Teen Drama Links for May 9, 2023
It’s the end of a (podcast) era.
Today, “Welcome to the OC, Bitches” drops the first half of its final edition covering the series finale of “The O.C.” with special guests Josh Schwartz, who created the show, and star Ben McKenzie. With McKenzie’s appearance, “OC, Bitches” becomes the first and only one of the teen drama rewatch podcasts to have every single series regular on.
Also, with next week’s part two, “OC, Bitches” will become the first of our rewatch podcasts to conclude, although it was the second to start. As “The O.C.” was only four seasons, “OC, Bitches” is naturally reaching its end much faster than “9021OMG” (covering 10 seasons of “Beverly Hills, 90210”) and “Drama Queens” (covering nine seasons of “One Tree Hill.”) (Who knows what’s going on with “XOXO.”)
I’m really sad “OC, Bitches” is ending, as it’s been my favorite of the four podcasts. That said, selfishly, I’m also a little relieved that we’ll be back down to only two rewatch podcasts, giving me some time back in my week. Listening to four podcasts a week and taking notes on each and sharing those notes on Twitter has been stressful a lot of the time. Some of that weight was lifted when “XOXO” (abruptly) stopped airing earlier this year and now after next week, I’ll feel even lighter. Frankly, it’ll be nice to have one of my lunch breaks and some time after work back.
It is disappointing, though, that the first two seasons of “OC, Bitches” can’t be rewatched or listened to unless you pay for it. I also have no idea what the available bonus content is because I haven’t signed up for Kast Plus and still don’t plan to. These quibbles aside, I really must commend Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the incredible job they’ve done these past two years. And I cannot adequately express what it means to me that I was featured on the podcast not once but twice.
I’ll be watching the video version of part one of the grand finale tonight and sharing my reactions on Twitter. California, here we come… one last time.
Vacation alert: I’m taking my mom on our second annual Mother’s Day weekend trip next week. “Teen Drama Links” will return on May 23 with an extra-long edition.
Teen Drama Links for May 9, 2023
Listicle Links
Reminder: All lists and articles relate to the teen dramas or teen drama stars in some way.
“19 TV Episodes That Actually Handled Heavy Topics Really (And I Mean Really) Well” (BuzzFeed)
Related: The Impact of the ‘One Tree Hill’ School Shooting Episode 15 Years Later (TDW)
“Here Are 21 Timeless TV Couples You Said Are The Best Of All Time” (BuzzFeed)
“Katie Holmes channels her ‘Dawson’s Creek’ character in a slip dress and T-shirt” (Page Six)
“The O.C.’s Sandy Cohen Is The Original Daddy” (Elite Daily)
“Chris Pratt movies: 10 greatest films ranked from worst to best” (Gold Derby)
“The 10 Best Chris Pratt Movies and TV Shows” (Collider)
“Iconic Roles: The Best Chris Pratt Movie Performances” (ComingSoon.net)
“It’s the Chris Pratt Cinematic Universe at the weekend box office” (Entertainment Weekly)
“Every Time That Emily Alyn Lind Channeled Her Inner Serena Van Der Woodsen In The Gossip Girl Reboot” (TheThings)
“This Show Proves Alan Ritchson Should Do More Comedy” (TV Overmind)
“12 Actresses Who Should Appear in More Action Movies” (Movieweb)
“15 Films About Real Tragic Events” (Movieweb)
“10 TV Characters Who Didn’t Deserve A Happy Ending” (CBR)
“10 Best Dramas That Went Downhill In Their Final Season” (CBR)
“8 TV Shows You Thought Were Original, But Were Actually Adaptations” (Giant Freakin Robot)
“7 TV Shows Ending Their Run in 2023” (CordCutting)
Full disclosure: I work for CordCutting’s parent company and am tangentially involved in its operations.
“20 First Date Ideas, Based On Iconic TV Shows” (StyleCaster)
“The 10 Funniest Sitcoms That Are Not ‘The Office’ or ‘Friends’” (Collider)
Despite its comedic elements, “The O.C.” is most definitely not a sitcom.
“The 20 best TV series soundtracks” (Yardbarker)
Related: The Teen Drama Soundtracks (TDW)
“City on Fire to Queer Eye: the seven best shows to stream this week” (The Guardian)
“The Greatest TV Romances of All Time” (Movieweb)
“The West Wing Cast: Where They Are Today” (Movieweb)
“Twilight Roles That Almost Went to Other Actors” (Movieweb)
Related: YouTube Video of the Week (TDW)
“Citadel Cast & Character Guide” (CBR)
“Varsity Blues Cast: Where Are They Now?” (TheCinemaholic)
“‘The Craft’ Cast: Where Are They Now? Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney, Skeet Ulrich and More” (Us Weekly)
“Why Knox From Silo Looks So Familiar” (Looper)
“Why Dr. Natalie Manning From Chicago Med Looks So Familiar” (Looper)
“A Guide to Hollywood’s Famous Acting Families, from the Hemsworths to the Hudsons” (People)
“Olympic Equestrian Jessica Springsteen’s Favorite Things” (Vanity Fair)
Best of the Rest
Jason Priestley (Brandon, Beverly Hills, 90210) did interviews about his appearance on last night’s “Fantasy Island” season finale.
