The O.C. was what it was, when it was, and I guess that's enough. It wasn't perfect, but so often, particularly with anything that involved throwaway banter, the Cohen family dynamic, fist fights, or shotguns, it came close. I'm so sick of reading articles about its cancellation that want to know ''What went wrong?'' and make cute bulleted lists of every misguided plot direction or casting choice. Who cares? It was show meant to be enjoyed and I did for its time on the air.
Now in the end, I want to remember the highs and lows the O.C. journey. Here is my list of some of the subtleties of the show that amused me the most in no particular order.
1. Singing the theme song: No other show has such a catchy theme song. You know you love to sing "California here we come..."
2. Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke): Everything she's ever said, in the exact way she's said it.
3. How effortless school is: Harbor High was basically a glorified coffee shop, and I loved it for that. Summer's (actually, Taylor's) mermaid poem was probably the most challenging assignment the gang ever got, and the most academic-sounding line in the series may have been when Ryan told Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) he had to do a report on ''the history of agriculture in 20th-century California,'' and that was a lie. Not to mention, by the end of The O.C.: The College Semester, no one except Kaitlin was even enrolled in school. I just love the blatant disregard.
4. The super stylings of Marissa: It was fun checking out how well (or not) she pulled everything off, like wearing an enormous Chanel necklace at her new trashy public school.
5. All that self-deprecation: There was usually at least one zinger per episode, and if you caught it, you knew you were a true fan. And I loved that there were some lines specifically for the fans. One of my faves was from Summer (Rachel Bilson), about the Bait Shop: "The tickets are always plentiful and the bands never too loud to talk over."
6. Pointless parties designed to round everyone up: The launch of Newport Living? NewMatch? Taylor's birthday? Throw a gala! No, don't worry — the Cohens would totally love to host it. Bring friends and, if you've got one, a stripper, so that Julie and Hailey can end up wrestling each other into the infinity pool.
7. Major props: Sandy's beloved bagel slicer is my favorite prop ever and I love that "Bistro" sign in the kitchen, which rarely is the site of any actual cooking. Also: Marissa's lifeguard shack, Ryan's wristband, the Mermaid Inn...
8. They're such kids at heart: Captain Oats, Princess Sparkle, and Marissa's Share Bear. It could be that the characters just whine a lot, but this show has a childlike quality. Constant 1980s pop culture references also help.
9. The emergence of Ryan: I loved how Ryan had really come into his own this season. He peaked just as the show ended.
10. Music montage:. Music on The O.C. is all some people ever hear about. The show often gets a pass on how cheesy music montages can be, just because it picks way better songs. You hear a song on this show and you download it — it's really that simple. In fact, it won't even matter if I like the actual tune on tonight's finale. All I'll remember, as I listen to it 200 times in a row on my iPod, is that it was the last song on The O.C.
Coming Up: A wrap-up of the series finale.
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