R.I.P. OC

Tonight I will be doing something I didn't expect would happen for several years to come. It will be the last time I get to sit down with Seth, Ryan, Summer, Marissa, Taylor and the rest of the Newport residents of "The OC."\nDo you have your Death Cab For Cutie playing in the background? OK, we can begin the farewell. Let's think back 3 1/2 short years ago to the summer of 2003. Nick and Jessica were still together, Ashton Kutcher was still cool, and in the far off magical land of Chino, (cue gritty cinematography) 16-year-old Ryan Atwood was stealing his first car. Yes, it was this illegal act that brought our mute rebel to the home of his affluent defense attorney Sandy Cohen. And it was this crime that started one of the best series of the past few years (hey, don't laugh). The show was an instant success thanks to its appeal as both a fun, trashy soap opera but one that was smart enough to make you feel guilty for watching it. Ahh, the irony of Seth, the sarcasm of Sandy, the many husbands of Julie Cooper.\nBack during the first season, punches were thrown every 10 seconds, Ryan apparently didn't know how to look straight ahead, Seth was still a nerd, Holly still existed. Things were great. So what happened? Easy answer, the show was a hit from the start. Fox assumed it would remain one, thus sent executive producer Josh Schwartz to work on similar rip-offs like "North Shore." Taking away its post-"American Idol" Wednesday slots didn't help either, and matching it up against "Grey's Anatomy" this season was the final nail in the coffin. Oh yeah, and season three totally sucked creatively. Killing Marissa Cooper?! Who the hell's idea was that (they didn't even write social chair on her grave!)? And then the show skipped ahead five months after her death so it wouldn't have to deal with the devastating effect killing a main character would have on the rest of the group. How is it that not one of the four main characters made it to a full year of college?\nThis is what disappointed me the most. You see, I've always had a deep connection with these characters. The show started their junior year of high school, the same time I was a junior in high school (although they did have a random third year at Harbor, placing me a year ahead). I come from a from a fairly affluent town similar to Newport (only it's freezing in the Midwest). I, too, had a period where I wore nothing but wifebeaters (that's a lie, I'd be more likely to have my own talking toy horse like Captain Oats), and I often imagined myself as the fifth friend. (No, I have not sought psychological help yet.) So when they failed to go to college and move on with their lives, I, too, felt as if I failed (after all, here I was staying in on Thursday nights to watch their lives instead of barhopping with my real friends). Then I realized maybe I was jealous that they were still living in Newport together. Sure, they're "working," but really they just get to live off their rich parents and go to the beach a lot. Bastards. But rather than end the relationship with anger, let's look back at the 10 best episodes of "The OC." Play the song.\n10. "The Nana" (Season 1): Why Linda Lavlin as Nana Cohen wasn't a series regular is a mystery to me. Marissa finds out her mom and ex-boyfriend Luke (who moved to Oregon and never came back) did the dirty.\n9. "The Debut" (Season 1): Newport is known for its lucrative fundraisers that only help the rich. This cotillion brought Seth closer to Summer but also introduced him to the oh-look-at-me-with-my-short-hair-and-wool-sweater-I'm-so-trendy-and-cool-gross-gross Anna.\n8. "The French Connection" (Season 4): I was never a huge fan of Taylor replacing Marissa, but it's hard to deny the comedy of her French ex-husband's tell-all sex novel.\n7. "The Safe Harbor" (Season 3): Not all of season three sucked, like this episode where Marissa gets kicked out of Harbor and drags Ryan down with her.\n6. "The O.Sea"/"The Dearly Beloved" (Season 2): The one where Caleb dies, which was depressing, but seeing Julie jump into the pool of that insane orange mansion moments after she tried poisoning him was great (especially with Coldplay's then-new song "Fix You" playing in the background.) And if that wasn't enough, Marissa shot Ryan's creepy brother Trey after a rape attempt (yet another perfect use of music, this time Imogen Heap).\n5. "The Ties That Bind" (Season 1): The first-season finale saw Julie and Caleb get hitched, Seth leave Newport on his sailboat (hey, whatever happened to the Summer Breeze?) and Ryan head back to Chino to take care of Theresa's baby (poor Theresa, I always liked you).\n4. "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't" (Season 2): The best of all the Cohens' made-up holidays. Summer saves the day, the group discovers Ryan's new girlfriend is Kirsten's long lost sister (bleech) and yarmulkes a plenty.\n3. "The Third Wheel" (Season 1): Oh, the Oliver fiasco? What a psycho. Rooney performs (pre-Bait Shop), setting a standard for the rest of the many musical guests.\n2. "The Escape" (Season 1): After a vacation to Tijuana, Ryan discovers Marissa OD'ing in a dark alley. Who knew she'd actually die two years later?\n1. "The Rainy Day Women" (Season 2): After almost running off to Italy with new boyfriend Zach, Summer flees the airport to find Seth hanging upside down after slipping off the roof, and they re-enact the upside-down "Spiderman" kiss.