Marissa's Death Was A Massive Turning Point For The OC (& Forced It To Be Better)

The O.C. went through a big shake-up in season 3 with Marissa's death, but this actually forced the show to improve in its final season.

Summary

• Marissa Cooper's character in The O.C. was troubled and brought a sense of darkness to the show, but the writers didn't know how to develop her beyond her addiction and unstable relationships.
• Marissa's death allowed for growth and improvement in Ryan's relationships, particularly with Taylor, who complemented him better than Marissa did.
• The O.C. returned to its comedic roots in season 4 after Marissa's death, making the series more enjoyable to watch and bringing positive changes to the stories of the characters closest to her, especially Ryan.

The O.C. had various shocking moments, and one that was a massive turning point for the series was Marissa Cooper’s (Mischa Barton) death, but this forced the series to improve. Although The O.C. focused on the ups and downs of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Seth's (Adam Brody) lives, the center of the story and its dramatic force was the relationship between Ryan and Marissa. Their toxic relationship led to some of the most memorable moments of the series, but their story together came to a definitive end in season 3

The O.C. followed troubled teen Ryan Atwood after being adopted by Sandy and Kristen Cohen, a wealthy family. Ryan quickly bonded with their son, Seth, through which he met new people from a completely different background than his, among them Seth’s neighbor Marissa. Ryan and Marissa’s unstable relationship was a key element in the first three seasons of The O.C., leading the series to take a melodrama tone, and while her death was a big shock to the audience and could have potentially killed the series, The O.C. actually improved after Marissa’s exit.

OC Didn't Know What To Do With Marissa's Character & She Dragged The Show Down

Marissa Cooper was the character who proved that coming from a privileged family didn’t equal happiness. Marissa came from a broken home and had a complicated relationship with her mother, Julie, leading her to rebel against her in different ways, such as partying too much and dating guys that her mother would deem “unacceptable” for her. The O.C. season 1 focused on Marissa’s personal struggles, which grew after her parents’ divorce, revealing that Marissa had a substance abuse problem and struggled with her mental health. Unfortunately, Marissa’s character never really went past that and the series clung to her addiction and unstable relationships throughout the three seasons she was on the show.

While every other The O.C. character, including her former school rival Taylor Townsend (Autumn Reeser), went through character development, it seemed like the writers never really knew what to do with Marissa, instead relying on her to be the dramatic hook of the series. Marissa’s story brought bleakness to The O.C. and ultimately dragged the show down, stripping it from its tongue-in-cheek comedy (mostly seen in season 1) and turning the series into a tiring melodrama with unnecessarily dark storylines, which is most noticeable in season 3. The O.C. season 3 is widely considered the show’s worst, which as mentioned above, took the series on a bleak route that left behind what made the previous seasons fun and engaging.

Marissa’s story was especially dark in season 3, as it saw her dealing with the aftermath of shooting Trey, being expelled from her prestigious school, the death of her new friend Johnny Harper, a toxic relationship with Kevin Volchok, and a relapse. Just when it seemed Marissa would finally get a break after accepting her father’s offer to live with him for a year on a boat in Greece, Marissa and Ryan got into a car accident provoked by a drunken Kevin while on their way to the airport. Ryan managed to get Marissa out of the car before it exploded, and she died in his arms.

Marissa's OC Death Actually Improved Ryan's Relationships

Even though Marissa and Ryan’s relationship was the main focus of The O.C.’s first three seasons, that doesn’t mean that it was a healthy relationship. Marissa and Ryan’s history together was full of drama, leading them to break up and make up multiple times, adding more instability to both of them, who were already dealing with a lot in other areas of their lives. Marissa’s death allowed the series to take Ryan’s love life in a different direction, making way for his relationship with Taylor. Unlike what he had with Marissa, Ryan’s history with Taylor brought growth to both, and to the surprise of the audience, they complemented each other quite well. Although they also dealt with different challenges and issues, Ryan and Taylor felt like a much more believable and real pair.

The OC Remembered To Go Back To Its Roots After Marissa's Death

Marissa’s death was not only freeing for Ryan’s story but also for the series. In its first seasons, The O.C. mixed drama with comedy, with the characters even making fun of the clichés of teen shows while living in one, but the darkness of Marissa’s story and how much the show clung to her struggles made the series forget it used to be fun. The O.C. went back to its comedic tones in season 4, making the series a lot more fun to watch than in its previous season. While some still argue that The O.C. couldn’t recover from Marissa’s death, her departure actually brought many good things to the series and the stories of those closest to her, especially Ryan.