The OC with Rachel Bilson

Summary

Flightless Bird: The O.C. with Rachel Bilson

Host: David Farrier
Guest: Rachel Bilson
Cohost: Rob
Date: June 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Flightless Bird explores the enduring cultural legacy of The O.C., the iconic early-2000s American teen drama. David Farrier (a self-professed newbie to The O.C.) and cohost Rob (an unabashed superfan) welcome Rachel Bilson, who played Summer Roberts, for a wide-ranging, playful, and sometimes chaotic conversation. They revisit the show’s plotlines, discuss the impact The O.C. had on fans and cast alike, and dig into the show's signature themes, fashion, and musical moments. While the hosts take detours into personal anecdotes (and dog-sitting woes), the heart of the episode is a nostalgic and insightful reflection, both from an insider and the fans it shaped.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Hosts’ Relationship to The O.C.

• David has never watched a full episode but is aware of its cultural importance, approaching as a curious outsider.
• Rob grew up with the show, and his own high school crushes and pop culture experiences are deeply entwined with it. He admits to owning the DVD sets and vividly recalls its weekly viewing ritual.
  (09:04) — "It's amazing how pop culture does. I mean, that's why we're still talking about the OC now, right? Because it...seeded itself in so many people's imaginations." — David Farrier

The Rachel Bilson Introduction: Familiarity, Podcasting, and Technical Struggles

• Rob and Rachel became close after her appearance on Armchair Expert, leading to their own podcast, Broad Ideas.
• Rachel is described as down-to-earth, fun, and unassuming, in contrast to common celebrity stereotypes.
  (06:08) — "It's very disarming when you realize how normal she is and how fun she is." — Rob

Rachel’s Path to The O.C.

• Rachel originally auditioned for a different role in Everwood (almost cast due to a doppelganger situation) before being cast as Summer on The O.C., initially as a guest star before being promoted to a series regular because of her chemistry with Adam Brody.
  (19:29) — "But because I didn't get that, the casting director, Patrick Rush, brought me in for the OC pilot and I wound up getting that." — Rachel Bilson

On Set: Cast Dynamics & Industry Background

• The cast, including creator Josh Schwartz (then 26-27), were all young and bonded as a tight-knit social group. Rachel introduced Josh to a lifelong friend, leading to marriage and children.
• Rachel’s personal/family background in entertainment provided familiarity with sets, though The O.C. was her first major series role.

Plot & Characters: The O.C. Greatest Hits (Major Spoilers!)

The Setup

• Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is taken in by the wealthy Cohen family after a troubled upbringing; he bonds with nerdy Seth, falls for girl-next-door Marissa, and meets best friend Summer (Rachel Bilson).

Iconic Moments

• "Welcome to the OC, bitch!" (Luke, the jock) (26:05) — a line that defined the show's attitude.
• Oliver Storyline: Notorious for its intensity, with Oliver becoming obsessed with Marissa, culminating in a hostage situation (33:45).
• Marissa’s Death: The show takes a dramatic turn when Marissa dies in a car crash orchestrated by Volchok; the scene is set to Imogen Heap’s "Hallelujah." (41:13)
• Soap-Operatic Twists:
  • Parental scandals, cage fighting, accidental prostitution rings, wild love triangles, and characters’ unexpected deaths à la Game of Thrones.

Meta-Commentary

• Rachel admits to having little memory of many storylines, attributing this partly to a childhood accident and partly to the passage of time. Rob often fills in plot details for her. (23:19) — "As I'm watching it, I literally am like, 'Oh my God, that happened?' Like, no. Even if I'm in the scene, I had no memory." — Rachel Bilson

Cultural Significance

• Weekly network TV meant appointment viewing and communal anticipation, building deep attachment to characters over years. (59:03) — "You're not binging it all at once. You're watching it week by week over years...it's like, you know these people." — David Farrier
• The show’s music choices—using bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Phantom Planet, Modest Mouse—became a defining feature and influenced early-aughts pop culture.
• Representation: Early depiction of bisexual relationships (Marissa & Olivia Wilde's Alex).
• Guest stars ranged from Shailene Woodley, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Amber Heard, Paris Hilton, to George Lucas.

Themes & Audience Impact

• Universal adolescent angst, social class commentary, and dual focus on teens and their parents.
• Rachel and the hosts agree the show resonated not just because of its wealth and glamour, but because every viewer found a relatable character or storyline.
  (45:59) — "Everyone had someone you could relate to." — Rob

Fashion and Real-World Impact

• Summer’s style, while iconic, is credited more to Marissa by Rachel. Nonetheless, early 2000s beachwear—juicy suits, bikinis, platform flip-flops—set trends.
• Rachel’s own home was famously targeted by the "Bling Ring," which she discusses with a mix of humor and exasperation.
  (49:48) — "They robbed me five times...I remember my mom, like, going to my house to check on something and being like, I feel like your house was robbed, but everything is kind of messy anyways, so I can't..." — Rachel Bilson

The OC’s Ongoing Influence

• The show endures via re-watches, new generations of viewers, podcasts, and cultural references.
• Rachel feels gratitude—not haunted—by her association with The O.C., highlighting its positive effect on her career and personal life.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Show’s Influences:

• (43:03, Rob): "I do think I remember the creators of Game of Thrones saying the OC inspired them wanting to do that."
• (38:05, Rachel Bilson): "It is what it is. Like, it's just. It is a teen and adult nighttime drama."

On Fashion:

• (47:52, Rachel Bilson): "I would probably say Marissa more so...but if you look to fashion like from the early aughts...it was very in line with what fashion was doing..."

On Cultural Staying Power:

• (56:07, Rachel Bilson): "I would say it does, but I wouldn't say it haunts me [today]. I think of it very fondly...it brought me some of the closest people to me."
• (59:18, David Farrier): "It's real. It's realistic in a way. It's not The Simpsons where they're just like the same thing for years on end. They're changing."

On Music:

• (41:13, Rachel Bilson): "Marissa dies...as she dies in his arms. Car's on fire...it's like tragically beautiful, though, the shot."

On Watching TV Then vs. Now:

• (60:07, David Farrier): "I'm not savoring TV shows if every episode is out already."
• (61:28, David Farrier): "We weren't double screening watching The OC. You were locked in on that."

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Dog-sitting anecdotes / Pre-O.C. banter: 00:06–01:44
• Introduction to The O.C. and Rachel Bilson: 01:44–06:42
• Rob & Rachel’s Friendship, Early Casting Stories: 06:49–19:29
• Rachel’s Audition Memories and Chemistry with Brody: 19:29–22:03
• Show Structure / Iconic Storylines (incl. "Welcome to the OC, bitch"): 24:24–26:05
• The Oliver, Marissa’s Death, and Musical Moments: 33:17–41:13
• Fashion, Bling Ring story: 47:31–50:01
• Reflection on TV’s Changing Consumption, Cultural Impact: 59:03–63:14
• The OC’s Multi-generational Longevity/Closing Thoughts: 65:14–End

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Other Highlights

• Banter on Crocs and breakfast food: 48:31–54:55 (Lighter moments—Rachel and hosts bonding over flip flops, Crocs, and Cracker Barrel.)
• Rachel’s work with Invisible Children: 54:22–55:03
• Rob’s playful superfan energy vs. Rachel’s self-effacing humor: Recurring tone throughout—mutual teasing and warmth.

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Episode Takeaways

• The O.C. is remembered not just for its melodrama and meme-worthy lines, but for being a cultural text—defining teenage years, shaping music tastes, and even influencing later TV storytellers.
• The cast, particularly Rachel Bilson, remain grateful and relatable, even as the audience for the show continues to grow and evolve.
• The nostalgia is less about plot details (which even stars forget!) and more about the feelings and connections the show created.
• TV consumption has shifted, but the slow build and week-to-week anticipation of shows like The O.C. left a deeper mark on its devoted fans.

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A perfect episode for fans and newcomers alike, this conversation captures what made—and makes—The O.C. a pop-culture cornerstone, while giving listeners plenty of laughs, behind-the-scenes tidbits, and thought-provoking reflections on TV, memory, and growing up.

Transcript

[Rosabelle]

Hello, David.

[David Farrier]

Hi, Rizabel. I understand you're babysitting your mother's dog. Not babysitting, dog sitting.

[Rosabelle]

I am dog sitting for the first time in my life.

[David Farrier]

I think for listeners that may not know this about you, I've never seen you near any animal.

[Rosabelle]

Okay, that's obviously an exaggeration.

[David Farrier]

You're not a big dog gal.

[Rosabelle]

I don't have anything against dogs. I just never grew up with them, so they're not.

[David Farrier]

I've never seen you with a dog.

[Rosabelle]

You're lying. You've got photos of me with dogs.

[David Farrier]

Maybe I am exaggerating. Is this more about me than you? I think it. Maybe it is.

[Rosabelle]

You just want everything to be so black and white.

[David Farrier]

That's what my therapist says. Like, literally. I'm not making that up. How is the dog going? Because you don't live with a dog normally, and currently there's a dog right near you always.

[Rosabelle]

I know. I'm at work at the moment. I've taken him in to work with me.

[David Farrier]

What's the most surprising thing about the experience so far?

[Rosabelle]

I mean, I've never had to look after a dog. Like, I've hung out with dogs, but I just don't know. Like, can I leave him alone? Don't know. I took him into the bathroom while I had a shower because I was like, what if he gets scared? He's in a new house.

[David Farrier]

What did he do, just, like, sit and wait for you to come out?

[Rosabelle]

Well, I put him in the bathtub. So he's just hanging out in the bathtub watching me shower? Is that weird?

[David Farrier]

It's so weird. Why did you put him in the tub as opposed to just on the bathroom floor?

[Rosabelle]

Because I thought he might, like, run around too much or try and get in the shower. I don't know.

[David Farrier]

Now, today's episode is not about dogs. It's about the O.C. we've got Rachel Bilson on. Oh, my God. One of the stars of the OC And I just realized I've never watched an episode, but I thought maybe I could check in with Rosabella about what she thinks about the O.C. it's a cultural touchstone.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah, I loved the O.C. and, in fact, I actually rewatched. I don't think I watched all of it, but I watched quite a lot of it recently, maybe a year ago.

