One Tree Hill - TV-PG
DVD
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this soapy drama includes frank discussions about sex and divorce -- which have both been a staple of the show. These subjects are treated very seriously, but their prevalence implies that most (if not all) teens have sex and come from broken homes. The female characters are sexually empowered -- some seek sex, others choose to wait.
Families can discuss the various subjects touched on throughout the series, inlcuding sex, the emotions and responsibilities associated with being in romantic and familial relationships, forgiveness, and how much slack you should allow a person in a relationship. What are some ways to repair relationships with friends? Do kids get the impression that this is a realistic portrayal of high school?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Elliot Panek and Betsy Wallace
The premise of ONE TREE HILL could have been borrowed from Dickens: Brothers who grew up separately, their father denying the existence of one, end up as stars of the same high school basketball team.
Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) grew up poor, raised by a sweet but downtrodden single mother. Nathan (James Lafferty) grew up wealthy and pampered. Now they compete for athletic stardom, girls, and the right to wear the family name "Scott," even though they both hate their overbearing father.
The ladies of One Tree Hill bring their own issues altogether. Peyton (Hilarie Burton) is often caught between the two half-brothers, Brooke (Sophia Bush) plays up her provocative cheerleader image and is after every guy in Tree Hill, and girl-next-door, Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz), in addition to being Lucas's best friend, tries to balance friends, her music and Nathan. As is often the case with teen dramas each season brings the changing of flings and crushes.
One Tree Hill is not without its core of melodrama either. The themes can be inconsistent, including episodes that show the brothers slowly coming to accept one another, but then while playing the drinking game "I Never" at a party, Nathan says to Lucas, "I never had a dad who wished I was a stain on the mattress." All too often, the progress in the growth of the characters is halted and the series continuously proves it is lacking the skill (and class) to move beyond the continuous rich vs. poor theme.
Parents and adult characters are developed and often play a central role, which is refreshing. As many things that are wrong with the series, parents might find themselves tuning in with their teens – and using the topics for a conversation starter.
Tweens and parents looking for other teen related dramas might check out Degrassi: The Next Generation or South of Nowhere.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentNothing explicit shown, but some promiscuity/reckless sexual activity implied. Episodes have featured main teen characters buying condoms and whipped cream. |
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ViolenceHigh school boys get in fistfights and shove each other on the basketball court. |
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LanguageModerate profanity on the level of "ass" and "bitch." |
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Social BehaviorLittle diversity with white main characters; money heavily influences one's station both in school and in life; lower-income characters are especially virtuous; teen sarcasm; characters often trade insults. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoTeens sometimes drink alcohol, nd drug use is a subject but not advocated: An athlete who took amphetamines collapsed, a high school girl at a college party was slipped a date rape drug. |
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