Entertainment

Rewinding ‘The O.C.’: Counting Down the Show’s Most Iconic Moments on August 5, 2023 at 4:01 pm Us Weekly

Published

3 years ago

August 5, 2023

Tate Donovan, Rachel Bilson, Mischa Barton, Melinda Clarke, Benjamin McKenzie, Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Adam Brody, and Chris Carmack. Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The O.C. premiered more than two decades ago — but California keeps Us coming back for more.

The Fox series, which ran from August 2003 to February 2007, followed the secretly scandalous lives of families in affluent Newport Beach, California. After Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks in Chino, gets taken in by Sandy and Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan and Peter Gallagher), he finds himself bonding with their sarcastically offbeat son, Seth (Adam Brody), and falling in love with the mysterious girl next door, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).

Despite the sun setting on the Cohen family after only four seasons, The O.C. remains part of the pop culture zeitgeist. In a world of reboots and revivals, some members of the cast think the show could make a comeback.

“I’ve always said anything that [creators] Josh [Schwartz] and Stephanie [Savage] want to do, I’m on board for, but it’s kind of hard to figure out what you’d do with the characters and where they would be,” Rachel Bilson, who portrayed Seth’s love interest, Summer Roberts — and dated Brody in real life while filming — told Nylon in April 2021. “I will say if they ever wanted to do it, I would do it. But I just don’t know where you go [with the plot].”

Whether the series makes a return to the small screen or not, there’s no denying that The O.C. helped shape the genre of teen drama into what it is today.

Keep scrolling for The O.C.’s 10 most iconic moments:

Welcome to the O.C., Bitch!

There was no better way to introduce viewers — or Ryan Atwood — into the world of Newport Beach than through Luke (Chris Carmack) punching him in the face on the beach and yelling, “Welcome to the O.C., bitch!” in the series pilot.

While Luke eventually became a lovable, musically inclined Golden Retriever of a character, he started out as Marissa’s stereotypical water polo-loving jock of a boyfriend that cheated on her multiple times. Oh Luke, how we loathed thee.

YouTube

New Year’s Eve with Ryan and Marissa – and Oliver’s Gun Moment

What’s more romantic than a New Year’s Eve kiss? One that’s under a timer. Iconic TV couple status was cemented in season 1 episode 14 when Ryan rushed to find Marissa before the clock struck midnight — and she was forced to share a smooch with creepy Oliver (Taylor Handley) instead. Cue the fireworks and the confetti!

But wait! Ryan and Marissa weren’t out of the woods yet. (Were they ever?) The twosome faced down Oliver with a gun mere episodes later when his overwhelming obsession with Marissa got the best of him. While the dramatic moment had viewers on the edge of their seats, everyone was mostly just happy to see Oliver gone for good.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The Tijuana Overdose

The gang’s trip to Tijuana in season 1 episode 7 cemented Marissa, Ryan, Seth and Summer as the core four of The O.C. — but they paid the price when Marissa, overwhelmed by her parents’ divorce and seeing her boyfriend, Luke, cheating on her, overdoses on pills.

The complex and delicate nature of Marissa’s story juxtaposed with the lighter moments of the episode proved The O.C. was something special — and gave fans a clear idea of who the characters would be moving forward. Ryan’s now-famous walk down the alley with a passed-out Marissa in his arms, which would also become a staple of the series, would also be revisited again during her season 3 death.

Marissa Shoots Trey

It’s the “whatcha say” heard around the world. In the climactic final moments of the season 2 finale, Marissa shoots Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) — who, while high on coke, tried to rape her in an earlier episode — to stop him from killing Ryan. While the moment kickstarted what would be a long, arduous and inarguably flat third season, it was quite the cliffhanger.

The scene itself — which played out to the sound of Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap — has lived on in the meme-ified internet culture for decades.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Marissa and Alex Get Together

While queer representation is on the rise in media today, seeing two women romantically linked on screen — in a way that wasn’t fetishized — was a defining moment for teen dramas and TV in general. The two girls, who developed legitimate feelings for one another in season 2, got a focus similar to any heterosexual romantic relationship in the series that didn’t involve two members of the core four.

Still, not everything about the Alex (Olivia Wilde) and Marissa story line was perfect. The show turned Alex into a jealous, unhinged girlfriend when it was ready to reunite Marissa and Ryan. The series also dropped exploring Marissa’s sexuality entirely after Alex’s exit. For its time, however, it was a refreshing approach from a cable TV series in an otherwise reductive media landscape.