[David Farrier]

What is the OC about and what captured Rosabelle about it?

[Rosabelle]

Well, it's just like any other teen campus drama. It was sort of like the precursor to Gossip Girl. Another big, big show for me in my childhood teenagehood. But I think it's just watching other young people, or in this case it's really watching rich, rich young people have the same kind of emotional turmoil as you and do stupid things. But they have more money. So it's more fancy, stupid things. And I think it is really about capturing the emotional turbulence that you're going through during puberty and feeling less alone in that. Cause everyone's so moody in it, you know. And then there's that cool dad, the lawyer, Sandy.

[David Farrier]

Do you know what character Rachel Bilson played?

[Rosabelle]

She was sort of like the no nonsense loving best friend of the troubled main character, Marissa. And she gets together with everybody's favorite teen nerd, Seth Cohen.

[David Farrier]

All right, well, is there anything you want me to pass on to Rachel Wilson?

[Rosabelle]

You can just tell her that she seems really cool.

[David Farrier]

I'm David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America. And I want to figure out what makes this country tick. Now, as I just mentioned to Rosabelle earlier, I don't really know anything about the OC So this intro is going to be very short and I'm just going to say gather around your TV and get ready to watch and remember one of the most iconic shows of all time because this is the O.C. episode. Hi Rob.

[Rob]

That was. I just did the theme song to the OC do you know the theme song to the oc?

[David Farrier]

I reckon if I heard it I'd know it.

[Rob]

Just from pop culture Phantom Planet. I think it really catapulted that band leading up to California Here we Come.

[David Farrier]

I don't know.

[Rob]

Right back where we started from.

[David Farrier]

No. Leading up to this episode feels like when we led up to the emo episode where my knowledge is bare. It's a minimum. It's almost non existent. And your knowledge. I know, is just. It's almost like flowing out of your ears and your mouth and your nostrils and your butthole.

[Rob]

We. Well, I texted you before this.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

For the doc. That I don't mind taking the lead

[David Farrier]

you gently suggested on it. And it might be better if you. Yeah. Because you have, you know Rachel Bilson, our guest. Yes.

[Rob]

It's spoiler alert.

[David Farrier]

She's just wandering in.

[Rob]

Spoiler alert. Our guest today is Rachel Bilson.

[David Farrier]

How did you guys meet?

[Rob]

We. She came on armchair in 2020 was Zoom times of the show.

[David Farrier]

Yep.

[Rob]

I will say this not speaking out of school. She will say this about herself.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Not the best technologically. So I. We spent about 30 minutes on Zoom after the interview just getting Trying to get her. Trying to get her audio and. And all of that, which you and I. But you. You handled it.

[David Farrier]

Thank you.

[Rob]

Process, though.

[David Farrier]

I've been through this process. She was just taking a little bit longer to figure out all the steps.

[Rob]

Yeah. And Rachel's very different from what you would expect from her. And like.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob]

I mean, she's. She was a. She is a TV movie star, like from the 2000s when it. When that was different than it is now completely. So I think a lot of people have different preconceived notions of her. And it's very disarming when you realize how normal she is and how fun she is.

[David Farrier]

And so from that kind of you needing to guide her through the technicalities of sending audio and figuring that out, you kind of bonded and started.

[Rob]

Yeah, we became good friends. Her and I started a podcast together called Broad Ideas.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, I know this.

[Rob]

That we did for a couple years. So, yeah, we became very close. I know a lot about her, which I think that's a warning going into the documentary. Conversation with her is we're very familiar with one another, so we can expect

[David Farrier]

you to do some of your classic rob jabs and gentle baiting of our guests because you know each other.

[Rob]

Yeah. There's more cheekiness than I would have approached a stranger coming into our studio.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob]

You're going to see that something. Yeah, yeah. So there. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And she also has done a. She was obviously in the OC but she's also done an OC Rewatch podcast as well with a bunch of the other casts members.

[Rob]

I will say, too. She also dishes it back. That's our relationship is very brother sister.

[David Farrier]

That's also. That is a very Kiwi thing, is to have a relationship where you are. And it's a British thing as well. You're kind of jabbing each other.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And it's a friendship built on some slight low key verbal violence.

[Rob]

Yeah. Which though I will say, like, I grew up. I was in high school when the OC came out, same as Rosabell. I loved the oc like, my crush in high school at that time was my crush because she reminded me of the main character on the show.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Which.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. It's funny. It's funny how when you're watching stuff, when you're a high school, that does fuse so much into your life and the way you perceive the world. And that was you. I see. I think my. I was big into Dawson's Creek. I think that was my show that I connected with Katie Holmes was my. Like. I was like, who is this person? That's the thing. And you're like.

[Rob]

You're like a poor Pacey, you know?

[David Farrier]

Oh, I love Pacey. I love Pacey so much. I mean, Dawson, for me, Rest in Peace was such a. I love that character. Cause he was. He had a Jurassic park poster on his wall. He wanted to be a director. He seemed, like, so dreamy and cool, and I was just sort of in awe of him, I guess.

[Rob]

So were your crushes influenced by this idolization of these characters at all?

[David Farrier]

I'm trying to think if there was any crossover between Katie. Because who my crushes were. Katie Holmes and Jessica Alba. But Jessica Alba was from more movies.

[Rob]

Dark Angel.

[David Farrier]

Dark angel, yes.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And she was in Fantastic Four.

[Rob]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

There's like, bits of. Not a lot of crossover. I don't feel I looked like sort of like, seeked out those people. But I'll have a think about this if it did bleed in more, because it is your personality at that age. You're formed around what you listen to, what you watch, who you see, how you react.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And it's amazing how pop culture does. I mean, that's why we're still talking about the OC now, right? Because it. See it itself in so many people's imaginations.

[Rob]

Well, it's such a megalith of a show too. It almost felt like this reincarnation of the soap opera at the time, which I don't know if that was just because our generation was too young to have seen soap operas or been targeted for the ones that are still on, but it was almost this, like, reintroduction to teenagers to just these, like, wild storylines.

[David Farrier]

Can you take me back to when you were watching it? Kind of what you were doing in life and where you'd watch it and kind of the ritual around that.

[Rob]

I don't think there was much of a. It was. I was in high school.

[David Farrier]

You were living at home.

[Rob]

Yeah, living at home in high school. I think I was a sophomore.

[David Farrier]

Okay. Did you ever have to, like, we fighting over the TV with your. Your mommy or your daddy?

[Rob]

No, I was not fighting in the.

[David Farrier]

The family lounge in your room.

[Rob]

I had a little TV in my room at some point. I think by then that's good for watching Crashes on.

[David Farrier]

Little TV in your room.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And of course you're watching with ads because it's not streaming.

[Rob]

I was watching live on tv. So there were commercial breaks.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rob]

But I do. I do vividly remember getting the DVD box sets for it. When they came out, like, I. I think I still have them.

[David Farrier]

DVD box sets for TV shows were. I. I don't think I've ever felt a bigger level of satisfaction than getting a box set of a TV show where this thing that you've either recorded and watched back later or don't even have a copy of, you've suddenly got it.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Special features. It's all there. Usually a really pretty box that it,

[Rob]

like, slides into sparkly orange. And then I think second season was sparkly blue. I. I'm pretty sure I still have in my garage because Natalie never watched the show in a few years ago. I think during COVID you let.

[David Farrier]

Babe, it's time, bro.

[Rob]

I didn't watch it with her, but it got broken out.

[David Farrier]

I collected the X Files box sets and they were in these extravagant cardboard cases that would fold out.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

So expensive, the amount of money we spent on that stuff.

[Rob]

Yeah. It was like. I remember Sopranos and Six Feet Under. Six Feet under had the cool, like, grass on top of a box.

[David Farrier]

I've still got those in storage.

[Rob]

I still have those too. Yeah, no, they were S. And yeah. Soprano. There was a blockbuster. Like.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob]

It was the coveted thing. And you weren't spending. When I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to go spend $120 on this box set.

[David Farrier]

Just before we get into the conversation, did you watch the whole show religiously? Did you trail off towards the end? Do you remember how it resolved?

[Rob]

I think I trailed off by the end of season three, which we'll learn about. So which. This is important. If you haven't seen the oc. We spoil a lot in this conversation.

[David Farrier]

Some very key moments.

[Rob]

Yeah. It'll be. It's fully spoiled as far as spoilers go.

[David Farrier]

I think if a show came out in. In the early 2000s.

[Rob]

Yeah, 2003.

[David Farrier]

I think you're allowed to do as many spoilers as you want. But also good to note in case anyone has just been like, waiting this long to watch the show.

[Rob]

Or maybe someone's like, halfway through season one right now.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. They turn this on in their car. They're like, oh, God damn it.

[Rob]

Haven't gotten to that.

[David Farrier]

Ruined. I've been holding this off for decades and now it's ruined. Just very quickly, on the Rosabelle dog sitting news, in the intro, she was sort of talking to me about how she's puzzled on what to do with the dog. That wasn't a bit. She is genuinely. It's like she's babysitting an Alien. Basically she texted me the other day, it's barking. What does that mean? She's like dogs bark. It's what they do.

[Rob]

So we weirdly we had a babysitter semi recently that came to watch the boys. Y. Sometimes I'll ask the babysitter to like feed and just take the dog out back.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

If it's around that time. And she just was like I'm not really sure what to do with dogs.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

This is very similar to Roosevelt. Like if you don't grow up with a dog. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

What the hell do you do?

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And yeah, no, very fair. And like good that she said that. So she doesn't just make it up as she goes.

[Rob]

Yeah. But it was, I think it was the first time I had heard that. Which is now. Funny that Rosebel is dealing with the same thing.

