Spoilers ahead for Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 finale.

Sophia Bush has made a splash on Grey’s Anatomy, with her character Cass Beckman earning quite the reputation for making waves in the Seattle surgeons’ relationships. It’s likely we haven’t seen the last of her, either, after that unexpected Season 22 finale cliffhanger, and it sounds like she’s already thinking about Season 23’s return to the 2026 TV schedule this fall.

In fact, she pitched one of her One Tree Hill co-stars as the next perfect addition to Grey’s Anatomy, and I know exactly where they’d fit in.

Sophia Bush Thinks James Lafferty Should Join Grey’s Anatomy

Cass Beckman made a surprise return to Grey’s Anatomy Season 22, providing much-needed help in the wake of a bridge collapse that left Nick Marsh’s life in her hands. Later, however, it’s revealed that she ended up in bed with Amelia Shepherd. That sounds like some Brooke Davis behavior to me, and speaking of One Tree Hill, Sophia Bush had an idea about another actor who could make the jump over to Grey Sloan Memorial. She told EW:

First of all, it is kind of crazy how naturally One Tree Hill’s actors flow into the Grey’s Anatomy-verse, with Hilarie Burton playing Dr. Lauren Boswell on three episodes of Season 9 (and also being the real-life wife of Denny Duquette actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Bethany Joy Lenz, meanwhile, had a short-but-memorable storyline as the new fiancée of Jo’s abusive ex-husband Paul in Season 14 and Jana Kramer also appeared on two episodes of Season 4.

More importantly, though, Sophia Bush is so right that James Lafferty has major McDreamy vibes, and I think he should totally lean into that.

James Lafferty Should Play Another McDreamy Nephew — A Rival To Cousin Lucas

On One Tree Hill, James Lafferty played Nathan Scott, one of the titular high school’s star basketball players and half-brother to Chad Michael Murray’s Lucas. On Grey’s Anatomy, I think he should have another kind of familial drama with a different Lucas — McDreamy’s favorite nephew Lucas Adams (Niko Terho).

With Derek Shepherd having four sisters and a family full of medical professionals, it would make a lot of sense for Lucas to have cousins who are also doctors. James Lafferty could play one of them, giving ole McBroody another chance to feel less-than amongst his family and peers.

How Did James Lafferty React To Sophia Bush’s Suggestion?

Word got back to the Everyone Is Doing Great creator that he was being pitched as a possible McDreamy 2.0, and James Lafferty had a pretty funny response, telling EW:

I don’t know, I think that brand of humility in the face of something he seems so right for is exactly the kind of thing that would endear Grey’s Anatomy fans to a character — and drive Lucas Adams bonkers.

Only time will tell if Sophia Bush has that kind of sway behind the scenes of the longtime medical drama, but I hope Meg Marinis is listening — even as she works on that Grey’s Anatomy Texas spinoff — because I think James Lafferty could be a really fun addition.

In the meantime, you can rewatch any season of Grey’s Anatomy or One Tree Hill with a Hulu subscription (all 22 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy will also be available with a Netflix subscription starting June 6).

It’s always a treat to watch the celebrity contestants on The Traitors attempt to weed out the (metaphorical) murderers, and while that’s certainly been true of Season 4 as it draws close to its conclusion on the 2026 TV schedule, many fans seem to be having just as much fun calling out the players for their actions on the show. Stephen Colletti was not immune to this during his time in the castle, and he revealed the surprising Laguna Beach-related complaint he received.

Stephen Colletti was introduced to the world back in 2004 on the MTV reality show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, where he was one part of the love triangle with Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad. A couple of years later he joined the cast of One Tree Hill, and that is the show he decided to use as his description for The Traitors. Fans have apparently taken issue with this, but Colletti told EW the producers made him choose, saying:

I understand his reasoning here, as there were only 27 episodes of Laguna Beach, which ended in 2005, while Stephen Colletti was in 57 episodes of One Tree Hill as Chase Adams, starring in the later seasons through 2012. (The CW/WB drama also definitely paid more than Laguna Beach.) However, when I think of One Tree Hill’s cast, I think Sophia Bush, Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie Burton, etc. I don’t associate Colletti as much with that series as with Laguna Beach.

Stephen Colletti said he would have preferred The Traitors just describe him as an “Actor,” rather than specify a single show, but he didn’t get that opportunity. He said he even tried to combine his two series by putting “One Tree Beach” (now there’s a revival idea!), but that was nixed by producers.

In the end Stephen Colletti doesn’t regret writing down One Tree Hill, if only for brevity’s sake, as he said:

I’m not really buying this explanation, because people rarely refer to the MTV show as anything more than Laguna Beach, but I get that he’s trying to strengthen his argument, so I’ll allow it.

Fans with a Peacock subscription have definitely been vocal with opinions about The Traitors Season 4, commenting on everything from how Kristen Kish butters her bread to Michael Rapaport’s weird eating habits to producers’ questionable casting decisions. I’m just excited to see who makes it to the end.

Catch new episodes of The Traitors at 9 p.m. ET Thursdays on Peacock.

