitiated. There is the usual prime time soap drama, good men, bad boys, good women and absolutely terrible women. What sets this show apart isn't the plots, which are pretty run of the mill, but rather the smart dialog and excellent acting.
The central characters of Sandy Cohen, played by the gorgeous Peter Gallagher, and Seth Cohen, played by the incredibly convincing Adam Brody, are what keep people coming back to the show. These are two of the most gifted actors on TV. They deliver sarcastic punch lines and truly dramatic dialog with equal skill. Other supporting actors, like the eye-pleasing Tate Donovan, round out the excellent cast.
If you missed the first season and you want to see what the buzz is all about, pick up this set and watch it, you won't be disappointed. Meet me behind the office building and we can talk about my autographed Peter Gallagher picture and my Captain Oats doll, if you promise not to tell anyone my little secret!
Fox was genius with this show in promoting it during the dead zone of summer reruns. Most of us were clamoring for ANYTHING to watch and they provided us with a smart, fun and addictive show that is just as good the second time around on these DVDs.
The O.C. tells the stories of families in a wealthy community in Orange County, California, that would be the O.C. bit for the uninitiated. There is the usual prime time soap drama, good men, bad boys, good women and absolutely terrible women. What sets this show apart isn't the plots, which are pretty run of the mill, but rather the smart dialog and excellent acting.
The central characters of Sandy Cohen, played by the gorgeous Peter Gallagher, and Seth Cohen, played by the incredibly convincing Adam Brody, are what keep people coming back to the show. These are two of the most gifted actors on TV. They deliver sarcastic punch lines and truly dramatic dialog with equal skill. Other supporting actors, like the eye-pleasing Tate Donovan, round out the excellent cast.
If you missed the first season and you want to see what the buzz is all about, pick up this set and watch it, you won't be disappointed. Meet me behind the office building and we can talk about my autographed Peter Gallagher picture and my Captain Oats doll, if you promise not to tell anyone my little secret!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
solid
When my girlfriend told me she was going to start watching this show, I figured it would give me 60 minutes a week to myself. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Radu Giosan
5.0 out of 5 stars
feel good show
i love the O.C. from day one, definitely my guilty pleasure. great soundtrack too, i would recommended that as well
Published 2 days ago by Ken Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take me to California...
Unfortunately, one of the DVDs is scratched (on my favorite episode, no less). So disappointed with Amazon's lack of quality in their shipments. But as for The OC... Read more
Published 8 days ago by SkinnyPrep
5.0 out of 5 stars
O.C. Season 1
I loved the OC especially in the early days, I love the music within the episodes the over dramatic acting and teenage angst. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Kathryn S. Steves
5.0 out of 5 stars
The OC is Addicting
I never watched The OC when it was actually on Tv. I decided to check it out because of a movie I had watched with Mischa Barton in it. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Gizmo1031
1.0 out of 5 stars
Awful!!
Their definition of "very good" and mine must be completely different. When I opened up the package the sides of the case were all torn up, the corners are destroyed, and the DVDs... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Meg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great buy
I bought all 4 seasons of the OC, they all came in time as said and they were perfect condition. The OC is one of my favorite shows, and i have bought all the seasons i have seen... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jaime Llamas
5.0 out of 5 stars
really good
Wonderful show. So much drama though, it is like most shows on tv and you are very aware that, that much would never happen to one group of people. But still worth the money.
Published 2 months ago by Cazbaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it!
Great show, only wish the complete series set was more affordable. Wife thought it was boring until she saw the first 2 episodes, now she's hooked!
Published 2 months ago by i_eat_food
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love
Obviously I was satisfied, I knew what I was buying, and downloaded it instantly, to be honest I would probably continue using itunes next time.
Published 3 months ago by paige smith
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