I love The OC. This is a fact that surprises most people who know me, myself included. As much as I try to resist, as much as I try to ignore, and as much as I try to dissuade, one haunting and beautiful fact remains: I love The OC.
What is not to love? A lonely yet naturally bright kid from a bad neighborhood finds himself in trouble for a crime he did not really commit. His good-natured, mildly self-righteous and quick witted lawyer recognizes the boy's potential, and takes him into his loving, yet oddly detached home in Newport Beach, California where he becomes the missing ingredient in the lives of the lawyer himself, his overly stressed and cynical wife, and his quirky and socially isolated son. The young man finds himself in the center of a whirlwind of Orange County's most socially elite yet emotionally, morally, and ethically broken residents and manages to, though seemingly out of his element, act as the missing and much needed ingredient in the lives of those around him. He finds love, friendship, family, direction, and passion in a world that was not meant for him.
If it weren't for the overt over-the-top use of violence, sex, drugs, scandals, and generally seedy underpinnings of a seemingly perfect world that makes The OC look like Beverly Hills 90210 on steroids, the show could follow any showing of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special every December.
Anyone unfamiliar with the show can get everything they need to know from this iconic scene.
What is not to love? A lonely yet naturally bright kid from a bad neighborhood finds himself in trouble for a crime he did not really commit. His good-natured, mildly self-righteous and quick witted lawyer recognizes the boy's potential, and takes him into his loving, yet oddly detached home in Newport Beach, California where he becomes the missing ingredient in the lives of the lawyer himself, his overly stressed and cynical wife, and his quirky and socially isolated son. The young man finds himself in the center of a whirlwind of Orange County's most socially elite yet emotionally, morally, and ethically broken residents and manages to, though seemingly out of his element, act as the missing and much needed ingredient in the lives of those around him. He finds love, friendship, family, direction, and passion in a world that was not meant for him.
If it weren't for the overt over-the-top use of violence, sex, drugs, scandals, and generally seedy underpinnings of a seemingly perfect world that makes The OC look like Beverly Hills 90210 on steroids, the show could follow any showing of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special every December.
Anyone unfamiliar with the show can get everything they need to know from this iconic scene.
The OC represents everything a 21st century American teen drama about an affluent society should represent all capped off with the rather clichéd and obvious theorem that a cultural outsider is never the cause of problems within a society, but rather the outsider uncovers the all too prevalent problems that the given society has become desensitized to over time. Even the most casual of observers cannot escape nor ignore this incredibly over-used and unimaginably banal of statements. But the rather primitive of cultural critiques of the depraved was not what makes me love The OC. I love The OC because every time I watch the show I think of 2 things 1) “Buffalo Bill” Cody and 2) Forrest Gump.
There are moments in American history that can profoundly affect and be affected by unknowing individuals who simply show up. One of these instances was in the late 19th century into the early 20th century, right around the time that William "Buffalo Bill" Cody made a name for himself. Famous for the traveling live spectacle known as "Buffalo Bill’s Wild West," William Cody had a much more fruitful and historically profound life in the American "old west" than most casual observers will recognize. In reality, Cody, according to various accounts, took part in just about every iconic activity commonly thought of when thinking of the turn of the century frontier. Cody was born into a family who actively protested slavery in the United States. He served as the Chief of Scouts for the Third infantry in the American Civil War where he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was a fur trapper and buffalo hunter. He was contracted by the Kansas Pacific Railroad company to serve buffalo meat he hunted to its workers during construction of the railroad. He delivered mail for the Pony Express for a time, dug for gold in Colorado, drove a stagecoach, and managed a hotel all before founding the touring live spectacle known as "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" that essentially created the American depiction of cowboys versus Indians. Despite profiting from the overly stylized and stereotypical depiction of American Indians, Cody was a staunch supporter of the turn of the century civil rights moment for women, Indians, and African Americans. William Cody is, by all accounts, the iconic frontiersman of the late 19th century, and he achieved that status simply by existing at the right time and place.
