Oliver Trask
Encyclopedia
Oliver Trask is a fictional character
on the FOX
television series The O.C.
, portrayed by Taylor Handley
. Oliver appeared in the series' first season
as thorn in Ryan Atwood
and Marissa Cooper
's relationship, soon developing a severe obsession with the latter. After holding Marissa captive at gunpoint in his penthouse, Oliver was arrested and sent to a rehabilitation clinic.
, whose concept for the character was "based on a guy...a friend of mine dated who faked having cancer
to [hang on to her]." Schwartz said of the guy "That kind of desperation and loneliness was really fascinating to me, and that's what inspired the Oliver character".
Taylor Handley
says of his character that "Oliver is very intelligent, (...) and intelligent people are good manipulators." Handley also elaborated that "[his] character is very needy due to his past" which would take some of Marissa
's attention away from Ryan
, and that, by request, he dyed
his hair dark for the show to give "a more sinister look".
Oliver used to go to a school referred to as "Pacific". At his former school Oliver was obsessed with a girl and cut his wrists. She had a restraining order filed against him, and later attended rehabilitation.
at therapy, and falls for her.
described Oliver as a "clichéd plot device" and a "cookie-cutter villain", but Schwartz said that reception was mixed with viewers loving the character as "someone that we love to hate." Other reception noted that he was irritating but "addicting person to watch", that he "was able to exude as much hate that a writer could place on a single character", and that he was an "audience-infuriating nut".
" (Season 1, Episode 18). However, the character's actions had long term implications. Already existing trust issues between Ryan and Marissa were exacerbated by the conflict over Oliver's true colors. It is argued by Seth in "The Ties that Bind
" (Season 1, Episode 27) that Marissa's relationship with Oliver may have driven Ryan to seek solace with Theresa, resulting in the scandal over Theresa's pregnancy and marriage that arises in the final episodes of the show's first season and into the second season.
. These rumours were untrue (though in the second season finale, after Seth hears a door bell ring he quips: "With the way things are going right now, I bet that's Oliver." This could have been a reference to these rumors, but was more likely due to how badly things seemed to be going for the characters.) Schwartz made repeated references to Oliver's return. He is quoted as stating that a return was the alternative option to the lesbian storyline between Marissa and Alex. After the finale for that season aired, rumors then arose that Oliver would return in the third season with Kirsten
, who was in rehab for alcoholism. However, this never happened, although in the third season finale when Marissa apologizes to Ryan for all the craziness, Ryan assures that he would not have done anything different, "except for maybe Oliver," to which Marissa laughed and said "me too."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television series The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
, portrayed by Taylor Handley
Taylor Handley
Taylor Laurence Handley is an American actor.In 1998, Taylor played Rory Buck in the movie Jack Frost. In 2000, Handley starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Phantom of the Megaplex. Handley appeared in three episodes during the last season of Dawson's Creek and guest starred during an...
. Oliver appeared in the series' first season
The O.C. (season 1)
The first season of The O.C., an American television series, debuted in the United States on August 5, 2003, and concluded on May 5, 2004, with a total of 27 episodes...
as thorn in Ryan Atwood
Ryan Atwood
Ryan Francis Atwood is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Benjamin McKenzie. A troubled teenager from Chino, California, he is considered the protagonist of the show, beginning as an outcast and is brought to a lifestyle of luxury by the Cohen family and is...
and Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. until her death in the season three finale, "The Graduates."...
's relationship, soon developing a severe obsession with the latter. After holding Marissa captive at gunpoint in his penthouse, Oliver was arrested and sent to a rehabilitation clinic.
Concept and creation
Oliver was created by Josh SchwartzJosh Schwartz
-Film school at USC:In 1995, Schwartz realized his boyhood dream of attending film school to study screen and television writing at the University of Southern California...
, whose concept for the character was "based on a guy...a friend of mine dated who faked having cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
to [hang on to her]." Schwartz said of the guy "That kind of desperation and loneliness was really fascinating to me, and that's what inspired the Oliver character".
Characterization
| "Instead of being poor, he was extremely wealthy. Instead of being a good guy, this was a guy with an agenda and a little bit, ummm... not well. He was a lonely, lonely kid who was really going to get in the way and disrupt the relationship between Ryan and Marissa" |
| — Josh Schwartz on the character Oliver |
Taylor Handley
Taylor Handley
Taylor Laurence Handley is an American actor.In 1998, Taylor played Rory Buck in the movie Jack Frost. In 2000, Handley starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Phantom of the Megaplex. Handley appeared in three episodes during the last season of Dawson's Creek and guest starred during an...
says of his character that "Oliver is very intelligent, (...) and intelligent people are good manipulators." Handley also elaborated that "[his] character is very needy due to his past" which would take some of Marissa
Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. until her death in the season three finale, "The Graduates."...
