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september
/ october 2005:
Beyond
Orange County
He crafted a 90210 for a new generation, and now he’s moving to New England with a pit stop in Alaska. Talk about getting around.
By Chanie Cohen
o millions of tweens across America,
the affable Josh Schwartz is a saint, the patron saint
of Chrismukkah, the faux holiday he invented on his
show. As the creator of the wildly popular The O.C.,
he’s given birth to a whole new genre of drama, a 90210
for the next generation.
While the first season of the show featured high paced storytelling — a brawl at nearly every black-tie affair, drug overdoses, and illicit affairs between mothers and ex-boyfriends (of their daughter, that is) — Schwartz promised to slow down the drama a bit in the second season. Presumably, slowing down the drama meant attempted rape, another affair and, oh yeah, a murder in the season finale.
Needless to say, The OC is still on fire and the third season promises new twists and turns and even more drama (is that possible?). But its creator is on fire as well.
Schwartz has been tapped to pen a new series for Fox called Athens. While it has nothing to do with the Olympics, we hear the drama will explore the intertwined lives and loves of the fictional New England community of Athens, home to a prestigious university that acts as a dividing line between the rich outsiders who study and teach there, and the local townies who serve that population. If it’s anything like The O.C., we’re sure Schwartz will strike gold twice.
In addition, Paramount has signed Schwartz to write and direct the coming-of-age comedy-drama Looking for Alaska. Based on John Green’s novel of the same name, the story centers on Alaska Young, a reckless girl who is admired by many guys at the school she attends. This is the first film for the 29-year-old Schwartz, and if it sees any of the success that The OC has enjoyed, it will most likely not be his last.
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