The catchphrase “trouble in paradise” will take on new meaning when Fox’s popular teen-angst sudser “The O.C.” returns at 7 p.m. Thursday. When last we saw Ryan, Marissa, Seth and Summer–six long, agonizing months ago–the young and privileged residents of Newport Beach were experiencing more pain and drama in 27 episodes than Joey and Dawson did on five full seasons of “Dawson’s Creek.”
Ill-fated lovers Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) learned that Ryan’s ex-girlfriend Theresa (Navi Rawat) from Chino was allegedly preggers with Ryan’s child, prompting righteous Ryan to head back to the hood that hatched him. Ryan’s untimely departure triggered the breakup of Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson) when Seth decided he couldn’t cope with the pretentiousness of NB without his best bud and sailed into the sunset.
Literally.
And that’s just what the kids were going through. The adults also were faced with a plethora of issues including the unholy alliance between Marissa’s adulterous, gold-digging mother Julie (Melinda Clarke) and Seth’s unsavory grandfather Caleb (Alan Dale), whom she married after Marissa’s father Jimmy (Tate Donovan) lost all his money. Julie’s marriage created even more tension between her and Marissa, who had not yet forgiven her mother for sleeping with her ex-boyfriend Luke (Chris Carmack), who had fallen for Julie when Marissa dumped him for Ryan.
Talk about your mama drama.
It seemed as though the only people who managed to get through a day without some sort of major meltdown were Seth’s parents Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) and Sandy (Peter Gallagher). But after previewing the first two episodes of the new season, it appears their time is coming.
“I think you’ll see the adult characters really facing some stronger dilemmas,” McKenzie said during a recent Fox network party at a trendy hot spot on Sunset Boulevard. “I think the division of drama will be a little more balanced. Ryan will still have his share–more than his share! It’s going to be an awesome season. The show looks great, feels great. We’re all really excited.”
What’s up next? Let’s just say that Seth is found on dry land, Marissa finds a few ways to cope, Ryan does the right thing–again, Caleb feels the heat, Julie discovers that more is less, Jimmy pops a question, and Seth’s parents try to rebuild their lives. The show also has added two new love interests for Marissa and Summer–DJ (Nicholas Gonzalez) and Zach (Michael Cassidy), who will make life a little more difficult for Ryan and Seth, respectively.
“I believe they might be going gay with Seth,” Brody joked. “I don’t know, it works on ‘Will & Grace.’ “
That’s not likely, but both Barton and Bilson did indicate that their characters would be moving on.
“Marissa will find someone new and hot,” Barton said in an earlier interview. “But that’s about all I can tell you right now. Just keep watching.”
How hot?
“Very, very hot. Sizzling, even.”
And, when asked if Summer would be giving Seth a second chance, Bilson said, “Would you? C’mon, he just left her!”
Despite the fact that “The O.C.” is moving from Wednesday to Thursday, a night that has often been the kiss of death for any show not on NBC or CBS, the show’s creator and executive producer Josh Schwartz seems to think that the fab foursome of Ryan, Marissa, Seth and Summer are likely to become our new “Friends.” Ironically, “The O.C.” will go up against our old friend “Joey” on NBC.
“I think Thursday night, I guess, is the most watched night of television during the week,” Schwartz said. “And I think Thursday night actually, in terms of the demographics, is actually much more favorable to us. We have our fan base, and I think they’re going to come with us. And I really do believe we’re going to be able to build on that audience and expand. I think it’s wide open.”
The show, which was the highest rated drama among adults 18 to 34 last season, did develop quite a following, and Fox is pimping its popularity to the hilt. The Season 1 DVD was released two weeks ago, and the show’s distributor, Warner Bros., will launch “The O.C. Insider” on Thursday in conjunction with the start of the second season. For an annual fee of $24.95, “O.C. Insiders” will receive a magazine, exclusive access to the www.theocinsider.com, music downloads, scoops on the latest in fashion, music, trends and merchandise, and, of course, the 411 on the actors and their characters.
“I think we all kind of had an idea the show would take off,” Bilson said. “It was so well-written and so well-conceived. I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen with Summer because she started off kind of snooty and then you saw this kinder side of her. It’s been a really intriguing evolution and a lot of fun to play.”
Perhaps one of the smartest things Schwartz and the show’s other executive producer McG did initially was to develop characters that the audience could not only identify with, but invest in as well. The other was to make it appealing to young and old alike.
“There’s a real cool factor to it,” said Brody. “Kids like it, adults can identify with it. A lot of parents watch this show so that they can relate to their kids. It’s new and it’s fresh and it’s just going to get better. Just watch and see.”
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Role play
Missed the first season? No worries. Here’s the lowdown on the characters you need to know so you can get on the Season 2 bandwagon:
Ryan Atwood
(Played by Benjamin McKenzie)
Ryan is the Dylan McKay of the 2000s. Last season, the troubled kid from Chino, Calif., didn’t quite fit in with the Orange County crowd. After narrowly escaping a stay in juvenile hall in Chino, Ryan’s public defender, Sandy Cohen, brought Ryan to live with his own family in Newport Beach. Drama ensued when Ryan started dating Marissa and subsequently left town in the season finale when he may have gotten his ex-girlfriend pregnant. The season premiere should answer the big question: Will Ryan be back? Shockingly, he will be. What remains to be seen is if Ryan is the baby’s father and if he and Marissa can repair their damaged relationship.
Seth Cohen
(Played by Adam Brody)
Seth is the only son of Sandy Cohen. A disturbed-philosopher type who is trapped in the superficial O.C., Seth embraced Ryan last season as a way to connect with something real. Seth was extremely upset when Ryan announced he was going back to Chino in the season finale, prompting him to leave his girlfriend, Summer, and embark on a mysterious journey on his boat. This season should tell us where Seth has been all this time and if Summer will take him back when he returns.
Marissa Cooper
(Played by Mischa Barton)
This skinny chick has got problems. In addition to her tumultuous relationship with Ryan, Marissa’s mother, Julie, is a psycho. Julie, who divorced Marissa’s dad when he lost his money, has married Seth’s seemingly-rich grandfather, Caleb. This came on the heels of sleeping with Marissa’s ex-boyfriend Luke. Last season did not end on a high note for the now-boyfriendless Marissa, who is also caught between her parents’ bickering. This season, Marissa will confront her inner demons–just in time to develop a new love interest.
Summer Roberts
(Played by Rachel Bilson)
The lone brunet is “The O.C.’s” party girl–and Seth’s lifelong obsession. For most of the first season, Summer was too cool for Seth, refusing to acknowledge their relationship at school until he gave her an ultimatum. Like her best friend Marissa, Summer’s parents are divorced. But unlike Marissa, Summer is much more spoiled and caught up in the Newport scene. Even though she might be upset about getting ditched by Seth in the season finale, it’s unlikely this diva will cry too many tears over a nerdy guy before she finds a hot new stud to replace him.
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