▁episodes ▁this ▁year ▁the ▁cast ▁had ▁a ▁feeling ▁the ▁end ▁was ▁near ". ▁On ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Fox ▁announced ▁that ▁The ▁O . C . ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁cancel led . ▁In ▁a ▁statement , ▁Schw art z ▁said ▁" This ▁feels ▁like ▁the ▁best ▁time ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁show ▁to ▁its ▁close " ▁adding ▁that ▁" what ▁better ▁time ▁to ▁go ▁out ▁than ▁cre atively ▁on ▁top ". ▁A ▁campaign ▁was ▁launched ▁to ▁save ▁the ▁show ▁and ▁over ▁half ▁a ▁million ▁people ▁signed ▁an ▁official ▁pet ition ▁at ▁www . fox . com / oc / s av ethe oc . ▁There ▁were ▁rum ors ▁that ▁the ▁show ▁would ▁be ▁saved , ▁and ▁a ▁move ▁to ▁The ▁C W ▁was ▁mo oted ; ▁however , ▁The ▁C W ▁president ▁Da wn ▁Ost ro ff , ▁whose ▁company ▁is ▁partly ▁owned ▁by ▁Warner ▁B ros , ▁confirmed ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁that ▁while ▁the ▁move ▁was ▁discussed , ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁against . ▁ ▁Schw art z ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁can cellation ▁of ▁the ▁show ▁" was ▁really ▁cre atively ▁liber ating , ▁not ▁worry ing ▁about ▁ratings ." ▁Bel inda ▁Ac osta ▁of ▁The ▁Austin ▁Chron icle ▁agreed ▁pra ising ▁the ▁show ' s ▁" new ▁energy " ▁and ▁its ▁ability ▁to ▁successfully ▁cover ▁" the ▁transition ▁between ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁college ▁that ▁other ▁series ▁have ▁st umbled ▁over ". ▁Entertainment ▁Week ly ' s ▁Ken ▁T ucker ▁commented ▁that ▁the ▁fourth