‘The O.C.’: Rachel Bilson Isn’t Rooting for Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts to Be Together
Rachel Bilson’s not Team Summer. At least not right now. The O.C. cast member spent four years playing Summer Roberts on the popular teen series in the early 2000s.
Now she’s watching the show with her former O.C. co-star, Melinda Clarke (Julie Cooper), as part of their Welcome to The O.C., B*tches! podcast. Revisiting the TV show, Bilson wants Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) to be with another character besides her own.
Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts were 1 of the main couples on ‘The O.C.’
Seth and Summer were one of the main teen couples. The two of them along with Mischa Barton’s Marissa Cooper and Ben McKenzie’s Ryan Atwood made up The O.C.’s “core four.” Brody and Bilson even dated in real life.
In the beginning, Summer didn’t really know Seth existed. Meanwhile, Seth had a crush on her for years. He even names his sailboat after her. Over the course of four seasons the characters got together, broke up, and dated other people. Ultimately they ended up together. Spoiler alert: Seth and Summer got married in the series finale after Brody and Bilson had broken up in real life.
The 2 ‘O.C.’ characters were in a love triangle in season 1
Seth and Summer were in a love triangle with Anna Stern (Samaire Armstrong) during season 1. It served as the main storyline for all three characters until finally Anna and Summer asked Seth to choose.
Summer kissed a “random” on New Year’s Eve and realized she couldn’t deny her feelings for Seth. Meanwhile, Anna showed up at the Cohen house to ring in the new year with him.
The two began dating much to Summer’s annoyance but the romance didn’t last. Anna left Orange County to return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before the end of season 1.
Rachel Bilson’s rooting for Seth Cohen and Anna Stern
Bilson may not have watched The O.C. when she starred on the show but she’s watching it now. The now-39-year-old actor is watching the entire series — that’s 92 episodes totaling four seasons — for her and Clarke’s Welcome to The O.C., B*tches! podcast.
Bilson’s already started watching the teen series and she has feelings on the Seth-Summer-Anna love triangle. She told Nylon during an April 2021 interview she’s rooting for Seth to be with Anna in season 1.
Seth “did act selfishly with Summer and Anna in the first season. And you know what’s funny? I’m watching it, and I’m rooting for Anna,” Bilson said. “In the beginning where they’re at the carnival, and he wins her the sock monkey, I’m like, ‘Oh, no! Go for Anna.’”
As fans of The O.C. may remember the love triangle between Seth, Anna, and Summer plays out through most of season 1. Seth and Anna date but ultimately the Death Cab for Cutie-loving teen ends up with Summer, his longtime crush. As Bilson continues to watch The O.C. her feelings on the Seth-Summer relationship may change but for now she’s Team Anna.
Welcome to The O.C., B*tches! premiered on April 27, 2021. New episodes air every Tuesday. Follow along with Clarke and Bilson as they rewatch every episode of the series. The O.C.’s not on Hulu but it is on HBO Max.
