Women, Violence, and Relationships in The O.C.

For four seasons from 2003 to 2007, Josh Schwartz's The O.C. captured the interest of teens, tweens, and other viewers with the intent of indulging in the drama and romance of an affluent community in Orange Country, California, where love affairs and personal conflicts are a dime a dozen. After Ryan, a 16 year-old from the wrong side of the tracks, gets caught one too many times, a lawyer, Sandy, takes the troubled youth into his home in the affluent beach-side community of Newport Beach (Internet Movie Database Inc., "The O.C."). Sandy, his wife, Kirsten, and his son, Seth, eventually accept Ryan as one of their own. As weeks and months pass, the Cohen family quickly becomes the centerpiece of a community riddled with troubled relationships, family issues, and scandal. Episode 25 of Season 1, "The Shower," centers around the planning and execution of a wedding shower for Kirsten's friend, Julie, and Kirsten's father, Cal. Through its representations of characters and themes, "The Shower" comments on relationships, gender roles in society, and the efficacy of aggression in solving dilemmas, ultimately providing insight into these issues and helping to shape their cultural representations for the real world.

The episode beings with an introduction that outlines the plot of the previous episode, while a voiceover narration explains, "Previously on the O.C." Whether the viewer is a dedicated fan or a first-time viewer, it quickly becomes evident that the The O.C. is a serial. The episodes hardly standon alone; rather, there exist arcs that will bear importance to the viewer's understanding and appreciation of the show (Newman, 23). For a serial, new viewers may have difficulty watching only one episode, seeing as their ability to understand the plot, as well as the characters, will be severely handicapped. Of course, the preview of past events serves as a briefing for new viewers and a reminder for returning viewers of current arcs that will continue in the coming episode.

The introduction speaks worlds about the show, if only through the nature of its content, which is primarily sexual. Seven short clips, each only a few seconds in length, comprise the introduction. The first four clips and the last clip all show scenes of intimate relationships being played out amongst teens, as well as adults. Included are a proposal, two adults kissing, two teens kissing, two adults having relationship issues, and two teens having relationship issues. The remaining two clips imply business trouble for two men, while the other exhibits tension between a daughter and her soon-to-be stepfather. Still, it is immediately clear what the show, or at least the episode, will primarily be about: sex and relationships.

Both teens and adults are addressed by this introduction, as it shows scenes that will apply to almost everyone who has been in a relationship with ups and downs. The introduction also draws in teens who have not had serious relationships or have struggled to attract attention from their crush. Seth's girlfriend, Summer, asks Seth to tell her if she had been mean to him earlier in their high school careers, and Seth replies, "That would have required you to speak to me." This brief interaction stands out from the others, as it demonstrates that the show's arcs will not merely glorify intimate relationships. Rather, the show as a whole is sympathetic with all sorts of viewers and is perceptive of all aspects of dating. In taking this inclusive approach, The O.C. avoids providing an unrealistically optimistic portrait of relationships. It also reinforces that it is a drama in which the portrayal of relationships is a reflection of the real world, rather than a portrait of the real world that only refracts the positive and often sexual aspect of love (Mittell, Ch. 4, 1-2).

As the introductory credits roll, one of the first images is a shot of the California coastline, replete with extravagant homes and rolling hills. Clearly, the wealthy image of Orange County, California is being glorified. It is further glorified throughout the introduction not only by images of surfers and expensive yachts, but also with the song, "California," by Phantom Planet. The song celebrates the footage of glorious prosperity with its repeated singing of the word, "California," as the music culminates just as a shot of the Cohen's elegant pool house appears. The celebratory music and glorified images cause the viewer to feel as if he is entering paradise, but there is another reason for the glorification. After experiencing the preview of the previous episode, the concept that the producers project is one of trouble in paradise.

Indeed, a central theme throughout the four seasons of The O.C. often involves problems that arise despite, or because of, the wealth that surrounds the characters. For instance, in "The Shower," one of the subplots surrounds the beautiful but manipulative Julie Cooper and her engagement to the older and more serious Cal. The other characters-Julie's sister, Hailie, in particular-suspect that Julie is marrying Cal for his wealth. With Cal's old age a recurring issue in the series, it could be that Julie is marrying Cal in order to inherit his wealth in the event that he passes away. Furthermore, Julie's wardrobe, complete with myriad flashy outfits and ever-changing yet ever-present jewelry, affirms the materialistic nature of her character.

