Hulu added the OC over the weekend so I spent sometime reliving one of my favorite prime time soaps and one thing I noticed is that there are some similarities between the characters and set up of The O.C. and Bartons, Aaron and Paddy.

Aaron Livsey/Ryan Atwood: These two characters have a lot in common, Ryan was the brooding bad boy of the O.C. known for saying very little a punching people but deep down was a good guy and the same can be said Aaron. Their are really only two big differences between the characters, Aaron is gay and cries from time to time while we never saw that level of emotion from Ryan.

The surrogate father: On the O.C. Sandy Cohen took in Ryan after he was abandoned by his mother and became a father figure for Ryan on Emmerdale Paddy let Aaron stay with him after Chas moved in with Carl and they formed a father/son relationship.

Sandy and Kirsten/John and Moira: The O.C. had Sandy and Kirsten has the loving stable couple that had the ideal marriage and could weather any storm. In the early days of the Bartons John and Moira were portrayed in this same light.

Marissa Cooper/Holly Barton: Marissa was the trouble heroine of The O.C. who dealt with alcoholism and drug addiction and much like Marissa Holly was the troubled daughter of the Bartons who continues to struggle with her drug addiction.

The Seth and Ryan friendship/The Aaron and Adam friendship: One the most prominent relationships on the OC was the unlikely friendship between Seth and Ryan, they had completely different personalities but some how the two became good friends often times saving the other from getting into trouble and its the same with Aaron and Adam...the only difference being that Aaron developed feelings for Adam.

What in gods name is "The O.C?"?

It was an prime time soap in the US it ran from 2003-2007 it was about a trouble teen who was taken in by this wealthy family who lived in Orange County. If you can find it on, you should check it out it was a very good show.

I remember it being popular with teenagers when it was shown here but not so much with adults.

My dad was into it when it was on but I think you might be right, he was one of the few adults that I knew that watched it.

When I was living the States, I remember seeing it from time to time. The main similarity I see to Emmerdale was Holly and Marissa were both played by terrible actresses.

LOL you're wrong for that, I thought Mischa Barton was a pretty good actress, everyone on The O.C. could act.

I LOVED the OC it was fantastic! Marissa Cooper was my favourite and her and Ryan together are one of my favourite TV couples!

Anyway as for the comparison you have made with Emmerdale characters... I find it highly unlikely that Emmerdale styled these specific relationships on those from the OC. After all a wayward teen/ surrogate father figure, a alcohol/drug addiction storyline's are hardly unique or original. You will probably find many soaps have similar scenario's and characters.

Mischa Barton (Marissa from the O.C) was a very good actress.

Something far more watchable than ED the last few years.

I wonder who would be the Taylor Townsend?

Personally though I don't think they are a rip-off The OC.

A show that had one decent season and three crap ones that followed.

I sit here and type that it is crap but i somehow stayed until the bitter boring end of the show's life. But i was younger back then.

In terms of the teen soaps, I think Dawson's Creek was the best one. It had much better writing and never tied it's self into silly OTT storylines.

I have to agree the first season was amazing but it fell apart real quick, I thought season 2 was decent but I was done after they killed Marissa.

Me too!

Season 2 was atrocious. It was so bad that fans and critics hated it and all the storylines that happened were never referenced ever again in season 3 and 4. Marissa being a part time lesbian was a cheap ratings ploy. Season 3 was watchable to a degree. Marissa was a big loss but my issue with season 4 was they clearly ran out of ideas. They gave Summer a head transplant and they paired Ryan up with Taylor, who were one of the worst and most random pairings in a show ever. Oh and the lame double pregnancy they did with Julie and Kirsten towards the end. It's eventual cancellation was a blessing.

Wasn't the O C known as the show featuring 25-year-old actors playing teens and 40-year-olds playing their parents?

(And Alan "Jim Robinson off of Neighbours" Dale was in it?)

Yeah I remember it getting bad reviews in season 2, I had forgotten all about the lesbian thing. The O.C. did run out of ideas really quick and I think the issue was they would take stories that could run throughout the entire season and condense it into one episode. Like Julie and Luke sleeping together last like 3 episodes, they could have played that story well into season two if they wanted. I think them burning through stories so fast like that led them to start dong whatever story came to mind, which is really sad because the show started out so strong with some great characters and relationships.

Indeed Mark. It was sad to see how it ended up.

Yeah it was and while I'm re-watching it now I'm only halfway through season one it will be interesting to see if I can get through last 2 seasons. I really thought when it premiered that that OC could have gone on for years and followed the kids to adult hood. One thing that I can say is that Josh Schwartz seemed to learn from his mistakes with The O.C. because Gossip Girl was paced much better and didn't have those jumped the shark moments like The O.C. did.

I never got into gossip girl. But it's a show I am willing to give another go at some point. I just don't have the time at the moment to shift through six seasons. I am watching so much at the moment, it is ridiculous. Only issue is that I did find out who the gossip girl was, but in terms of other storylines, I haven't a clue.

Good luck through your re-watch.

I agree. I really liked season 1 but it went down hill..

Benjamin McKenzie had fantastic screen presence and seems to be the only one who's done anything else. He's very good in Gotham.

I always thought he was the weakest link the cast. I found he lacked any screen presence or any charisma. But considering he has gone on to do well since leaving, I am clearly in the minority.

Rachel Bilson, Peter Gallagher, Willa Holland and Melinda Clarke have all managed steady work since leaving as well. Rachel Bilson did Hart of Dixie, Peter did Covert Affairs, The Good Wife, Law and Order and tons of other shows. Melinda did Nikita and CSI, and Willa is currently in Arrow.

Rachel Bilson was recently in Hart of DIxie as Dr. Zoe Hart which lasted four seasons.
Willa Holland (Kaitlin Cooper) is currently in Arrow as Thea Queen/Speedy.
Autumn Reeser was in the final episode with Rachel Bilson on Hart of Dixie.

Gossip Girl was good, I did think it was weird how Dan turned out to be Gossip Girl but it shouldn't spoil you watching the show from the beginning, it might even have you questioning if that was just thrown in at the last minute.


Yeah you're right for the most part, Rachel Bilson had her show The Heart of Dixie and the rest of them have had small roles here and there Peter Gallagher was on New Girl this week and Adam Brody was on there last season, Melinda Clarke was on the Dallas Reboot, Chris Carmack is on Nashville but I don't think Mischa Barton has done anything since The O.C. and the only thing I've seen of her since is when Media Take Out had posted pics of how much weight she has put on.

Thanks LM and PDS.
I loved heart of dixie. It was a surprisingly charming show with alot of ahem heart. Sorry

As for Emmerdale being a rip off of it. Sorry Mark but