First of all, this rating is not by IMDb's crazy standards. This show has some real weaknesses that are reflected in my rating. Yes, I loved the characters, and the story has some really thrilling moments that I could have never predicted, but you have to look past the surface to truly judge it fairly. And that's why it comes short of being a proper good show (which, to be fair, most shows aren't anyway). So, what are these flaws I'm talking about? Well, basically every single episode bases its story line on one simple mechanic: One character tells their partner or friend a lie, and this is later discovered and creates conflict. Also, the plot devices usually arise from a character doing something really stupid, that makes no logical sense. Obviously, this is more noticeable when it comes from, say, Ryan or Sandy, than when Seth or Summer do it. Either way it's a sign of lazy writing, and very much along the mainstreamed and mediocre line of most similar shows. Not saying it's a deal breaker, but it definitely separates decent or good shows from great ones. No matter how much we like the characters, we can't just look past obvious flaws in a show, like so many people on this site do (just look at Friends, it's rated almost 9/10, which is absolutely absurd). Another big plus are some of the turns in the overall plot or main story that we follow through a season. There are some really dramatic and touching moments that I though were very well executed. And I guess that is what lifts this show past just having great characters, and makes me think of it fondly and with assurance that I will remember it. I recommend this to anyone who can withstand some bad writing and illogical turns to experience all the good that it has to offer, which again, can be said for a lot of shows.

With that said, it is a great show!Description: This show is about a rich Newport Beach family, with the father Sandy Cohen working as a defense lawyer. When he takes on a case of a young man named Ryan Atwood from a real life city in California called Chino, he feels a connection to him because he reminds him of himself when he was growing up. He decides to help this kid out when he meets Ryan in juvenile hall where he was arrested. Ryan leaves his neglectful and abusive family behind to live with the Cohen family, when Sandy offers to take him in. Even though he runs into some trouble, he tries to fit into the life that he never knew, of wealth and realizing that people tend to have problems everywhere, even in the richest of places. This show gets a lot of things right. There has been no teen drama with a more realistic family dynamic than the Cohen's. They are not overly sappy, stereotypical, two dimensional, annoying as most families on TV. They are actually very real and embody how a really grounded family in America actually acts. Sandy Cohen is one of the best television fathers of all time and is the best character on this entire show. He is charming, funny, caring, and really empowering. His wife is not nearly as charismatic but she is sweet and dignified. She also embodies very much the modern, educated woman with a fulfilled career and wonderful husband. She is also a great mother to her kids and is very much the central maternal figure on this show, written in a very realistic way. These parents have problems like anyone else, do not claim to be perfect, have problems in their own marriage but always seem to work it out and really show the rest of Newport what it is like to be a functioning couple. Then, there is Seth, played by Adam Brody, who is easily the best and most charming actor out of the core group of the four teenage stars of the show. (Three out of four of the actors, including Adam, are not actually teenagers but play them on the show) In fact, he is probably the only talented actor of the core four. His character is the star level performance of this show. Without him, there would be no humor and the show would probably take itself way too seriously. The creation of Seth Cohen made nerds popular in modern society and he is the one character that is full of relevant pop culture references that makes the show funny and incredibly self aware. He can be incredibly selfish a lot of the time but he is also a very good friend to most people and is very good at making the other characters on the show feel better when they are down. The least interesting after Kirsten, who is the mother previously mentioned, is the character Ryan Atwood. Now, there is a lot of things that the writer got right with the character, Ryan. He grew up in a troubled environment but he is more misunderstood and not exactly troubled himself the way most people think of him. He is completely sweet and selfless. He is also probably the most realistically and well written bad boy turned good character any teen drama show has seen. I am not saying that because he is the most interesting or the most charismatic but I am saying that he is the best written in a sense that his story actually makes sense. Most bad boy turned good characters are always rich guys who have daddy issues and terrible relationships with their mothers. Majority of the time, those stories seem unbelievable considering the fact that wealth seems to have an effect on how people treat their kids most of the time and you do not meet a lot of abused kids who turn out bad in an environment where their parents are rich. I am not saying it never happens but it seems that every show tries to make us feel bad for the poor little rich boy rather than a character like Ryan who grew up in a terrible environment. Ryan comes from poverty, his mother is an alcoholic, and his father and now brother in the pilot are in prison. He grew up around terrible crimes and in an environment where school was not encouraged or even of high quality, no matter how smart he is himself and how high he tested on a college aptitude test.Now, the downfall of the Ryan character is two things: There is the actor himself. Now, Ben Mckenzie does embody the characteristics of the Ryan character and he himself is a very charming human being but he does not have any screen charisma nor does he stand out at all. He has the tendency to blend in to the background, especially when the characters Sandy and Seth just overpower the screen with star quality. He also is not the most expressive actor and is just very stiff throughout. It almost feels underwhelming and he also has the tendency to have tension in his face, which is more distracting than the audience connecting with the anger that the character is feeling. The other thing is the Ryan's backstory. Instead of making the struggle long and hard for Ryan to feel like he belongs to the Cohen family and the city of Newport, they just brushed it under the rug for a romance with the troubled girl next door, Marissa Cooper, who has become the revolving story. Her melodrama grows tiresome to the point where the show loses it's spark.The show is definitely a step in the right direction compared to most earnest teen dramas that tend to talk down to it's viewers, unlike the O.C., I recommend everyone check it out.

Decided to go back to the nostalgia trip of this show. Unlike most shows at its time, this one focused on someone unique; A kid from a broken home is taken in by a wealthy lawyer for troubled kids. Like all shows, it has its highs and lows, but the highs (Seasons 1-3), outweighed the lows (Season 4). Now, the new kids (Seasons 3, and 4) almost ruined the atmosphere of this show with the exception of a few, and I mean very few characters, and episodes. It had everything; The geek(Seth), the new kid (Ryan), the pretty girl(Marissa), the crazy woman (Julie), the concerned mother (Kirsten), the family man (Sandy), the outgoing crazy gf (Summer), the broken man (Jimmy), and the jock type boyfriend (Luke). The one liners are great, and the drama is intense. Give this show a chance, but be warned; Season 3 sinks somewhat low, and Season 4 goes even deeper. However, try to watch it to the end.

Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) is a young man from the bad side of town who got arrested for his brother's mistake. Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) is his lawyer and he decides to take him into his own home. His wife Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) isn't sure, but their kid Seth (Adam Brody) just love the fact that he has a friend. Ryan falls for the girl next door Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton). It's love at first sight.This is the biggest teen soap of its time. It's popularity is still shocking. I'm surprised that teen soaps aren't being churned out all the time by the networks other than CW. This show burn bright and burn fast. It lasted only 4 seasons, and was quickened by the death of Marissa Cooper at the end of season 3. I still don't know who's brilliant idea that was. Maybe Mischa Barton was tired of the show. Who knows? But it ended the show prematurely. Not to say that the show had long legs. Creator Josh Schwartz had design the show to burn through all the teen clichés real quick. By the 3rd season, it had run short of the easy story lines. I was waiting for the evil twins to turn up.