[David Farrier]

Well, I mean I'm giving Roosevelt a bit of shit here but I'm. I've also never had a dog. Like our family has had so many animals, but we've never had a dog. And so I was, I met this woman at a cafe and she, she. What's the word? Fosters dogs. And so she's like if you ever want to. Because I love dogs.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

If you want to walk a dog, come by my house and you can take it out. So I've gone to her house a few times and just picked up these big like husky looking things and taking them on a walk and I realized I didn't really know the taking a dog for a walk whether you're allow to let it go towards other dogs. What. And so I had to.

[Rob]

Etiquette.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, the etiquette. Yeah. And I. Cuz I, I'm. I realize this isn't my dog. I got to be careful. There's so many dogs out in la. So I had to go through this really. I just had to like break it down for me. How do you walk a dog? Cuz you haven't had one. How would you know?

[Rob]

Walking dogs are so annoying too. Cuz there, there's this, I think Ed Yong wrote a book about it and how dogs with their nose, their senses are so much grander than ours that

[David Farrier]

there's a whole world there that we don't know about.

[Rob]

And them on a walk, being able to explore all that is heaven to them and you're walking a dog and you just want to get on like let's go down the block, go to the bathroom.

[David Farrier]

So when you yank a dog from sniffing nothing.

[Rob]

There you

[David Farrier]

go.

[Rob]

They're really interesting. Smelling all the different layers that our nose can't.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're just like yanking them on.

[Rob]

Yeah. There's just so much more happening. But it's also. Yeah, you need to have patience.

[David Farrier]

Well, Rose, Rosabelle had another question.

[Rachel Bilson]

She.

[David Farrier]

She said, I put the dog to bed. The dog is on the floor on a special little dog mattress. And she just said, it's not shutting its eyes, it's just looking at me. How do I make the dog go to sleep? I said, I don't really know, but I'm sure the dog, you know, this dog is in a new place. It's usually at your mum's house. It's probably just wants to know where you are and what's. I'm sure it will close its eyes when it's ready to sleep. There's not like a magic you must sleep mode.

[Rob]

No, I mean dogs are like an obsession.

[David Farrier]

She was afraid.

[Rob]

It's like the movie obsession. She's in the corner while you're sleeping, just staring at you.

[David Farrier]

She also didn't want the dog in the bed cuz she was afraid it might poo during the night in the bed. And I said to Rosabelle, the dog doesn't want to be pooing in the bed. It doesn't want that. Probably more than you.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Going to anyway.

[Rob]

Well, how old is the dog?

[David Farrier]

It's newish. I feel it's maybe like a year and a half or something at this point.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Oh, completely.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

It's just, it's just funny. And just the idea of Roswell placing this dog in the bath, it's just very funny to me.

[Rob]

I feel like she's maybe asking the wrong person for advice on how to take care of a dog.

[David Farrier]

Someone that has never owned a dog. Yeah, you're completely right. Yeah. But she's doing a great job. She's feeding, walking it, giving it water, all the things that a dog needs, patting it.

[Rob]

I'm just saying if she needs more advice, probably talk to you, she can jump in our WhatsApp group chat.

[David Farrier]

It's probably good because you actually have a dog.

[Rob]

We have a dog and a small

[David Farrier]

little creature as well. Any other OC notes for an audience before they listen to this interview with us and Rachel Bilson?

[Rob]

We'll get to this in the conversation I just want to preface so people aren't annoyed and it doesn't feel like I'm steamrolling the conversation. Rachel has a very bad memory and doesn't remember most of the experience of the oc.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Which is a unique thing and I

[Rob]

knew that going into this. So I prepared enough to hopefully have her just give commentary.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, you have. You prepared an emo esque sort of summary of certain things.

[Rob]

No presentation.

[David Farrier]

But I think this conversation is a certain magic about it because I feel like we are both learning about the OC from you, Rob and I really enjoy that. Thank you for coming in on your.

[Rachel Bilson]

It worked out.

[David Farrier]

And I should say just to be upfront, I haven't watched the O.C. i'm fully aware of what a cultural touchstone it is. Rosabelle, friend of the show, said to pass on to you that you're, you're cool. So I said I'd do that.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's so nice.

[David Farrier]

She's a huge fan.

[Rachel Bilson]

Aww.

[David Farrier]

But look, I just, I'm here to learn and so I'm very happy for Rob to guide this journey into the show. That's somehow frightened. I mean it was in.

[Rob]

Aren't you excited? I'm gonna.

[David Farrier]

It was prime time in New Zealand but for whatever reason it passed me by and I feel like a real idiot.

[Rachel Bilson]

I forgive you, first of all. And second of all, it was probably maybe not really in your wheelhouse at the time, how old you were or something. I don't know.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, it might have had something to do with age.

[Rob]

It was 2003. August. Let's go back to August 2003. The beginning.

[Rachel Bilson]

Let's do it. Let's go back to the beginning.

[David Farrier]

Rob, take us there.

[Rob]

Four seasons, 92 episodes. Do you know this?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes, I actually did know that. Cause we almost made it to 100.

[David Farrier]

So close.

[Rachel Bilson]

So close.

[Rob]

Back in the days of very long seasons of television.

[Rachel Bilson]

They don't do that anymore.

[David Farrier]

They don't.

[Rob]

Limited network TV was on Fox.

[Rachel Bilson]

What else you got?

[Rob]

You were 20. You were 21 when you got.

[Rachel Bilson]

I was 21.

[David Farrier]

Huge role to get as a youngster. That's amazing.

[Rachel Bilson]

It was, but it was. Wasn't a big role. It was only a guest star role for the pilot.

[Rob]

Well, you had, you had tried out for Everwood before that.

[Rachel Bilson]

What the. Did you read Rob?

[David Farrier]

Are you doing like a nadwar sort of situation on the oc? He's gonna like freak out, guest out.

[Rachel Bilson]

This is really weird information that you're putting out there. Yes. Let me tell you the story actually because I auditioned for this show Everwood and I got very close and then I didn't get it and I was like devastated. But I'm like, oh, they probably wanted someone. You know, I just wasn't right for the role cut to they show who they cast in the role. Literally my doppelganger.

[David Farrier]

That's so annoying.

[Rob]

Who was it? Nora?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, Nora. And everyone had said we looked alike, you know, back then and stuff. She's so sweet. But I saw that she cast and we look very similar. I was crushed. But because I didn't get that, the casting director, Patrick Rush, brought me in for the OC pilot and I wound up getting that.

[David Farrier]

So kind of blessing in disguise in a way.

[Rob]

Is Josh involved at that point? Yeah, I read for Josh and he was 26.

[Rachel Bilson]

767 7.

[David Farrier]

Obviously, in hindsight, we know what the OC represents, but at the time when you're auditioning for this thing, you have no idea what it's going to be. Exactly. Did you have any kind of feeling for what the show was?

[Rachel Bilson]

Not at all. I mean, so one of my best friends, Olivia, was auditioning for Marissa, Misha's role. And I remember reading the sides and I was like, I want to audition for Marissa. And then I wound up getting the audition for Summer. And she wanted the Anyway, but. So I had seen the sides for the pilot, but no, I had no clue. I didn't know anything about it. When we shot the pilot, though, Doug Liman directed it and it definitely felt really fun. And there was a feeling around set that felt good.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

It was your first time on set. Really? What was it?

[Rachel Bilson]

Not my first time on set in my life.

[Rob]

Well, it was your first time acting.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

No.

[Rob]

Was it not? Wow.

[Rachel Bilson]

Rob, check your notes.

[David Farrier]

No, that we need.

[Rachel Bilson]

No, it was my first series.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

I had been booking like, commercials and stuff before, but it wasn't my first time on set. I mean, my family is in the business, so I grew up on sets.

[David Farrier]

Rob.

[Rob]

Yeah. I know that your dad was a writer and a producer.

[Rachel Bilson]

That is true. I just like giving Rob a hard time. It's my favorite thing.

[David Farrier]

Just quickly, just to sidetrack, what ads were you on? Because I feel those are deeply American things.

[Rosabelle]

Oh.

[Rachel Bilson]

Let me tell you about my Pepto Bismol career. Deeply American, beautiful. It was at a restaurant called Shanghai Burrito.

[David Farrier]

Uh huh. Great Fusion.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yep. Had to act like I had to run for the bathroom after eating my meal with my family. Actually, I think the little brother actually made them run.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

But I had to insinuate that I would be next. That was one of them. A Subway commercial. Subway sandwiches.

[David Farrier]

Be fresh.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, that's right.

[David Farrier]

Okay. So from some advertising.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Enter OC land.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

Family was in the business. You grew up in la.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes, Those is all true, but it was my first main role in the first TV series I got, but I was auditioning as a guest star, and then I did maybe six to eight episodes before they bumped me up to series regular.

[David Farrier]

How did that work? Are they just, like, people are responding, like, this woman has something, you know,

[Rachel Bilson]

I think that they liked my chemistry with Adam Brody.

[David Farrier]

Rosabelle told me about that. Yeah, you were. She said you had this amazing romance with, like, the nerdy character.

[Rob]

I did.

[David Farrier]

And you just became this, like, charming, wonderful creature. That's so not her words exactly.

[Rob]

We're going to get into plot pretty heavy.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, okay.

[Rob]

Yeah. Hold back.

[David Farrier]

I get excited. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Take it away, Rob.

[Rob]

Well, no, no. How was it with the cast? Like, you guys were all kids at the time.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes, we were all. I mean, Misha was the youngest. She was 16 when we started the show.

[Rob]

Everyone got along.

[Rachel Bilson]

Everyone got along. We were including Josh because he was young, too. We all hung out, went out. It was a very, like, tight knit social group outside of set and we had a lot of fun. And I had introduced Josh, at the time to one of my best friends from growing up, and they wound up getting married.

[Rob]

Still together?

[Rachel Bilson]

No divorce, multiple kids. But they have two kids and it was a success. They were together 15 years, two kids. They're my daughter's best friends. Like, you know.

[David Farrier]

That's so nice.

[Rachel Bilson]

Isn't it nice?

[David Farrier]

It's so kind of like almost too tightly knit. Like, you're introducing to, like, a childhood friend. That's amazing because you have done. You did, like, a rewatch podcast about this.

