Laguna Beach Reunion: How to watch in Canada & the Toronto connection

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There was a time when flip phones, low-rise jeans and carefully curated MySpace profiles ruled — and at the centre of it all was Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, the glossy teen reality series that defined a generation of early-2000s pop culture. 

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Now, more than two decades later, the cast is reuniting for a new reunion special — offering fans a chance to revisit the drama, the friendships and the cultural footprint the show left behind. 

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TV show creator Liz Gateley reflects on just how overwhelming the success of Laguna Beach became, noting that no one anticipated the level of attention the cast would face. “MTV was the biggest thing on the planet at the time, so we thought, ‘Oh, these kids will just love — eat it up, you know, all the attention,’” she says. “But there actually was a lot behind what was going on.” 

She points to the intense pressure the cast experienced during major life transitions, adding, “There were billboards up…It was a lot more than any of us anticipated in terms of the show being such a phenomenon.” 

The nostalgia era is in full swing 

Across Canada, audiences are increasingly gravitating toward the familiar. From fashion cycles reviving Y2K trends to streaming platforms resurfacing legacy content, nostalgia has become a powerful force in entertainment. 

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A Laguna Beach reunion fits squarely within that resurgence — not just as a look back, but as a re-examination of a show that helped shape the modern reality TV playbook. For many viewers, the series wasn’t just background TV — it was appointment viewing, a cultural touchpoint that blurred the lines between reality and storytelling long before that became the norm. 

“Obviously, we lived in this beautiful community and had this beautiful lifestyle, but realistically, we also had a lot of family stuff happening at the same time, you know, so we all had very real experiences happening,” says Laguna Beach‘s Alex Hooser. 

A full-circle moment with a Canadian twist 

While Laguna Beach was quintessentially Californian, there’s a distinctly Canadian thread woven into its legacy. 

The now-ubiquitous after show format — where hosts unpack episodes and react in real time — can be traced back to The After Show, a Toronto-born series hosted by a pre-Schitt’s Creek Dan Levy and Jessi Cruickshank. Debuting in the mid-2000s, the show helped pioneer a format that would later be adopted by global hits like The Hills, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. 

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Could a show with this format exist today?  

Former cast member Talon Torriero says a show like Laguna Beach couldn’t exist in the same way today, pointing to how much the landscape has changed. “With social media and things like that, it would be really challenging to have an authentic show,” he explains, noting that people would likely be “fighting for attention” or even moving to Laguna just to get cast.  

Reflecting on his younger self during those Laguna Beach years, Torriero says the biggest lesson leaned is simple: “Just being a better communicator.” He admits he struggled to express his feelings at the time, adding, “I think I really struggled to tell girls that I actually liked them…So be a better communicator. Put yourself out there a little bit.” 

Kristin Cavallari — one of Laguna Beach’s most recognizable figures — echoed that sentiment. 

“I think the biggest challenge for me was being vulnerable in general at that age, but especially on camera,” says Cavallari. “That’s something I’ve really had to work on over the years and I think now as a 39-year-old woman, I’m good at it today. Being a mom really opens up that door for being vulnerable.” 

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As Cavallari goes on to say, she believes that’s part of why she came across as somewhat harsh on the show. She wasn’t willing to open up on camera and instead put up a tough exterior, staying in a protective mode over her emotions. That, she explains, ultimately shaped how she was perceived — something she’s since had to work on. 

Why it still resonates 

Part of the show’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity. Friendships, heartbreak, ambition — all unfolding against a sun-soaked backdrop. 

But for audiences revisiting it today, there’s also a layer of reflection. Watching it now means seeing not just the stories on screen, but the cultural moment that shaped them. 

Looking back, Gateley says what stands out most is how much the cast truly gave of themselves, even if they didn’t always see it that way at the time. “As much as they were saying they weren’t vulnerable, I think they really were,” she explains. “We did capture that lightning and that innocence in a bottle.” 

That authenticity, she believes, is why Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County has endured. “It really did capture such authentic friendships — and ones that still go on today.” 

As streaming platforms continue to mine the past for inspiration, reunions like this one aren’t just about revisiting old favourites — they’re about understanding why they mattered in the first place. And for Canadian viewers tuning in — the return of Laguna Beach is more than a throwback. It’s a reminder that some stories don’t fade. They just wait for the right moment to resurface. 

How to watch The Reunion: Laguna Beach in Canada

The two-hour reunion special is airing in Canada on April 10 on The Roku Channel. Roku originals are free to stream, but available exclusively on Roku streaming sticks and TV. Find a selection of the latest Roku devices here.

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