When a beloved TV show is canceled or comes to an end, a lot of pressure is put on its series finale, especially for long-running shows. That final episode can determine a lot about a show’s legacy, with some of the worst series finales practically overshadowing everything good that came before (just look at Dexter). When One Tree Hill came to an end in 2012, fans had a lot of strong opinions, but Sophia Bush stands by their ending, despite her qualms with one storyline.

One Tree Hill was one of the best teen dramas of the 2000s, premiering in 2003 and lasting nine seasons (way too long, in our opinion). While the final season presented much of the same melodrama and crazy plot twists fans had come to expect, the last episode did little more than wrap up all of its characters’ storylines, which Sophia Bush said on the Drama Queens podcast was the right decision in her opinion. In her words:

Sophia Bush — who played Brooke Davis for all nine seasons — is right about one thing: They definitely did put a bow on everything. Season 9, Episode 13, which was titled simply “One Tree Hill,” was a celebration of the show more than anything, with a lot of reminiscing and nostalgia and all of the characters showing love for one another.

It even included a concert at the nightclub TRIC, with Gavin DeGraw performing the show’s theme song, “I Don’t Wanna Be,” in an especially meta moment. The actress said she loved that everybody went out on a high note, as she continued:

Bethany Joy Lenz, aka Haley James Scott, agreed with her former co-star, saying that after everything the Tree Hill, North Carolina, residents had been through over the years, it was right to allow them to just be connected and have their happy ending.

Speaking of the wild situations that One Tree Hill found its characters in, Sophia Bush did admit there was one Season 9 storyline she could have done without: the return of Xavier, the man who attacked her in Season 6, killed the beloved high school athlete Quentin and was ultimately arrested. The final season saw him get out of jail, only to attack Brooke again, and I agree that was one story that didn’t need to be revisited.

Other than that, there are no complaints from these One Tree Hill stars (other than maybe a few outfit choices). We’ll have to see if the same is true for the planned sequel series that Bush is reportedly developing with fellow Ravens alumni Hilarie Burton and Daneel Ackles.

In the meantime, you can relive the wild times by streaming all nine seasons of One Tree Hill with either a Hulu subscription or HBO Max subscription.

One Tree Hill is one of those projects that dominated the early 2000s teen drama era (even if it went on for a bit too long), and it launched the careers of numerous stars, including country crooner Jana Kramer. However, while she played a big part as actress and singer Alex Dupré in the final seasons, she was absent from the series finale. Now, she is finally sharing why she wasn't there, and the reason is a bummer.

Kramer joined the One Tree Hill cast at the beginning of Season 7 in 2009, and even though Alex was a complete diva at first as the new face of Clothes Over Bros, she gradually came around after spending more time in Tree Hill. But as Alex started branching out into music, so did Kramer. Via People, she revealed during the Drama Queens Podcast wrap party that she had to put her focus on music rather than the show, and it’s why she couldn’t make it for the final episode:

Fans last saw Alex in Season 9, Episode 2, as she went on a national tour. It’s likely many viewers had hoped to see her again before the end, but unfortunately, that was not the case. Knowing that Kramer wanted to return, but she couldn’t because of her label, even despite the fact that the guys were able to do both, is disappointing. And it’s more disappointing knowing that Alex didn’t really get a proper conclusion, which is all that The Masked Singer contestant wanted:

Since Hilarie Burton-Morgan and Sophia Bush are developing a new OTH sequel series, perhaps fans can still get a proper wrap-up for Alex. The show has not officially been ordered to series by Netflix, and it’s unknown if anyone else will be returning for the revival. But it’s possible that if Kramer isn’t busy and her schedule is open when production begins, perhaps we’ll finally get Alex back, and fans will be able to see what she’s been up to after all these years.

At the very least, Kramer still seems to be close to her OTH pals. If it wasn’t evident by her appearance at the Drama Queens wrap party, she’s done a couple of episodes of the rewatch podcast, which was hosted by Bush, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Robert Buckley for the latter half of the series rewatch.

What would have happened to Alex had Kramer stayed on through the end of the series is unknown. She had gone through a lot, personally and professionally, so it would have been nice to see her for the remainder of OTH. But with the sequel series on the way, I know I'm hoping to see more of Alex Dupré in the near future. For now, we will have to settle for watching the original series with a Hulu subscription.

The American South is full of lore and stories. The nature of the United States is such that every region is unique, and that means every region has its own legends and history to draw from. Over the years, television has tapped into that rich culture of the South with some of the best shows of all time. This is dedicated to those shows and those stories, the TV shows of the American South.

Atlanta

The city of Atlanta has been called "the capital of the South," so it only makes sense that the show named for the town, Atlanta, starring (and created by) Donald Glover, should feature on this list. The show won a slew of awards for its storytelling in the modern South of a music manager (Glover) helping his client, played by Brian Tyree Henry, navigate the music industry, and America, for that matter.

Matlock

There isn't a more classic Southern show than Matlock. We're talking about the original here, of course, the one set in Atlanta starring Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock. It's a stone-cold classic show (and frequent butt of jokes, especially on The Simpsons), and no list about shows about the South would be complete without it. The modern remake is great too, but alas, it is set in New York City.

Friday Night Lights

High school football is a huge part of modern Southern culture, and Friday Night Lights tells that story better than anything else. Over five seasons, following a small town high school football team led by Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chadler), which is based on a book (and a movie that followed) by Buzz Bissinger, the show did a deep dive into the culture and brought it to life in inspiring fashion.

