Many teen dramas from the early to mid-2000s era of television have become cult classics in their own right, but it would be hard to say that most of them have aged well in any meaningful way. One Tree Hill, which aired across The WB and The CW for its nine-season run, is easily one of the soapiest teen dramas from that era, but it still has many loyal fans.
The series has been revisited and critiqued in recent years, following the revelation of scandals behind the scenes and the introduction of the rewatch podcast Drama Queens. But while it's worth examining the ways in which the series hasn't held up, it's also worth noting that there are some parts of the series - as early as its first season, even - that have only improved in retrospect.
The Way They Handled The Assault Storyline
Across its nine seasons, One Tree Hill frequently covered serious topics that most teen dramas never would have touched. This tendency was established early on in season 1 when in the series' eighth episode, Peyton and Brooke attended a college party. Peyton's drink was spiked by an older guy who attempted to sexually assault her.
Brooke and Lucas both came to Peyton's rescue, allowing for significant moments for all three characters. But perhaps the most significant fact of this storyline was the way it never once blamed Peyton for what happened to her. She was never shamed for her clothes or for partying with college boys. In a show that would later become fixated on in-fighting and slut-shaming, this was a remarkable achievement.
Karen As A Single Mother
There were many complicated family dynamics in One Tree Hill, most of which stemmed from Dan Scott's fathering two sons from two different women in the same year. But season 1 quickly established that Karen Roe, Lucas's mother, was an incredibly capable and loving single mother who never needed a husband to help her take care of her son.
Karen's pride and strength as a single mother and the fact she was never shamed for her life choices is something that has only become more impressive in a television landscape that is now increasingly filled with unconventional families.
Nathan And Haley's Porn Storyline
While later seasons of One Tree Hill delved into uncomfortable territory regarding teen sexuality and exploitation, season 1 featured some incredibly thought-provoking conversations about the expectations placed on teenagers and teenage girls in particular.
Haley, who believed in remaining celibate until marriage, discovered that her boyfriend Nathan, a known ladies' man, was frequenting porn websites and had racy photos of an ex-girlfriend. Their conversation about their different understandings of sex and all that it means was incredibly insightful for two teens to have, especially in an early 2000s series.
Keith And Karen's Relationship
Although there were many relationships among the teenagers in One Tree Hill, one of the series' best relationships was actually between two adult characters, Karen Roe and Keith Scott. Season 1 laid the groundwork especially well for these characters, establishing their friendship through some incredibly lived-in performances from Moira Kelly and Craig Sheffer.
Season 1 also did wonders with the "will they, won't they" dynamic these two shared, dancing the line between friendship and romance in a way that few of the other romances in the series ever did. Even though Keith and Karen's story didn't end happily, they are still one of the best couples in One Tree Hill.
Lucas And Haley Stay Platonic
More than most teen drama series, the show was known for its many romantic relationships and love triangles, all of which got incredibly complicated and dramatic. The best relationship in each season of OTH could change over time, as the core group of friends dated each other in various pairings all throughout their high school and adult years.
But one of the strongest parts of the series was something that could be traced back to its first season: Lucas and Haley were never anything more than just best friends. Their friendship was one of the only relationships to emerge from the series without considerable drama, and the rarity of having a male-female friendship without any romantic complications cannot be overlooked.
Whitey's Mentorship
Very few of the students at Tree Hill High School had normal home dynamics, and even fewer of them had parents that they could count on for support or advice. This presented the perfect opportunity for season 1 to introduce basketball coach Whitey Durham as a father and grandfather figure.
Whitey provided many of Tree Hill High's students with the supportive mentorship they desperately needed, especially in these earliest episodes. Whitey's role gradually lessened in the series, and as a result, the dwindling support the teenagers receive is definitely one of One Tree Hill's biggest flaws.
Haley Tutoring Nathan
In recent years, there has been a real shift toward audiences preferring "enemies-to-lovers" or love-hate type relationships in fiction, especially those that are aimed at teenagers. While they may not have been enemies in the conventional sense, Nathan and Haley absolutely nailed the love-hate dynamic from the very beginning of the series.
As Lucas's loyal best friend, Haley found herself conflicted when she agreed to tutor Nathan, Lucas's brother and initial nemesis. But through their tutoring scenes, Nathan and Haley both grew a lot as characters and began to develop into the series' best romantic relationship.
The Pilot Episode
Pilot episodes can really make or break a series. For One Tree Hill, the pilot episode has only gotten better in retrospect, due to how clearly it sets up so many of the series' most important characters and storylines.
The pilot episode artfully introduces many key relationships: Lucas and Haley's friendship, the backstory of Dan-Karen-Deb-Keith, Lucas and Nathan's rivalry, Lucas and Peyton's long-simmering romance, and so much more. In addition, it introduced the key threads of family, loyalty, basketball, and high school drama, succinctly preparing viewers for all that would come in the seasons to follow.
Lucas And Nathan's Development
When season 1 of One Tree Hill began, Lucas and Nathan only existed in each other's world as enemies due to the interference of their shared biological father Dan. By the end of season 1, however, the half-brothers had become teammates and friends, united against their monstrous father.
The fact that their development is so believable in so little time is testament to the strength of the series' writing. Witnessing their growth in the subsequent seasons after this initial reconciliation only makes their relationship all the easier to become invested in.
Haley's Abstinence
Many people continue to discuss One Tree Hill for its depiction of romantic relationships, strong female characters, and friendships. But a point well-established in season 1 that doesn't get nearly enough credit is the way it respectfully handled Haley's abstinence and her choice to remain a virgin until marriage.
Haley was never once shamed for her choice to abstain. Other characters, including those who are already very sexually active, even seem inspired by her choice. It was shocking for a series focusing on teenagers to include a character with such strong convictions, and it's definitely something that has aged well, as few series airing today would ever do the same.