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11 ‘One Tree Hill’ episodes that prove the show deserves a revival
It’s been less than five years since “One Tree Hill” left the small screen, but we’re more eager than ever for a reunion of these characters in our favorite small town.
We still can’t listen to Gavin Degraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be” without getting super nostalgic for Tree Hill High, love triangles, crazy nannies and time capsules. Why, oh why, can’t Netflix just give the people what they want?
RELATED: The ‘One Tree Hill’ reunion is finally happening!
With so many shows getting revivals lately, we’re still waiting for the day someone announces a “One Tree Hill” revival. Some might argue it’s too soon for talks about a revival or a movie, but considering the final three seasons didn’t even include Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Peyton (Hilarie Burton), it feels like it’s been way longer.
We bet when you look through our list of best episodes, you’ll feel the same.
‘For Tonight You’re Only Here to Know’
The episode where the girls all get locked in the library is hilarious and surprisingly deep. It turned Petyon and Lindsey’s (Michaela McManus) rivalry over Lucas into a much more complex relationship, and even if the premise was a bit absurd, we don’t love it any less.
‘How a Resurrection Really Feels’
Call us romantic, but we love this episode purely for the two epic reunions between Lucas and Brooke (Sophia Bush), and Nathan and Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz). Plus, we got to see goth-Peyton haunting and harassing real-Peyton, which was both awesome and kind of upsetting.
‘I Will Dare’
Dare Night was a wickedly perfect premise for a rowdy bunch of gorgeous high school kids, and we’re absolutely in love every scene in this episode. Between Lucas stripping in the mall to Nathan (James Lafferty) going to a waxing parlor, “I Will Dare” is a bucket of laughs.
‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’
This episode of “One Tree Hill” was unlike any other, but it left a lasting impression. The storm that rocked Tree Hill — and the subsequent catastrophes that followed — put more than one life in jeopardy, but when you can still put your audience on the edge of their seats after eight years, you know you’ve done well.
‘When It Isn’t Like It Should Be’
After a traumatic event, why not take a long weekend in the woods with your friends? Besides the fact that it sounds like the premise to a horror movie, it’s always nice when all of the characters get to hang out together in one place, which is exactly what this episode delivered. Plus, remember when Peyton totally dated Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy?
‘Don’t Take Me For Granted’
“One Tree Hill” battled a lot of issues in its nine years, but the one that stuck with us the most was Peyton’s battle with hate crimes. She took a stand for her bisexual friend, Anna (Daniella Alonso), and managed to send a powerful message about how schools should (and often don’t) handle bullying and hate.
‘One Tree Hill’
The finale episode was mostly a farewell tour, but it was one that was definitely needed. We had to see how the show would wrap out all these characters’ stories, and the final monologue is one that deserves to be replayed over and over and over again.
‘4 Years, 6 Months, 2 Days’
Honestly, when we heard “One Tree Hill” would be skipping forward five years to avoid “the college years” problem, we were super nervous. However, the show managed to shine in a whole new way, allowing the characters to evolve and mature and take us on grown-up journeys instead of adolescent ones. Bravo!
‘Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.’
Another tear-jerker came when “One Tree Hill” killed off Quentin Fields, possible the greatest supporting character it ever created. Watching our characters mourn Quentin was so painful, we felt like we’d lost him too.
‘With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept’
The school shooting episode was a horrific example of what kids who go through during this kind of attack. It also shed a much-needed light on school bullying, and the plight of the kids who just can’t seem to fit in. We cried all the way through this episode, and we probably always will.
‘Pilot’
Choosing the first episode of “One Tree Hill” as the best might seem like a cop-out, but this pilot was a work of art. It perfectly established each of the characters and gave Tree Hill its own personality. It had us totally hooked from Day 1, and we’ve been addicted ever since.