The First Episode Of The O.C. Premiered 17 Years Ago

If you ever wanted to stop and pause and wonder whether time was absolutely flying past you, let us help.

It's baffling to realise that the incredible series The O.C. had its first ever episode premiere on American televisions 17 years ago.

August 5 was the first time we got to meet Ryan, Seth, Marissa, Summer and the rest of the gang and it's safe to say we instantly fell in love.

While it took many months for the series to debut for audiences outside the US, when it eventually landed, the cast had an army of fans across the world.

If you've never heard of the show (shame on you), it was a legendary dive into teenage relationships and the things that can happen when you're either on the wrong side of the tracks or brought up in a wealthy family.

It followed Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie) and his journey to Newport Beach. He gets invited to live with Sandy and Kirsten Cohen after his mum kicks him out.

He meets the Cohen's son Seth (Adam Brody), who is the same age as him and they embark on an unlikely friendship.

Ryan is built up as the brawler with inner demons while Seth is a bit of a geek; but they eventually gel together.

The first season is largely regarded as the best in the series, with The New York Times saying creator Josh Schwartz 'pulled it off, sneaking a truly smart show past the gatekeepers in the guise of something commercial and trashy and fun' adding that the show 'steered clear of both Aaron Spelling-style camp and the soggy earnestness that often characterises teen drama'.

There were plenty of emotional rollercoasters that played out over four seasons and sadly the show took a bit of a nosedive towards the end. The fourth and final season dealt with Marissa's (Mischa Barton) death, however the plot lines were getting a little tired and people started to switch off.

But let's not forget that the show touched on a bunch of issues that some audiences would have never seen. The series looked at addiction, teenage romance, death, dealing with loss, virginity, loneliness, LGBT issues, teen pregnancy and loads of other topics.

While we will never get to see the gang back in action celebrating Chrismukkah, we have the memories.

Here's to another 17 years. In the meantime we'll be shouting 'CALIFORNIAAAAAAAAAA'.