's attention away from Ryan
Ryan Atwood
Ryan Francis Atwood is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Benjamin McKenzie. A troubled teenager from Chino, California, he is considered the protagonist of the show, beginning as an outcast and is brought to a lifestyle of luxury by the Cohen family and is...
, and that, by request, he dyed
Hair coloring
Hair coloring is the practice of changing the color of hair. Common reasons are to cover gray hair, to change to a color regarded as more fashionable or desirable, and to restore the original hair color after it has been discolored by hairdressing processes or sun bleaching...
his hair dark for the show to give "a more sinister look".
Oliver used to go to a school referred to as "Pacific". At his former school Oliver was obsessed with a girl and cut his wrists. She had a restraining order filed against him, and later attended rehabilitation.
Storylines
According to Schwartz the storyline was "designed as a six-episode arc where we would bring in a character whose circumstances coming into this world were not unlike Ryan's".Season 1
Oliver Trask is a rich kid who lives in the penthouse of a hotel. His parents own a chain of hotels, and apparently leave him unsupervised. He left his last school, Pacific High, because a girl took out a restraining order on him, after he became obsessed with her. Oliver eventually attempted suicide because she rejected him. He meets MarissaMarissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. until her death in the season three finale, "The Graduates."...
at therapy, and falls for her.
Obsessed with Marissa Cooper
- Oliver meets Marissa when she goes to therapy.
- Oliver transfers to Harbor to get close to Marissa.
- Ryan didn't trust Oliver's intentions in spending time with Marissa every day.
- Luke was the only character to believe Ryan about Oliver's truth.
Reception
TV GuideTV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
described Oliver as a "clichéd plot device" and a "cookie-cutter villain", but Schwartz said that reception was mixed with viewers loving the character as "someone that we love to hate." Other reception noted that he was irritating but "addicting person to watch", that he "was able to exude as much hate that a writer could place on a single character", and that he was an "audience-infuriating nut".
Effect
Oliver's appearance lasted only a few episodes - from "The Best Chrismukkah Ever" (Season 1, Episode 13) to "The TruthThe Truth (The O.C. episode)
"The Truth" is the 18th episode of the FOX television series, The O.C.. The episode was written by Allan Heinberg and was directed by Rodman Flender. It originally aired on Wednesday February 11, 2004.-Guest starring:-Plot:...
" (Season 1, Episode 18). However, the character's actions had long term implications. Already existing trust issues between Ryan and Marissa were exacerbated by the conflict over Oliver's true colors. It is argued by Seth in "The Ties that Bind
The Ties That Bind
The Ties That Bind by Jude Watson is the fourteenth in a series of young reader novels called Jedi Apprentice. The series explores the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi prior to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.-Plot:...
" (Season 1, Episode 27) that Marissa's relationship with Oliver may have driven Ryan to seek solace with Theresa, resulting in the scandal over Theresa's pregnancy and marriage that arises in the final episodes of the show's first season and into the second season.
Rumors
It was rumoured that Oliver would return for the finale of season twoThe O.C. (season 2)
The second season of The O.C., an American television series, commenced airing in the United States on November 5, 2004, and concluded on May 19, 2005, with a total of 24 episodes. It aired Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET in the US on FOX, a terrestrial television network. In addition to the regular 24...
. These rumours were untrue (though in the second season finale, after Seth hears a door bell ring he quips: "With the way things are going right now, I bet that's Oliver." This could have been a reference to these rumors, but was more likely due to how badly things seemed to be going for the characters.) Schwartz made repeated references to Oliver's return. He is quoted as stating that a return was the alternative option to the lesbian storyline between Marissa and Alex. After the finale for that season aired, rumors then arose that Oliver would return in the third season with Kirsten
Kirsten Cohen
Kirsten Cohen is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Kelly Rowan. Kirsten is the wife of Sandy Cohen, mother to Seth Cohen, and the adoptive mother of Ryan Atwood...
, who was in rehab for alcoholism. However, this never happened, although in the third season finale when Marissa apologizes to Ryan for all the craziness, Ryan assures that he would not have done anything different, "except for maybe Oliver," to which Marissa laughed and said "me too."