With Son of Zorn, Fox Returns to Orange County (or The O.C., If You Must)

On Aug. 5, 2003, The O.C. premiered on the Fox Television network, continuing for four seasons before ending its run like a Newport Beach sunset on Feb. 22, 2007.

This week, Fox announced it will return to Orange County, or the OC if you really must, with Son of Zorn.

Unlike The O.C., Son of Zorn is not a teen soap opera but a comedy.

Like the real Orange County, Son of Zorn is half animated. That is, Fox’s Sunday night lineup entry is a hybrid live-action/animated program.

It follows an animated warrior from a faraway island in the Pacific Ocean, who returns to Orange County to win back his live-action ex-wife and son. The toon character is voiced by Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live and Horrible Bosses fame, while his live-action ex is played by Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Johnny Pemberton (21 Jump Street) is the teenage son.

Here’s the trailer:

Son of Zorn was developed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who wrote and directed The Lego Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and directed 21 Jump Street and its sequel 22 Jump Street. The pair, who met at Dartmouth, also intended to make a movie out of what instead became the Fox comedy series The Last Man on Earth that features Sudeikis in a recurring role and stars his SNL pal Will Forte. It’s been green lit for a third season so Lord and Miller will have two shows on Fox at the same time.

The O.C. and Son of Zorn have something in common. Financial penalties imposed for filming outside the studio zone had Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance subbing for Newport Beach on The O.C. Surely Son of Zorn‘s Orange County will be somewhere in la-la land, too.

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