Treme

New Orleans is the most unique city in America. It's truly like no other place on this continent. Treme brings the city to life like no other show ever has. Like creator David Simon's other famous HBO show, The Wire, the city is the main character here. The people who live in the city are what make it New Orleans, and in Treme, we see every aspect of life in the Crescent City.

A Different World

While the show that A Different World was spun off from, The Cosby Show, was set in New York City, A Different World follows Huxtable's daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) as she goes off to college at the fictional Hillman College in Virginia. Bonet left after just one season, but the show still went on to become an iconic Black sitcom.

Bad Monkey

There's an old saying that the further south you go in Florida, the more north you get, but author Carl Hiaasen, who wrote the book that Bad Monkey is based on, has the great ability to show the Southern side of all of Florida. The show, which you can watch with an Apple TV+ subscription, is just a wonderful and hilarious look into life in the Sunshine State that you don't see on the tourism ads.

Dallas

There's nothing like the drama of a rich Southern oil family to get people excited, right? Dallas captivated audiences for 14 seasons and included one of the most celebrated cliff-hangers of all time with "Who Shot J.R.?"

Eastbound & Down

Danny McBride has really figured out how to tap into the humorous side of Southern culture. With shows like The Righteous Gemstones, Vice Principals, and perhaps his best example, the over-the-top-but-wonderful Eastbound & Down. The show, which is available with an HBO Max subscription, is one of the funniest shows about the South ever, even if it strayed in the later seasons. That first season will always be pure comedy gold.

Designing Women

In the 1980s, no sitcom defined Southern charm than Designing Women. Yet another movie set in the great city of Atlanta, the show about the all-female team of a design firm had one of the best casts of any sitcom from the era. A cast that included Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Jean Smart, and Annie Potts. In the later seasons, Jan Hooks got in on the fun as well.

The Walking Dead

Though The Walking Dead is a story that could happen anywhere, almost all of it takes place in the South. The show starts in Atlanta (including an early mission to the CDC in the capital of Georgia), and ends with the crew mostly living outside of Washington, DC, in the Virginia suburbs.

Nashville

Well, as the name says, Nashville is set, of course, in the capital of Country Music. In recent years, starting around when this show debuted in 2012, Nashville, TN, has become the place to live in the South. Everyone from recent college graduates to big stars is flocking to the city with one of the richest music histories in the United States.

The Golden Girls

You might not think of Miami as the South, and to be fair, it doesn't have a ton in cultural common with say, Birmingham, but it's right there on the map, as far south as you can get in the continental U.S., so Golden Girls counts here! The show, which has lived on for decades in syndication, is famous for its zingers and, in the end, its heartfelt message of friendship. It really needs no introduction, does it?

The Waltons

Even if you've never seen The Waltons, a show about a Depression-era family living in the Virginia Appalachian Mountains, you probably know how each episode ended with the tight-knit family saying good night to each other. It oozes Southern sensibilities.

The Dukes Of Hazzard

One of the most popular and most controversial shows on this list has to be The Dukes of Hazzard. Beloved for its daredevil driving scenes and the humorous relationship between cops and bandits, the show was a staple of '70s and '80s TV. In more recent decades, the show has been criticized for its use of the Confederate flag painted on top of the General Lee (which is still a really cool car, regardless).

Tyler Perry's House of Payne

Tyler Perry is a proud resident of Atlanta, and he's invested heavily in developing what has become one of the movie-making capitals of the world. It makes perfect sense that the first sitcom he ever created, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, would be set in the city. The show, which balances silly moments with serious themes, has had a remarkable run on TBS first, and later on BET. It's gone well over 300 episodes, making it one of the most successful sitcoms with a predominantly Black cast.

The Righteous Gemstones

From the demented (and wonderful) mind of Danny McBride, The Righteous Gemstones is simply brilliant. The show, which aired on HBO for four seasons, has a fantastic cast, including McBride, alongside John Goodman, Adam DeVine, Edi Patterson, and some sublime supporting work from Walton Goggins.

The Andy Griffith Show

There may be no show on this list that espouses the gentile way of life in a small, southern town like The Andy Griffith Show. The name of the fictional town in North Caroline, Mayberry, has even become a noun to describe wholesome small towns all across the United States. The legendary show aired a total of 249 episodes over eight seasons on CBS. It also helped launch the career of Ron Howard, of course.

Army Wives

While not strictly a show about life in the South, Army Wives is set on a naval base in Charleston, SC. The popular Lifetime show didn't have the broadest appeal, to be sure, but it had a dedicated fanbase for the seven seasons it was on.

Dexter

Like some others on this list, we'll admit that Dexter doesn't always feel like a "Southern show" since it is set in Miami, but Florida, even South Florida, should definitely count here, right? How much really needs to be said about the now-iconic Showtime show about a serial killer hunting serial killers? At least we can acknowledge that Jon Lithgow plays one of the most ruthless villains in TV history.

Justified

There aren't a ton of shows set in Kentucky, but Justified would probably be the best, even if there were others. This is a show that has shown incredible legs over the years, remaining as popular–if not more popular–than it was when it first aired on FX.

