The O.C.

The death of Marissa Cooper hasn't changed the teen drama significantly, since Mischa Barton has been acting corpse-like since episode one. Season four has the West Coasters facing their loss with backstabbing, lies, wise-asses, and sanctimonious wisdom. Really it's just a typical day in Southern California. What started as a pubescent fish-out-of-water saga reaches the dreaded college years— a rocky territory where predecessors tumbled. But the O.C. holds steady with digressed sidebars featuring the J.V. cast making their push to join the varsity squad, the bulk of which rests on the shoulders of Willa Holland, who sadly is still a few years shy of legally being called hot.