Okay, I’ll be the first to admit to you that I generally cringe at the thought of nighttime soap operas. To this day I have yet to see a single episode of “Beverly Hills 90210” or “Melrose Place.” Even some of the newer popular shows like “Dawson’s Creek” didn’t show up on my TV screen until the DVDs started to come out. And though I ended up liking that show, I doubt I would have given it a chance if I hadn’t been given the opportunity to review the DVDs. Such is the case for “The O.C.” When I first heard of “The O.C.”, which was through the tremendous amount of commercials promoting it, I was in no way enticed. I expected it to be another one of those ‘hip and edgy’ shows that were becoming a staple of nighttime viewing right alongside reality TV.

It boasted a pretty strong cast, which included Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan, but still I figured it wouldn’t last the season and therefore would be no loss.

So now that the DVD of the 1st season has come out (in time for the 2nd season premiere on TV, I might add), this marks the 87th time I have had to eat crow (and let me tell you there are only so many ways to prepare crow…). I popped in the first DVD and prepared myself for what I thought would be schlock, and instead found myself treated to a well-written, well-paced, and well-acted series. The first episode hooked me right in and by the time I got through the rest of the set (which took me a little less than a week), I found myself checking to see when the 2nd season started. (It appears to start Nov, 4th, with a live (?) episode… I am so there…)

The main premise of the series surrounds a troubled teen (Benjamin McKenzie) from the wrong side of the tracks who is given the opportunity to spend some time living amongst the rich and pampered living in “The O.C.” (Orange County). His lawyer (Peter Gallagher) offers to let him live in his pool house, and instead of finding the perfect life, he quickly learns that just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you’re not screwed up. He finds himself mixed up in all the turmoil and tribulations of those around him, as friendships and relationships begin, then turn sour. As I expected, the series is, in every sense of the term, a soap opera. What I didn’t expect was that the series creator, Josh Schwartz, would take the genre and turn it on its ear.

Aside from the trappings that make up your normal run of the mill soap opera, “The O.C.” is elevated by terrific scripts and even better acting. And the show is decidedly funnier than I ever expected it to be. Even when you are faced with some situations that seem to be a bit unbelievable, the cast is able to make you believe. On a little side note on some of the more unbelievable aspects of the series, I’ve pretty much seen it all as I’ve grown up, and a lot of what is being presented here is actually pretty tame to what goes on in the real lives of some people. Even with “The O.C.”, truth is still much stranger than fiction.

The new 7-disc DVD set offers up all 27 episodes of the series’ freshman season, and they are all put together in what has become my second favorite style of TV series DVD packaging. The brightly colored slipcover holds an inner disc holder, which slides out and opens like a book. This disc holder is made up of ‘pages’, each of which has an individual DVD, as well as pocket on the inside which contains a small booklet. The booklet features a synopsis of each episode, as well as a breakdown of the chapter titles. It also lets you know where you can find all of the special features.

Speaking of which, the special features are plentiful, and are sure to keep even the casual fans of the series entertained. First up is a great commentary track on the Pilot episode by creator / executive producer Josh Schwartz and supervising producer Stephanie Savage. You’ll also find an onscreen music track guide on 6 of the episodes. This comes in handy, since the series (like most of today’s ‘hip and edgy’ shows) is very music heavy and features tunes by a ton of up-and-coming, though mainly unknown bands.

The 7th disc is where you’ll find the majority of the bonuses, most of which come in the form of short featurettes. They focus mainly on the show’s casting and music, and one even compares life on the series to that of the real O.C. It also has several deleted scenes, introduced by Schwartz and even a sneak peek at the upcoming season.

One of these days I’ll learn not to judge a book by its cover, I found “The O.C.” to be a very addictive show, and it really makes me wonder how many other good shows I’ve missed.

Starring: Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Benjamin McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Chris Carmack, Melinda Clarke, Rachel Bilson, Tate Donovan
Extras: The O.C. Unseen, Casting The O.C., Inside the Real O.C., The Music of The O.C., Season 2 Sneak Peek, Commentary on the Pilot episode by Creator/Executive Producer Josh Schwartz and Supervising Producer Stephanie Savage, On Screen Music Track Guide For Select Episodes
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 10/26/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give The O.C.: Season 1 an A.