[Rachel Bilson]

I did do that.

[David Farrier]

So you've done a bit of revision.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes. But as I'm watching it, I literally am like, oh, my God, that happened. Like, no. Even if I'm in the scene, I had no memory.

[David Farrier]

Which kind of makes sense because it's not like you would have watched every episode at the time. And it's probably very different doing a random scene to sort of like, watching the show.

[Rob]

Well, also, you had that car accident that probably.

[Rachel Bilson]

I do have actual memory problems from a head injury.

[David Farrier]

I've got memory problems as well.

[Rosabelle]

You do?

[David Farrier]

Yeah. But I didn't have a car accident.

[Rachel Bilson]

So what's yours from?

[David Farrier]

I just not good. Brain. Brain. When did you have a car accident?

[Rachel Bilson]

I was 14.

[David Farrier]

Oh, God. And it really.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, it was a really bad car accident, but it affected my memory and among other things, I did while I was young.

[Rob]

All right, so premise, you've got Ryan. He's the main Character.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

He's from Chino, but he was arrested. Cause his brother stole a car and he was with him.

[Rachel Bilson]

Crashed it.

[Rob]

Crashed it. He was taken in by a public defender, Sandy.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

Who's married to a wealthy Newport beach woman.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

They have this nerdy son, Seth. Really into comic books. They take him in, they become best friends. Girl next door is Marissa, who has a really bitchy, sassy best friend, Summer.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

Is that how rude. She did start out that way.

[David Farrier]

That's huge.

[Rob]

Rachel's the best friend. So there's a lot going on here.

[David Farrier]

Is this sort of established quite early in the.

[Rob]

Yeah, this is like the pilot. All of this is.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God.

[Rob]

Very soap opera. Y Almost, but for the 2000s.

[David Farrier]

Okay. And do you think it accurately represents what Orange county is? Or is it a completely alien version or a very specific niche? Because I still don't understand Orange county as a place.

[Rachel Bilson]

I don't think I do either.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

But I think there's some truth to it. But of course, for television, it's always going to be exaggerated or glamorized or whatever it is that makes it bigger.

[Rob]

Well, let's go into some of those.

[Rachel Bilson]

Okay.

[Rob]

Those things. So pilot is the.

[David Farrier]

We're gonna go episode by episode.

[Rob]

No, no.

[Rachel Bilson]

Only 92.

[Rob]

There's an iconic beach fight scene.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

So Ryan goes to a party with Seth.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

Seth's being bullied by a group of jocks on the beach.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

Ryan comes down to defend him.

[David Farrier]

We love that.

[Rob]

Big fight. Comes. Comes out of it. Turns out the, like, ringleader of the jocks is neighbor. Marissa's boyfriend.

[Rachel Bilson]

Of course.

[David Farrier]

No, of course.

[Rob]

Iconic line. Welcome. Well, there's an iconic line.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. No, I want you to say it.

[Rob]

Welcome to the OC Bitch.

[David Farrier]

I feel like I know that line.

[Rachel Bilson]

You do?

[David Farrier]

I feel I know that line.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[Rob]

So there's this immediate tension between Luke and this. This new cool guy that rides his bike and smokes cigarettes next to his girlfriend's house. Am I missing anything from.

[Rachel Bilson]

No. That's pretty good.

[Rob]

You're at the party, too.

[Rachel Bilson]

I'm at the party. And I like Ryan in the pilot. Or he's the new guy and he's like the bad boy. And Summer. My character's name was Summer, and she is really into that.

[Rob]

To bad boys.

[Rachel Bilson]

Bad boys.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

But Seth lets it be known in the pilot that he's always loved Summer.

[Rob]

Yes. He's obsessed with Summer.

[Rachel Bilson]

He named his boat after me.

[Rob]

Summer's Breeze.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God. Really? Is that romantic or too far?

[Rob]

It's a Little bit like the movie Obsession.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. It's intense.

[Rob]

This is funny because I've known Rachel for a while and we've never talked the OC in this depth.

[Rachel Bilson]

No.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Would be weird, wouldn't it? Every time you're hanging out, episode three, I want to get into the weeds of the. It would get weird.

[Rachel Bilson]

It would get weird.

[Rob]

Another fun plot point. Marissa's dad has a big scandal.

[Rachel Bilson]

Okay.

[Rob]

He's a financial advisor who is embezzling money from his clients. All of his clients, not a good thing, naturally, are friends of Marissa's at school. He ends up getting arrested. Is it at cotillion?

[Rachel Bilson]

You're asking me wrong.

[Rob]

You recently watched this.

[Rachel Bilson]

I know, but it was a couple years ago. Now. He does get arrested at some event, but there's always an event.

[Rob]

I think it was the end of the cotillion. There's a fight between.

[Rachel Bilson]

It was in the first season.

[Rob]

Yeah. Another dad and him. He gets arrested, she loses her house. She's kind of ostracized from all of her friends.

[Rachel Bilson]

Rob watches the OC every night. That's why he knows this by picking

[David Farrier]

up that there's two layers where you've kind of got the parents and the kids.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

And they're sort of interacting and the drama's affecting one level's affecting the other.

[Rachel Bilson]

Correct.

[David Farrier]

I like that because I feel like, you know, I feel like some shows are just the kids or they're just the adults. Right here you've got the two worlds.

[Rachel Bilson]

You do.

[David Farrier]

Just an observation from someone that hasn't watched it.

[Rachel Bilson]

It's a very astute observation.

[David Farrier]

Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Helix Sleep. Now, Helix Sleep has been a sponsor of our podcast right from the beginning. And I'm so pleased because Helix Sleep is giving me the best sleeps that I've ever had. Helix Sleep makes premium mattresses and bedding that are customized to fit your personal needs. For instance, I'm a back and side sleeper. I also have quite a dicey back and when I took the Helix Sleep quiz, I got matched with a mattress that suits my exact sleeping needs and it's conveniently shipped to your door. Helix combines innovative tech with high quality materials to deliver comfort and support. They offer soft, medium and firm mattresses and there for side, stomach and back sleepers. Like I said just before, the helix lineup offers 20 plus unique mattresses to choose from and a variety of mattress toppers as well. It also has a sleep solution for just about everybody. I have a midnight luxe mattress I've never looked back. That might be the one for you. Or you might have a mattress that's completely different that fits your sleep needs. And remember, a good night's rest sets you up for a really great day. We spend so much time in bed, why not make that time as good as it possibly can be? My sleep has improved since I started sleeping on a Helix mattress here in the United States and I'm incredibly grateful for that. You also get free shipping and seamless delivery straight to your door with free shipping in the US and 120 night sleep trial and limited lifetime warranty. It's also an award winning mattress. It's the most awarded mattress brand tested and reviewed by experts like Forbes and Wired. So go to helixsleep.combird for 20% off site wide, 25% off luxe mattresses and 30% off elite mattresses. Helixsleep.combird support for flightless Bird comes from Quince Now Summer always changes how I get dressed. It's probably the same for you as well. I want pieces that feel lighter and more breathable. Things that are easy but also well put together. And that's why I keep coming back to Quince and why I'm very happy. They're a sponsor of the show. They focus on high quality essentials that feel and look amazing. Think breathable linen and soft organic cotton. Well made basics but without the luxury markup. It's that rear balance where everything feels elevated but still effortless. If you want to go to the clothing side of Quince, their tees are soft and easy to wear and they're lightweight. Cotton sweaters are perfect for cooler summer nights. And just look if you happen to be in Australia like I am now where it's really cold. They also do really wonderful warm clothing as well. It also goes way beyond clothing. Custom upholstered sofas, ceramic cookware, premium bedding. Quince has all of this. It's the kind of brand you end up recommending to everybody for everything. I love my breathable quince shirts when I'm doing a lot of hiking in the hot LA sun. When it comes to winter, I will always go for their puffer jackets. God they're good. So elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to quince.combird for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I n c e.com bird for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com bird this episode is brought to

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[Rachel Bilson]

A fun fact with Shailene Woodley played Marissa's younger sister in the pilot.

[Rob]

And then she was replaced later. Right.

[Rachel Bilson]

When they brought her back years later. Like, then she was. She was a little girl in the

[Rob]

Disappeared from the show.

[Rachel Bilson]

She went to boarding school.

[David Farrier]

Classic.

[Rachel Bilson]

But her pony had alopecia in the pilot.

[David Farrier]

Really?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes. That is one thing I remember such a specific fact. That's the fact I remember.

[Rob]

Moving on to the Oliver storyline.

[Rachel Bilson]

A lot of people, you say Oliver and they get very distracted, disappointed.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Why?

[Rob]

It was a very intense storyline.

[Rachel Bilson]

It was an intense storyline.

[Rob]

So I read today that a lot of people, like, had a hard time watching the show because of how intense their hatred was for him. So Marissa meets Oliver. Are they at like an Al Anon meeting or, like at a new school or they meet somewhere. This guy becomes obsessed with her.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

She's dating Ryan at this point, right. Ryan gets like, weird feelings towards him that, like, something's not right with this guy. Okay? He's a compulsive liar. He's got like a fake girlfriend that he makes up.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, that's right.

[David Farrier]

These are red flags.

[Rob]

Very, like, manipulative. And the whole storyline, like, ends with him holding Marissa hostage in a hotel room with a gun.

[David Farrier]

Oh, God. This is high drama.

[Rachel Bilson]

High drama.

[David Farrier]

This is elevated. No, no, it's great. I mean, I like that how much Rob knows. I mean, Rob does a thing on the show. He did this with our emo music episode where he just has this encyclopedic knowledge that he gets to peacock around. And it's really fun to see. Oh, he loves. We just sit back.

[Rob]

I normally have a presentation that I'm. Normally.

[David Farrier]

There is a presentation.

[Rachel Bilson]

I have a presentation up there. Didn't do one for me. Huh.

[Rob]

Well, I was hoping you were gonna lead some of these plot lines, but you know better. Yeah, I know, I know. But, yeah, it takes this, like, weird, dark twist.