Then there was Forrest Gump, the highly fictionalized dimwit that had first-hand experience in an extraordinary number of significant events that happened in the United States from the Mid-1950's till the late 1980's. It doesn't take a whole lot of historical education to know that a lot of profound and revolutionary events occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, and it doesn't take a whole lot of complex arithmetic to figure out when a person would need to be born to experience it all, but never-the-less, the idea that a single person can exist to experience it all captivated movie audiences and a number of critics and members of the motion picture academy in 1994. It had the added bonus of making America gasp in unison and ask “what the Hell did they do to Gary Sinise’s legs?”
Here a snapshot of Forrest Gump’s cultural and historical resume: 1) teaching a young Elvis Presley to dance 2) witnessing the racial integration of the University of Alabama from directly behind George Wallace’s racist ivory tower 3) playing football for "Bear" Bryant’s Crimson Tide 4) Fighting in Vietnam where he won a Congressional Medal of Honor 6) speaking along-side Abby Hoffman in Washington DC 7) Meeting Presidents John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon 8) Witnessing and reporting the Watergate break-in 9) almost single-handedly improving relations between the US and China through the sport of ping-pong 10) Meeting John Lennon while on the Dick Cavett Show 11) Founding the Bubba-Gump shrimp corporation 12)Purchasing stock in Apple Computers when it was a young unknown company 13) and coining the expression "shit happens." Not too shabby for a kid who's measured level of intelligence is below the average standards for the Alabama public school system.
Had Forrest Gump been real, he would have been to the American experience what the Ford Model T was to the automobile industry; he would have single-handedly shaped America for all future generations. He was everywhere, yet he was nowhere at the exact same time faded into the background of photos and videos of some of the nation’s most prolific personalities. The premise for the film was simple: in the second half of the 20th century, history was taking place every moment (except for the 1980's), and a single unknown person could exist to be a part of it all without ever realizing it. Not a particularly advanced premise, but it broke box office records and swept the Academy Awards, so Robert Zemeckis is probably not too broken up about it.
The bit that made Forrest Gump fascinating, aside from the clever and tasteful use of film technology, was that he was, for lack of a better word, an idiot. A major character trait, in fact the only prominent character trait, was that Forrest had a below average IQ and didn’t seemingly possess the ability for complex and rational thought the way “normal” people do, though I suppose an argument to the contrary could be made. Forrest essentially shaped history through total and complete idled existence. His lack of activism was in itself the cause of his level of historic exposure. He simply travelled as the winds of time carried him (as referenced by the opening sequence of a feather travelling in the breeze to land at his feet), and by extension we, the audience, could very well be unknowingly living that which will be viewed as historically and culturally significant for generations to come. Again, this is a simple, clichéd, and remarkably obvious premise, but one that seems to strike a chord with anyone looking for a 20th century period piece about a man with a good, honest, and noble heart.
Forrest Gump is, without question, a fictionalized William Cody half a century later.
Which brings us to Ryan Atwood and Newport Beach circa 2003. Unlike Forrest Gump, Ryan is described as a bright kid, but like Forrest, he is the perpetual outsider. Where Forrest was limited in intelligence, Ryan is limited by his socio-economic background, but his limitation is what makes him extraordinary; at least extraordinary in the respect that his presence has a profound effect on his surrounding community.
The OC’s depiction of Newport Beach 2003 is a microcosm of the United States mid 20th century existing as its own entity with its own budding and changing cultural boundaries being exercised and challenged by those within it. Most people, of course are blind to the realities of Newport until Ryan enters the scene. He is viewed as something of a parasite at first, tainting the community with his filthy “lower class” status until eventually (though not fully realized until the final season) he truly gains the respect and admiration of everyone he encounters.
