Parents' Guide to

One Tree Hill

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Teen soap has all the questionable ingredients.

TV CW Drama 2003
One Tree Hill Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 20 parent reviews

lapall7
lapall7 Adult
March 21, 2012
age 16+

One Tree Hill = 2 Thumbs Up.

I think that One Tree Hill is an amazing show. It definitely has some inappropriate behavior in it, but it also has some very good messages for teens about life and love. I feel like you should only let your children watch this if you think they can handle it. My daughter and I watch this show together and I know that she can handle in sexual behavior. She is 17 and this show is her favorite. I have watched her fall over laughing and cry her eyes out from it. My daughter watches this show and she doesn't have sex, cuss, or drink. She is very well behaved and the behavior on this show does't influence the way she acts. Definitely know where your child is in their life before you allow them to watch this. If they are struggling with drinking, cussing, sexual behavior etc. I wouldn't condone this show for them just because it may make those things seem okay. This show's perspective on sex is "Sex is okay if you are in love." I don't believe this is true, and neither does my daughter, so whenever something of that nature happens on this show I know I don't have to worry about it influencing her. So just know your child and talk to them about what they are watching.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
jess L.
jess L. Parent of 8, 11, 14 and 17-year-old
December 26, 2022
age 10+
I watched this a while ago but recently I have been watching it with my my 11 year old daughter she loves it and I have loved rewatching it.
See all 20 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ONE TREE HILL is a dramatic primetime soap opera featuring a premise 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. They compete for athletic stardom, girls, and the right to wear the family name "Scott," even though they both hate their overbearing father. Caught between the two is Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton), while boy-obsessed cheerleader Brooke (Sophia Bush) and Lucas' best pal Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) also get caught up in the romantic drama. As the characters get older, they struggle with problems brought on by adulthood, and by the new love triangles that they find themselves in.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (20):
Kids say (52):

The series offers a variety of dramatic plots that range from the romantic to the violent and slightly bizarre. Early episodes focus on more teen-related issues, like premarital sex and coming from broken homes, but later plots feature an older cast dealing with marriage, parenthood, and careers, as well as stalkers, murders, and other mature themes.

The grittier storylines, as well as the departure of some of the main characters in later years, may not appeal to fans of the show's earlier seasons. But One Tree Hill still has the potential to appeal to a new generation of teens. As a result, parents may want to consider tuning in with them -- and using some of the topics for a conversation starter.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various subjects touched on throughout the series, including 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.

  • How are TV shows able to appeal to viewers over the years? What shows, aside from this one, have remained popular after the main characters have departed?

TV Details

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