‘One Tree Hill’ fans keeping show alive

WILMINGTON, N.C. — When One Tree Hill made its debut in the fall of 2003, creator Mark Schwahn recalls, the ratings were so low that “Even my mother didn’t know we were on the air.”



“We were the lowest-rated show on any channel the week we debuted, but we were the only show to pick up every week for the next six weeks.”

Backed by an ardent fan base, who still travel from all over the world to coastal North Carolina in hopes of seeing one of the show’s young stars, One Tree Hill has survived to a sixth season, on Mondays, on the CW. It reached the magic 100 episodes needed for syndication in March, and with this season it matches the tenure of Dawson’s Creek.

“When we were in our second and third seasons, it was not fathomable to me that we would be here today,” actor James Lafferty said.

Schwahn originally pitched the show as a movie titled The Ravens, but it became a series about half brothers — played by Lafferty and Chad Michael Murray — in the fictional town Tree Hill, N.C., who compete both on and off the basketball court.

“We have never been supported by a big PR push or big marketing campaign,” said Sophia Bush, who as Brooke Davis competes for the affections of Lucas Scott (Murray).

“We really have never been anybody’s baby the way that shows that sort of have a guarantee of multiple seasons generally are,” she said. “So for us, it’s really been every year about our fans and their loyalty bringing us back and putting us back on the air.”

Still, the show was growing stale when Schwahn decided before the start of season five to move everything forward by four years, skipping the characters’ time in college.

“When Mark said, ‘I want to do this,’ I was so relieved,” said Bush, 26. “The last thing I wanted to do was go to college on the show. We’ve all seen the college years, and they don’t work — ever.”

The aging of One Tree Hill reinvigorated both the actors and the show’s fans. The average ratings rebounded to 3.5 million viewers in season five, the same as in the show’s first.

“When we made the decision, I think everybody here was excited. I know I was. Just the opportunity to play a little bit closer to your age,” said Murray, 27.

Nathan Scott (Lafferty) and Haley James (Bethany Joy Galeotti) are struggling with the trials of marrying and having a child.

Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton), another love interest for Lucas, is the owner of Red Bedroom Records.

“Peyton’s gone from being such an extremist in high school, which was hard for me because I’m pretty mellow, to being a calmer adult,” said Burton, 26.

The contracts for the rest of the cast are up at the end of this season, but Schwahn and executive producer Joe Davola said the studio and the network are talking about a seventh.