“Visiting Fantasy Island Is a Wish Come True for Jason Priestley — But What Would Brandon Walsh’s Fantasy Be?” (TVLine)
“‘Fantasy Island’ Finale: Jason Priestley on How His Guest Role Channels the OG Series” (TV Insider)
“Jason Priestley previews ‘Fantasy Island’ season 2 finale” (Fox News)
Hate linking to this outlet…
Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210) was on the “ReWives” podcast. (Part 1, Part 2)
I haven’t listened to this, but Spelling telling a story about going on a date with Eddie Cibrian (Casey, Beverly Hills, 90210) made headlines. I didn’t get a sense of the timeline from what I read, so not sure if this occurred when Cirbian guest-starred on “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
Ryan Seacrest, who appeared on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” was on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” (YouTube)
There are additional clips.
Here are more interviews with James Van Der Beek (Dawson, Dawson’s Creek) for his partnership with Quaker Chewy.
“James Van Der Beek says a ‘Dawson's Creek’ reunion would be ‘tricky,’ and explains why the show is ‘off-limits’ to his children” (Insider)
“James Van Der Beek Shares What His Kids Miss Most About Their Hollywood Home & It’s a Tear-Jerker” (SheKnows)
“James Van Der Beek Opens Up About ‘Humbling’ Life with Six Kids: ‘Always a Curveball’” (People)
“James Van Der Beek on how fatherhood changed him, advice to his younger self” (Good Morning America)
“James Van Der Beek invites everyone to take Quaker Chewy Play Pledge” (Foodsided)
Joshua Jackson (Pacey, Dawson’s Creek) continued his media rounds for “Fatal Attraction.”
“Joshua Jackson Believes Absent Father Helped Him Become The Man He Is Today” (The Kelly Clarkson Show)
There are additional clips.
“Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan on ‘Fatal Attraction’ Hesitations and ‘Tricky Balancing Act’ of Revisiting Alex Forrest” (The Hollywood Reporter)
“Joshua Jackson’s Portrayal of Cole on ‘The Affair’ Would ‘Be Very Different’ Now That He’s a Dad” (PopSugar)
“Joshua Jackson on remaking Fatal Attraction” (news.com.au)
Maggie Friedman (producer, Dawson’s Creek) did interviews for the end of “Firefly Lane.”
“The Ending of ‘Firefly Lane’ Season 2 Was a Tearjerker — Let’s Talk About It” (Netflix)
“‘Firefly Lane’ Showrunner Wanted to ‘Stay True’ to Book’s Ending and ‘Come Full Circle’” (The Wrap)
“‘Firefly Lane’ Creators Explain Why Tully Didn’t End Up With [SPOILER]” (The Wrap)
“‘Firefly Lane’ Boss on Tully & Kate’s Emotional Reunion and Gut-Punch of an Ending” (Entertainment Tonight)
Ben McKenzie (Ryan, The O.C.) shared an “O.C.”-inspired protest sign from the WGA protests. (Instagram)
Rachel Bilson (Summer, The O.C.) was on the “Women on Top” podcast. (Apple Podcasts)
Peter Gallagher (Sandy, The O.C.) marked 40 years of marriage to Paula Harwood. (Instagram)
Shailene Woodley (Kaitlin, The O.C.) was on “The Talk” to promote Robots. (CBS)
Chris Pratt (Che, The O.C.) continued his press tour for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
“Chris Pratt Says Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Is the End for This Cast” (Live with Kelly and Mark)
There are additional clips.
“Chris Pratt on How ‘Guardians’ Cast Will Stay in Touch: ‘We’ll Be There for Each Other’” (People)
“Chris Pratt Says Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Support ‘Means the World’: ‘Really Kind of Mind-Blowing’” (People)
“Chris Pratt Says His Only Film Wife Katherine Has Likely Seen Is ‘Bride Wars’: ‘True Cinema’” (People)
“Chris Pratt talks about new film, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3’” (Good Morning America)
There are additional clips.
