One Tree Hill - Series 1 (Box Set) (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Great characters, plot, and incredibly well edited and directed
Disadvantages:	Occasionally drags on for a bit, some unconvincing acting in small parts

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

One Tree Hill is an American teen drama, following the eventful lives of several high-school children in the small, but not too quite, town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. It was created by Mark Schwahn and premiered on September 23 2003, on The WB television network. It currently stands at six series long.

Background plot

Lucas and Nathan are two boys that seemingly share little in common, except for an overwhelming love for basketball. They have little to do with each other at school, and don't have many similar interests. However, they do have one other thing in common, the same father, Dan Scott, the best ever basketball player at Tree Hill, who now runs a successful car dealership.

Back when Dan was in his late teens, he accidentally impregnated his then girlfriend, Karen Roe, and a girl he met at college, Deb. Making one of those life-changing decisions, Dan decided to marry Deb and raise her child, Nathan. As well as that, Dan decided to have nothing at all to do with Lucas, leaving him and Karen to have to battle through life. Dan's more caring but less successful brother Keith took pity, and acted as a father figure for Lucas.

Skipping forward to the start of Series 1, Nathan now plays for the high school team Tree Hill Ravens, just like his dad used to. And just like his dad, he is the team's best player, as well as a popular, good-looking guy, the kid every boy aspires to be.

In contrast, Lucas grows up as a bit of a loner; quiet, brooding and driven. He has tremendous basketball potential as well, but doesn't try to join the team, keeping his abilities to himself. He also develops an interest in reading, and is determined to do well at school, to try and support his mum, who runs a coffee shop.

Series Synopsis

(WARNING - slight spoilers)

Episode 1 - Pilot

A twist of fate puts Lucas into the basketball team when, following an opening in the lineup, Keith asks basketball coach Whitey to give Lucas a shot in the team.

Suddenly the half-brothers are competing, not just for control of the basketball court, but also for the heart of Nathan's girlfriend Peyton, a blond-haired girl with two great passions in life - music and art. Will Nathan be able to keep his popularity and his love life, or will he lose it to Lucas?

Episode 2 - The Places You Have...

Lucas blows out on his first Varsity match, and decides to quit the team, following pressure from Nathan, who was encouraged by Dan to make it difficult for Lucas on the court. The rift between Peyton and Nathan grows further as she grows weary of the cheap jibes Nathan has at Lucas.

Meanwhile, Keith forces Karen to deal with her feelings for Dan after she refuses to step foot in the high school gym to help her son.

Episode 3 - Are You True?

Concerned and frustrated by Lucas' growing popularity at the school, Nathan tries to return things to their normal balance after finding Lucas' weak spot - his best friend Haley.

Elsewhere, Peyton becomes angry at Lucas after he submitted some of her drawings to a local newspaper without her consent.

Episode 4 - Crash Into You

Haley convinces Lucas to go to an after-match party at Nathan's beach house in the hope that the two will become friends. Angry at Nathan's casual wealth, Lucas confronts his mum and asks why she let Dan ignore them.

Deb returns to find Nathan desperately unhappy, and she too decides to turn to Karen for advice, the two becoming slightly closer.

Episode 5 - Where I End And You Begin

Lucas asks a very flattered Keith to play alongside him in the annual 'father-and-son' basketball game, and realizes that he got a better father figure than Nathan, after Dan publicly humiliates his half-brother.

Off the court, Peyton is having trouble dealing with the anniversary of her mother's death, and surprisingly finds warmth and support in Whitey.

Episode 6 - Life In A Glass House

Dan and Deb host an annual basketball appreciation party which stirs up old wounds. Not for the first time, Keith squares off with his younger brother, and Karen makes a new friend.

Lucas finally makes a move on Peyton, who he has had his eye on for some time. Nathan and Haley also begin to grow closer, but Peyton's best friend, captain of the cheerleading squad Brooke Davis, spreads a vicious rumor that leaves Haley devastated.