NCIS: New Orleans

NCIS has had a whole lot of spinoffs. NCIS: New Orleans was the second in the franchise when it was spun off in 2014. Though it was surprisingly canceled after it's seventh season on CBS, it still ended up a very successful show in the popular franchise.

CSI: Miami

One of the most popular TV franchises of the early 21st Century is, without a doubt, the CSI group of shows on CBS. The original, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (set in Las Vegas), first hit the airwaves in 2000, and just two years later, David Caruso returned to TV as Horatio Cane in CSI: Miami. For many, including myself, Miami was just as good as its parent show, and ratings showed that. The show aired for 10 seasons and more than 200 episodes.

True Blood

Anne Rice may be the most famous teller of vampire stories to hail from Louisiana, but Charlaine Harris, who wrote the books upon which HBO's True Blood was based, is a close second these days. True Blood is set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, LA, but it is anything but "good times" for the residents, as this neo-gothic classic show highlights again and again.

In The Heat Of The Night

Based loosely on the book and the 1967 film starring Sidney Poitier of the same name, In The Heat Of The Night followed a small town police chief (Carroll O'Connor) and his top detective, Virgil Tibbs (Howard Rollins). The show, which aired first on NBC before moving to CBS, was set in Sparta, Mississippi, and it was unafraid to tackle complex subjects like racism and police corruption.

One Tree Hill

For nine seasons, One Tree Hill transported fans to Wilmington, North Carolina, in the CW TV show. One of the more popular shows among many Millennials, the show still has its die-hard fans today, more than a decade after ending its nine-season run.

Reba

Reba McEntire first entered our hearts as an actor in the cult classic Tremors. She's wonderful in it, and after another decade of parts here and there in movies and TV, the country music legend landed her own sitcom, appropriately called simply Reba. The hard-working McEntire was born and raised in Oklahoma, but the show was set in Houston. In fact, it's weirdly one of the few shows ever set in the Texas metropolis.

Fresh Off The Boat

ABC's Fresh Off The Boat is a unique take on the Southern show, as it features an immigrant family from Taiwan working to make the American Dream happen for them in Orlando, Florida. Constance Wu gave her breakout performance on the show as the hard-charging daughter, Jessica.

Ozark

I get it, some people might push back on Missouri being in the South. I'm from the Show Me State, so I understand. That said, southern MO, especially in the area around Lake of the Ozarks, definitely has more Southern influence than Midwest, so I just have to include the brilliant Netflix original, Ozark.

I Dream Of Jeannie

"The South" might not be the first thing you think of when you think of I Dream of Jeannie, but it was set in Florida. Tony Nelson, Larry Hagman's character who lives with Jeannie (Barbara Eden), is an astronaut, if you remember, living where so many other NASA pilots lived, Cocoa Beach, FL.

True Detective

When I talk about True Detective, I'm usually talking about that brilliant first season. Other seasons of the anthology show have been set in California and Alaska (two states that are definitely not The South), but the first season was set in that most southern of states, Louisiana. The third season was also set in the South, in the hills of Arkansas.

Hart of Dixie

Any show called Hart of Dixie can't be left off this list. It's also one of the few TV shows set in Alabama, so we just had to squeeze in the popular show from The CW, starring Rachel Bilson as a fish-out-of-water New York doctor living in small-town Alabama.

Saving Grace

One place that doesn't feature in a lot of TV shows or movies is Oklahoma City. Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter, bucks that trend. The TNT show, which aired for three seasons in the late '00s. The show often featured famous spots in the town, and, honestly, it's one of my favorite Holly Hunter roles. The show is underappreciated for that alone, never mind the rest of the excellent cast.

Chad Michael Murray was an integral part of the teenage pop culture experience in the early 2000s, with TV and movie roles on Gilmore Girls, Dawson’s Creek, Freaky Friday, A Cinderella Story and (excuse me while I swoon) as Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill. With a reboot of One Tree Hill reportedly in the works, the former star had a meaningful message about what he hopes the new series will focus on.

Back in August 2024, it was announced a sequel series was in development with former One Tree Hill stars Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Daneel Ackles signed on as executive producers (and expected to reprise their former characters). While Chad Michael Murray will not be returning to the show, according to reports, he does want to see the series come to fruition for a new generation of fans. He told Extra:

The actor is correct that One Tree Hill is available to stream — with either an HBO Max subscription or a Hulu subscription, in fact — giving so many people access to it, regardless of if they were fans during its original run from 2003 to 2012.

As for what he’d hope to see from the reboot, he gave a very mindful response, saying:

One Tree Hill had characters representing all of your typical high school stereotypes, from the jock to the nerd and everything in between, tackling real-life issues like young love, eating disorders and complicated family dynamics, which likely spoke to a lot of the show’s fans at the time in one way or another.

Times have changed significantly over the past 20-plus years, and while many of the same issues still remain, the One Tree Hill sequel would have to approach them completely differently. I love that this is something Chad Michael Murray has thought about, and hopefully those writing the reboot are that thoughtful about what the young residents of Tree Hill, North Carolina, should experience.