Ryan is an enigma, but he is an enigma with a remarkable propensity for bearing witness to every significant event in Newport Beach over the course of 4 years. When Kirsten’s model home burned down, Ryan was there. When Marissa overdosed on painkillers, Ryan was the one who found her. When Jimmy lost millions of his investors’ money, Ryan broke up the fist fight. When Luke’s father was discovered having an illicit affair with another man, Ryan saw them kiss. When Oliver goes crazy and tries to kidnap Marissa, Ryan was the only one to suspect and the one to save the day, and this is all just the first season. Ryan is to Newport Beach what William Cody and Forrest Gump were to America in the late 19th century and the mid-late 20th century respectively. The OC is about an affluent community that has affluent problems, but those problems were not recognized prior to the arrival of Ryan Atwood who, for all intents and purposes, had no business being there to recognize them. By Ryan being Ryan, Newport became Newport.
Everything changes, except that nothing does. The railroads would have been built, the Pony Express would have functioned, the Civil War would have been fought and won by the Union, African-Americans, women, and American Indians would have gained the same Constitutional rights as white men, and cowboys would ride off into the sunset. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
The Civil rights movement would have prospered. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide would roll on. Vietnam would have ended in controversy. John Lennon, John Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy would have been assassinated. Nixon would have resigned amid scandal. New York City in the late 1970’s would have been a seedy, disgusting, cultural cesspool. Shit would happen. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
Jimmy Cooper would have stolen millions of dollars. Marrissa would have overdosed in Mexico. Seth would have chosen Anna over Summer. Kirsten would have gone to AA to get sober. Julie would have slept with Luke. Caleb would have died penniless despite his affluent image. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
Like most people, I don’t know much about chaos theory, but I do not a lot about “Back To The Future,” and as such, I know that a single, seemingly insignificant act of normal everyday life by a normal everyday person can, will, and does have a dramatic effect of future events. I know that if Marty McFly hadn’t pushed his father out of the street in 1955, his life in 1985 would have been just as he had left it assuming he had done nothing else to disrupt the space time continuum, which is, of course, impossible. Instead, Marty, who was thrust into a time and place he didn’t understand, drastically altered the course of human events in a way no one could possibly comprehend through a single act of humanitarianism. By Marty being Marty, 1985 could no longer be 1985. But all can ultimately be fixed by Chuck Berry.
There are moments in American history that can profoundly affect and be affected by unknowing individuals who simply show up. One of these instances was in the late 19th century into the early 20th century, right around the time that William "Buffalo Bill" Cody made a name for himself. Famous for the traveling live spectacle known as "Buffalo Bill’s Wild West," William Cody had a much more fruitful and historically profound life in the American "old west" than most casual observers will recognize. In reality, Cody, according to various accounts, took part in just about every iconic activity commonly thought of when thinking of the turn of the century frontier. Cody was born into a family who actively protested slavery in the United States. He served as the Chief of Scouts for the Third infantry in the American Civil War where he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was a fur trapper and buffalo hunter. He was contracted by the Kansas Pacific Railroad company to serve buffalo meat he hunted to its workers during construction of the railroad. He delivered mail for the Pony Express for a time, dug for gold in Colorado, drove a stagecoach, and managed a hotel all before founding the touring live spectacle known as "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" that essentially created the American depiction of cowboys versus Indians. Despite profiting from the overly stylized and stereotypical depiction of American Indians, Cody was a staunch supporter of the turn of the century civil rights moment for women, Indians, and African Americans. William Cody is, by all accounts, the iconic frontiersman of the late 19th century, and he achieved that status simply by existing at the right time and place.
Then there was Forrest Gump, the highly fictionalized dimwit that had first-hand experience in an extraordinary number of significant events that happened in the United States from the Mid-1950's till the late 1980's. It doesn't take a whole lot of historical education to know that a lot of profound and revolutionary events occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, and it doesn't take a whole lot of complex arithmetic to figure out when a person would need to be born to experience it all, but never-the-less, the idea that a single person can exist to experience it all captivated movie audiences and a number of critics and members of the motion picture academy in 1994. It had the added bonus of making America gasp in unison and ask “what the Hell did they do to Gary Sinise’s legs?”
