After a successful three-year run, and disappointing fourth season, “The O.C.” is being cancelled.

Fox officials announced the cancellation at the beginning of the year, and the news leaves many unsurprised. Receiving low ratings from the get go, the current season is nothing short of a let down after the hype the show created, and delivered upon, since its debut in 2003. In fact, since the first season, ratings have slowly reduced each year.

The show will resume on the new CW, according to DailyBulletin.com. The CW is the network which caters to teen dramas, including “One Tree Hill.” The rumor of the shows move remains, of course, unconfirmed.

The show seemed destined to get the boot since its dismal rating returns after the switch to Thursday nights. Going up against “Grey’s Anatomy,” the show was unable to keep its viewers. In some respects, however, it is better to cancel the show early and preserve the memory than drag it out until even die-hard fans are begging Fox to call it quits.

Not only are teens confronted with the realization that Seth and Ryan will not be gracing the small screen anymore, but the LA Times reported that Newport officials are expecting a decrease in tourism. There is even “The O.C. Experience Tour,” and a “county supervisor suggested turning John Wayne Airport into ‘The O.C. Airport.’ ”

Fans are attempting to change Fox’s mind through petitions and online forums urging the continuation of the show. Of course with Neilson ratings at 3.7 million, it is easy to understand why Fox is pulling the plug. On the positive side, the show helped launch the careers of the four main actors. All have been cast in feature films, so fans will likely get to see the fab four in the future. And, of course, several cast members are frequently the subject of photos in celebrity tabloids.

So far, there has been no talk of what show will replace “The O.C.,” if another series is in the works, or if the time spot will be filled with reruns. The final episode of “The O.C.” will air on Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. and according to creator Josh Schwartz, the final episode “will deliver real closure to the series, to the story we began telling four years ago.”

Who knows though; he also said this would be the best season yet, and we know how that turned out.

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