"California, here we come... right back where we started from."
When the Phantom Planet drumbeat kicked off on August 5, 2003, few viewers knew they were witnessing a cultural earthquake. On paper, The O.C. sounded like a rerun: a troubled teen from the wrong side of the tracks gets adopted by a wealthy family. But within ten minutes of its pilot, it was clear this was no 90210 clone. It was a deconstruction of the American dream—sun-drenched, sarcastic, and deeply wounded. The O.C.
(A+ for the soundtrack, A+ for the first season, B- for the fourth-wall-breaking fourth season, but we love it anyway.) "California, here we come