Say you have a hit teen drama, one that stars arguably the hottest teen to hit television since, well, the first Bush administration. Say you're in your third season, and your ratings — like your storylines — have flattened out a bit. Say your season finale comes during May sweeps, and your starlet reportedly wants off the show, despite it accounting for the cottage industry of magazine covers and endorsement deals she has accumulated since the show first aired.

Of course you'd kill her off.

Such is the case for Fox and O.C. creator Josh Schwartz, who, judging by the show's message boards, MySpace site and online petitions (one with 11,000 signatures and counting) to write Mischa Barton's character back into the script next season, shouldn't expect those ubiquitous prom invitations this year.

Though based on the spelling acumen of said fans, we have a feeling most of those invitations would get lost in the mail.

Really Josh, what was with you this season. you've been killing people non-stop from the end of season two. What did you hit your head or something? You know this can not be for the show or the carrers of both you and Mischa. ratings will drop drastically. 70-90% of your vierwers are either R/M shipper or A/M shippers. without the M, you are screwed. please, just don't kill her. keep her alive or put her in a coma.

There are even those who feel it was a salary issue, and are willing to pay it:

More than 11,000 people have already sighned the petition to save Marissa, I will in fact agree to pay her salary JOSH....if you can reach a deal to bring her back, I am serious, e-mail me if you need, cause I am that serious [E-MAIL REDACTED]

this show will erase all of the good memories it has made if you go through with this ... all of them

We want Josh Schwartz, all the producers of The O.C, Fox network, WB, and the advertisors of this show to understand there is no upside to killing Marissa.