“How ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ changed Chris Pratt, James Gunn for the better” (USA Today)
“Chris Pratt Reveals Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Cute Grandpa Name, Reacts to His Praise” (Entertainment Tonight)
“Chris Pratt and James Gunn talk ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, Marvel’s first F-bomb and that awful screen-test” (Toronto Sun)
“Chris Pratt is open to returning as Star-Lord for the right story” (GamesRadar+)
“How Well Do Chris Pratt and the ‘Guardians’ Really Know One Another?” (IMDb)
“Chris Pratt says Jesus’ struggle helps him deal with haters” (Page Six)
…and more.
Watch Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Joe, The O.C.) in a new teaser for “The Walking Dead: Dead City.” (Entertainment Weekly)
Josh Schwartz (creator, The O.C. / creator, Gossip Girl / executive producer, Gossip Girl spinoff) and Stephanie Savage (executive producer, The O.C. / creator, Gossip Girl / executive producer, Gossip Girl spinoff) opened up about their development of “City on Fire.” (The New York Times)
Camp Cold Brook, starring Chad Michael Murray (Lucas, One Tree Hill), started streaming for free via Redbox this month. (Fangoria)
Jana Kramer (Alex, One Tree Hill) did interviews tied to her latest collaboration with LULUSIMONSTUDIO.
“Jana Kramer On Collaborating With LULUSIMONSTUDIO For Mother’s Day — Exclusive Interview” (The List)
“Jana Kramer Details Her Surprising Coparenting Journey With Ex Mike Caussin” (E! Online)
“Actress, singer Jana Kramer discusses Mother’s Day collaboration, motherhood” (FOX13)
“Yellowstone,” co-starring Kelsey Asbille (Gigi, One Tree Hill), will end with its current season, though some of the cast may appear in a spinoff. (Deadline)
Maria Menounos (Jules, One Tree Hill) revealed she fought pancreatic cancer earlier this year and was diagnosed with diabetes. (People)
Menounos also discussed her health struggles on “Today.” (Today)
There is an additional clip.
Bryan Greenberg (Jake, One Tree Hill) and Jamie Chung are doing joint interviews for a partnership with Shipt. (Shipt)
“Jamie Chung Says Motherhood Changed Her ‘Identity’ After Welcoming Sons With Bryan Greenberg: ‘Hardest Job I’ve Ever Had’” (Us Weekly)
“Jamie Chung Breaks Down ‘Succession’ Cameo as Husband Bryan Greenberg Reveals Her Set Secrets” (Us Weekly)
Terrence Coli (supervising producer, One Tree Hill / co-executive producer, 90210 / consulting producer, BH90210) did interviews about the series finale of “A Million Little Things.”
“‘A Million Little Things’ Series Finale: Star James Roday Rodriguez & EPs On Gary’s Silent Goodbye, Flash-Forward, Easter Eggs & More” (Deadline)
“A Million Little Things Finale: EPs, James Roday Rodriguez Discuss How Gary’s Fate Was Determined in Season 1” (TVLine)
“A Million Little Things: Here’s Why That Series Finale Scene Was Cut” (TVLine)
“‘A Million Little Things’ Bosses Go Deep Into Series Finale & Answer Burning Questions” (TV Insider)
“‘A Million Little Things’ EPs & Star Break Down That Devastating Series Finale Death” (HollywoodLife)
I’ll be sharing my “AMLT” thoughts later this month!
Chris Castallo, who was involved in the development and production of “One Tree Hill,” is changing divisions at Amazon. (Deadline)
Castallo also worked on “What I Like About You,” which starred Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Allison Munn (Lauren, One Tree Hill).
Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina, Gossip Girl) voices a character in the “Harriet the Spy” series nearly 30 years after starring in the film. (TV Insider)
The show also features Jane Lynch (Mrs. Witter, Dawson’s Creek).
Matt Doyle (Jonathan, Gossip Girl) revealed he’s engaged to Max Clayton. (Instagram)
Jonathan Safran (executive producer, Gossip Girl / creator, Gossip Girl spinoff) reflected on how the 2007 WGA strike affected the original “Gossip Girl.” (The Ringer)
Courtney Perdue (writer, Gossip Girl spinoff) is quoted in an article about the current WGA strike. (Variety)
“East New York,” starring Amanda Warren (Camille, Gossip Girl spinoff), was canceled by CBS. (Deadline)
Jared Reinfeldt (Victor, Gossip Girl spinoff) is participating in readings of The SeaView Nursing Home for the Newly Deceased this week. (Playbill)
Tristan Wilds (Dixon, 90210) is doing interviews for Praise This.
“Tristan ‘Mack’ Wilds On How He Nailed Playing a Pastor in New Film ‘Praise This’” (Tamron Hall)
There’s an additional clip.
“Tristan Mack Wilds Talks His Role In New Peacock Film ‘Praise This’’ (The Knockturnal)