90210 vs. O.C.

[user4165146510]

Q: I know it's only halfway through the second season, but has the time come to seriously compare "The OC" with the grandaddy of the genre, "Beverly Hills: 90210"?
-- Michael Tedesco, Hopewell, NJ


You're right, it's time. Let's break this baby down, Dr. Jack-style. To keep things fair, I'm only comparing "The OC" to the first two seasons of "90210."


Premise: "90210" revolved around two twins from Minnesota moving to Beverly Hills and dealing with rich people. "The OC" had a troubled kid from Encino moving to Orange County and dealing with rich people. The lesson, as always: You're probably going to have a hit show if an outsider is dealing with rich people. "The OC" pilot was better -- actually, it was probably the best episode in the history of the show -- but "90210" gets points for originality. Too tough to call.
EDGE: EVEN.


Meanwhile, if it wasn't for Marissa, Ryan would have been the weak link of "The OC" -- he was very good in the first few episodes, before the whole "he's a brooding outsider with a hair-trigger temper who means well" act wore thin because they ordered too many episodes at once. By the end of the season, Ben McKenzie (who plays Ryan) was stuck doing Jay Mohr's eyeball rolling, "I love her man!" impersonation of Andrew McCarthy, only he wasn't kidding. So they preppied him up in Season 2, gave him a self-deprecating sense of humor and a broader personality, and now he's an absolute mess -- to the point that they're starting to steer the show around Seth. What happened to the guy who wore leather jackets and white T-shirts and couldn't express himself? Now he's whipping out one-liners like Yakov Smirnoff. I'm confused.
MAJOR EDGE: 90210.



Breakout Sidekick: I'm already on record as saying that the guy who plays Seth (Adam Brody) has the best chance of anyone to become the next Tom Hanks ... and yet, I'm not sure Seth could carry his own show. He's a little too manic. Dylan McKay? He could have carried his own show. And then some. I'm just saying.
EDGE: 90210.



Babes: Tough category for "90210" -- there were only four girls on the show, and two of them were Tori Spelling and Gabrielle Carteris. Ouch. I liked Jennie Garth, and her Kelly Taylor character clearly foreshadowed every loathsome character we would see 14 years later on "My Super Sweet 16," but she wasn't prettier than anyone on "The OC" (except for maybe Ryan's new girlfriend). And Shannen Doherty was too wholesome and crazy-looking during those first two seasons, although maybe she had to be.



As for "The OC" ... good golly. It's a murderer's row. You could make the case that Alex (Marissa's new girlfriend) and Summer (played by Rachel Bilson) are two of the hottest characters in the history of televsion -- that's right, I said it -- with Marissa right behind them, as well as Julie Cooper and Seth's mom making the Meredith Baxter-Birney Hall of Fame for smoking-hot TV moms. Say what you want about Josh Schwartz (the creator of "The OC"), but the man clearly knows what he's doing.
MAJOR EDGE: The OC.



Theme Song: I can't believe I'm saying this, but ...
EDGE: The OC.



Unintentional Comedy: Between David Silver's budding music career; the two-part accidental shooting death of his buddy with the cowboy hat; Brandon nearly making the basketball team when he was like 5-foot-5; Andrea being like 35 in real life; and every single scene with Steve Sanders -- including the unforgettable adoption episode, which should have won Ian Ziering an Anti-Emmy -- I'm not sure we'll ever see the likes of "90210" again from an Unintentional Comedy standpoint.



(Again, Ian Ziering was one of the stars of this show. The man had a blonde mullet perm. Repeat: Blonde mullet perm.)