CMM may not be planning a return, but Tyler Hilton said he’s down to reprise his role as Chris Keller alongside Sophia Bush (aka Brooke Davis), Hilarie Burton (Peyton Sawyer) and Daneel Ackles (Rachel Gatina), and I can’t wait to see what other faces might pop up — as well as meet some younger characters. Hopefully we’ll get a positive update soon.

Characters come and characters go, at least that’s the case for these beloved shows. Whether it’s on one of the best sitcoms of all time, an exhilarating epic fantasy series, or crime dramas holding down a spot on the primetime lineup for decades, these programs all have one thing in common: they lost a fan-favorite before the final episode (or even final season).

Here are 32 TV shows that lost their lead character during their run…

The Office (2005 - 2013)

After being the best character on The Office for the show’s first seven seasons, Steve Carell’s Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office back in 2011. Though he would return in a guest capacity in the final season, the absence of the awkward, excitable, yet hilarious regional manager could be felt in the series’ final days.

That ‘70s Show (1998 - 2006)

That ‘70s Show had one of the best runs of any sitcom introduced in the final years of the 20th century, one that would carry on until May 2006. However, the sitcom’s main character, Topher Grace’s Eric Forman, wouldn’t be there for all of it. The actor, whose popularity was rising at the time, left the show after its seventh season. He would return in the series finale one year later.

Two And A Half Men (2003 - 2015)

Amid contract negotiations and a string of controversial incidents, Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men and stopped playing fan-favorite Charlie Harper, following the hit sitcom’s eighth season in 2011. One of the most popular shows on TV at the time, the CBS comedy would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher coming on to play Walden Schmidt

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

A mainstay of Cheers for the show’s first five seasons, Shelley Long’s Diane Chambers left the friendly Boston bar for good when she was given the opportunity to become a professional writer. However, Diane would later return near the end of the show’s final season in 1993.

ER (1994 - 2009)

Whether it was Anthony Edwards’ Mark Greene being killed off in a spectacular way or George Clooney’s Doug Ross departing following a major scandal, ER lost several of its main characters throughout its 15-season (and 331-episode) run on NBC. However, the show always seemed to rebound from even the biggest losses.

Law & Order (1990 - Present)

Countless beloved characters have come and gone from Law & Order over the years, including NYPD detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), who was a mainstay of the legal drama for 12 years. The series is still on today (after being revived in 2022), but few of the detectives on the show have come close to touching the greatness of the wisecracking cop.

Three’s Company (1977 - 1984)

The late Suzanne Somers became a household name for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company back in 1977. One of the three leads through much of the show’s run, Somers departed the series after its fifth season. The sitcom would run for three additional seasons after Somers left.

Scrubs (2001 - 2009)

Though Zach Braff’s Dr. John Michael “J.D.” Dorian was technically part of the Scrubs cast until the very last episode of Season 9 (he’s also returning for the upcoming reboot series), he only showed up in less than half of the final run. Maybe it was for the best, because those episodes were of a far lower quality than the previous eight seasons.

Bewitched (1964 - 1972)

This is an odd one simply because the Darrin Stephens character on Bewitched was written off, but instead recast near the end of the show’s run. Played by Dick York for the first few seasons, Elizabeth Montgomery’s on-screen husband was later played by Dick Sargent in the final years of the landmark sitcom about a witch trying to hide her true nature from the world around her.

Mom (2003 - 2021)

When the main star of a show leaves partway through the series run, it can be a nightmare for their co-stars and crew members, and that was the case when Anna Faris departed the hit CBS comedy Mom in 2020. Though the show continued for one more season after Christy Plunkett was written off, the absence of the former lead could be felt.

One Tree Hill (2003 - 2012)

One of the biggest shows of the 2000s, One Tree Hill was a perennial favorite of The WB (and later The CW) through much of its nine-season run. However, the good times didn’t last the whole time, as Chad Michael Murray, who played lead Lucas Scott, departed after season 6 alongside Hilarie Burton’s Peyton Sawyer.

Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - Present)

One of the longest-running shows in TV history, Grey’s Anatomy has always been known for its tremendous cast of characters. And while there are some, like Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, who have been there all along, others have come and gone. One of the biggest is Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd, aka "Dr. McDreamy," who was killed off in the show’s 11th season.

Glee (2009 - 2015)

In the middle of Glee’s successful run on Fox, the popular musical series lost one of its main characters when the actor who played him tragically died. In July 2013, Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died at the age of 31.

The Walking Dead (2010 - 2022)

So many characters came and went on The Walking Dead, which is to be expected considering it was a show set in the zombie apocalypse. However, one of the biggest departures came in the show’s ninth season when Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes was written off the massively successful show.

House Of Cards (2013 - 2018)

House of Cards was a show with one shocking moment after another, including the time the Netflix series had to find a way to get rid of its main character before the sixth and final season. After Kevin Spacey found himself in legal trouble, the show’s producers decided to kill him off and carry on.

Blue’s Clues (1996 - 2006)

Steve Burns’ Steve was primarily the only human character on the hit Nick Jr. series, Blue’s Clues, for the show’s first four seasons. However, the actor left the animated show and was replaced by his character’s younger brother, Joe (Donovan Patton). Burns would later go on to appear in the Flaming Lips’ wild 2008 sci-fi film, Christmas on Mars.

