# Does anybody watch "The OC"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916 "2005-01-15T21:47:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/1 "2005-01-15T21:47:17Z")
Well? (I ain’t admitting to it, for the record.) ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/2 "2005-01-15T23:31:41Z")
I’ve never bothered to watch The O.C., but the majority of my friends like/love it. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/3 "2005-01-16T00:53:05Z")
My wife watches it occasionally…that and Everwood are her guilty pleasures. She doesn’t post here though. Sorry, that’s all I got. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/4 "2005-01-16T00:55:57Z")
I do! I think it’s a great show, actually. It balances ridiculous (though highly entertaining) melodrama with a subtle self-awareness that you don’t see in most other teen dramas. I think it embraces its genre without being a parody or taking itself too seriously. Plus, Adam Brody and Ben McKenzie are _totally_ hot. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/5 "2005-01-16T00:59:44Z")
Argh! I once got of a subway and caught hte next one because itw as covered in _The O.C._ ads, and I hate, hate, HATE the sight of [monkeyboy](http://webhome.idirect.com/~clzoll/proboscis.jpg)! Hate him. And that blond girl too. But the few times I’ve seen it the writing has been decent but the show can’t quite decide whether it wants to be like _Melrose Place_ or _Desperate Housewives_. It ends up feeling a little retro to me, like it was written in the 1990s. I dunno why. It also seem to be the twin show of _One Tree Hill_ only the latter doesn’t have a proboscis monkey as the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/6 "2005-01-16T01:01:14Z")
> [@shy guy](#): > > Plus, Adam Brody and Ben McKenzie are _totally_ hot. Gah! Monkeyboy! (Adam Brody seems to be a good kid though.) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/7 "2005-01-16T01:08:44Z")
I love _The OC_! Teen angst, decent writing, Ben McKenzie, and Peter Gallagher . . . what’s not to like? 😃 I watch it every week, which means I have to tape _Life As We Know It_ – now, does anyone else watch _that_ show? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/8 "2005-01-16T03:10:14Z")
I was a little surprised that I couldn’t find a thread on this show, especially given the (real-time) participation that the numerous threads about shows like 24 get. I was beginning to think that all other Dopers were too highbrow to watch a show like this. **Eats\_Crayons** , I myself wondered why people think that Ryan (Adam Brody’s character?) is so good looking. It seems to me that there’s something wrong with his eyes, but since I’m a heterosexual male, I figured I’m not the best judge of these things. But there was a scene when Ryan first meets Lindsay(?) and she says “God doesn’t give with both hands” to express her incredulity that he could be smart. What really made me say “WTF?” is the fact that she’s hot as balls. (“Kettle, I’d like you to meet Pot. Pot… Kettle.”) But anyway, this show is like crack for me. It’s on a very short list (with Lost and 24) of shows that I make an effort to watch every week. Sure the twisted family conflagrations\* are kind of ridiculous (e.g. Ryan discovers that he’s dating his adoptive-half-aunt, after having dated (who would become) his adoptive-step-aunt in the first season.), but I like they way that they will occasionally make comments acknowledging things like this, as opposed to acting like situations like theirs are common in their world. I like any scene where Seth Cohen is talking. He’s the coolest nerd of all time. And the Cohens are the greatest parents in TV. Caring, but not in a 7th Heaven kind of religiously annoying kind of way. Cool, but not in a “I got you a box of rubbers” kind of way. Damn, I feel so gay. I did point out that I’m a hetero- male, didn’t I? - I’m not positive that this is a word ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/9 "2005-01-16T04:02:58Z")
Everyone\* in Australia loves it. :rolleyes: I bought a shirt for a friend that has “Love the O.C.” on it just the other day. Apparently I’m strange because I can’t stand the show. \*And by everyone I mean uni students. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/10 "2005-01-16T04:06:08Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > Damn, I feel so gay. I did point out that I’m a hetero- male, didn’t I? Don’t worry, the shirt I bought was pink, from a girls’ clothing store, and the hetero-male friend I bought it for has worn it (he wanted it ok!). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/11 "2005-01-16T04:18:25Z")
I don’t watch it, but I sometimes have it on in the background with the sound muted while I’m waiting for something interesting to come on (Rove Live, usually). From what I can tell it’s just the same as all those other teen angsty series, with a lot of rich good looking emotionally unstable young people doing stupid rash things to each other, and a lot of partner swapping, and an obvious lead guy who will end up with the obvious lead girl but things constantly get in the way so as to extend the will they won’t they premise. What i can’t figure out is why the aforementioned leads never seem to smile. They all look like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, even though it’s only ever a shallow soap opera plot each time. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/12 "2005-01-16T21:07:35Z")
I, for one, love this show. My dad and I watch it together. I love Seth Cohen and I want Adam Brody for a friend in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/13 "2005-01-16T23:34:28Z")
I really like this show but I usually work thursdays and never remember to tape it. I like how the adults are as featured as the kids so it’s more varied. Micha Barton went from yummy to annoying as hell pretty quick though. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/14 "2005-01-17T06:09:01Z")
I watch it regularly. It’s not my favorite show, but it’s certainly enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/15 "2005-01-17T15:33:20Z")
Does anybody watch “The OC”? Until I read this thread, my answer was, “Nobody I know.” ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/16 "2005-01-17T16:40:32Z")
Isn’t “THE OC” supposed to be an updated version of “The prince and the pauper”? The main character-wasn’t he adopted from the slums of LA or something? he has to learn all the nicesties of Orage County upper-class teenage life…like how to sulk, how to demand things from his parents, and how to get as much sex as possible from his girlfriends? Anyway, what happens to these kids when (while pondering their empty lives), they decide to become political liberals? ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/17 "2005-01-17T17:37:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Isn’t “THE OC” supposed to be an updated version of “The prince and the pauper”? The main character-wasn’t he adopted from the slums of LA or something? he has to learn all the nicesties of Orage County upper-class teenage life No. In fact, a big part of the first season is Ryan learning that the two social spheres are largely the same except that people in one have more money than people in the other. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/18 "2005-01-17T19:03:58Z")
I could sooooo lose my guy card for posting this…but I watch this show every week. My wife and I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/19 "2005-01-17T19:11:16Z")
Nah. I got my fill back when it was called _Melrose Place_. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-watch-the-oc/284916/20 "2005-01-17T21:37:14Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > **Eats\_Crayons** , I myself wondered why people think that Ryan (Adam Brody’s character?) is so good looking. > … > I like any scene where Seth Cohen is talking. He’s the coolest nerd of all time. Ryan=Benjamin MacKenzie Seth Ezekiel=Adam Brody I watch this show every week (except I missed the Chrismakkah episode). I thought Ryan was hot when he looked longingly at Marissa with those limpid eyes, but now he’s just any kid. Seth is much more interesting. The show takes itself lightly which is fun. And now I pay a lot more attention to the adults, esp Peter Gallagher and his wife, because they can be funny too. The Melrose Place crap with Marissa’s mom I just tune out. And yes, I do stayed tuned for “North Shore”; the Melrose Place crap with Shannen Doherty I just tune out.