The O.C.: Ever Wonder What Ryan And Taylor Are Doing Now?
Romantic relationships in shows have been the core of storylines for decades. Look at Ross and Rachel on Friends. Kate and Jack on Lost, or Zack, and Kelly on Saved By The Bell. But there is one that often gets left off plenty of lists. What about the romance between Ryan Atwood and Taylor Townsend of the O.C.?
In the early stages of the O.C., the focus was on Ryan and Marissa, and rightfully so. They were polar opposites at first glance but Marissa had a dark side to her as well. She lived an elegant lifestyle but was in search of something more gritty. Ryan, on the other hand, lived that gritty life but was in search of some stability. The pair tried to make it work and gave it a good shot all the way up to Marissa’s death.
After that dramatic moment, Ryan needed some time to find himself. Marissa was his first love and now there was a gaping hole that needed to be filled. Ryan was in a dark place but little did he know, his light would come in the form of Taylor Townsend. What made Taylor so appealing to fans was that she wasn’t a fan favorite in the early stages. She earned her way into the hearts of millions.
Their courtship began the only way it could, with Taylor falling for Ryan for being her knight in shining armor. Through the twist and turns, ups and downs, earthquakes, and failed marriages, Ryan and Taylor weathered the storm. Well, at least we think so. The O.C. series finale offered little into their relationship with the flash forward, and yet, fans still want to know what happened. Did they make it or not?
According to Autumn Resser (who played Taylor), she was happy with the way the writers never gave a specific ending to their relationship. Instead, they left it up to fans to wonder. So, that’s exactly what I’ve done over the years. For me, I believe they never stopped. While Ryan stayed in Los Angeles and Taylor went off to Pairs, who said they didn’t make a long-distance relationship work?
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Who said that the wedding was the first time they’d seen each other in years? The look they gave each other was not one of “hey, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you” type look. It was more of an “I guess we’re next to get married” look if anything.
To be honest, there was nothing holding them back. With Marissa, that relationship was almost out of necessity. Both of them were looking to escape something and saw refuge in the other. But for Ryan and Taylor, it was something that was built over time. They were both mature and had their own paths they wanted to pursue. That’s why I want to believe they made it work despite what the writers led us to believe.
In the end, a Ryan and Taylor union made perfect sense the same way a Summer and Seth relationship did. Where I see them now is with a nice house, 3 kids, and possibly Seth and Summer living next door.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