Anyway, "The OC" is too smart for that stuff -- if anything, the Unintentional Comedy is intentional, if that makes sense (like Luke's "welcome to the OC, b---h!" scene, a parody of those cheesy 80's scenes with the Zabka-like villains, the more I'm thinking about it). I'm pretty sure they're parodying shows like "90210" with some of these plots -- like Caleb's secret daughter being involved with his other daughter's surrogate son, or the entire episode when Luke's dad was outed -- which is one of the reasons I enjoy the show so much. No premise is too absurd for "The OC." At this point, the only Unintentional Comedy happens during any scene when Marissa has to act, especially if she's throwing a tantrum or pretending to be drunk. I keep waiting to find out that Mischa Barton is Keanu Reeves's illegitimate daughter. Then again, she's no Ian Ziering.
HUGE EDGE: 90210.



Plot Lines: "The OC's" biggest mistake was the way they raced through plots and relied too heavily on the "tune in next week!" factor, which is a pretty dangerous way to go -- we weren't even midway through the second season when they were playing the lesbian card. At the rate they're going, by Season 4, we'll see Ryan kidnapped by a UFO or something. I also think they juggle way too many plots, almost like the TV version of the Memphis Grizzlies playing too many guys. And with so much going on, the characters are racing through their lines now, so everyone talks in the same snappy, sarcastic fashion and you almost need to watch the shows twice to pick everything up.



With "90210", they were very good at building shows around guest stars and one-episode plots during those first two seasons, with almost everything revolving around Brandon's world and the Dylan-Brandon relationship. Some of those early episodes stood on their own, like the one when Brandon dated the racist volleyball player, or the slumber party where Kelly confessed that she lost her virginity in the woods to a conniving senior. (It's weird, I can't remember what I did last week, and yet I can remember all of these stupid episodes). When something major happened -- like the Dylan-Kelly-Brenda love triangle -- it happened over the course of an entire summer, not two episodes, and it actually made sense as it unfolded (they set that baby up like a multi-episode arc in "Lost"). I don't feel like there's any rhyme or reason to the stuff that happens on "The OC" -- personified by Marissa falling for another woman during February sweeps. That's right, it's girl-on-girl action, Thursday on Fox!
EDGE: 90210.



Gratuitous use of half-siblings and step-siblings: It took a few years for "90210" to master this one, whereas "The OC" jumped right in -- at this point, Seth is related to everyone on the show except for the gardener.
EDGE: The OC.



Hangouts: "90210" had the Peach Pit, where aggrieved teenagers gathered to bitch about their parents, throw down some greasy food and crack wise with Nat (the one-note Peach Pit owner who inexplicably landed in the credits in Season Six). My favorite part about the Peach Pit was that Dylan hung out there -- here's a 17-year-old kid who didn't need a guardian and somehow knew every shady character in Los Angeles, someone who Mr. Walsh thought was WAY too dangerous to date his daughter, yet you were always most likely to find Dylan in a diner having lifetalks with someone who was three times older than him. How did that make sense? It was right up there with Daniel-San introducing Mr. Miyagi as his "best friend" in "Karate Kid 3".



As for the Bait Shop, which became the main hangout on "The OC" this season, this might be the most unrealistic club on the planet. First of all, it's never crowded, even though they frequently have bands like The Killers playing there. Second, they don't card at the door, but there's a full bar. Third, it's the only music club in America where it's possible to have full conversations without shouting at the top of your lungs, even when the band is playing on stage. Fourth, there are no fights, no mosh pits, no obnoxious bouncers, no marijuana smoke, no cigarettes and nobody ever throws up. And fifth, none of the characters on the show are aspiring musicians along the lines of David Silver, who would have belted out "Precious" on stage at least six times by now. So why even have the Bait Shop? Again, I'm confused.
MAJOR EDGE: 90210.



Glaring and embarrassing exclusion of any African-American characters: At least "90210" had a black manager at the Summer Club, or the episode when Brandon butted heads with Vivica A. Fox, or the one where Brandon nearly exposed the rule-bending on the hoops team. I'm not sure I've even SEEN a black person on "The OC." Has it happened? Did I miss it?
WORST OFFENDER: The OC.



