The OC: Vidas Ajenas

It is one of my favorit series. For the story and for Peter Gallagher and Adam Brody, for atmosphere, love affaires, tension and smart use of the rules of drama. A film about generations, love and friendship. About opportunities and about the way to define them more than use them. Fights and alliances and confessions. And the way for define the meanings of ordinaries lives.

It is at times corny, melodramatic, predictable, unbelievable as hell and sugar-coated. And yet? It works.

This show, which by all accounts should have been written off as a redo of good ole' Bev Niners, is funny, quirky and absolutely delightful. Somehow, over the first few episodes, it turned from being a guilty pleasure to just a genuine pleasure. This is largely due to the combined talents of Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Adam Brody and Ben McKenzie. They work as a family. They're funny. They're sweet. And somehow, Peter Gallagher is hot!

Adam Brody's ad-libs, Ben McK's baleful glances, Kelly Rowan's endearing nature and Peter Gallagher's eyebrows all add up to a fantastic hour of television that I await all week. The writing is quick, the acting (for the most part) is great and the in-jokes crack me up. Despite its silly premise, this show is pretty smart. And endearing. And really, really funny.

Would a public defender ever adopt his young client? No. Would ador(k)able, funny, smart Seth Cohen ever be considered unpopular? Probably not. Does Tate Donovan even look old enough to drink, let alone have a teenage daughter? Nah. My advice? Get over all that, sit back, and enjoy being entertained.

Cause this is how we do it in Orange County.

I come from a part of Australia called the Sunshine Coast where most people come to escape city life and live by the sea. Most of the people who live along the coastlines here are just as beautiful-looking in that sun-drenched, California way, but not only that: this is a place where people come to avoid their problems, only to end up taking them with them. For all the glitz, glamour and romance of this place, I have never come across a more dysfunctional group of self-absorbed people in my life.

That's what immediately drew me to "The O.C.". I noticed the obvious plot lines that have been faithful to Soap Operas for decades, but this show has such a pungent wit about the nature of these people. They may look like they have a life that people aspire to, but they really don't and in some ways the nature of their environment only enhances these problems. I found that this show perfectly captured the reality of this sort of lifestyle, albeit modified for T.V.. A movie version of this would be much more vicious, if made by the right people, but please don't talk to me about the corniness of this show and how it doesn't reflect real life. I know these people. They exist. And they really are contemptible.

We just need to pretend that the show ended one season earlier

Having watched this entire series twice. Once when it aired back in 2003 and now in 2021, I can honestly say that they don't make shows like this anymore. The plot line is simple and at times predictable with high volumes of unnecessary drama. But it has a deep honestly rooted in realism. The characters and plot line actually feels real. This is one of those teen drama's that even after almost 20 years feels fresh.