Twenty years after the hit teen drama The O.C. first aired, its creators are taking us all for a romp down memory lane with an oral history of the series, featuring interviews with its stars, writers, directors, and more. It's a fascinating peek behind the making of a megahit, and a delightful bit of nostalgia for those of us who remember life before streaming TV.” — Town & Country
"Will most likely satisfy any O.C.-heads (Newpsies?) craving a glimpse into the backstage drama, network chaos, on-set romance, and, of course, the show’s iconic music. ... The riveting book features enthralling and often hilarious interviews with the entire principal cast, memorable guest stars, directors, producers, and even some big-name musicians whose work was featured on the show. The oral history is both a story about a once-in-a-lifetime hit...and the highly competitive landscape of network television in the early 2000s." — Daily Beast
"A splendid retrospective. ... A must-read for viewers of the show’s original run, but it works, too, for those meeting the Cohens and their fellow Orange County residents for the first time via streaming services." — Associated Press
“Fans of the series will devour. … The only thing missing from this definitive dive is Ryan’s trademark brooding.” — Paste Magazine
"Sepinwall talked to basically every important actor, creative person, and executive associated with the series. He also knows his O.C., having written about it extensively when it was on the air. ... I was blown away by how many new tidbits Alan uncovers." — Vulture
“The ultimate tell-all book.” — Cosmopolitan
"[A] juicy look behind the scenes of the television series The O.C. ... The insider perspectives are refreshingly candid and offer new insights into what went into making the much loved show. The O.C. fans won’t want to miss this." — Publishers Weekly
"A revealing oral history of the unlikely teen drama. ... Skillfully captures the show’s surprising sizzle without letting anyone off the hook for its many shortcomings." — Kirkus Reviews
"The perfect companion for any TV fan feeling a little nostalgic." — TVLine
"An oral history of the seminal teen drama (which, if we’re all being honest, has stood the test of time because it’s so much more than a teen drama). ... Happy early Chrismukkah." — InsideHook
"Packed with juicy, behind-the-scenes scoop about making the show, from the casting process to the way the stars behaved.” — Yahoo! Entertainment
“A comprehensive oral history of the addictive soap, featuring interviews with its creators, cast, and crew, revealing how a modern TV classic (barely) got made.” — Rolling Stone
"Breezy, entertaining." — Salon
2023-09-20
A revealing oral history of the unlikely teen drama of the early 2000s that made stars of Ben McKenzie, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton, and Rachel Bilson.
In the hands of a lesser author, this story’s arc could have been problematic. After all, The O.C. went from pop-culture sensation to ennui, even among its stars, in less than five years. But Sepinwall, chief TV critic for Rolling Stone, manages to chronicle the show’s rise and fall without getting trapped in the implosion. His narrative entertains throughout, thanks to the author’s interesting revelations and a strong sense of pacing. He breaks up post-success years of struggle by focusing on the show’s role as a musical tastemaker, bringing indie bands like Death Cab for Cutie to broader audiences. Sepinwall had the support of creator Schwartz and producing partner Savage, who found lasting success together on Gossip Girl and Chuck, as well as all the series’ core actors. Their cooperation yields lighthearted revelations like the fact that producers passed on hiring Marvel movie star Sebastian Stan for the show, which Schwartz called “the worst thing to come out of this book.” The book also includes more substantive disclosures, including the fact that the producers regret killing off Barton’s character, Marissa, as a way to please network executives at the end of the troubled third season. “It had only been this inevitable march to Marissa’s demise, because of the creative exhaustion with the character,” say Schwartz. “And then all of these voices on the Internet and early Tumblr exploded, like a primordial howl from the early Internet into the night sky….I very quickly realized, Oh my God, what have we done? I think we made a terrible mistake.”
Skillfully captures the show’s surprising sizzle without letting anyone off the hook for its many shortcomings.
