August 5, 2003

The Herald Tribune

The O.C.' faces uphill struggle on Fox

By JAY HANDELMAN

jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com

Prime time soap operas were once a staple of the nation's television diet, but they've faded away since the glory days of "Dallas" and "Dynasty" and the more recent "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Melrose Place."

Fox, which failed in its resurrection attempts with "Pasadena" two years ago, tries again with the younger-skewing drama "The O.C." (for Orange County) at 9 p.m. today on WTVT-Ch. 13, WFTX-Ch. 36.

The strange title notwithstanding, the show has many obstacles to overcome, though it has an engaging cast, headed by Benjamin McKenzie, as Ryan Atwood, a troubled teenager from a poor neighborhood who is brought into the world of hard-partying, wealthy people by his public defender, Sandy Cohen.

Peter Gallagher plays the attorney, who apparently sees a bit of his younger self in Ryan, who is rebellious, but remains genuine and basically sweet after surviving a difficult home life with a mother who tosses him out after a brush with the life.

He's not much more welcome in Sandy's elegant home. Sandy's wife, Kristen, once a rebel herself, fears what trouble Ryan will bring into her home and cause for her own teenage son, Seth, a loner who has been ostracized by his fellow high school students.

In reality, both kids might rub off on each other, and it is their relationship that holds the most interest in this new show.

The premiere looks stylish, but moves slowly until the end, when you begin to see where the conflicts and problems will develop that could make it more interesting. But that doesn't mean you're going to want to go there yourself.

Fox may be wise in giving this series a jump start in the middle of summer, in the hope it will catch on before it moves (after the baseball playoffs) to a killer timeslot at 9 p.m. Thursdays opposite "CSI" on CBS and "Will & Grace" on NBC.

Last modified: August 05. 2003 12:00AM