Lucas and Nathan

THE BROTHERS: Nathan Scott and Lucas Scott are the two hot half-brothers living in Tree Hill town. The plot revolves around them. Lucas is the introverted guy whose wardrobe ranges from plain tees and Diesel jeans to slightly more wild clothes in the later seasons. Nathan is the much-sought-after basketball player of Tree Hill High. They are the reason why parents of most young girls can’t catch any other TV show at 10pm. “Nathan Scott is very, very hot. I’m really looking forward to seeing him play the role of a father,” says Amrita Dasgupta of Jadavpur University.

The girls: The main — and undoubtedly the only reason — why the boys tune into One Tree Hill are the girls of the show. Tree Hill High’s cheerleading squad is led by the carefree and wild Brooke Davis. The fiercely competitive Rachel Gatina is the girl trying to get popular and she will go to any length for it. “I watch the show for the girls,” admits Anushrav Pramanick, a student of St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore.

The others: We all have or have had friends or acquaintances like the ones in One Tree Hill — the perfect couple (Nathan and Haley), the protective friend (Lucas), the goth chick (Peyton), the mean girl (Rachel). The adult characters —including Dan, Keith and Karen — bring in an element of maturity. “All the characters are very dynamic... there is no hero or heroine,” says Nivedita Biswas of St. Xavier’s College. Mouth, who remains a good guy, and Skills, who eventually becomes a permanent character because of his popularity, may have small roles but even they are very relatable.

Nathan and Haley

The Friendship: No matter what, the students of Tree Hill High stick to each other through thick and thin. Like in the school shootout in Season 3 when Jimmy Edwards, an insecure and under-confident student, held everyone hostage and subsequently turned the gun on himself. Two lives were lost that day and Peyton was shot in the leg. This tragic turn of events made the students realise the value of each other in their lives.

The relationships: Classmates Nathan and Haley — or ‘Naley’ — have been through everything together, from high school dilemmas to marriage and pregnancy, while best friends Brooke and Peyton are in love with the same guy, Lucas. The same jealousy, hatred and heartbreak so many of us have gone — and are still going — through.

THE PLAYERS of tree hill town

The problems: Best friend-boyfriend issues, parental strife, peer pressure and every other trivial or major affair that we youngsters go through are mirrored by the situations faced by the Tree Hill High students. It’s almost like watching our problems — and also the solutions — unfold on screen! So when Brooke says “I don’t want to think about college, because I’m scared”, it rings a loud bell. That’s exactly how we felt when we graduated from school to college.

THE DIALOGUEs: They have us swooning. Sample: When Nathanre-proposes to Haley with: ‘Marry me again, in front of all our friends and family’ and she replies: ‘Always. Always and forever.’ Awwww!

Lines like ‘Every song ends, but is that any reason not to enjoy the music?’ are powerful enough to stay with you. The one that stood out? Peyton’s voiceover at the start of Season 3: ‘At this moment, there are 6 billion, 4 hundred, 71 million, 8 hundred, 18 thousand, 6 hundred, 71 people in the world. Some are running scared… some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day… others are facing the truth. Some are evil men at war with good, and some are good… struggling with evil... 6 billion people in the world, 6 billion souls, and sometimes… all you need is one.’

The music: Each episode is named after a song or an album. From Radiohead, Dave Matthews Band, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin and R.E.M to The Rolling Stones, Snow Patrol, Frank Sinatra, Queen and Talking Heads. ‘The first cut is the deepest’, the episode named after a song by Sheryl Crow, is where the singer herself makes an appearance. “The music is great. It upgrades your playlist with all the ’90s rock bands,” says Nivedita Biswas. The Season 3 finale was named after the Queen number The Show Must Go On.

The twists: There is never a dull day at Tree Hill. Every episode is high on emotions with a new twist in the tale. “It’s pure entertainment... one of the fastest scripts ever,” says Aesha Das of St. Xavier’s College.

Sreya Saha

Why are you hooked to One Tree Hill?

Tell t2@abp.in