The O.C.

The first new fall TV series is also one of the most promising. The O.C. -- which stands for Orange County, California-style -- mixes potent conflicts with lavish backdrops and attractive folk. The concoction carries a surprisingly bittersweet kick. [3 Aug 2003, p.4]

The O.C. looks to have enough heart, talent and wit to generate a few seasons' worth of luxurious suds.

The O.C. may be a lousy title but it's cast, written and directed well. Early indications are that the show is smartly going after two generations of viewers - not just the 20-somethings Fox is famous for, but also their parents. [5 Aug 2003, p.8]

The O.C. looks as though it will be hard-pressed to build and maintain a loyal base of younger viewers. Sure, it's worth a look. But no, it wouldn't be terribly missed. [4 Aug 2003, p.12E]

McKenzie may look like Russell Crowe's younger brother - while playing nearly a decade below his own age - but for all the James Dean comparisons being bandied about, he's a character straight out of Dickens: a little bit Pip, a little bit David Copperfield. [4 Aug 2003, p.28]

All glamour and glitz and surface. The show is intended as a prime-time soap to appeal to those who watched "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Dawson's Creek" and "Felicity" - and for them, The O.C. ought to connect quickly. [5 Aug 2003, p.66]

Encumbered by a script that is nearly breathtaking in its imbecilic banality, The O.C. makes one long for the cold comforts of a sleazy-minded "reality" show. Fox is trying to pass off this moody, moon-faced trifle, a drama about rich young brats in Orange County, Calif., as the first series of the new fall season (in August?). But if there's any justice left in television, "O.C. will be canceled by the time the actual fall shows premiere. [5 Aug 2003, p.C01]