Episode 7 - With Arms Outstretched

After fighting with both his father and Haley, Nathan succumbs to the pressure and takes drugs to boost his on-court performance. But is he aware of the risks he is taking?

Peyton tries to rekindle her relationship with Lucas, but when she arrives to meet him, she finds him with Brooke.

Episode 8 - You Gotta Go There To Come Back

Whitey cancels basketball practice, so Brooke jumps at the chance, and invites Lucas out for a wild night on the town, an invitation that he begrudgingly accepts.

Meanwhile Deb instructs Dan to take Nathan away for a father-son weekend to help rebuild their relationship, but things don't quite go as hoped.

Episode 9 - The Living Years

Unable to handle the increasingly ridiculous pressure from Dan, Nathan decides to quit the basketball team, and gladly accepts Haley as the alternative option in his free time.

Elsewhere, Brooke becomes more and more jealous of the increasing intimacy that Lucas and Peyton are showing.

Episode 10 - Crash Course In Polite Conversation

Peyton receives the devastating news that her father has been lost at sea, and is forced to take a trip with Lucas to a morgue and identify a body that has washed ashore. Overcome with emotion, she kisses Lucas.

In Nathan's household, old secrets are thrust out into the open when Dan's parents come to stay, causing turmoil in the house.

Episode 11 - Hanging By A Moment

On the way to pick up Karen from the airport, Keith and Lucas collide with an oncoming car, leaving Lucas severely hurt. Having witnessed the accident, Dan turns from villain to hero as he rushes the unconscious Lucas to hospital, potentially saving his son's life.

Meanwhile, Peyton decides to tell Brooke about the kiss that she and Lucas shared, throwing more fuel into the fire.

Episode 12 - Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Following his near-death experience, Lucas realizes he made the wrong decision in his love life, and dumps Brooke, carrying on with Peyton secretly.

Keith is forced to put his garage up for sale, after paying for Lucas' hospital bills himself.

Episode 13 - The First Cut Is The Deepest

Nathan is faced with a decision of which parent to live after Dan and Deb divorce, but Dan stakes his claim by threatening to reveal Deb's deepest secrets in court unless Nathan decides to live with him.

Meanwhile, Lucas meets a beautiful stranger who leaves him lost for words.

Episode 14 - Spirit In The Night

The Tree Hill hits the road to Charlotte as Brooke gets fired up to try and win her first cheerleading competition. However, when Peyton falls ill and unable to compete, Brooke must beg Haley to fill in.

When Whitey assigns Lucas and Nathan to the same room, tempers flare and Haley is caught in the middle.

Episode 15 - To Wish Impossible Things

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Lucas, Nathan, and their friend Jake are auctioned off in the annual "Boy Toy" charity auction, which leads to surprising developments with old flames.

Having missed out on the auction, Brooke turns to basketball commentator and friend of Lucas, Mouth, who is given the night of his life.

Episode 16 - What Is And What Should Never Be

Nathan searches for an after-school job to pay his rent, whilst Haley decides to a throw a party.

Upon realizing she wasn't invited to the party, Brooke decides to crash it with her new friend Nikki, who is the mother of Jake's baby, a baby he has had to bring up on his own.

Episode 17 - The Leaving Song

Lucas is stunned into silence when he finds out that Dan did in fact ask for joint custody of him when he was a baby, bringing his views on Dan to a different perspective.

Meanwhile, Peyton is horrified to find out that Nikki has kidnapped her and Jake's baby whilst she was kidnapping.

Episode 18 - The Games That Play Us

With Whitey unavailable following a medical condition, Dan steps forward to coach the Ravens. Lucas and Nathan feel the full force of his tough coaching style, forcing them both to breaking points.

Haley is stunned when Dan threatens her, which forces her to reconsider her relationship with Nathan, leading to a shocking new development between the two.

My opinion on plot

The plot was great in that it focused on every main aspect of a teenagers life - sport, love, family issues, etc. , but then went on to develop into more adult problems, like struggling to cope financially, and facing the transition of teenager to adult.