[David Farrier]

And the audience reacted badly to that.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. They did not like Oliver. He was messing with the vibe.

[Rob]

But it was good. It was unique for a teen drama to get this dark and, like, twisted. I think he's committed by the end of that storyline.

[Rachel Bilson]

Sure.

[David Farrier]

Say we're up to this point, end of season one. Getting into season two. Is your outside life transforming? Because this show is popping completely. That must be kind of crazy at that age as well, because it's your dream. You act. You want people to see it. But this is a big one.

[Rachel Bilson]

It was a big one. It was crazy. And I'll never not acknowledge how grateful that my first real series was. Was the OC because, you know, it really did kind of take off and people loved it. And it was a pretty crazy time because it was heavily, like, the paparazzi world, and there was no social media. And it was just like, you went out and I remember there was, like, an event where in Manhattan beach where we all showed up and the amount of people that were there, it was like the first eye opening event where we were like, oh, like, this is. People are watching this show. But it was such a cool feeling.

[David Farrier]

And it's also a time when TV was appointment viewing. It was on at a certain time.

[Rachel Bilson]

Right. You had to wait every week.

[Rob]

Thursday nights.

[Rachel Bilson]

Thursday. Thursday nights.

[David Farrier]

Rob was there every. Every Thursday.

[Rachel Bilson]

He had an alarm set.

[Rob]

Now, my next storyline.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

So Ryan's brother Trey. This gets intense. This is the end of season two, I think.

[Rachel Bilson]

This is Logan Marshall Green.

[Rob]

He tries to rape Marissa.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Oh, God.

[Rosabelle]

What?

[Rob]

Ryan's.

[Rachel Bilson]

He does?

[Rob]

Yes.

[Rachel Bilson]

Do you see what I mean?

[Rosabelle]

This is.

[Rob]

Why?

[Rachel Bilson]

Are you serious?

[Rob]

Yeah. There's like, an assault that happens. So they end up in a fight. Ryan and Trey.

[Rachel Bilson]

Ryan and Trey, not Marissa. I was like, wait, Ryan and Trey

[Rob]

happened in the fight?

[Rachel Bilson]

And Marisa comes and it's the famous, famous. The scene where she shoots Trey.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God.

[Rob]

Shoots his brother.

[Rachel Bilson]

And then Imogen, he starts playing.

[Rob]

Yes. Hide and Seek starts playing. Which I. That song. Like, it's one of the. Like, first.

[David Farrier]

It's a big needle drop moment.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rosabelle]

Wow.

[Rachel Bilson]

That was a big moment. Even SNL did a skit on it. Like, it was like, very. And that song was. Anyway, anytime you or I hear that song, that's what I think of. Because it was very.

[Rob]

Yeah, I remember getting goosebumps from that song in that scene.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

Yeah. It just.

[Rachel Bilson]

It is hide and seek, right?

[Rob]

Yeah, it's hide and seek. Because they eventually play Hollywood.

[Rachel Bilson]

Hallelujah. Hallelujah is what I was getting.

[Rob]

We'll get to that later.

[Rachel Bilson]

We'll get to that later. Yes. Wait, are you gonna watch it? Because it'll be a real spoiler.

[David Farrier]

I mean, I'm slightly concerned about this now because it is. It's like I'm very. I feel like the OC And I had this with the Sopranos as well, which is all show.

[Rachel Bilson]

A show I've never watched.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God. Yeah. One of the best of all time. I've been avoiding spoilers for the end of that series forever, and now I'm worried I'm gonna have the same problem here. Maybe I'll just walk out.

[Rob]

I think this one's okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

Okay.

[Rob]

I feel like some shows like the Wire, I tried to watch after it came out.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

And it's been ripped off so much that I felt like kind of a lame show.

[Rachel Bilson]

Got it.

[Rob]

I don't think the OC has that problem.

[David Farrier]

The OC Is timeless. It's Eva Green.

[Rachel Bilson]

It is what it is. Like, it's just. It is like. It is a teen and adult nighttime drama.

[David Farrier]

People are shooting each other.

[Rachel Bilson]

Funny.

[Rob]

Which getting to Marissa's bisexual storyline.

[David Farrier]

That sounds very funny so far. Sounds fucking intense.

[Rob]

Marissa's bisexual storyline.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes. With Olivia Wilde.

[Rob]

Olivia Wilde plays Alex.

[Rachel Bilson]

Doesn't she date Seth, too?

[Rob]

I think she does, yes.

[Rachel Bilson]

Do you like how I'm asking Rob?

[Rob]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

That's like a wild dynamic. If I didn't know you were, like, a key part of the show. Be like, why did we invite this guest on? Are we educating her as well as me? It's really good. It's really good.

[Rachel Bilson]

It's literally like both of us learning

[Rob]

about the OC But Olivia Wilde owns a bar. Olivia Wilde owns a bar. It's like a music venue as well.

[David Farrier]

And she's bisexual.

[Rob]

Bisexual. Hers to date. Which is, like, for network TV in the 2000s.

[Rachel Bilson]

That was a big deal.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Was great representation.

[Rob]

And then. So Josh really loves music.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

Like, I see him at concerts all the time still.

[Rachel Bilson]

You do?

[Rob]

Yeah, we've talked.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, he does. He loves the concert.

[Rob]

Every time that you see him. Yeah. So go talk to him.

[David Farrier]

And he loves his music.

[Rob]

Loves music. So music was a huge part of the show, too.

[David Farrier]

Oh, and so that would be getting you sucked into this world as well. You love music.

[Rob]

Spoon the Thrills, Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, Rooney, Alkaline Trio, Rooney, Phantom, Planet Killers. You say that the Killers are in there and. And they start introducing, like, live performances.

[Rachel Bilson]

Was Brody. Brody was like. Sorry. That was his contribution.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, this is making a lot. So it's, like, very musically heavy as well.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes, yes.

[Rob]

So I think, yeah, culturally, it was. It was this before Garden State.

[Rachel Bilson]

I'd have to look around Garden State early aughts.

[David Farrier]

Why are we bringing Garden State into this?

[Rachel Bilson]

Because of the soundtrack of the soundtrack.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Soundtrack's as the movie.

[Rachel Bilson]

I'm with it. I'm with you. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

I don't like Garden State.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

You didn't like Garden State, the movie?

[Rob]

Like it?

[Rachel Bilson]

I remember when I first saw it, I really liked it. I haven't seen it since then, though.

[Rob]

So then this all end of season three, they kill Marissa.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God. So how does she die?

[Rachel Bilson]

There's another character that, like, runs them off the road.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God.

[Rachel Bilson]

Is Ryan in the car with her?

[Rob]

Okay, so she's about to start a new life with her dad.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, yeah. She's gonna stay alone.

[Rob]

She's go to Greece.

[Rachel Bilson]

Or she's gonna go to Greece.

[Rob]

They're on their way to the airport.

[Rachel Bilson]

I'm just kidding.

[Rob]

On their way to the airport, return Trey, who she had shot.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, Trey has some.

[Rob]

And Trey runs them off the road.

[Rachel Bilson]

No, he doesn't.

[Rob]

Is that not it?

[Rachel Bilson]

That's not true. Volchok runs them off the road. There's another bad guy later on now. And I can't remember if Marissa was hooking up with Voltroc or not, you know?

[Rob]

Oh, it is Kevin Voltroch.

[Rachel Bilson]

It really is a problem.

[David Farrier]

Incredible. Okay, Voltrock runs them up. Who's Voltrock?

[Rachel Bilson]

It's actually funny because he's named after Kevin Vultchuk, who's a dear friend. But his character Volchuk turns into, like, a villain.

[Rob]

Vch runs him off the road.

[Rachel Bilson]

He runs him off the road. Marissa dies. But there's a scene.

[Rob]

But she dies in his arms on the side of the road in the

[Rachel Bilson]

middle of the road. Ryan picks her up and she's dying, and they start to play Hallelujah. Image Imogen Heap covers Hallelujah, and it starts playing as she dies in his arms.

[Rob]

Car's on fire. Behind.

[Rachel Bilson]

Car's on fire. It's, like, tragically beautiful, though, the shot.

[David Farrier]

And then she's just like.

[Rob]

Yeah, she's the main character I love.

[Rachel Bilson]

No, I'm just kidding. I don't remember. She probably says that, though.

[Rob]

But do you remember, Rob? Was that always the plan?

[Rachel Bilson]

No, I wouldn't say that was always the plan. That she dies at the end of season three. I think it all kind of. I think they did so much with her character.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

They got to a point she was either gonna go off to Greece and work with her dad or she was gonna die. But I think Josh and Stephanie have spoken openly that that was a mistake to kill her off.

[David Farrier]

People loved her.

[Rob]

That's when I stopped watching.

[Rachel Bilson]

Shut up, Ron.

[Rob]

I said, oh, I'm serious. That's the last.

[Rachel Bilson]

He loves to tease me because he loved Marissa. Really?

[David Farrier]

He did.

[Rob]

Marissa.

[Rachel Bilson]

He's like Marissa for life. And he loves to rub that in my face.

[David Farrier]

Oh, that's amazing.

[Rob]

Do you remember when they told you they were doing it? Was it. Were they keeping it quiet?

[David Farrier]

Yeah, from everyone.

[Rachel Bilson]

We all knew.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rob]

I'm sure we all know you got scripts early on. It wasn't like Game of Thrones, where, like, they're only sending scripts to the people in the scenes and. No, no. Wasn't that.

[Rachel Bilson]

We were not a Game of Thrones.

[Rob]

I will say you were kind of Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones.

[Rachel Bilson]

In what sense?

[Rob]

We didn't have water High drama. You kill off any character. Marissa's dead.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, that was. I mean, she was the main, you know, character. And, well, Ryan's the main character, but she was.

[David Farrier]

It does add a certain tension to a show when you know that anyone could go. You know, when anyone could die. That adds a certain level of drama to it. I respect that.

[Rob]

I do think I remember the creators of Game of Thrones saying the OC Inspired.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rob]

Them wanting to do that.

