Ten years ago tonight, the FOX network debuted a teen nighttime soap called The O.C.—and the world irrefutably changed forever. Here’s a great montage of early season one clips set to The O.C.‘s theme by Phantom Planet:

AND here’s my list of the top ten greatest characters from The O.C. in ascending order of greatness:

10. Kevin Volchok (AKA surf nazi, AKA guy who killed Marissa!)
9. Marissa (after she was dead)
8. Alex Kelly (AKA Olivia Wilde, AKA Marissa’s lover before she was dead!)
7. TIE: Princess Sparkle (Summer’s toy horse), and Pancakes (Summer’s real bunny)
6. Ryan Atwood (not bad for a walking bar of soap)

(Check out my top five after the jump!)

5. Chrismukkah!
4. Sandy Cohen (Best TV dad EVARRRRR!)
3. Seth Cohen (Adam Brody initially lured me into the series, but was quickly topped by the erotic bitchiness of…)
2. Summer Roberts (I rest my case.)
1. TAYLOR TOWNSEND!!!

Bang bang, choo-choo train, let me see you shake that thang. Wm. Steven Humphrey is the editor-in-chief of the Portland Mercury and has held the job since 2000. (So don’t get any funny ideas.)

6 replies on “Happy Birthday, <i>The O.C.</i>!”

  4. Remember when Sandy Cohen wanted to run for governor of California after the Gray Davis recall? I mean, not in the show…but Peter Gallagher and his eyebrows actually thought he could be governor of California.

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