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One Tree Hill

One Tree Hill

Where nothing ever changed until one outsider changed everything.

2003–2012Ended9 seasons187 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

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.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch One Tree Hill?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists One Tree Hill streaming on HBO Max and Hulu and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about One Tree Hill?

One Tree Hill earns 6 badges, led by Universally Loved and Preferred by Users.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is One Tree Hill worth watching?

One Tree Hill's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all shows, from 97K ratings across 2 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of shows

84th percentile among Drama78th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)81st

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

78 /100

81st percentile of all shows

84th percentile among Drama76th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

81st percentile of all shows

80th percentile among Drama76th percentile among 2000s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

98th percentile

97K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is an emotionally charged teen melodrama built on central romances and family conflicts.

Fans praised

  • deep emotional connection and relatable coming-of-age journeys
  • strong central romance arcs especially Naley and Lucas-Peyton
  • soundtrack perfectly amplifies every scene

Detractors panned

  • convoluted melodrama and recycled plot devices
  • over-reliance on angst and forced tragedy

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive82

iconic indie soundtrack; songs deeply integrated into emotion

Emotional impactDivisive75

genuine catharsis and heartbreak for invested viewers

CharactersDivisive72

strong arcs for Lucas, Nathan, Brooke; Dan a memorable villain

ActingDivisive68

solid core cast; weaker supporting turns; age disparity noted

AtmosphereDivisive65

small-town warmth and nostalgic 2000s feel

DialogueDivisive60

quotable lines and literary references; often melodramatic

Plot and storyDivisive52

soapy drama with many twists; predictable after early seasons

OriginalityDivisive40

derivative of The OC and Dawson's Creek; formulaic teen tropes

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 21 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 16 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 52 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

9 seasons

Season 9 · 2012 · 13 episodes

  • S9E1

    Know This, We've Noticed

    Jan 11, 201242 min
  • S9E2

    In the Room Where You Sleep

    Jan 18, 201241 min
  • S9E3

    Love the Way You Lie

    Jan 25, 201242 min
  • S9E4

    Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?

    Feb 1, 201242 min
  • S9E5

    The Killing Moon

    Feb 8, 201241 min
  • S9E6

    Catastrophe and the Cure

    Feb 15, 201242 min

Watch experience

What is One Tree Hill like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicHopefulRomantic
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.WarmTender · 10% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe show treats its teenage characters' emotional struggles with earnest seriousness, never undercutting them with irony.
The rideThe series balances emotional lows (breakups, betrayals, loss) with earnest uplift, with the heaviest arcs clustering in the middle seasons as adult stakes intensify.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological narrative across multiple seasons.
Episode formatThe series is built on continuing season-long arcs, though individual episodes often resolve smaller subplots within the larger narrative.
Season formatEach season picks up where the previous left off, following the same characters through high school into adulthood with uninterrupted continuity.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves a lingering sense of the emotional weight of growing up, with loss and nostalgia.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7% (this title): Redemption 1% (this title) · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

7% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series centers on half-brothers Lucas and Nathan, whose antagonistic relationship gradually transforms into a bond, driving personal growth and redemption.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% (this title) · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSelf-worth · 7% of showsRedemption · 3% of shows: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeAt its heart, the series explores the messy, evolving bonds between siblings, parents, and children—how they break, heal, and redefine identity.
StanceThe show affirms that fractured families can heal, that chosen bonds matter, and that growth is possible—even if the path is messy.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
RockFolkPopForeground music · hybrid
SettingTree Hill, North Carolina—a small basketball-obsessed town
MusicThe soundtrack is a defining feature—heavy on indie-rock and singer-songwriter tracks, often used to underline emotional beats.

Content guide

Is One Tree Hill okay for kids?

TV-14

One Tree Hill is rated TV-14. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (42/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at moderate (40/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at moderate (40/100). Overall it is heavier than 32% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • South Korea19
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • Czechia15+
  • FinlandK12
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaU
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands9
  • Poland16
  • PortugalT
  • RO15
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 11 år
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 28% of all showsHeavier than 32% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 36%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 54%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 54%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 63%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 38%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 36% of TV-14 shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does One Tree Hill have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in One Tree Hill?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Bethany Joy Lenz
as Haley James Scott
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sophia Bush
as Brooke Davis
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Lafferty
as Nathan Scott
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lee Norris
as Marvin 'Mouth' McFadden
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Paul Johansson
as Dan Scott
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Chad Michael Murray
as Lucas Scott
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Hilarie Burton Morgan
as Peyton Sawyer
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Antwon Tanner
as Antwon 'Skills' Taylor
Barbara Alyn Woods
as Deb Scott
Jackson Brundage
as Jamie Scott
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

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