[Rachel Bilson]

Heard here first.

[Rob]

Other storylines that were fun. Luke, who's Marissa's boyfriend.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, the one that beats Ryan up in the pilot. Yep.

[Rob]

Ends up having a secret affair with Marissa's mom.

[Rachel Bilson]

Correct. That is correct.

[Rob]

Seth's mom is an alcoholic and they send her to rehab.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Ryan becomes a cage fighter.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's what it was after Marissa dies. Cage fighter. Correct.

[David Farrier]

Casual cage fighting. Subplot.

[Rachel Bilson]

Casual cage fighting.

[Rob]

The moms accidentally start a prostitution ring.

[Rachel Bilson]

Ring. I'm sorry, what?

[Rob]

Julie and Kirsten start the, like, matchmaking.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's not a problem.

[Rob]

And they start like.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's why I'm setting up. Confused. Getting it wrong.

[Rob]

They start setting up escorts with the daughter's friends. It is a prostitution ring.

[Rachel Bilson]

No, don't listen to Rob.

[David Farrier]

I often do believe a lot of what Rob says.

[Rachel Bilson]

Well, Now I know today you have to question everything.

[Rob]

Will you walk us through the Wonder Woman?

[Rachel Bilson]

So Seth loved comic books.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

And in the first.

[David Farrier]

That's your nerdy boyfriend in the show?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes. In the first season, there was like a love triangle of sorts with myself and another character named Anna. Oh, no. You love Anna.

[Rob]

I loved Anna, too. Everyone but Merissa. It was Marissa.

[Rachel Bilson]

Everyone but me.

[Rob]

It was Marissa.

[Rachel Bilson]

And so Anna and I were fighting over Seth, and he loved comic books. So there's a Chrismica episode where we both try to impress Seth, and she, like, draws him a homemade comic book. And I dress up as Wonder Woman.

[Rob]

She's the girl that he's always been in love with. The, like, popular girl at school. Anna's character is like, another nerd, and they, like, have everything in common. I think your character starts to get jealous because.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, I'm like, wait a minute.

[Rob]

He always loved me.

[Rachel Bilson]

Let me put this Wonder Woman costume on.

[David Farrier]

What won over the Wonder Woman costume or the hand drawn comic book?

[Rob]

You guys end up together.

[Rachel Bilson]

We end up together. Yeah. I'm trying to think that. But in the moment of like her. But it's really sweet because the girls kind of come together and I'm so complimentary of her handmade gifts.

[Rob]

You both don't. You both turn him down then as a result. Cause you see that he's been concocting this plan and playing them against one another.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, we both were complimentary of each other. And it was like, oh, it was actually a sweet moment. But the girls come together and they're like, fuck this.

[David Farrier]

That's a really nice moment.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

What would you say the main theme or the message of the OC Is? What have we taken? What does an audience sort of take away from this one?

[Rob]

Do you want me to take this one?

[Rosabelle]

I do.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. What did you take away from it? Besides being horny and unsure?

[Rachel Bilson]

What did you take away from it?

[Rob]

No, I mean, I think there was so much depth to each of the characters and redeeming things, and everything was a little more gray. And you could. Everyone had someone you could relate to. Like, you would have related to Seth.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. Who did you relate to? I. Marissa.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

Marissa.

[Rob]

No. Well, weirdly, I almost moved to California around the time this was coming out. And I had, like, fantasies that I was gonna be Ryan, that I was gonna. Like.

[Rachel Bilson]

You were gonna wear a chesnake?

[Rob]

Change my identity.

[David Farrier]

That's really endearing. Or scary. I'm.

[Rob]

No, he wasn't bad. He was like the good guy under all of it.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. But that's it also. That is what Roosevelt kind of said. You've got. You can identify with it. Even if you're not in some wealthy sort of portion of society, you can still identify with these stereotypes.

[Rob]

Yeah. There's some character that you're going to relate to. The one with the messy household, the divorced family, the perfect family.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, you didn't mention. Chris Pratt was also.

[Rob]

I've got that.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Don't worry.

[Rachel Bilson]

Oh, I thought.

[David Farrier]

Sorry, we haven't moved to the trivia section yet. Chris Pratt was a character.

[Rob]

Yeah, the guest star. There were a ton of guest stars on the show.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes, he had an arc with my character, so.

[Rob]

Guest stars. Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Shailene Woodley. We've covered most of these.

[Rachel Bilson]

Nikki Reed.

[Rob]

Nikki Reed. Amber Heard.

[Rachel Bilson]

Amber Heard.

[David Farrier]

We love Amber Heard.

[Rob]

George Lucas plays himself on it.

[David Farrier]

That's incredible.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's true.

[Rob]

Paris Hilton. Parasol. Stevo.

[Rachel Bilson]

Steve himself.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, Steve O.

[Rob]

Can we talk about Summer? Summer's fashion impact? Like, you become a fashion icon because of the show. People have said that the aesthetic of Summer.

[Rachel Bilson]

Summer. Okay.

[Rob]

Is like that of a generation that defined this. It defined the aesthetic of a generation.

[Rachel Bilson]

I would probably say Marissa more so, for sure, but. But I think if you look to fashion, like from the early aughts, they were. It was very, you know, in line with.

[David Farrier]

That's cool.

[Rachel Bilson]

What fashion was doing.

[David Farrier]

Do you feel that was. Were you bringing looks into that or was it this amazing costuming department? How did they work?

[Rachel Bilson]

They're really good costume designers. I think they really built the characters. There were a lot of bikinis the first season, though. You know, there was a lot of beach wear, a lot of juicy suits. But it was. It was very of the time. And platform flip flops. It's weird, because the early aughts.

[David Farrier]

Flip flops. We love flip flops.

[Rachel Bilson]

You do. I bet you do love flip flops.

[Rob]

Wearing flip flops.

[Rachel Bilson]

You're wearing Crocs. I'm a big croc girl myself.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God. They're the best. They're the best because they start as, like, a bit of an ironic joke, and then you realize how comfy and good they are.

[Rachel Bilson]

100. I stand by them. I give them my presence. I convert everybody.

[David Farrier]

Oh, my God. Yeah, you can stay.

[Rob]

But was her fashion similar to yours, or did you end up. No. Summer and Rachel Bilson. Did you end up taking from her?

[David Farrier]

Where do you end and your character begins?

[Rachel Bilson]

You know, Blurred line. I mean, yes and no. I think there was a lot of like dress over jeans at the time. I don't know that Summer did that as much. And I think she was a little. Summer was a little more put together than I am personally, fashion wise.

[Rob]

Do you have Nicole yet at this point?

[Rachel Bilson]

So Nicole, who is one of my good friends and stylist, also was on set costumes on the OC that's how we met.

[Rob]

Her husband inspired Vulczyk, the guy that ran.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes. He killed Marissa.

[David Farrier]

Oh, God.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. See, it's all connected.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. Wow.

[Rachel Bilson]

All connected.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

We started, like, the first season of

[David Farrier]

the OC But I feel like someone told me that you were such a sort of fashion icon and people did focus on you that. That Bling Ring. Those people targeted your place or something.

[Rachel Bilson]

I did. They. They robbed me five times, which.

[David Farrier]

That's insane.

[Rob]

It is a little insane.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

It does feel us.

[David Farrier]

I mean, that's a mad. That's an awful and mad thing to be part of.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Like, holy shit.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Did you know what the fuck was happening when it was happening?

[Rachel Bilson]

No, I wasn't home. I was out of town. And I mean, I guess, obviously, if it happens five times. I remember my mom, like, going to my house to check on something and being like, I feel like your house was robbed, but everything is kind of

[Rob]

messy anyways, so I can't.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's true. But like, tv, like, things were. Everything was there. But then when she went into my closets, all of that stuff was gone. Clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, you know, but everything else was in the house. So it was kind of like a weird thing. And then just finding out these kids did that, I mean, it's pretty shitty.

[Rob]

Fun side story. We had one of them at my house for Rachel to interview. What, one of the women that robbed her?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

From the ring. Was it the one that shit in your toilet?

[Rachel Bilson]

No, but that was like, the most offensive thing to me was that they got so comfortable that they took a number two in my bathroom. Did not appreciate that.

[David Farrier]

What a mad thing to intersect with, though, because that was such a. I

[Rachel Bilson]

do not live in that house anymore.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rosabelle]

No.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Right.

[David Farrier]

You know. Yeah. It is violating once people have been.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. I just felt weird, you know, it was just like.

[David Farrier]

Well, no, because one of the girl

[Rachel Bilson]

had my shoe size.

[David Farrier]

A festival, like, together person, I guess. Yeah.

[Rob]

Yeah. That's. Rachel doesn't understand, I think, how much of a cultural.

[David Farrier]

No.

[Rob]

Phenomenon. I kind of love about you.

[David Farrier]

I love that you doubt you're downplaying literally everything. It's really good. It's very. It's A very New Zealand approach to life, really, where if you get sort of a compliment or any idea that you're something, you make sure you just take yourself down a little bit. It's a really.

[Rachel Bilson]

Maybe I belong in New Zealand, I think.

[David Farrier]

You're welcome. Have you ever been?

[Rachel Bilson]

I've never been.

[David Farrier]

You're welcome anytime.

[Rachel Bilson]

I would love to go to New Zealand.

[David Farrier]

You can meet Rosabelle, who also loves the O.C.

[Rob]

yeah.

[David Farrier]

She's the best. She's great.

[Rob]

That's my favorite part about Rachel, is that you wouldn't know there's something nice about me that wouldn't know that, like, she was this thing in the 2000s and how, like, funny and normal and down to earth she is.

[David Farrier]

Completely.

[Rachel Bilson]

Rob, that's so sweet. He's never sweet to me. You have to know.

[David Farrier]

No, I believe it.

[Rachel Bilson]

He did. He brought me. Don't know.

[David Farrier]

Rob's love language, I think, is bullying and meanness, and I'm still getting used to that. Yeah, a lot. Yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Farrier]

I tell myself it's love. Maybe it's just hatred. We don't know. What flavors did you get of these donuts, by the way?