The O.C. (2003 - 2007)

One of the main characters through the show’s first few seasons, Mischa Barton’s Marissa Cooper was killed off in heartbreaking fashion in The O.C.’s Season 3 finale. Following the departure of the tortured teenager, the show lasted one more season before coming to an end.

Charmed (1998 - 2006)

Prue Halliwell, played by the late Shannen Doherty, was one of the main characters in the first three seasons of Charmed. Though her fate was initially left up in the air following a Season 3 cliffhanger, it was later revealed that Prue died after her run-in with a powerful demonic assassin.

Laverne & Shirley (1976 - 1983)

One of the most popular spinoffs of all time (the characters originated on Happy Days), Laverne & Shirley ran for eight seasons on ABC between 1976 and 1983. However, while Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio stayed around for the whole run, it was a different story for Cindy Williams’s Shirley Feeney. Williams, who was pregnant at the time, departed partway through what would ultimately be the final season.

Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

Though Game of Thrones had numerous “main” characters over the course of its eight-year run, Sean Bean’s Ned Stark was one of the biggest in the first season. Creating one of the most shocking moments in TV history, Ned lost his head before the end of the first year, which set the tone for the unpredictable nature of the series moving forward.

The Vampire Diaries (2009 - 2017)

The Vampire Diaries was on the air for eight seasons between 2009 and 2017, but The CW’s popular book-to-screen adaptation lost its main character, Nina Dobrev’s Elena Gilbert, two-thirds of the way through. Though her character didn’t die, Debrov left for other opportunities.

Spin City (1996 - 2002)

The popular satirical comedy series, Spin City, ran on ABC for six seasons between 1996 and 2002, with most of those being led by Michael J. Fox as New York City deputy mayor Mike Flaherty. However, a couple of years after Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the actor left the series after its fourth season, with his character being written off by moving to Washington, D.C.

The Wire (2002 - 2008)

The Wire’s cast was full of incredible actors playing some of the best characters to ever grace the small screen. One of the major players in the landmark HBO series’ first three seasons was Idris Elba’s Stringer Bell, a ruthless and ambitious drug lord who aspired for more than running the corners in Baltimore. However, he made far too many enemies and he was brutally killed in the show’s Season 3 finale.

Oz (1997 - 2003)

Though Oz had a killer ensemble cast throughout the HBO series’ run between 1997 and 2003, it lost one of its lead players when Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Simon Adebisi was killed off in the show’s fourth season. Imagine fans’ reactions the following year when he showed up in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.

Roseanne/The Conners (1988 - 2025)

Not long after Roseanne was brought back to TV in 2018, its star, Roseanne Barr, was fired in the fallout of a controversial tweet. The show was quickly cancelled and morphed into The Conners, which ran for seven seasons before coming to an end in 2025.

NCIS (2003 - Present)

A lot of people have left NCIS over the years, but the CBS crime drama continues to be one of the most popular shows on network TV. Perhaps the biggest character to come and go since the show’s 2003 debut is NCIS Supervisory Special Agent and Special Agent in Charge Leroy Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, who stayed on through the 19th season. Talk about longevity.

8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002 - 2005)

8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, later shortened to 8 Simple Rules, had a nice little run on ABC back in the early 2000s, and even helped launch the career of Kaley Cuoco. The series was originally led by John Ritter, but his character, Paul Hennessy, was written off after the Three’s Company and Problem Child star suddenly died at the age of 54 while shooting the second season.

Lost (2004 - 2010)

Much like the show’s story, talking about main characters dying on Lost is a bit confusing, considering the non-linear structure of the long-running ABC drama series. Numerous characters like Shannon Rutherford (Maggie Grace), Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau), and Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) were written off and brought back later on in the series.

Homeland (2011 - 2020)

A once-great show that went on way too long, Homeland had its fair share of shocking moments and final episodes for major characters. At the top of that list is Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a former prisoner of war whose true alliances are ambiguous through much of the show’s first three seasons. However, his time would come to an end a few years into the run when Brody was hanged in a public execution in Iran.

Boardwalk Empire (2010 - 2014)

Michael Pitt’s Jimmy Darmody was pretty much the 1B lead to Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson in the first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire, but the up-and-coming gangster wouldn’t survive the 2011 season finale. The series would run for another three seasons before coming to an end in 2014.

Downton Abbey (2010 - 2015)

Dan Stevens’ Matthew Crawley was just one of multiple fan-favorite characters to be killed off during Downton Abbey during the show’s original run. The third-cousin, once removed of the Earl of Grantham, the character didn’t make it all that long in the grand scheme of things before dying in a car accident during the show’s third season.

Sons Of Anarchy (2008 - 2014)

Sons of Anarchy had an epic run on FX in the latter part of the 2000s through the early 2010s, and in that time, so many fan-favorites got killed off. The most horrifying came in the show’s fifth season when the beloved Opie (Ryan Hurst) was brutally murdered in prison. Some never came back after that.

You know when some good relationships on television make you want to squeal the moment you see them? Yeah, these are the relationships down below. Sure, we can spend some time watching the best rom-com movies, but what about several seasons of build-up to a relationship that makes it all worthwhile? Here are some couples that define “goals.”

