Reviewing Movies

One Tree Hill began life as a high school basketball drama that was about more than sports. Like its protagonists the series went through growing pains as its kids became young adults in the process losing whatever innocence it might have possessed. Progressing from teenage soap opera to adults with more responsibilities its characters lost their look of precociousness but retained their articulate dialogue. The fact that they are self-aware doesn’t seem to shield them from any of life’s pitfalls.

In season six the show lost its starring role with the departure of Chad Michael Murray. Hollywood remains uncharacteristically silent about the dispute that precipitated this move. It’s a tribute to its staff writers that this show managed to survive minus its lead character. By season seven the principals are pushing thirty but remain as commitment challenged and immature as ever. It is seven-year-old Jamie who steals the show and exhibits the most maturity.

With the departure of the almost saintlike Lucas, Nathan has shed much of his bad boy image. Once he goes pro he acquires an agent though one might have expected Clay to be older and more mature than the talent he manages. The love interests of the characters who remain add new life to the show. Brooke Davis’ Julian, a movie producer moves in with her. Her business is managed by Millicent who has a relationship with ‘Mouth’ who shares an apartment with ‘Skills’.

A basketball gets thrown around every now and then but the game takes a backseat to the soap opera that is these people’s lives. I suppose normal lives would not be a ratings draw but it seems hard to believe that so much could happen to a group of people. Either the show cornered the market on red-haired actors or someone used a lot of hair dye.