[Rob]

Yeah, this is like a nest session. I feel like.

[David Farrier]

Can I have a.

[Rob]

Can we get donuts from. From Orange County? These originated in Costa Mesa. Orange County.

[Rachel Bilson]

They did.

[David Farrier]

Say what you want to say about the O.C. you don't call it the O.C. do you? That's the show you call Orange county kind of now.

[Rachel Bilson]

I think it's referenced.

[David Farrier]

It's okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

I hear it a lot. Yeah. People say the OC After One thing

[David Farrier]

we can say about the OC that's great. The TV show and these freaking donuts.

[Rob]

These are my favorite donuts.

[Rachel Bilson]

They're my favorite donuts of all time, I think.

[Rob]

What do you like?

[David Farrier]

What do you like about them?

[Rob]

They're. They make them fresh. They make them every, like, hour. Rachel and I bonded over snobby food.

[Rachel Bilson]

Well, but I also love really shitty.

[Rob]

Yeah. Yeah. Rachel does. Her favorite restaurant is Cracker Barrel.

[Rachel Bilson]

Have you done an episode on that?

[David Farrier]

No, but we.

[Rachel Bilson]

But you know it, too.

[David Farrier]

1. I. I know the name. I don't know. I don't know if it's burgers, pizza,

[Rob]

sugar, breakfast food, bad breakfast food.

[Rosabelle]

Excuse me.

[David Farrier]

Tell me about Cracker Barrel.

[Rachel Bilson]

There's a general store. Okay.

[Rob]

Did they get rid of it? What is. Well, the rebrand wasn't.

[Rachel Bilson]

The rebrand was called off.

[Rosabelle]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

You're not up on a whole.

[Rob]

We did talk about the rebrand.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

Okay.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

You and I Did on the show.

[David Farrier]

We did briefly.

[Rachel Bilson]

They have a few items that you cannot pass up at breakfast. Like their potato, the hash brown with the cheese. Not saying. I don't know the name.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

It's delicious.

[Rob]

Cheesy hash browns. Cheesy hash browns.

[Rachel Bilson]

Is that what they're called? I don't know. Isn't it the hash brown casserole? I don't know.

[David Farrier]

Okay.

[Rachel Bilson]

Anyway, really selling it. But the general store is really fun because it's all like old timey candy and toys and little knickknacks. I'm a big knickknack person.

[Rob]

And they've got the little tea game that you.

[Rachel Bilson]

There's a game on every table. It's like a peg game.

[David Farrier]

I like this. I like having entertainment while you're eating because if you're bored with the people you're with, you can just start playing the games and time.

[Rachel Bilson]

I don't enjoy talking to people. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

That's the beast. You're doing very well today.

[Rachel Bilson]

Thank you.

[David Farrier]

Wait, that reminds me. Did you also. Did you design a T shirt for Invisible Children?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Because we did an episode about Invisible Children about the Kony 2012 insane campaign, which sort of went off the rails in many ways. And it was a huge deal in New Zealand. We all followed that whole thing. But you, I feel like you did a T shirt design just after that Kony campaign or at like around that time.

[Rachel Bilson]

I was involved with Invisible Children because of Kristen. She introduced me. We went on a trip to Africa.

[David Farrier]

Did you?

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Right. To catch Coney.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Single handedly because armed with your assault rifles.

[Rachel Bilson]

No. Nicole and I and Kristen all went.

[Rob]

I think I've seen pictures from that trip.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

What was your T shirt? What did you design again?

[Rachel Bilson]

You were asking a question I do not have the answer to.

[David Farrier]

I identify with this. I have such a bad memory. I don't remember. Would you like a donut? I don't remember so many things.

[Rachel Bilson]

I want you to take first because I'm curious which one you're going to go for.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Do you want me to.

[Rachel Bilson]

You wanna talk about them? You have the vegan one in there.

[Rob]

It's a chocolate. It's like a double chocolate with cocoa nibs on it. Rob's favorite is the cinnamon, the Saigon cinnamon. There's a huckleberry. There's a butter and salt. I think that might be. There's just a classic old fashioned, a vegan Samoa and a strawberry buttermilk.

[David Farrier]

I think I might do strawberry buttermilk.

[Rob]

Oh, that was for Vincent. But it's fine.

[David Farrier]

Wow.

[Rob]

I'll let him know you ate it.

[David Farrier]

Was it oh, dad. Oh, yeah.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah. That's a yes.

[David Farrier]

That's a yes.

[Rachel Bilson]

Rob loves the cinnamon. That's why he got two, to make

[Rob]

sure in case someone else wanted one.

[David Farrier]

Does the OC like haunt you today still, like we've dragged you into this podcast. Does it pop up in weird ways in your life or is it mostly.

[Rachel Bilson]

I would say it does, but I wouldn't say it haunts me.

[Rob]

Yeah. How's your relationship evolved with it?

[Rachel Bilson]

I think of it very fondly. Like it was a really amazing time in my life and. And it brought me some of the closest people to me, you know, Josh's family and. Yeah. I just think of it as like, what a cool thing to have been a part of. And the fact, the craziest thing is that people are watching it now and discovering it and young kids and David.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, I'm discovering it.

[Rachel Bilson]

Like yourself.

[David Farrier]

Roosevelt just did a rewatch of it. Like people are watching it again.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

That's pretty neat.

[Rachel Bilson]

That is neat. I do enjoy that. I think that's really cool. And the fact that it's. It stands up, I mean, holds up.

[David Farrier]

I feel like I want to start maybe while watching some of those iconic musical moments.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

Those needle drops. Because I feel I will have seen that reference in other places and we'll

[Rob]

have just never need the build up to it though. You could just watch. I can't watch. I'm just gonna watch.

[David Farrier]

I'm gonna watch the scenes. You told me.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Watch the highlights and that's it. Highlights.

[Rachel Bilson]

Were there any big music moments that we didn't talk about from it?

[Rosabelle]

No.

[Rob]

To me, the music moments I like most for the soundtrack. But I mean, the thrills I think played on it too, which was cool.

[Rachel Bilson]

Don't remember that, but I remember like

[Rob]

Alcalon Trio being at like the house party music and they were a cool Chicago band.

[David Farrier]

Oh, you'd love that.

[Rachel Bilson]

I did. It had good music.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

How long have you known him for?

[Rob]

It would have been 2020.

[David Farrier]

The way you've reacted to his bullshit today, I think has been commendable and really amazing. I'm going to try and learn from you. I'm here to remain calm and. And great through all of it.

[Rachel Bilson]

That's our relationship.

[David Farrier]

Whereas I get a bit sort of uppity, you know, I'm like full of sugar and stuff.

[Rachel Bilson]

I'll give you some tips.

[Rob]

Thank you.

[David Farrier]

Thank you for coming in.

[Rachel Bilson]

Thank you for having me. I'm Sorry. I couldn't actually talk about it. Thank you, Rob, for being such a super fan.

[Rob]

You got it.

[David Farrier]

She's charming, wonderful. So low key. Everything you said that she would be. She was. And I also found that dynamic, like, delightful, that at times, both her and I were looking at you learning at the same time.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Except she had been through a lot of that and. And I hadn't. And she. She was great.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Rob]

I guess I should say, too. A slight disclaimer. I hadn't. I haven't watched the show in a long time. I didn't re. Watch it with Natalie. Right. So I got a few details wrong.

[David Farrier]

That's okay, Rob. You're human. But, you know, it would be freaky if you did get everything right. That would be too fast.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Well.

[Rob]

But I do think it goes to show how much of a. As dorky as this sound, how much of an impact that show had on me that I could recount as much as I could about it 23 years later.

[David Farrier]

23 years. Well, I feel like between the scenes that we're playing out and the music and all those things, it's just etched itself into your reality. Plus, it's that thing where you're following those characters along and it's. You're not. Not binging it all at once. You're watching it week by week over years.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yes.

[David Farrier]

And so that seeps into you. It's like, you know, these people. And from what you guys are talking about, it sounds like the characters change and morphed. So it's real. It's realistic in a way. It's not the Simpsons where they're just like the same thing for years on end. They're changing.

[Rob]

That's an interesting thing. I don't think I've thought about. With the way we consume television shows now, it's in such a concentrated way that you don't really get to connect to characters in the same way you will over it, air. I mean, these seasons were 20 plus episodes.

[David Farrier]

That's why.

[Rob]

Six months of connecting with these characters. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And that's why I am obsessed with the X Files, because that was nine years of my life. And the week that you're waiting for, those characters, in your mind, they're alive

[Rob]

and. And like other things that we're consuming quickly that we love.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

We're spending a week, maybe two weeks with it. If it's just dumped.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

I'm not. I'm not savoring TV shows if every episode is out already.

[David Farrier]

No. And I think that's why Certain shows like Game of Thrones that have that weekly release is the same. There's a. Obviously, that show did amazing things, but I think a big part of it is we lived with it for so long.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

The delivery and it sinks in. Yeah. There's so many shows that are Bing weekend that have left my brain. They've got zero cultural impact because we're just hoovering through.

[Rob]

But potentially just as good of content.

[David Farrier]

Potentially.

[Rob]

Because I, I. It has happened a few times where I've watched something, then it's gotten thrown into my algorithm and feed and pitched back to me years later. I've started it and it's been like two or three episodes and I'm like, I've seen this.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Which would never happen with no the OC or Game of Thrones.

[David Farrier]

And there's another part of it is that I think shows when they were on at a regular time, it took a certain level of commitment for you to actually watch them. So you couldn't say, I'm missing Thursday night at 8 because you'd miss the show. So it also, physically, you had to be in a certain place at a certain time. And that also, I think, creates a relationship between you and the show because it's like effort. Whereas at the moment you sit there like a potato and just sort of have this sort of wash over you whilst you're also doing a million other things. We weren't double screening watching the oc.

[Rob]

Yeah. Yeah.

[David Farrier]

You were locked in on that.