Chandler And Monica (Friends)

Chandler and Monica are the couple from the Friends cast, and I will not be asking any other questions about it at this time. Ross and Rachel were what people talked about, but these two? I love them. They are defined as “goals” based on how much they love each other, even if they didn’t have the typical start. Friends-to-lovers is one of the best.

Ian And Mickey (Shameless)

There was a time when Ian and Mickey were literally all I saw on my Tumblr feed back in the early 2010s. The Shameless cast featured plenty of great relationships, some healthy and others…not so healthy, but Ian and Mickey were a relationship that made it until the end. There’s nothing quite like them.

Rebecca And Jack (This Is Us)

The This Is Us cast defined my time in college when the show was airing, and Jack and Rebecca were the blueprint for how I wanted my future marriage to go. I have never seen two people just so in love with each other on TV, but also portray such a realistic marriage.

Corey And Topanga (Boy Meets World)

I think Corey and Topanga were the couple for the '90s kids. I didn’t grow up watching Boy Meets World, but I know from many that watching these two grow into teenagers and then young adults was one of the best aspects of this series. And honestly, I love that for you.

Jim And Pam (The Office)

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Sure, there were moments between Jim and Pam in later seasons that felt a little out of character, but these two were the defining relationship from The Office cast. We were all on the edge of our seats at the beginning of the series when these two were just friends, and we wanted them all to get together.

Leslie And Ben (Parks And Recreation)

Leslie and Ben from the Parks and Recreation cast are the perfect example of a relationship that took its time but blossomed beautifully. Ben was the type of person who always let Leslie shine and never tried to dim her light, which is something that I love about them. They always supported each other no matter what.

Marshall And Lily (How I Met Your Mother)

There have been so many relationships that have come and gone in How I Met Your Mother, but you want to know what one of the best was? Obviously, Marshall and Lily. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as many warm fuzzies as I did watching these two.

Stefan And Caroline (The Vampire Diaries)

Team Stefan and Team Damon? Nah, Elena was always going to pick Damon and me, but Stefan and Caroline? Perfect, excellent. There are absolutely no notes on that couple because, honestly, they were better suited for each other. Sorry.

David And Patrick (Schitt’s Creek)

I’m pretty sure watching David and Patrick in Schitt’s Creek altered my brain chemistry because I don’t think another TV couple has stood out the same as them. The Schitt’s Creek cast is filled with memorable characters, but watching the progression of their relationship throughout its five seasons was something that I will always adore. These two loved each other so much.

Luke And Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)

Look, I know that we’re all here for Team Jess or Team Dean or whoever we’re rooting for with Rory, but to me, as an adult woman now, I like Luke and Lorelai’s relationship a heck of a lot more. It feels more mature, more natural, and less dramatic. Please, give me this rather than the craziness of teenage romance.

Nathan And Haley (One Tree Hill)

The definition of high school sweethearts that somehow worked out. They definitely had their moments of doubt throughout the nine seasons of the show, but these two loved each other so much and ended with a happily married life with two children, which is all you can really ask for in most teen drama romances out there.

Phil And Vivian (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

I’m sure you weren’t expecting to see Phil and Vivian on this list because The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air isn’t really known for its romances. But honestly, Phil and Vivian are the perfect couple. They complement each other perfectly, know when to be each other’s rock or to stop the other from making a poor decision, and took care of Will as well as their biological family in the perfect way. I have no complaints.

Santana And Brittany (Glee)

The Glee cast is filled to the brim with couples, so much so that it’s hard to keep up with them. But my personal favorite was always Santana and Brittany. Not only was their relationship a great stepping stone for many lesbian/bisexual relationships on TV back in 2010, but it’s really one of the few that made it to the very end of the series. They were best friends turned lovers turned to something really real, and it ended with them getting married!

Randall And Beth (This Is Us)

“Perfectly imperfect” is a phrase that I still use to this day, ever since Randall uttered it to Beth in This Is Us. These two exemplify what it means to not only marry your best friend, but also marry a partner. They will stand by each other, support each other, and when someone is messing up, they will make them own up to it. There’s no sliding, and that’s what a genuine relationship should be like.

Jess And Nick (New Girl)

New Girl is one of those shows where relationships come and go, but there are always a few that stick the landing for the long haul. Jess and Nick were one of those, and we rooted for them, watching them fall in love, fall apart, and then fall back in love all over again.

Uncle Jesse And Aunt Becky (Full House)

I mean, of course, I have to put Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky. I feel like Full House literally never would have been the same without them. Their relationship started very early on, and it’s always fun to rewatch episodes of the show and watch them fall in love with each other time and time again.

Anthony And Kate (Bridgerton)

While I do love the specialness of Penelope and Colin and the steaminess of Daphne and Simon, there’s just something about Anthony and Kate that gets me going every time. These two, a classic enemies-to-lovers romance, clearly love each other so much by the time the season ends and Season 3 rolls around.

Claire And Jamie (Outlander)

Outlander, in general, is one of the best Starz shows, but a big reason is Claire and Jamie. Their love has transcended literal timelines. I don’t know how you can get more perfect than that.

Mitch And Cam (Modern Family)

I think when it comes to couples in Modern Family, Mitch and Cam are the perfect example of how two people work so well together, and to the outside, people wonder how the heck they function with how crazy they are. But throughout the several seasons of the show, there’s no denying that these two love each other dearly.

