The Final Goodbye

Last night was the last episode of The OC. I was a fan of the first two seasons. Mr. Doodlebug and I watched the first season on DVD while watching the second season on the air. I was totally hooked. The show was a true outlet for me. I was teaching at a middle school outside Washington, DC and hated my job. Hated might not be a strong enough word to describe my feelings about that particular teaching experience. I made it through the school year without quitting for two reasons. First, I told myself repeatedly that if I didn't want to teach after this year I didn't have to. And second, I watched The OC when I got home from work and on Wednesday nights when season two was on. I got lost in the characters and the drama. I loved talking about the episodes with Mr. Doodlebug, who was almost as into the show as I was. And I've always liked teenage dramas (90210, Felicity).

The OC was on a definite and determined decline starting with the second season. The second wasn't as good as the first and the third wasn't as good as the second. This last season was terrible. Marissa was dead and Ryan suddenly falls in love with the strange dorky girl they used to rag on. It turns out she's ok looking and Ryan found her dorkiness charming. I kept watching all the way to the end.

Last night's episode had some reality flaws, like there is no way Taylor would be on a terrorist watch list, and Ryan is not the class of 2012 he is the class of 2011. Or when Bullet flies the entire wedding party and some guests to Berkley because Julie doesn't want to get married without Kiersten.

It has been reported that one of the reasons The OC failed was because the teeny boppers who watched didn't like the emphasis on the adult characters. I found just the opposite. Sandy Cohen was probably my favorite character. Then again, I'm not a teeny bopper -- far from it. Another supposed reason for its failure is that the teenagers who watched the beginning of the show were getting too old for it and losing interest. It was hard for the show to pick up a new audience half way through because of its downward spiral. I think the real reason it is now off the air is because the writing was bad and got worse.

All of that said, I teared up when Summer gave Julie the locket with Marissa's picture in it -- I know I'm such a sap. And I got chills when Summer walked down the aisle to marry Seth. Both good moments. I wish they had played Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley as the last song -- now that would have made me cry. I'm sad to see the show go, but now we can start watching 30 Rock.