Seth Declares His Love on a Coffee Cart

Let’s be honest — there are an endless amount of epic moments between Seth and Summer throughout The O.C.’s four seasons, but Seth’s initial, very public, declaration of love stands out as a classic.

While the pair started dating in the back half of season one after a turbulent love triangle with Anna (Samaire Armstrong), Summer feels uneasy about being open about her new romance. She initially asks Seth to keep the relationship on the down low, but he refuses, jumping on a coffee cart in the middle of school to announce his love for her. After asking Summer to join him, she climbs up with him and the two lock lips in front of their classmates.

Summer would later recreate the grand gesture in season 3 — but nothing beat the original triumphant moment where Seth officially gets the girl he’s been pining over for years.

Chrismukkah

The TV show that sparked an entirely new holiday. Not knowing how to raise him — Jewish or Christian — Kirsten and Sandy let Seth make up his own religion. That included Chrismukkah, a combination of both Christmas and Hanukkah that gets introduced in season 1 episode 13.

“Who wouldn’t want “eight days of presents, followed by one day of many presents?” Seth asks Ryan when showing him how the Cohens celebrate. The fun-filled festivities, like many of the other O.C. runners, would make a return in future seasons.

YouTube

The Upside Down ‘Spider-Man’ Kiss

While the coffee cart was cute, Seth and Summer’s upside-down Spider-Man kiss may go down as the show’s most romantic moment. After being apart for most of season 2, Summer realizes she wants to be with Seth before leaving on a trip to Italy with boyfriend Zach (Michael Cassidy). Seth, for his part, is trying to fix the TV cable during a thunderstorm — classic Seth — and finds himself dangling upside down from the roof.

Summer eventually shows up to save him, but not before she peels down his Spider-Man mask, which Seth was wearing to stay dry, and emulates the famous Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst smooch from the 2002 movie.

“What are you doing here?” Seth asks as Matt Pond PA’s cover of “Champagne Supernova” plays in the background. “What do you think, Cohen?” Summer responds.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Seth and Summer’s Wedding

The duo’s nuptials only take up brief seconds of The O.C.’s series finale, but still feel like the ultimate payoff for fans of the couple who have watched them go from enemies to friends to lovers and back again.

The intimate ceremony — which was shot shortly after Bilson and Brody called it quits in real life — sees the pair reuniting after going on their separate journeys to pursue their dreams and even features. The scene even features Summer sticking her tongue out while walking down the aisle as Seth rolls his eyes – a sweet and sardonic moment that fits them perfectly. The wedding also sees Ryan and Taylor (Autumn Reeser) share a longing glance — hinting that those two might be endgame, too.

Marissa’s Death

Marissa Cooper’s journey was always a tragic one, but her death was the series’ most devastating moment by far. With a hopeful future just ahead, Marissa gets tracked down by her vengeful ex Volchuck (Cam Gigandet) while en route to the airport with Ryan. The car chase ends in a fatal explosion which leads to Marissa dying in Ryan’s arms.

Marissa’s heartbreaking last words to Ryan? “I love you.” It’s OK, we’re crying, too.

The O.C. premiered more than two decades ago — but California keeps Us coming back for more. The Fox series, which ran from August 2003 to February 2007, followed the secretly scandalous lives of families in affluent Newport Beach, California. After Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks in Chino, gets

Us Weekly Read More

Entertainment

Jay-Z Locked In Tyla. The Industry Is Shaking.

Published

1 week ago

July 3, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026

Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.

There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.

The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.

From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon

Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.

That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.

What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.

What Roc Nation Actually Means

To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.

Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.

For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.

On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.

The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook

The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.

Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.

With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.

The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About

Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.

The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.

That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.

For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.

Watch this space. Very closely.

Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com

Entertainment

DJ Shinski Brings AfriqueFest To Life

Published

4 weeks ago

June 16, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.

Spotlight on DJ Shinski

At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.

He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.

DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.

At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.

DJ Tunez and the rest of the night

Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.

Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.

Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir

Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.

If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.

Entertainment

STREAMING PREMIERE · JUNE 13, 2026

Published

4 weeks ago

June 13, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel

A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.

It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.

A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs

Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.

The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.

Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.

The Women Behind the Show

Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:

Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)

“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star

Already a Festival Favorite

The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:

🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez

Where and When to Watch

Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.

Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:

For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

About Christin Jezak

Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.

About The Roku Channel

Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Encompass Digital Media

Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.

Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.