The New Year’s Eve episode. The show’s reputation for killer music cues peaks here with Jeff Buckley’s "Hallelujah" playing as Ryan races to save Marissa from a dark situation with her ex, Luke. The final scene, where the ball drops at the Cohen house and Ryan kisses Marissa at midnight, remains a tear-jerker.
The two-part finale is devastating. Marissa shoots her mother’s boyfriend, Trey (Ryan’s brother), to save Ryan. As the police sirens wail, Marissa collapses in Ryan’s arms. The episode ends not with a cliffhanger, but with a quiet moment: Seth sailing away alone, leaving a note for Summer, and Ryan getting into a car to leave town. Then, the song: "Hallelujah" again, but this time slowed down. Utter heartbreak. The Soundtrack: A Character in Itself You cannot discuss The OC - Temporada 1 without discussing the music. Before The OC , TV shows used generic rock or pop. After The OC , every show wanted a "sad indie montage." The OC - Temporada 1
This is the episode that turned casual viewers into fanatics. Ryan, Seth, Summer, and Marissa steal a yacht to go to Catalina Island. Stranded together, Seth finally kisses Summer (while she’s wearing a pink wig), and Ryan and Marissa admit their feelings. It’s sunny, romantic, and perfect. The New Year’s Eve episode
Did we miss your favorite moment from Temporada 1? Let us know in the comments—and remember: Seth Cohen loves you. The two-part finale is devastating
Arguably the funniest episode. Seth writes a comic book about his family’s drama, and Summer helps him sell it. Meanwhile, Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke), Marissa’s brilliantly manipulative mother, tries to seduce Luke. It is soapy, absurd perfection.
This is a season about how family isn’t blood—it’s who picks you up when you fall. It’s about the beauty of California dreaming. And it’s about a lonely boy from Chino who found a home in a pool house in Newport.
The fish-out-of-water trope has never been executed better. Ryan is thrown into a world of private schools, $500 haircuts, and moral bankruptcy hidden behind picket fences. His savior is the Cohens' lonely, neurotic son, Seth (Adam Brody), a self-deprecating comic book nerd who finally has a friend. Across the street lives the girl next door, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), the beautiful but deeply troubled queen bee, and her best friend, the sarcastic, pragmatic Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson).
