While some people are most nostalgic for teen dramas Dawson's Creek, The O.C., or even Gossip Girl, there are a lot of TV fans who go crazy for One Tree Hill. The series, which aired for nine seasons from 2003 until 2012, told the everyday stories of adolescents living in a cute North Carolina town. Like other shows from this genre, some characters seem to have a good head on their shoulders, whereas others are always making crazy decisions.
It's fun to think about how smart everyone is on such an entertaining (and often emotional) series. Here is every main character on One Tree Hill, ranked by intelligence.
Dan Scott
Dan Scott (Paul Johansson) is the dad of Nathan and Lucas and probably the most hated character on One Tree Hill. He's considered downright evil by fans, and he doesn't make intelligent choices in his life.
Dan doesn't understand that family is an important thing and that being a good, kind person is always going to win. He's competitive, harsh, and cruel, and he treats everyone horribly, like when he kills his brother Keith (Craig Sheffer). That's a heartbreaking moment for fans. Dan always puts his needs above his family's, and that's a truly stupid thing to do.
Nathan Scott
Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) is a sweet person who falls in love with Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) and his whole life changes. He's grown up with his jerk father and weak mother, and when he learns that he has a half-brother named Lucas (Chad Michael Murray), his world gets altered even more.
Even though Nathan is a pretty likable character, it's hard to say that he's really smart. He often seems confused by what's happening in his life and in contrast to his biggest love interest Haley, he doesn't seem to have a ton going on.
Quinn James
Quinn James (Shantel VanSanten) is Haley's sister and a photographer. While she's not a bad person (especially not compared to someone like Dan), she's not the smartest person around, and has a pretty ditzy personality.
Whether Quinn and her partner Clay (Robert Buckley) are dealing with a crazy woman stalking them or they turn into ghosts (yup, this really happens — but this is One Tree Hill after all), she seems like really can't comprehend the situation.
Clay Evans
Since Clay is a sports agent and that's a pretty tough world to be a part of, he's not as ditzy as Quinn, who eventually becomes his wife, but he's not as smart as some of the other characters on the show either. He's got a lot of intelligence when it comes to his industry, but he doesn't seem like someone who can give his friends and family smart advice.
While fans are of course aware that Clay was on the show's later seasons, he's not easy to remember. His personality doesn't have much flair, and that makes him seem more vapid than intelligent.
Mouth McFadden
Mouth (Lee Norris) is at number six because he's pretty much in the middle of the least and most intelligent people living in this small, adorable town.
On the one hand, Mouth is smart because he's always his own person and doesn't care that he isn't popular. He also knows that he wants to work in sports broadcasting, and his ambition and work ethic make him seem intelligent. It takes him a while to figure out his romance with Millie (Lisa Goldstein Kirsch), though, and that means that when it comes to dating, he's not too smart at all.
Julian Baker
Julian Baker (Austin Nichols) is at number five on the list because he's a sensitive, emotional, artistic guy who loves making movies. It's adorable to watch him and Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) fall in love and start a family. Since it was what she always wanted, fans get pretty teary-eyed watching those episodes.
Julian would be higher up on this list if it weren't for the other main characters because he's a lot more mature than many residents in Tree Hill. He's ready to commit to Brooke, and he wants to make his filmmaking career as successful as it can be.
Peyton Sawyer
Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton) is next up. She's super intelligent and would be higher on this list except for the fact that she tends to let her emotions get the best of her.
While Peyton definitely knows how to articulate what she's going through, she can let those strong feelings cloud her judgment. And that can mean crying too much or storming off in a huff. Her relationship with Lucas is often very dramatic, and her friendship with Brooke has had its ups and downs as well. As Peyton gets older and more mature, though, she gets a lot smarter.
Lucas Scott
Chad Michael Murray's One Tree Hill character, Lucas Scott, is definitely pretty smart. He has many musings about his world, the people in it, and the things that he wants to achieve in the future. He's a wise, introspective person, and that ranks him at number three.
Lucas has a few less-than-bright moments in his high school years when he can't choose between the many love interests in his life, but that's just part of growing up on a teen drama.
Haley James Scott
At number two on this list is Haley James Scott. She's a total bookworm and nerd when fans meet her, and she doesn't really hang out with anyone except for her childhood best friend, Lucas. But as she starts dating Nathan, everything changes for her.
Haley can ace any assignment at school and of course that makes her intelligent, but she has a lot of sympathy and understanding for other people. She understands the human condition, and that makes her the second most intelligent person on the series.
Brooke Davis
Who is the number one smartest person on One Tree Hill? That would be Brooke Davis.
While at the beginning of the show, Brooke comes off as a total airhead and like someone who only cares about beauty and clothes, that definitely changes once the episodes start piling up. Brooke is actually very smart. She's got a vision for her future, and knows that she can lean on herself and make her dreams come true. She's also smart enough to know that her parents have totally messed up by ignoring her, and she knows that she deserves love. Brooke is a very self-assured person, and she's able to grow up, find love, and start a family while also running her own business. She is one impressive character.