Thursday, March 16, 2006

Random OC Thoughts on St. Patty's Eve

At the rate they're going, next season will be the last OC season.

The writing--in the first season, and the best moments of the 2nd--was incredible. But lately that past tense keeps cropping up. I'm too lazy to hustle over to IMBD and see if they've changed writers, but whomever is penning the story arcs and scripts this season is dropping the ball big time.

The problem is the writers seem to confuse characters acting irrationally with just writing out-of-character. Ryan and Marissa's breakup was an iffy story line, and when it first happened last week, it seemed too abrupt. But there at least was some semblence of a set-up for it. Marissa suddenly paling around with Kolchek (or coat-check or whatever the fuck his name is) is just poor writing. Not only are we supposed to believe that Marissa suddenly changes her mind about this assclown--who really has been stalking her, and was Johnny's biggest foe outside of cliffs and tequila--after a way too meladramatic, literally flashback-inspired "Swoon", we're also supposed to buy that the guy who hated Johnny wants to atone for a life of asshattery...buy sleeping with the girl Johnny loved? Or is it somehow to get back at Ryan for spending time (but not hooking up, despite her hitting-him-over-the-head-it's-so-obvious "let's play strip poker" hints) with Sadie? He doesn't know...but I think it's because the writers don't know.

And it doesn't bode well. For the show to survive into "the college years" it needs to adapt...and expand. But the principal characters are pretty much the same as they were three years ago when the show started. These new episodes airing right around the premiere of season six of the Sopranos really shows a contrast of what a really good show can do, vs. a formerly good but currently struggling show can do. The show needs to be true to its characters, and also, needs to give new ones a chance. Summer Roberts was once a one-note character, now she's indispensible. Taylor Townsend's a pretty one-note character, but Autumn Reeser has some damn good comic timing, and hasn't been too shabby with the little scraps of dramatic material. Odds look long that poor Matt will get to stay on the show (what with the 17-year old sleepover being hinted at for next week) But he and Taylor are the only keepers worth keeping (sic) right now. Volcheck is Oliver part two and Micha Barton needs to stop wearing hammer pants all the damn time and raise hell with the writers, because currently Marissa is going for land speed records of stupidity falling for the "I'm going to be a dick and ignore you and you'll be all on my shit" routine. My personal take: have her get back together with Alex. Olivia Wilde's hot (but not in my top 5...yet).

Also...St. Patrick's Day should be a get-out-of-work holiday, and we should declare St. Patrick's Day Eve a holliday too. Now let's get pissed

2 comments:

Jamie said...

Ryan: I think we should...
Marissa: I know...

HOW LAME WAS THAT!? It's almost like killing off the supporting cast is expected MO these days. When it happened first season I though it was bold, now it seems cliche. Can a show cliche itself?

Yeah, just not a fan of the story line this season. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Awkward Chicken said...

Future tag-line for the OC: Hey, we don't hang out at the Peach-Pit!