Cliffnotes: Welcome to the O.C. by Alan Sepinwall

Jan 29, 2024

Welcome to my review of Welcome to the O.C., bitch.

I have to admit I procrastinated reading this book, which was written by

of Rolling Stone and the

Substack newsletter. It was published in November, but I put off reading it because I loved knowing there was brand-new, official “O.C.” content waiting for me to experience for the first time. Once I started reading, I knew that feeling would be gone. That anticipation, that specialness, would be no more. I was excited to read the book, but I also liked having it as something to look forward to. It was a present waiting to be unwrapped. It was tantalizing.

My hesitation, however, also had to do with the fact that I have mixed feelings about oral histories, which is how this book is structured. I personally like straightforward prose writing better. My brain finds it harder to get lost in the text when the format relies on endlessly switching up who is speaking and is presented almost like a script. But what I do love about oral histories, including this one, is hearing from the key players in exactly their own words.

Sepinwall is credited as the book’s author “in conversation with” “The O.C.” creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage, who went on to create “Gossip Girl” together and executive-produce the “Gossip Girl” spinoff. But the book is really “in conversation with” far more than just Schwartz and Savage. Every series regular was interviewed and is featured in the oral history, along with some notable recurring cast members and guest stars. That’s on top of writers, producers, directors, various other crew members, and network and studio executives.

Sepinwall credits his researcher, Oriana Schwindt, for conducting many of the interviews and assembling the pieces into a logical story. Schwindt and I did a pre-college program together in the summer of 2004 and then attended Northwestern University together as well. That time period, of course, was when “The O.C.” was on the air. It is amazing that Schwindt’s career twisted and turned in such a way that she ended up helping to put together this book. Imagine if we knew then what would one day be!

The oral history is presented mostly chronologically, season by season, with a detour along the way to focus exclusively on the show’s use of music. While a great amount of detail will be familiar to anyone who has read about “The O.C.” closely over the years or listened to “Welcome to the OC, Bitches,” much more is never-before-published information from behind the scenes of the series. For example, I was particularly moved to learn how Schwartz’s late uncle influenced the show.

Also, in learning a little more about Schwartz’s pre-“O.C.” career, I was left imagining what might’ve been if his other projects from that time had moved forward. While I’m obviously happy about what we ultimately got, I’m sad for what we missed out on. Schwartz is generationally talented, and as special as “The O.C.” is, I don’t think it was lightning in a bottle. Schwartz may have had more iconic or beloved films and TV shows to his name if his earlier efforts were produced. But of course, had that happened, it’s unlikely we would’ve gotten “The O.C.” I also can’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like to watch the “The O.C.” with its initial premise, which the book details at length.

Much time is also spent in the book dissecting how “The O.C.” evolved over the course of its four seasons. I don’t agree with Adam Brody’s assessment that if you watch the pilot and the series finale, they are “truly, truly different shows.” I see a distinct through-line in plot, tone, feeling — not to mention all the callbacks. You could watch just those two hours and see how they’re connected — and then want to know everything that happened in between them. (I did, however, love Brody saying of reboots: “Most of them are spitting on the graves of the original.” I concur.)

Across the book’s 300-plus pages, a number of teen drama connections come up: “Fastlane” starring Tiffani Thiessen (Valerie, Beverly Hills, 90210), “Beverly Hills, 90210” creator Darren Star and “The $treet,” which featured Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210), Kelly Lynch (Laurel, 90210), Andrew McCarthy (Rick, Gossip Girl), Josh Henderson (Sean, 90210), Huey Lewis (James, One Tree Hill), Lily Collins (Phoebe, 90210), Sebastian Stan (Carter, Gossip Girl), etc.

It was interesting to me that “One Tree Hill,” which premiered only weeks after “The O.C.”, wasn’t mentioned until the last chunk of the book — in a single line where Savage talks about “One Tree Hill” “having a car drive off of a bridge into water,” a reference to the season 3 finale of “OTH” that took place around the time they were figuring out how to execute Marissa’s death on the season 3 finale of “The O.C.” On the “Drama Queens” podcast, “The O.C.” has come up many times, with the “One Tree Hill” actresses claiming their show was under pressure to be more like “The O.C.” On the flip side, it doesn’t seem like “The O.C.” paid “One Tree Hill” much mind at all.

There were some inaccuracies in the book, like wrongly stating in which episode Summer and Seth had their first kiss and saying Ryan was just “flirting” with Caleb’s girlfriend when Marissa walked in on them. I was also disappointed some significant recurring players weren’t interviewed — namely, Shailene Woodley (Kaitlin), Taylor Handley (Oliver), Nicholas Gonzalez (DJ), Olivia Wilde (Alex), Kim Delaney (Renee), Jeri Ryan (Charlotte), Ryan Donowho (Johnny), Jeff Hephner (Matt), Michael Nouri (Neil), Chris Pratt (Che), and Kevin Sorbo (Frank). I was also bummed there wasn’t a middle insert of glossy photos just for nostalgia’s sake.

I was glad it was mentioned that the end of “The O.C.” overlapped with the start of Schwartz and Savage working on “Gossip Girl,” but I thought that could’ve been explored a little further. What from that first experience, good and bad, did they take to their next? How, behind the scenes, did “The O.C.” inform "Gossip Girl”? A couple of brief sentences on that wasn’t enough for me.

Of course, I cringed at every reference to “90210” when they meant “Beverly Hills, 90210.” (Also, whatever Schwartz’s Thursday night show of choice was in the ‘90s, “Beverly Hills, 90210” predominantly aired on Wednesdays.) Frustratingly, Schwartz continues to not give that show the credit it deserves. There was a repeated issue throughout the book of it being suggested it was groundbreaking for “The O.C.” to do something — e.g., feature the parents prominently, showcase Jewish characters, show a teen smoking, be meta — without the acknowledgment that it actually HAD been done before. I think if all these people actually sat down and watched “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Dawson’s Creek,” they’d realize a lot of their beliefs about “The O.C.” breaking new ground are inaccurate.

All that said, this book was everything I wanted and more. It’s the kind of book I want for each of our teen dramas. In fact, it’s the kind of book I’ve dreamed about writing for “Beverly Hills, 90210” (though not necessarily in the oral history format).

On “The Beverly Hills 90210 Show” a few months ago, “Beverly Hills, 90210” executive producer Charles Rosin wondered why, with only four seasons, “The O.C.” warranted a book. Notably, Rosin — who interviewed for the position on “The O.C.” that ultimately went to executive producer Bob DeLaurentis — has never watched an episode of the show. But anyone who reads “Welcome to the O.C.,” whether they’re a fan of the series or not, will understand why it is worthy of such a book. “The O.C.”, like “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Dawson’s Creek” before it, was a turning point in the teen drama genre. More than that, there is much to learn from the book about early 2000s television.

Anyone who thinks this show, and this book, isn’t deserving of a place in TV history is simply wrong. Read it, and you’ll agree.

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Cliffnotes: Welcome to the O.C. by Alan Sepinwall

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