The O.C.

The popular teen melodrama TV show, The O.C., that portrays its characters as young, skinny, beautiful residents of Newport beach in southern California, suddenly takes a turn and gives the female main character a girlfriend. On the surface, Marissa Cooper is the stereotypical rich, popular girl in high school but, those close to her slowly learn she is the “suffer in silence” type: constantly passing out on front lawns after long nights of drinking, “accidentally” overdosing on drugs, and creating a seem of endless love triangles. Her straining relationship with her mother and decaying family are the motives for her self-destructive behavior and well into the second season, Marissa becomes interested in Alex, a girl. Viewers can find Marissa’s switching of teams either expected or completely shocking. People either applaud her for breaking the stereotype of a girl in her environment, or predictable due to her rebellious behavior. So the real question is: Does Marissa develop true feelings for another female? Or is her relationship a stint used to ignite tension and irritate her mother?

The answer to the former question is easy: Marissa is looking for another way to piss her mother off. Even Julie (her mother) is able to see through her actions. Another controversial issue surrounds Marissa’s curiosity: ratings. With season one’s ratings that had an average of about ten million viewers, The O.C. expectedly came in strong with their second season premiere of eight million viewers. But, as the season dragged (yes, dragged) along ratings slowly began to plummet. When ratings drop that low with a series that had so much promise the previous season, writers inevitably become desperate. I for one see Marissa’s lesbian relationship for about 5 episodes as an act of desperation. Bravo to The O.C. for taking a risk but if the relationship was simply a ploy to gain more viewers, then shame on them.


The growing suspicion of the ratings stunt was confirmed by Marissa and Alex's inevitable break up. Both Marissa and Alex acted completely out of character, causing the relationship to come to a hault very quickly. Once the writers got what they wanted out of the two week relationship, they put a stop to Marissa's bi-sexual ways and traveled down the road of Ryan and Marissa again. The relationship and confusion Marissa went through would have been genuine and related to teens across the nation watching the show, if the intention wasn't so painfully obvious. Although I’d like to think The O.C. would be willing enough to take a chance and break the stereotype of the gay teen, the story line was most likely a way to simply raise ratings. The motivations of the writers and of Marissa were corrupted. The writers weree looking for more viewers who are interested in seeing their favorite main character begin a relationship with another member of the same sex. Marissa Cooper was looking for yet another way to torment her mother and continue the same vicious cycle of hatred between the two. Once Marissa realizes Alex is looking for a real relationship, one that involves paying rent, taking out the garbage, doing the laundry, etc. she gets out faster than she bought that new Chanel bag last week.