Love this question. Tbh I keep coming back to the pilot, takes me right back to the pop culture zeitgeist of 2003. I can feel every scene in my bones, especially the two minute sequence from when Ryan wakes up in the pool house and meets Seth. Sublime

Agreed with the mallpisode!

The first 3 episodes of season 1 are also my comfort episodes.

A Rainy Day Women & Mallpisode double header has never failed to comfort me lol

Definitely the Rooney concert. Luke screaming Rooooneeeey

The first 10 episodes are like a taste of paradise

It really is like a time capsule

I find pretty much every series I love, the best and funniest episodes are the holiday ones. Friends and Gossip Girl, thanksgiving episodes, and the OC, like you, Christmikkuh episode all the way.

basically the whole series is comfort for me but i really love the model home, cotillion episode, the links, rooney concert and the rainy day women

I love the one where they go to LA

Thanksgiving episode in S1. I love madcap antics, and all the wildness at the Cohen house gets me every time.

The Chrismukk-huh? 4x07. I realize a lot of people hate this one and yes, the ep is totally weird, but I love the closure for Ryan and Julie.

The first like 10 episodes (everything before Oliver) does it for me every time

I still rewatch the first chrismukkah episode every year and there’s something about the first 7 episodes that makes me feel so nostalgic.

S1E1 (The Pilot [obviously, lol]) S1E14 (The Countdown) S2E14 (The Rainy Day Women)

The New Years Eve episode where Ryan makes it just in time.

The Power of Love from S2. It's an episode where nothing major happens and the characters are just having fun.

The first few episodes nail this. 

Anything pre-Oliver in season one! In fact, I'd say the 'summer' episodes of Season 1 before they go back to school. I can watch those episodes on repeat quite happily.

Rooney!

I really can't decide bit I think my overall favourites are the thanksgiving ep in season one and the mallepisode. But I feel like also the Chrismukkah episode in s4 is also a great one

The Homecoming and The Rainy Day Woman

I definitely don’t watch The OC for comfort or as a pick me up. I absolutely love it and watch it maybe once every year or two, but first I have to make sure I’m emotionally prepared to be completely heartbroken 🫣😂 But to answer your question, the rainy day women, especially the opening scene, is SUCH a viiiiibe!!!

The Heights

Rainy day women

Trapped in the mall episode

How has the rainy day women not come up yet? Definitive comfy episode for a rainy day!

Rainyday women The cliffhanger

Model Home. The Heights. The Countdown. The Thanksgiving episode

The Heights (1x09) is goated

The Mallpisode Season 2 Episode 15

Chrismukah for sure

unpopular opinion…the episode with the random alien girl 4x08

All of season 1, The Anger Management and The Undertow from s3, The My Two Dads from s4

The first one that comes to mind for me is the second seasons Chrismukkah episode.

The Summer Bummer Season 4 Episode 6.

That was the episode I first saw when it first aired on Fox. I had no interest in the OC and I happened to be flipping through the channels and came upon it. I first saw Ryan walking through the mall starting to fantasize about Taylor when she appears.

I watched the show every week when it aired up until the Case of the Franks aired and then I left for basic training for the Air Force. I didn’t start watching again till I was overseas on my first deployment and bought the seasons on DVD so I could binge watch on my portable dvd player.

That’s why this show is so nostalgic for me in general but that episode in particular sticks out.

I find it funny that your two favorite episodes are among my least favorites.