Many consider The O.C. to be among the top teen dramas of the 2000s, but one shocking episode in season 3 changed everything for the worse. The Fox series, created by Josh Schwartz, kicked off with Ben McKenzie's Ryan Atwood, a troubled teenager, moving in with a wealthy family — the Cohens. Ryan went from living in Chino to Newport Beach, where he met many people who had a completely different upbringing than his, most notably his adoptive brother, Seth Cohen, his next-door neighbor, Marissa Cooper, and her best friend, Summer Roberts.

Over the course of The O.C.'s four seasons, the characters experienced many highs and lows, all of which were watched by millions of people. Unfortunately, following one unfortunate cliffhanger, the show's ratings plummeted. What was once considered a pop cultural phenomenon was a popular sensation no more, resulting in its cancelation after season 4. Given The O.C.'s influence and early positive reception, the fact that it only lasted for four seasons was quite shocking. However, it would have been difficult to recover after the events of one fateful finale.

The O.C. Never Really Recovered After Marissa's Cliffhanger In Season 3

Marissa Died During The Season 3 Finale

In what was one of the teen drama's most shocking moments, Marissa died at the end of The O.C. season 3. After graduating from high school, Ryan drove Marissa to the airport to visit her dad in Greece. Unfortunately, they never made it. Kevin Volchok, Marissa's ex-boyfriend, drove Ryan and Marissa off the road, resulting in a devastating accident. Their car flipped over, and while Ryan only suffered minor injuries, Marrisa's proved to be fatal. Ryan pulled her out of the car and carried her a good distance from it, as the vehicle exploded. Then, she died in his arms.

Marissa's death forever changed The O.C., and not for the better. The audience's reaction to the shocking cliffhanger wasn't exactly positive, to say the least, as many were upset with how the writers decided to write Marissa out of the show. Series creator Josh Schwartz later told Entertainment Weekly in 2023 that he regretted killing Mischa Barton's character. He said, "It did not feel like that audience had been served or respected in the way that we always wanted and aimed to." Unfortunately, season 4 couldn't recover from the mistake, leading to The O.C.'s cancelation.

The O.C.'s First Season Is Still The Show's Best

Nothing Can Beat The O.C.'s Early Days

After Marissa's death, The O.C. received its lowest ratings ever. They were a stark contrast to season 1's high numbers (each episode averaged about 9.5 million viewers), and for good reason. Season 1 was the best, with its addicting soap opera-like stories and fantastic cast performances — it would have been hard for anything to beat it. Perhaps things could have been different if certain choices hadn't been made. However, nothing can take away what The O.C. was able to do in its first season, which is why it's still considered one of the best teen dramas of the 2000s.

Source: Entertainment Weekly