The O.C. – The Complete Fourth Season (DVD-Video)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: C+
Outside
of having an interesting title, The O.C.
is just another superfluous nighttime soap opera trying to pass itself off as a
realistic drama about “reality” and “what is really happening” in the
world. Instead, it is about a bunch of
underdeveloped characters going to high school and how sometimes self-centered
they are. As a matter of fact, it is
that that causes some of their problems.
Unlike
the nighttime soap operas before that were happy to be upscale trash (Dynasty, Dallas) done with intelligence and class, The O.C. is much more run of the mill and that is why it did not
last half as long as those hits. The Complete Fourth Season has only 16
shows, which would have been half a season of the other shows, but even the
producers know they can push this silliness so far and with McG as a
co-producer, you know efforts will be limited in making a show that will last
or be rewatchable. If you must, start
with the first season, but expect little and you might enjoy a little of
this. At least it was not The O.C. – Full Throttle.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 is surprisingly soft and poor for a recent
production. Color is somewhat consistent,
even when it looks phony. Depth is also
an issue in all episodes. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo is supposed to have Pro Logic surrounds, but they are barely
there. Extras include audio commentary
tracks on the final episode by Josh Schwartz, deleted/unaired scenes, The Magic That Is Chrismukkah:
featurette with cast, crew and religious experts on the show’s unique holiday
and Summer Roberts - Beauty Meets Brown:
The Creation and Evolution of One of the Shows Most Lovable Characters
featurette.
- Nicholas Sheffo
