I first watched One Tree Hill at the tender age of 13. At the time, I thought I was watching it just for a glimpse of my crush, Chad Michael Murray. But after re-watching it in my thirties, I was shocked by how much of myself I saw in the characters, their relationships, and storylines.
One Tree Hill first aired in 2003, following the lives of two half-brothers, Lucas and Nathan Scott, played by Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty, who attend high school in the fictional town of Tree Hill. We explore their lifelong friendship with Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz) and follow Lucas’ pursuit of Peyton Sawyer Scott (Hilarie Burton), including an ill-advised love triangle with her best friend Brooke Davis Baker (Sophia Bush). Together, these characters have become known as the ‘core five’.
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As is bound to happen during a rewatch of any Noughties show, I was surprised by the toxicity of One Tree Hill – especially during the earlier seasons. Take the pilot, when Lucas and Nathan’s sibling rivalry sees them playing basketball to win a prize. Said prize? A night spent with Nathan’s then-girlfriend, Peyton, which he generously refuses to claim. Misogyny, fatphobia, and slutshaming were rampant throughout the show. While watching season two, I was surprised to see Lucas’ friend Marvin Macfadden exhibit incel-like behaviour and entitlement when rejected by female characters. I also hated seeing Brooke and Peyton being relentlessly characterised as damsels in distress.
The toxicity wasn’t reserved for on-screen moments, either. In 2017, actor Hilarie Burton accused showrunner Mark Schwahn of harassment and assault on set, before other cast members and crew signed an open letter attesting to his behaviour. Schwahn has never spoken publicly about the allegations.
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