I’ve just finished watching four more episodes of The O.C., which now means that I’m almost done with the entire first season. When I started this journey, I didn’t realize that there were 27 full episodes in Season One. That’s practically unheard of these days! FOX executives must have figured they had a big hit on their hands just from viewing the pilot if they placed such a huge order right from the start.

Anyway, here are some random thoughts about episodes 1×20, 1×21, 1×22, and 1×23, called “The Telenovela,” “The Goodbye Girl,” “The L.A.,” and “The Nana,” respectively.

• I was sad to see Anna leave Newport. Although I didn’t like that character coupled romantically with Seth, I thought she was awesome as a foil to Summer. Anna was just so refreshingly different from the other characters on the show and I really enjoyed all her scenes. I wish there had been a way for the writers to keep her involved in some way.
• Luke and Julie? This pairing still makes me want to vomit. Thank God it looks like it’ll be over for good in the very near future.
• I loved how Seth went on strike and wouldn’t have sex with Summer until she started acknowledging him at school. Summer was definitely treating him like dirt, and though it may have been justified in her eyes (that whole thing about not wanting to be “dumped by Seth Cohen”), it was just wrong. It was cool how he got up on the coffee cart and announced their relationship to the whole school, and of course it was very sweet when Summer joined him up there and kissed him in front of everyone.
• Marissa runs away and stays at Theresa’s house? Yeah, right. I’m not interested in this Ryan-Marissa-Theresa love triangle at all. Are Ryan and Marissa ever going to get together here? From the way Season One has been written thus far, it seems that Ryan is supposed to be the main character of the show and that his relationship with Marissa is supposed to be a major focal point. But in all honesty, Seth and Summer are far more exciting as a couple. Why can’t we get more of those two instead?
• I still don’t care about the adults and their escapades. Don’t get me wrong, I like Sandy and Kirsten for sure, but only as secondary characters chiming in every once in a while about what’s going on with Seth and Ryan. I don’t like it when their problems get a lot of screentime because it makes the show feel too much like a soap opera.

Well, four more eps left in the first season, then I can make a decision about whether or not I want to continue watching subsequent seasons of The O.C. So far, it looks like I will indeed go on, but you never know what could happen to change my mind in the next four eps!

Well, I’ve caved in and decided to start watching Lost again. As you might recall, I decided to stop watching the show after what I thought was a horrible Season 3 premier episode. I gave up cold turkey, didn’t miss seeing any of the characters on the show, and never even wondered about the various storylines. (Wait, I take that back. I watched episode 3×13 when I heard that they finally revealed how Locke ended up in a wheelchair.)

But after hearing several friends talk at length about how much they still like the show and after reading that the producers have a definite end date in mind for the series, I figured I might as well try to watch a few more eps from season 3.

Let’s hope my friends are right about how good Lost is. I just hate wasting my time on bad TV shows!!