Originality: "90210" mastered the love triangle -- which was shamelessly ripped off by every subsequent show of this ilk, including most of the excruciating "Dawson's Creek" -- as well as those preachy storylines involving alcohol, the loss of virginity, drugs, diet pills, drunk-driving, bi-polar girlfriends, elephant tranquilizers, bestiality and everything else you can imagine. It also invented the "outsider deals with rich people" concept, as we discussed before. "The OC" mastered the "parody of a 90210-type show that somehow carries the weight of a real show" dynamic, which is harder than you think ... but not enough to take this category.
EDGE: 90210.


Final verdict: "90210" invented this genre, whereas "The OC" tried to re-invent it (throwing in a little self-parody to boot). "90210" didn't make many mistakes during those first two seasons, whereas "The OC" made a bunch of them (most famously, the Oliver debacle). More importantly, I can't believe I just spent 2,000 words trying to figure this out.
FINAL EDGE: 90210.

--from ESPN.com

[Juicemane]

......

[FF Punk]

oliver is teh gay

[Leatherface27]

I can't believe anyone even watches the O.C.

[(o)./^\.(o)]

I liked it the first season, but ever since Ryan stopped fighting people it got really lame.

[FF Punk]

Originally Posted by (o)./^\.(o)

I liked it the first season, but ever since Ryan stopped fighting people it got really lame.

ever since luke was gone it got really lame

[(o)./^\.(o)]

Originally Posted by FF Punk

ever since luke was gone it got really lame

Yep

[FF Punk]

Originally Posted by (o)./^\.(o)

Yep

and to think that they kinda replaced him with zack

[(o)./^\.(o)]

Originally Posted by FF Punk

and to think that they kinda replaced him with zack

I know, they're all douchebags one the show now. Ryan is such a lame ass, I hate that side-look thing he always does. It totally lost the whole bad-boy-takes-on-high-society thing, now Ryan is just like the rest of [insert the name of the town they live in because I can't remember it.]

[FF Punk]

Originally Posted by (o)./^\.(o)

I know, they're all douchebags one the show now. Ryan is such a lame ass, I hate that side-look thing he always does. It totally lost the whole bad-boy-takes-on-high-society thing, now Ryan is just like the rest of [insert the name of the town they live in because I can't remember it.]

newport beach

you're right about ryan. ever since he got his first gf, he became sort of a pussy. i haven't seen him smoke since the day he met marissa. not that smoking makes you a badass or anything, but you get what i'm saying.

[kobe19]

im a big fan of 90210 and the oc.... 90210 was the greatest tv show series ever. they had so many characters that everyone could relate too. for example.. brandon the good guy... dylan the bad boy... david the nerd guy that turned cool... steve the funny guy... kelly the hot popular girl... brenda the bitch... and donna the airhead. it dealt with every issue you could think of to sleeping with your friends gf, rape, losing virginity, drugs, death.. everything issue growing up. 90210 was a turning point on how television regarded teenagers, how they interacted with each other, and what teenagers were doing and are still doing in todays society. that show taught us heaps about the real world.

90210 > OC

[jimjoneskoolaid]

Originally Posted by kobe19

im a big fan of 90210 and the oc.... 90210 was the greatest tv show series ever. they had so many characters that everyone could relate too. for example.. brandon the good guy... dylan the bad boy... david the nerd guy that turned cool... steve the funny guy... kelly the hot popular girl... brenda the bitch... and donna the airhead. it dealt with every issue you could think of to sleeping with your friends gf, rape, losing virginity, drugs, death.. everything issue growing up. 90210 was a turning point on how television regarded teenagers, how they interacted with each other, and what teenagers were doing and are still doing in todays society. that show taught us heaps about the real world.

