A Touch of Class: The O.C. is Good Dumb Summer Fun Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie) has it rough. He scored in the 98th percentile on the PSAT's, he looks like a dimpled, cuter and younger version of Russel Crowe and he has the biceps that come from hours spent at a high class gym perfecting them. The thing is, Ryan's guns weren't toned at some tony gym, but on the mean streets, where, in the opening moments of Fox's new teen drama The O.C., he finds himself arrested while helping his brother steal a car. The brainchild of Josh Schwartz, who at 26 is the "youngest person to ever create a TV series" according to Fox, The O.C. piles on the storylines fast and furious in its pilot episode which premiered last night. After being sent to juvie, Ryan is befriended by his public defender, played by the usual revolting but somehow endearing Peter Gallagher. After Ryan is released and sent home to his smoke-infused, peroxided, straight out of White Trash Central Casting mother who promptly kicks him out of the house, Ryan winds up being taken home by Peter Gallagher- home to The O.C. (ie: Orange County) that is. Why Peter Gallagher (I'm sure his character has a name, but really, does it matter?) takes Ryan home is something of a mystery. It seems that his motivations are partly altruistic and also partly because he wants to bring a taste of "the real world" into his beautiful upscale life. Once installed in the pool house (with views of the Pacific Ocean filling the all glass walls), Peter Gallagher seems to hope that like a cross between a lawn ornament and Jesus, this rough-hewn kid can bring some sense to this upper class life of his. Indeed, early on at a fashion party, someone asks Ryan what he thinks of Orange County. He replies, "I think I could get in less trouble where I'm from." There's a lesson to be learned there! Alright, The O.C. is over the top. In fact, I'll admit that every time I type "The O.C." out, I kind of want to vomit. However, as ridiculous as this show is (in the first episode we meet the next door girl that is in love with a meathead, but she's also an alcoholic whose friends leave her passed out in her driveway and her Dad is being investigated by the Feds, and Peter Gallagher's wife is concerned because, hey! she almost married this guy, but now he's married to a fashionista half his age and she's married to Peter Gallagher who, when not bringing home criminals or surfing is messing up his neurotic son's life, not that it needs messing up since the boy has already named his catamaran after a girl he is in love with, but has never met- and oh yeah, he's probably gay- or will be by season three) there seems to be a balance to it all. Hell, it's fun, it's goofy and amazingly, avoids being histrionic. The key to this is Benjamin McKenzie's performance as Ryan. He's silent. I mean, completely silent. He broods and occasionally beats people up. However, he manages to anchor the rest of the characters in something vaguely resembling a believable reality. The O.C. is worth watching, especially for anyone who grew up on Beverly Hills 90210. Is it dumb? Very. Is it vacuous? Puh-lease! Is it a good way to waste an hour? Please. Hot chicks, Hot boys, Scandals, Sex and Booze. What more do you want?

posted by Japhy at 8/06/2003 08:42:00 AM || #