The O.C. Creators Knew About Their Greatest Mistake Right Away, But It Was Too Late

When you have an iconic series that has millions of people glued to their TV screens every week waiting for a new episode, the worst thing that can happen is that a popular actor decides to leave the project. No matter what the reason, one wrong decision can jeopardize the success of the entire series.

The creators of Fox's The O.C. know this firsthand, as they made such a mistake at the end of Season 3 by killing off Mischa Barton's character, Marissa Cooper.

Though the show wasn't completely ruined, the reaction from fans was so strong that it sent a clear message to the creators: they made the wrong choice.

It's not like they could hold Mischa Barton, who had requested a leave of absence due to personal issues, hostage, but they rushed to cut all ties and kill off Marissa on-screen instead of giving her a chance to come back.

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the show's executive producers, reflected on the moment in an interview with Vanity Fair:

“We didn’t see an alternative path at the time, which is why we went down that road. But obviously, in hindsight, there were lots of other ways we could have written the character off the show — and given Mischa the break that she needed and wanted — that still would’ve allowed for that character to return,” Schwartz said.

Unfortunately, when the producers realized what a mistake they had made, it was too late to change anything, so Barton and The O.C. went their separate ways.

The only good thing that came out of this decision is an epically heartbreaking scene of death itself. Thanks to Benjamin McKenzie's brilliant performance as Ryan Atwood, who carried Marissa out of the burning car, this scene will forever be engraved in the minds of viewers.

If you want to relive the heartbreak of Mischa Barton's farewell to The O.C., you can stream the show on Netflix or Hulu.

Source: Vanity Fair