the bow out

Now that "The O.C." is officially over, I'm a little more melancholy than I expected. While I've liked the direction this final season took, I really thought the show had run its course. Turns out I completely underestimated the emotional connection I'd formed with these characters. As the finale was winding down, I was sad to think I wouldn't get to see what became of the Cohens. The writers surely anticipated this, because the last moments were a montage of flash-forwards, taking us up to at least four years into the future to resolve some loose ends. While I was relieved to see that Seth and Summer made it to the altar and that Ryan made something of his life, I'm still somewhat disappointed that these former Orange County denizens will no longer be a part of mine. Still, they ended it with an appropriate amount of closure, and they really brought the show full circle: In addition to Ryan's reflections of when he first came to live with the Cohens, it was nice to see him in a position to pay forward the favor Sandy did for him four years ago.