[Rob]

Yeah, it was. I feel like it was a magical time that this show came out. It. Rachel mentioned it was before social media, before cell phones, when you're actually sitting and consuming something on the spoilers were

[David Farrier]

happening in real time before you getting

[Rob]

everything dumped at once and streaming everything.

[David Farrier]

And you know what, you know when you mention those obviously very iconic scenes where you've got a needle drop of a song and something deeply emotive happening and visual where you've got a car burning in the background.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

There'll be shit like that that is happening on some of the shows that

[Rob]

every other episode there's a car on fire on Boss.

[David Farrier]

But also, like, we're watching it, but we're also missing all these nuance moments because we're on a phone or we've wandered off.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Off.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

We're not committed to watching it. So there's. These writers will be building stuff into shows that are meant to be a moment. Half the audience will be looking on threads or Blue sky or something. Or Facebook. Do you know what I mean? So they're missing it.

[Rob]

Or Truth Social.

[David Farrier]

Truth or Truth Social. We used to be locked in because we'd agreed to be home on a Thursday night at 8:30pm sitting through ads. The ads is when we'd run and get a snack or something or go to the bathroom. It was a whole different way of doing things.

[Rob]

I will say after 20 plus years ago, I am still very impressed with Josh, the creator of the show and, and like how, how much depth and social constructs they.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Explored and yeah. All of these different elements as like fantastical and wild as all of it was. He wrote, wrote a good show for a 26, 27 year old that long ago.

[David Farrier]

It's, it's also. It's crazy when you realize sometimes how young the creators of some of the stuff that you love is. Yeah. It's really humbling when you're in your 40s.

[Rob]

Well.

[David Farrier]

Oh God.

[Rob]

Sitting here with obsession in back rooms crushing it right now and super young directors. 20 year old. 21.

[David Farrier]

How old's the director of backrooms back rooms is? 21. At least 21. 22.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And that's, you know, younger director in a 24 history. He also has come up with this amazing world. Obviously I haven't seen it yet.

[Rob]

I haven't either.

[David Farrier]

I'm excited too. But no, it's, it's. I mean it's fucking cool. There's an element of me that flares up with slight jealousy that these kids are doing this amazing stuff. But it's amazing and it's a reminder that like you can do that. You don't have to be 40 before you make something amazing.

[Rob]

Yeah, I guess that's, that's. I'd like the parallels of that of you know, as we were talking about this and like can something like the OC exists nowadays and have that spark of magic. But we're watching that kind of happen with some of these horror movies coming out.

[David Farrier]

Totally. Actually. Yeah.

[Rob]

Where yeah. Obsession I think had a $750,000 budget.

[David Farrier]

Just insane what they have made.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. You were texting me last night after you'd seen it and it is, it's one of those films that. That you think about a lot afterwards and there's so much to discuss. It just. There's certain characters and moments that just sink into you.

[Rob]

I would. It's akin to the oc.

[Rachel Bilson]

Yeah.

[Rob]

You got these different layers going on. People that you can relate to within this.

[David Farrier]

Also something Rosabelle said, she said like her rewatch that show has held up.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

Like it's still. I feel like I could watch it confidently and still will get so much out of it.

[Rob]

I think so.

[David Farrier]

Which is kind of neat. I mean, obviously all the dead in certain ways, but there's a lot going on and it sounds fun.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

And I'm gonna get in amongst and also she liked Rosabelle. Rachel Wilson liked Rosabelle. She did Roosevelt, if you're listening.

[Rob]

She's not.

[David Farrier]

She listens to the intro and then tunes out.

[Rob]

Should we be transparent? David's about to go overseas for a little while.

[David Farrier]

Oh yeah, I'm going to Australia.

[Rob]

Australia and New Zealand. And Minnesota. Yes.

[David Farrier]

Yes.

[Rob]

So we're recording a handful of episodes to get us through your month abroad.

[David Farrier]

So if any major world events have happened and we're not referencing them, that is why we're not ignoring them.

[Rob]

Which we we still are going to be recording weekly on Patreon. So anything major like that you can get our hot takes on.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, no, totally more timely. But our regular weekly episodes we're recording a little bit ahead.

[Rob]

With that said, that's why some of this feedback maybe won't be about the most recent episodes and also the fact

[David Farrier]

that people are just obsessed about timeshares still. So many timeshare episodes.

[Rob]

I do really love when we are little nuggets like that.

[David Farrier]

Certain things people grab on to really grab on.

[Rob]

It is cool though for our show to be able to be that reactive and like, oh, there's a whole episode that can come out of this weird little thing that got mentioned as an aside on an episode.

[David Farrier]

Totally. No, it's the best and you never know what people are going to react to in that way.

[Rob]

So with that said, keep sending feedback and always we like it because it helps us create this show.

[David Farrier]

Flightthespreadchatmail.com yeah, a lot of my favorite episodes come from people just emailing saying, I don't know if you'd be interested in this, but yeah. Delane Rhoden, Long time Birdie and a Kiwi. Often catching up just because I transitioned to the podcast on YouTube. When you start on that platform because it's really fun. Shout out to YouTube. Today's catch up viewing with supper clubs. Anna Conkle. How cool is she? Rob's story of his dad's career movement appears to really impact her. A story in itself. I'll check out pen 15 for sure. The chuckle came after your quoting of Adam Johnson's very valid comment. At around 1 hour, 20 minutes and 12 seconds, I spied the bare foot on the coffee table.

[Rob]

Wait, am I spying Anna or you?

[David Farrier]

Yep. For the record, not Conkle me very much so. That is a very New Zealand thing to do. And it was good to see D.

[Rob]

Yeah. Feet barefoot on the table.

[David Farrier]

There's an element of rudeness with the barefoot on the table. I wouldn't usually do a barefoot on

[Rob]

the table at someone's house. I was gonna defend you a little bit. We have the illusion of us being in, like, a living room right now.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

But we are in a studio.

[David Farrier]

This is a set.

[Rob]

A set.

[David Farrier]

Essentially, we're in a set.

[Rob]

Like, I wouldn't put my shoes on the. I wouldn't be wearing my shoes on a rug at home.

[David Farrier]

To be clear, I would never pop a little tootsie out and put it on anything on a table.

[Rob]

I don't know that I believe that I.

[David Farrier]

But that particular day with Conkle, maybe I was just excited. Like, she's a hero of mine. My feet get very hot. I run hot, but my feet. No, it was. I wasn't doing it consciously, but I popped the croc off because crocs are very easy to get off. And then suddenly shoeless, just wiggling your

[Rob]

toes in front of cargo.

[David Farrier]

Why did I do that? I hope that was the after chat.

[Rob]

Do you want to straight to camera, offer an apology?

[David Farrier]

Anna, if you saw my tootsies during that episode about PM15 in your new book, I'm so fucking sorry. That was unintentional. My foot was too hot.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Hot.

[David Farrier]

Like physically hot. It wasn't attractive hot.

[Rob]

All right, Anthony, I think for that, maybe make it dramatic. Go to, like, black and white and bring down the contrast and straight to camera. Maybe a little. Little smoky size.

[David Farrier]

I support that.

[Rosabelle]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

I also want to note, just in regards to pin 15, I believe I was making a joke, but I might have been serious. I very clearly said that we didn't have the game Pen15 in New Zealand where you get penis written on someone's arm.

[Rob]

You say both in the episode.

[David Farrier]

My point is, I was homeschooled for a long time. I wasn't around other kids. Scrolling penis on her son's arm, which I'm grateful for. That would have been weird fam gag, like doing a little joke on her son. Been weird territory. But we did have the gag of riding penis on someone's arm under another for some crazy story that was weaved at the time to justice.

[Rob]

Well, it was slight bullying, I would say. You're not, like, writing it. I mean, you're doing it in jest, but it's slightly. You want to join the Pen15 club. And you're writing it in pen because it's hard to get off.

[David Farrier]

Yeah. I feel you're not doing that to the cool jocking class. You're doing it to the nerd.

[Rob]

Or the jock's doing it to the other jock.

[David Farrier]

I guess the jock's doing it to the other jock.

[Rob]

I do love that they named the show that.

[David Farrier]

It's such a. It's really perfect.

[Rob]

I don't know that I fully appreciated that.

[David Farrier]

Okay, let's do one more. This is Nick. I live in Bentonville, Arkansas, which is the home of Walmart. There are Walmarts everywhere. I believe in the US but here it was started. It's a whole other world of Walmart. The fanda Sam Walton is interesting as well as his children who, like his daughter Alice, who has her own checkered past, have done great things for our community that would interest you. Seems like very specific, but also vague email.

[Rosabelle]

Well, no.

[Rob]

So the cool thing about Bentonville.

[David Farrier]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Is in order for the Walton family to get money, get their money from. From the family funds, they have to do community service. And so there's a lot. It's like a beautiful community there because all of these resources have gone into making that community better. So the like library there is incredible and it's a lot of wealth, obviously.

[David Farrier]

This sounds incredible.

[Rob]

Waltons are from there.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Nick said in this area we're built the largest mountain biking community in the US and that is amazing in itself. There are a ton of great things northwest Arkansas has to offer. Sounds like a great topic. I'd happily go there. I mean, Walmart is one of the most overwhelming, crazy places. I remember the first time I came to America. I went there and was just. It's so much. And I think maybe if you've grown up in America, you take it for granted a little bit. But it is another level of everything.

[Rob]

Well, and I think there is some capitalistic issues with. Oh, Walmart.

[David Farrier]

Yeah, Walmart.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[David Farrier]

We are sponsored by Walmart. What a store.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Sure.

[David Farrier]

If you have any insights into Walmart or anything in this episode.

[Rob]

Connection to connections.

[David Farrier]

If you want to tell us your OC memories and stories, we are flightless bird chat gmail.com.

[Rob]

you can watch us on Spotify. You can video less ads.

[David Farrier]

You can see my foot on the table. You can see our guest's face. Visuals can be really Good. We're on YouTube as well. And we are on Patreon where every week we do a bonus episode where we just yap a little bit more casually about whatever we want. So we'll see you over there and we'll see you next week.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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