Here a snapshot of Forrest Gump’s cultural and historical resume: 1) teaching a young Elvis Presley to dance 2) witnessing the racial integration of the University of Alabama from directly behind George Wallace’s racist ivory tower 3) playing football for "Bear" Bryant’s Crimson Tide 4) Fighting in Vietnam where he won a Congressional Medal of Honor 6) speaking along-side Abby Hoffman in Washington DC 7) Meeting Presidents John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon 8) Witnessing and reporting the Watergate break-in 9) almost single-handedly improving relations between the US and China through the sport of ping-pong 10) Meeting John Lennon while on the Dick Cavett Show 11) Founding the Bubba-Gump shrimp corporation 12)Purchasing stock in Apple Computers when it was a young unknown company 13) and coining the expression "shit happens." Not too shabby for a kid who's measured level of intelligence is below the average standards for the Alabama public school system.
Had Forrest Gump been real, he would have been to the American experience what the Ford Model T was to the automobile industry; he would have single-handedly shaped America for all future generations. He was everywhere, yet he was nowhere at the exact same time faded into the background of photos and videos of some of the nation’s most prolific personalities. The premise for the film was simple: in the second half of the 20th century, history was taking place every moment (except for the 1980's), and a single unknown person could exist to be a part of it all without ever realizing it. Not a particularly advanced premise, but it broke box office records and swept the Academy Awards, so Robert Zemeckis is probably not too broken up about it.
The bit that made Forrest Gump fascinating, aside from the clever and tasteful use of film technology, was that he was, for lack of a better word, an idiot. A major character trait, in fact the only prominent character trait, was that Forrest had a below average IQ and didn’t seemingly possess the ability for complex and rational thought the way “normal” people do, though I suppose an argument to the contrary could be made. Forrest essentially shaped history through total and complete idled existence. His lack of activism was in itself the cause of his level of historic exposure. He simply travelled as the winds of time carried him (as referenced by the opening sequence of a feather travelling in the breeze to land at his feet), and by extension we, the audience, could very well be unknowingly living that which will be viewed as historically and culturally significant for generations to come. Again, this is a simple, clichéd, and remarkably obvious premise, but one that seems to strike a chord with anyone looking for a 20th century period piece about a man with a good, honest, and noble heart.
Forrest Gump is, without question, a fictionalized William Cody half a century later.
Which brings us to Ryan Atwood and Newport Beach circa 2003. Unlike Forrest Gump, Ryan is described as a bright kid, but like Forrest, he is the perpetual outsider. Where Forrest was limited in intelligence, Ryan is limited by his socio-economic background, but his limitation is what makes him extraordinary; at least extraordinary in the respect that his presence has a profound effect on his surrounding community.
The OC’s depiction of Newport Beach 2003 is a microcosm of the United States mid 20th century existing as its own entity with its own budding and changing cultural boundaries being exercised and challenged by those within it. Most people, of course are blind to the realities of Newport until Ryan enters the scene. He is viewed as something of a parasite at first, tainting the community with his filthy “lower class” status until eventually (though not fully realized until the final season) he truly gains the respect and admiration of everyone he encounters.
Ryan is an enigma, but he is an enigma with a remarkable propensity for bearing witness to every significant event in Newport Beach over the course of 4 years. When Kirsten’s model home burned down, Ryan was there. When Marissa overdosed on painkillers, Ryan was the one who found her. When Jimmy lost millions of his investors’ money, Ryan broke up the fist fight. When Luke’s father was discovered having an illicit affair with another man, Ryan saw them kiss. When Oliver goes crazy and tries to kidnap Marissa, Ryan was the only one to suspect and the one to save the day, and this is all just the first season. Ryan is to Newport Beach what William Cody and Forrest Gump were to America in the late 19th century and the mid-late 20th century respectively. The OC is about an affluent community that has affluent problems, but those problems were not recognized prior to the arrival of Ryan Atwood who, for all intents and purposes, had no business being there to recognize them. By Ryan being Ryan, Newport became Newport.
