One Tree Hill is one of the few 2000s series that remains a staple of pop culture because of how they portrayed the everyday life of teenagers. One Tree Hill follows a group of teens in high school as they deal with the drama of relationships, parenting, finding themselves, and growing up. All the stories were centered in the small town of Tree Hill, where nothing dramatic had ever happened before Lucas and Nathan Scott started playing on the same basketball team.
With nine seasons, One Tree Hill is one of the few longest-running teen dramas of the 2000s, and that’s because of the amazing fanbase the show created throughout its run. While the show was canceled due to poor ratings towards the end, it still managed a steady viewer base throughout its seasons. From the relationships to the music and talented cast, here are the reasons why One Tree Hill was so iconic!
1. One Tree Hill is a Relic of its Time
One Tree Hill came out when the most popular shows were centered on teen dramas like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Dawsons Creek, and Gilmore Girls. Looking back, the shows that came out in this era are some of the best created, with One Tree Hill being among the top on that list. What most viewers are enjoying now are these long-form TV shows that came out in the 90s and 2000s. With the era of binge-watching, there aren’t many shows from the 2020s that can take days to complete because they only have less than ten episodes and only a few seasons to speak of. This doesn’t make for interesting TV. But One Tree Hill has nine seasons with over 20 episodes each. So, everyone who wants to binge-watch anything will one day find themselves watching this amazing show.
2. The Mesmerizing Relationships in the Show
One Tree Hill is a coming-of-age show, so most of the characters would be high schoolers and teenagers. At this time in life, there are plenty of relationships that teens go through that would form their future and inform the rest of their lives. One thing that’s interesting to watch on this show is how they portray the relationships between father and son, friends, and romantic relationships. The show’s writers depict it beautifully, showcasing how realistic teens can struggle as they are dealing with adolescents and how they learn from their mistakes and grow to become better people who can handle relationships the right way. It’s not to say that these relationships didn’t have plenty of drama because it’s the messy back and forth and drama that kept viewers coming back for more. Unlike most shows today, One Tree Hill didn’t carelessly handle issues, and that was one thing that made the show worth watching.
3. The Talented Group of Amazing Actors
One Tree Hill was an iconic TV Show because of all the people who made it what it was. From the writers to the directors and the creators who came up with the masterpiece of this small town with friends, lovers, and families that have more problems than was imaginably possible. But without the cast of talented stars, this show wouldn’t have been what it is today. The stars of this show included James Lafferty as Nathan Scott, Chad Michael Murray as Lucas Scott, Sophia Bush as Brooke Davis, Hillarie Burton as Peyton Sawyer, and Bethany Joy as Haley James Scott. While these are only the few stars who made viewers come back every week, there were a lot more stars and guest stars who made the show more thrilling. These actors have gone on to star in movies and more iconic projects after the show’s final season.
4. One Tree Hill’s Plot was Mostly Positive
While so many TV shows now don’t care about delivering a moral story, there was a time when morally sound television was the norm. Shows like Smallville and One Tree Hill always had a lesson to teach their viewers how bad actions always have negative consequences, whether it’s bullying, hurting others or lying. All seasons of the series were focused on helping viewers deal with situations like grief and forgiveness in their personal lives with courage and strength. One Tree Hill has always tried to find the silver lining in most situations, which shaped plenty of young minds on how to deal with issues that will eventually come up in the future. While a show like this might seem cheesy in this day and age, the lessons from it have lasted for decades and inspired many.
5. The Music was Epic
Many viewers would watch One Tree Hill over and over again to hear the beautiful theme song. Gavin DeGraw’s iconic intro song, ‘I don’t wanna be,’ was the perfect opening to all the drama each episode brought with it. The nostalgic music in each episode was also perfectly timed with the events of each scene, whether it was Hailey and Nathan’s first kiss, Peyton reuniting with Lucas, or Nathan and Lucas playing their first game together after becoming real brothers. The song choices really helped the show attach itself to people’s hearts, and that’s where it has stayed for decades. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about One Tree Hill.