With every episode being about 45 minutes long, it was great in that it kept you guessing right from episode one. The story twists and changes at every opportunity, and this is a great way in which it keeps a viewer engaged in the show.

The characters are well-developed which is the first step to creating a successful program. It makes us care for the characters, and become more emotionally involved in the plot.

It's one of those shows which isn't 100% brilliant all the time, but it doesn't have to be, as it's always still pretty good even on it's 'off-shows'. One Tree Hill is always pretty watchable.

A lot of narrow-minded people might not be able to overlook this as 'just another one of those American dramas' and disregard the program, but I believe that if there are any of you out there who enjoy soaps and dramas, and other 'real-life' programs, then you should give One Tree Hill a shot, as it's one of the finest.

The acting

Chad Michael Murray as Lucas Scott - Best known for his role in One Tree Hill, and unsurprisingly so, because he is pretty fantastic in the role. Lucas starts off as brooding and lonely, which is acted fantastically, and as he begins to transform into a 'popular kid' Murray keeps up and acts well. With a certain flair and excitement to his performances that few others possess, Murray is no doubt a huge contributing factor to the success of the show. And if nothing else, I believe he is a bit of a hit with ladies who watch the show. :-)

James Lafferty as Nathan Scott - Lafferty is pretty good in his role as Nathan, acting the high-school jock nicely. He also shows a nice side to his acting as well when he's with Haley, as well as the arrogant bully he appears to be in public. Another invaluable character.

Hilarie Burton as Peyton Sawyer - Peyton is a difficult character to portray, happy on the outside, but quite dark and sensitive on the inside, releasing her emotions through art and music. Hilarie Burton does a good job at this difficult task, creating a very believable Peyton, a character many of can relate to.

Bethany Joy Galeotti as Haley James Scott - One of the most talented actresses on the show, without a doubt. Haley is an honest, kind, loving sort of girl, and Bethany Joy Galeotti is perfect in the role, and vital for the show.

Sophia Bush as Brooke Davis - Sadly one of the less convincing actresses on the show, but it's true that the standard is very high on One Tree Hill, and she would shine in many other shows. Occasionally slipping into the 'not-very-believable' sort of acting, but usually very solid, and a character in the show, especially when she gets more serious storylines.

Paul Johansson as Dan Scott - Johansson has made the role of the seemingly evil and malicious Dan Scott his own, looking perfect in the role of 'the jock who grew up' . One of the most important characters in the show, and a good actor to play it.

Barry Corbin as Whitey - This quite odd-looking basketball coach provides some of the best moments in the series, with his quick wit and unforgiving attitude. Another well-acted addition in the show.

Craig Sheffer as Keith Scott - Occasionally drifts away and becomes a bit dull when not in the limelight, but when the focus is on him, he shines. He deservingly grows in stature in his role.

Moira Kelly as Karen Roe - Another 'replaceable' actress, but she has done well in the position of Lucas' struggling mother, just failed to really impact the show.

Directing and Soundtrack

The production team behind One Tree Hill was phenomenal, as nearly everything about the writing, directing, and editing is spot-on here. It rarely drags on, and the moments that are light and humorous do the job just as well as the more serious, plot-cliffhanging moments, which is a credit to Mark Schwahn.

Another brilliant part of the show is the absolutely incredible soundtrack, featuring little-heard of tracks as well as bigger songs, a particular favorite of mine being Gavin deGraw - I Don't Want To Be, which features in the opening credits. Definitely a soundtrack to check out.

Product Details

On www.amazon.co.uk, this 6-CD DVD box set is available for only £14.98, which seeing as you're getting over 800 minutes of quality viewing time, in addition to a whole host of DVD extras, is a pretty phenomenal price.

It's rated as a 12, as it features some adult themes and bad language, but nothing more than your ordinary soap which we have here in the UK.

I would recommend checking out the shows which currently air on weekdays at around 10:00 on E4, and if you enjoy them, buying this box set as it is a whole host of quality entertainment for a small price.