The O.C.

Set in Orange County (California), in the city of Newport Beach, 'The O.C.' begins by following the steps of Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a troubled 16-year-old who moves to Newport with a family after his own abandoned him. Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher), a defense attorney, and his wife Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), take Ryan into their home.

Created by Josh Schwartz and produced by Warner Bros. Television, the series aired on the Fox network from 2003 to 2007, with a total of four seasons and 92 episodes. The O.C. became a true cultural phenomenon of the early 2000s, redefining the teen drama by mixing youth conflicts with adult storylines, ironic humor, and a carefully curated soundtrack that propelled numerous indie music groups into the mainstream. 

The series definitively launched the careers of actors such as Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, and Adam Brody, and also featured performers like Kelly Rowan, Peter Gallagher, Melinda Clarke, Tate Donovan, Chris Carmack, and Autumn Reeser.

Thus, the series follows the life of a group of six friends, of which Ryan will be a part, and the betrayals, rivalries, and romantic relationships among marriages, friends, children, husbands, and wives.

All the scandals typical of an elite very accustomed to appearances. Despite this facade, Ryan, new to the city, soon discovers that the idyllic and prominent families of Orange County are not what they seem, and that this dream place is not so different from the Chinatown where he lived.

Indirectly, the series also focuses on the relationships that exist between the boys' parents and between the couple that has taken Ryan in. Alongside McKenzie, we find Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, and Adam Brody as regulars in the teen storylines.