Everything changes, except that nothing does. The railroads would have been built, the Pony Express would have functioned, the Civil War would have been fought and won by the Union, African-Americans, women, and American Indians would have gained the same Constitutional rights as white men, and cowboys would ride off into the sunset. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
The Civil rights movement would have prospered. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide would roll on. Vietnam would have ended in controversy. John Lennon, John Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy would have been assassinated. Nixon would have resigned amid scandal. New York City in the late 1970’s would have been a seedy, disgusting, cultural cesspool. Shit would happen. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
Jimmy Cooper would have stolen millions of dollars. Marrissa would have overdosed in Mexico. Seth would have chosen Anna over Summer. Kirsten would have gone to AA to get sober. Julie would have slept with Luke. Caleb would have died penniless despite his affluent image. But then, maybe they wouldn’t.
Like most people, I don’t know much about chaos theory, but I do not a lot about “Back To The Future,” and as such, I know that a single, seemingly insignificant act of normal everyday life by a normal everyday person can, will, and does have a dramatic effect of future events. I know that if Marty McFly hadn’t pushed his father out of the street in 1955, his life in 1985 would have been just as he had left it assuming he had done nothing else to disrupt the space time continuum, which is, of course, impossible. Instead, Marty, who was thrust into a time and place he didn’t understand, drastically altered the course of human events in a way no one could possibly comprehend through a single act of humanitarianism. By Marty being Marty, 1985 could no longer be 1985. But all can ultimately be fixed by Chuck Berry.
So the question remains, how much of an impact did William Cody have on the shaping of human history. Would life have existed as we know it had he not reportedly hunted more bison than anyone in his immediate social circle? How would the civil rights movement have been affected had Forrest Gump (or someone else) not picked up a dropped notebook and handed it back to Vivian Malone as she entered the University of Alabama for the first time? How would the Cohen family have survived in Newport Beach had Ryan and Trey not attempted to steal a car? Would Seth and Summer ever gotten together? Would Sandy ever have started teaching? Would Kirsten ever have learned to cook? One thing that is still certain: no matter what, George Wallace would still be a dick.
Never underestimate the magnitude of impact a single person can have on any given circumstance. And do not assume that those who impact society the most are individuals already prevalent within a given society. If history (and movies) has taught us anything it is that cultural outsiders stand to shake the foundation of future events as much, if not exponentially more, than insiders for the very reason we love Forrest Gump and The OC; it takes a certain kind of fresh outsight (as opposed to insight) in order to truly see the flawed nature of being, and it is within that recognition that the most profound of changes can and will occur. Bill, Forrest, and Ryan teach us that these truths are universal. Yes, they act as the everyman’s eyes into a world we are unfamiliar with, but they also act as the nowhere man’s tool for deconstructing establishment. This is a truth that has existed throughout time and space, and will continue to exist, until someone alters that reality. Everything changes, except that nothing does.
Never underestimate the magnitude of impact a single person can have on any given circumstance. And do not assume that those who impact society the most are individuals already prevalent within a given society. If history (and movies) has taught us anything it is that cultural outsiders stand to shake the foundation of future events as much, if not exponentially more, than insiders for the very reason we love Forrest Gump and The OC; it takes a certain kind of fresh outsight (as opposed to insight) in order to truly see the flawed nature of being, and it is within that recognition that the most profound of changes can and will occur. Bill, Forrest, and Ryan teach us that these truths are universal. Yes, they act as the everyman’s eyes into a world we are unfamiliar with, but they also act as the nowhere man’s tool for deconstructing establishment. This is a truth that has existed throughout time and space, and will continue to exist, until someone alters that reality. Everything changes, except that nothing does.
