One Tree Hill

In Tree Hill, North Carolina two half brothers share a last name and nothing else. Brooding, blue-collar Lucas is a talented street-side basketball player, but his skills are appreciated only by his friends at the river court. Popular, affluent Nathan basks in the hero-worship of the town, as the star of his high school team. And both boys are the son of former college ball player Dan Scott whose long ago choice to abandon Lucas and his mother Karen, will haunt him long into his life with wife Deb and their son Nathan.

One Tree Hill (2003-2012) is an American teen drama series created by Mark Schwahn for The WB and later The CW. Set in the fictional Tree Hill, North Carolina, the story follows brooding, blue-collar Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), a gifted street-side basketball player whose talent is recognized mainly by his friends at the river court, and his half brother Nathan Scott (James Lafferty), the popular star of the high school team who basks in the town's adoration. Their shared father, Dan Scott, abandoned Lucas and his mother Karen long ago, and that old choice keeps pressing on the family. Around them orbit Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz), Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) and Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton Morgan), whose friendships, romances and ambitions cross class lines. The engine of the show is a steady stream of rivalries, love triangles, broken promises and reconciliations, with the basketball court and school gym providing recurring stages for both triumph and humiliation. Spanning nine seasons and 186 episodes, it is one continuing serialized soap with a strong ensemble and a long emotional arc. Its tone is earnest, sudsy and sentimental, with flashes of wit and a warm nostalgia for small town life. Fans of Dawson's Creek, Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl will find resonance in its blend of teen romance and family melodrama.

Audiences rated the series positively across its nine seasons, praising its sibling and romantic storylines and its strong early seasons, with the middle and later seasons seen as less consistent.

• Dawson's Creekshared teen drama tones, high school romance and sibling rivalry at the center
• Friday Night Lightsshared teen soap melodrama, high school sports backdrop and romantic triangles
• Gossip Girlshared teen drama subgenre with romance, class divides and ensemble friendships
• Everwoodshared small town coming of age drama with long-running serialized romance

Created by

Mark Schwahn

Release Date

2003-09-23

Episode runtime

42 min

Rating

7.8 / 10 (636)

What is One Tree Hill about?

Two half brothers from opposite sides of a North Carolina town, bound by a father who abandoned one of them, navigate high school basketball, romance and family betrayal.

What is One Tree Hill like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of One Tree Hill as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is One Tree Hill violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in One Tree Hill as mild.

What did critics think of One Tree Hill?

Audiences rated the series positively across its nine seasons, praising its sibling and romantic storylines and its strong early seasons, with the middle and later seasons seen as less consistent.

Which shows are like One Tree Hill?

Shows with a similar feel include Dawson's Creek, Friday Night Lights, Gossip Girl, and Everwood.

How long is One Tree Hill?

One Tree Hill: 9 seasons, 186 episodes.

Is One Tree Hill still running?

No, One Tree Hill has ended.

Where can I watch One Tree Hill?

In United States, One Tree Hill streams on Hulu, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.