We all have shows that we feel connected to or could watch over and over without getting tired of watching. For some like myself, when One Tree Hill was on The CW11, we were too young to watch. Now that I have grown up and matured, I wish that I had watched it earlier. Here are 5 reasons why this show is important for young adults to watch, even if it's 13 years later.
1. It shows great examples for relationships
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Of course when anyone talks about relationships in One Tree Hill, they automatically think of the classic nerdy girl falling for the popular jock, but the real example doesn't start until season 4. Aside from their high school marriage, Nathan and Haley have their first child right after graduation and from that day on their relationship is taken to the next level. One Tree Hill takes this relationship past the cliché and shows how the couple must work hard in order to keep up with the responsibilities of having a family and staying true to each other. As the show progresses, Nathan and Haley's relationship grows stronger. They're examples of how support, love, trust and happiness are all important parts of maintaining a stable relationship.
Another iconic relationship in One Tree Hill doesn't form until later on in the series. Yes, we're talking about Brooke and Julian. Being one of the greatest characters in the series from the beginning, Brooke already has everyone rooting for her. Strong and fierce, Brooke never lets her difficulties in finding a stable relationship affect her strength. The couple fights through each and every obstacle together. Julian finally shows Brooke what it means to be loved and Brooke finally gets what she deserves. It only takes 6 seasons.
2. It shows the importance of friendships.
The entire series is based on friendship and this theme continues throughout. Each friendship teaches a different lesson and the audience begins to find the set of best friends that they connect with most. The relationships are relatable, which makes the connection even stronger.
3. It shows that other people grow up with positive and/or negative parents.
Another aspect of life that the show portrays well is growing up with your parents. They show the contrast between a positive and supportive parents such as Lucas' mom, Karen and Nathan's verbally abusive and unsupportive father, Dan. Each of the characters has a relationship with their parents that makes you connect with them even more. The way that each of the young adults react to their parents shows that those living with parents that treat them the same way aren't alone.
4. It shows how to deal with real life situations
One Tree Hill doesn't hide the sometimes scary and uncertain parts of being young. The show illustrates situations that are possible in anyone's life and shows how the characters overcome these different situations. Humiliation, drugs, alcohol, abuse, crime, violence and life threatening situations occur throughout the series and the directors carefully and intelligently depict how to deal with these scenarios.
5. It shows how important it is to stay strong.
As you can tell, the characters in One Tree Hill go through some tough times, but always come out strong. There are many examples of strength throughout the series such as when Brooke finally stands up to her mother or when Nathan decides to pass up on going to Duke so he can be there for his family. Another moment of strength is when Peyton comes back to school after having "dyke" written across her locker or when Haley stands up to the principal because of her choice in publishing an essay written by one of her students. Or the one moment when every character was forced to stay strong when they lost someone very important in all of their lives. These are just a couple examples of how the characters remain strong for what they feel matters.
This show is more than just another teen show. It's one of the most relatable and honest shows that tv has seen in a while.