Yet, Julie's image as materialistic is not consistent with other representations of women in the episode. The first scene with Kirsten provides an interesting portrayal of women's representations. At first glance, Kirsten might strike the viewer as the stereotypical trophy wife. She is a slim blond dressed in all pink, and she pours her husband coffee when he joins her in the kitchen. Yet, Kirsten also pours herself coffee, for she has work to do. And her pink clothing forms not a dress, but a female suit. In fact, Kirsten is preparing to go to work, while Sandy is dressed quite casually-in a bathing suit and t-shirt. Additionally, the next scene is set in Kirsten's spacious office, where she is busy at work. These representations combine to portray Kirsten as feminine but empowered. She is a caring mother and wife, but she is also career-oriented. Unlike women who are often interrupted or overpowered, such as the wife on the 1970s hit, All in the Family, Kirsten is a reasonable and respected character in the episode and throughout the show.

Much can be said about women's representations in The O.C. In the next scene, an overhead view of the beautiful homes of Newport Beach juxtaposes the disturbing scene that follows in which Ryan's ex-girlfriend, Theresa, reveals to Sandy that her boyfriend, Eddie, has been hitting her. This occurrence of trouble in paradise provides a glimpse of a problem faced by many women in America today. Like many women in the real world, Theresa is reluctant to leave her boyfriend despite his violent actions. She feels as if she has no place to go. Throughout the episode, Theresa struggles with what course of action to take, eventually deciding to stay with the Cohens for the time being. Theresa's conflicting feelings between absorbing Eddie's abuse and leaving him altogether are representative of the conflicting feelings felt by many abused women, and her struggle demonstrates that the decision for many women in the real world is anything but a simple one.

The episode extrapolates on the issue of women's representations by examining the interactions between Theresa and Marissa, the latter of which is currently dating Ryan. This presents the possibility of a malicious conflict between two females, or a catfight. However, Marissa and Theresa show only the utmost respect for each other throughout the episode, even when they are in the shared presence of Ryan. What's more, they do not gossip about each other or badmouth each other behind each other's backs. The catfight was used in 1970s and 80s media to negate feminists' assertions that sisterhood existed amongst women, and instead to portray women as aggressive creatures just like men (Douglas, 223-224). "The Shower," on the other hand, depicts two females with conflicting interests as calm, rational, and even generous. Marissa encourages Theresa to attend the wedding shower, even though Marissa knows Theresa will inevitably spend time with Ryan at the event. At the wedding shower, Theresa takes time to assure Marissa that Ryan is happy with her and that she (Theresa) has no intention of interfering. Through these interactions, The O.C. is encouraging cooperation amongst teen girls and therefore discouraging malicious behavior, such as hurtful gossip or physical confrontation. Ultimately, the girls help each other when they are in times of need, and they are both better off as a result. The episode reaffirms its representation of aggressive behavior as a negative aspect of culture when Ryan is able to restrain himself from driving back to his old neighborhood to confront Theresa's abusive boyfriend.

Whether it is Theresa and Marissa's shared fondness of Ryan, Ryan's temptation to aggress against Eddie, or Kirsten's image as a woman, The O.C.'s "The Shower" does more than merely reflect or refract cultural representations of the real world-it takes a position on issues and attempts to help shape cultural representations for its viewers. The conflict between Theresa and Marissa demonstrates the cooperation that women can exemplify. Ryan's ability to refrain from violence showed that non-violent solutions can be accomplished with self-discipline. And Kirsten's representation as a woman showed that females can be both feminine and driven. Yet, more than simply showing that these various representations can exist, The O.C. endorses them. Females should be cooperative, people should refrain from aggression, and women should be both caring and career-oriented. As a result, The O.C. serves to help shape American culture as much as it as helps to represent it.

Douglass, Susan J. Where the Girls Are. New York: Three Rivers Press. 1994.

Internet Movie Database Inc. "The O.C." Internet Movie Database Inc. 2003. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362359/plotsummary

Mittell, Jason. Television and American Culture. Forthcoming from Oxford University Press. Date TBA.

Newman, Michael Z. "From Beats to Arcs: Toward a Poetics of Television Narrative." Project Muse. 58 (2006)