The fourth season of The O.C. will premiere Thursday, Nov. 2 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX. This season hits the ground running with “The O.C.'s” trademark mix of heart, humor, drama, action and romance.

Josh Schwartz, creator and executive producer of "The O.C.," says of the new season: "I'm very proud of these episodes and I think they convey real emotion and drama but also, more importantly, humor and heart. I believe our fans will find this focus on our core characters and their relationships really satisfying. The show has been reinvented; rebooted. Personally, it feels like 'The O.C.' is back. I hope our fans feel the same way."

When the series returns for Season Four, high school seems like a distant memory to the young graduates, who have been thrust into adulthood after the death of their beloved friend Marissa. The Cohens struggle to keep Ryan focused on the future, fighting the forces that threaten to pull him back into his old life. Sandy returns to the Public Defender's office, and he and Kirsten find themselves the happiest they have ever been with each other while rising to the challenge of keeping their family together.

Summer has left Orange County and is attending Brown University in Rhode Island, where she has reinvented herself as a left-leaning, tree-hugging activist under the sway of Che; out are Summer's celebrity gossip magazines and in are her "Chicken-lovers of the world unite!" flyers. Meanwhile, Seth, lonely in the O.C. and working at a local comic book store, turns to watching golf with Dr. Roberts and hanging out with the Newpsies for social stimulation.

Kaitlin Cooper returns to the O.C. as the No. 1 troublemaker at The Harbor School. Over the summer she has befriended Luke's younger twin brothers, Eric and Brad Ward, who worship her.

Meanwhile, Julie Cooper will do anything even yard work to avoid dealing with the loss of Marissa. And Taylor Townsend (new series regular Autumn Reeser) is hiding out and speaking French in the O.C. after her mysterious romance in Paris.

Chris Pratt will appear in a multi-episode arc starting on the season premiere, playing Summer's environmentalist activist Svengali, Che. Pratt was last seen on "Everwood" as "Bright Abbott." He was recently on the big screen opposite Amy Sedaris in "Strangers with Candy" and will next appear opposite Cary Elwes in "Walk the Talk." Pratt was born in Minnesota and currently lives in Los Angeles.