90210 > OC

I agree completely ... for instance my millionare dad was convicted of securities fraud then he faked his own death ( while I was watching btw) by blowing up his car. that ruined my life, I took my trust fund and moved down to mexico and got addicted to heroin. after I kicked the habit I came back to find that all of my millionare friends had moved on without me, but one my true love hot ass blonde with fake tits gf still had love for me, if it hadnt been for her and my trust fund and knowing that dylan on 90210 went through the same things as me I might have ended up in a bad place

[(o)./^\.(o)]

Originally Posted by jimjoneskoolaid

I agree completely ... for instance my millionare dad was convicted of securities fraud then he faked his own death ( while I was watching btw) by blowing up his car. that ruined my life, I took my trust fund and moved down to mexico and got addicted to heroin. after I kicked the habit I came back to find that all of my millionare friends had moved on without me, but one my true love hot ass blonde with fake tits gf still had love for me, if it hadnt been for her and my trust fund and knowing that dylan on 90210 went through the same things as me I might have ended up in a bad place

That had to be one of the best posts I've ever read on bb.com. reps as soon as I am able.

[Pro-Pain]

People who watch these shows are losers.

[(o)./^\.(o)]

Originally Posted by Pro-Pain

People who watch these shows are losers.

No I'm not, I just happen to watch a particular television program that you don't. It's pretty easy to make claims that are impossible to back up with any evidence. I could say, "people who don't watch these shows are losers," and you wouldn't be able to prove otherwise; but of course I won't make that claim because making rash generalizations based on something as miniscule as a certain TV show because that would be stupid.

[bearfan3420]

k, im a loser cause i watch the oc i know.





Ok i gotta be completely honest guys..this 2nd season sucks very much..The whole lezbo thing was just a way to boost up ratings and i think it is very stupid. i mean cmon..wtf..And i thought luke was a good characther but i dont like zach to much so that shiot is pretty lame..I liked the whole oliver and marissa thing..that had my attention..I was hoping ryan would whip the shiot out of oliver..


Ever since then this show has sucked. Well i thought last seasons last episode was really good..


OO YEA, how they gonna end this season? I mean that one girl ryan banged is still having that baby..I think the writer is stuck and cant think of nething else..So hes just mummbling on bout seths dads secret lover(which i found boring and lame), and how that one girl isnt calebs daughter..OR IS IT?? DUN DUN DUN

[Dave22reborn]

90210 was awesome, until they graduated collage, then it became like Melrouse place.

The characters ruled, Dillon was like this rich bum, who really didn't do anything, I mean he was worth 8 million dollars, but what did we see him do all the time?? Surfed, hooked up with girls, that's about it.

Also what was awesome, was after Dillion came Colin I believe, he was also rich, worth millions, lived on a boat, when Dillon came back, well you can't have two millionare bums, so Colin went bankrupt, because his dad killed himself or something.

Tori Spelling's character gave every guy blue balls, especially David, every time he came close, she'd stop him.

Kelly had it the worst, weight issues, burned in a fire, cocaine addiction, creepy stalker girl, raped, etc.

I mean 90210 will make the OC it's bitch, 90210 lasted for 10 YEARS!!!!!

[user4165146510]

Ian Ziering was one of the stars of this show. The man had a blonde mullet perm. Repeat: Blonde mullet perm.

[dnth8daplaya]

That 70's Show kicks ASS!! no better show..That and Wanna come inside?? (on MTV)

[morgansd12]

Originally Posted by (o)./^\.(o)

I know, they're all douchebags one the show now. Ryan is such a lame ass, I hate that side-look thing he always does. It totally lost the whole bad-boy-takes-on-high-society thing, now Ryan is just like the rest of [insert the name of the town they live in because I can't remember it.]

Oh geeezus..I stopped watching the show cause I wanted to kill my TV whenever Ryan did his "sidewise 'errrr?' glance with the one cocked eybrow". Like a crappy Speilberg movie (Jurassic Park AKA...People Looking Upwards in Amazement)

I just go study instead on thursday night...save the tv time for Ultimate Fighter and 24.

[FF Punk]

Originally Posted by dnth8daplaya

That 70's Show kicks ASS!! no better show..That and Wanna come inside?? (on MTV)