Lucy And Ricky (I Love Lucy)

I can’t have a relationships list without putting the OG’s here. Lucy and Ricky are the definition of “goals.” They were the first people on television to show you how in love with each other they are, no matter the amount of shenanigans that they may put the other through. You can’t get better than these two.

Phil And Claire (Modern Family)

I always see Phil and Claire as the much calmer couple of Modern Family, which is saying something because they still have their fair share of hilarious moments in their household of three kids. But what I love about Phil and Claire is that there is evident respect there, and Phil will support Claire no matter what and stand up for her, while Claire will do the same, regardless of what others think. They’re a team, through and through.

Killian And Emma (Once Upon A Time)

God, there are so many couples in Once Upon a Time, but I think the one we always return to is Killian and Emma. Whether it’s their steamy chemistry or their genuinely emotional story, they are an amazing romance with plenty of fantasy aspects that I just love.

Willow And Tara (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

As someone who loves looking back on legendary relationships that paved the way for others, I know there’s no one better to bring up than Willow and Tara. The couple was a significant landmark for LGBTQ+ representation in television and showed two people who clearly loved each other.

Kev And Veronica (Shameless)

These two were freaky, don’t get me wrong – but they were also freakishly in love with each other. Kev and Veronica stood by each other, and when someone dared to threaten the other, it was on sight. They would fight anyone to protect their love and their relationship, and no matter what, always strived to make time for the other.

Fran And Mr. Sheffield (The Nanny)

I’m pretty sure that if you’ve ever read any rom-com novel, then these two are who you picture when you think of the nanny and the billionaire falling in love. But what I love about Fran and Mr. Sheffield is that it’s not an instant lust between them. It’s more of a relationship built on respect and friendship before love was even considered.

Jake And Amy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast features some hilarious characters, but personally, I always came back for Jake and Amy. I always saw them as rivals-to-lovers, but it feels so real watching them turn from competing with each other to becoming friends to going on dates and so much more.

Jane And Rafael (Jane The Virgin)

These two are in a strange situation, considering they didn’t even know each other when Jane fell pregnant accidentally. But watching their relationship grow organically throughout the show’s seasons is always something that I love to view.

Rick And Michonne (The Walking Dead)

When you think of couples who would literally kill for each other, I can think of no better than Rick and Michonne. Not only are they one of the best Walking Dead relationships, but there was a whole spinoff series dedicated to them finding their way back to each other after years apart. Now that is true love right there.

Poussey And Soso (Orange Is the New Black)

It hurts to even write about Poussey and Soso because it feels like they weren’t given enough time together in Orange is the New Black, but from what we were able to see, they really did work well together. Poussey was the kind of friend that Soso needed, and that blossomed into something brighter between the two of them before it was snuffed out. I needed so much more.

Morticia And Gomez (The Addams Family)

I mean, talk about a man who is obsessed with his woman. In any iteration of The Addams Family, Gomez always loves Morticia, but of course, we have to put the OG here from the 1960s TV series because these two were so in love that they ruined our expectations for all real-life romances.

Glenn And Maggie (The Walking Dead)

Yeah, I’m sad even writing about these two because the way it ends is something I don’t like to think about. But for the five seasons that we got with these two together, they were a light in the darkness that was the world of The Walking Dead. They loved each other, protected each other, and stood by the other until the very end.

Hopper And Joyce (Stranger Things)

God, I visibly remember screaming when these two finally got together in Stranger Things because it was just so apparent that they were into each other. Hopper literally risked his life for Joyce, and she risked hers to save him, and I love them together.

This just makes me want to revisit all of these television shows and watch these couples all over again. I’m in need of some cute TV romances. It's time for a binge-watch.

We know them, we love them, and most of the time, we love to hate them. Regardless of how any of us feel about the iconic, troublesome teens that round out the fabric of Hollywood’s youth-centric media, they’ve left their signature messy marks. This list covers the big hitters, the unmistakable part-of-pop-culture adolescents who derailed monumentally (dependent on their character and world, not all misguided minors are created equal). Each calling card of these chaotic characters has a few things in common–they’re lost and faced with conflict–but how they solve their issues leads to many more issues than solutions. Buckle up and grab your favorite nostalgic mix tape/playlist; we’re in for a bumpy ride.

Jim Stark and Buzz Gunderson - Rebel Without a Cause

This is by far one of the most influential movies that jumpstarted the teen genre and it’s big thanks to Jim Stark (James Dean) and Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen). When gang leader Buzz and new-in-town Jim agree to a “chickie race,” that’s when things go up in smoke. Jim is left to face the fallout.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

You could probably make a case for most of The O.C. kids, but Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) undoubtedly tops them all. Coop’s undoing was a monolith and started on the wings of her parents' divorce. It led to underage drinking, tumultuous relationships, petty theft, and eventually to her passing away after a car crash at the end of Season 3.

Danny Zuko - Grease

Like many other ensembles, you could make a pick mostly anyone from the Grease cast, but Danny Zuko's (John Travolta) issues bled into everyone else’s. Not to mention, he strung Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) along until the very end of the movie.

Serena van der Woodsen - Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is another show where you could argue a good case for any of the characters being the biggest saboteur. But like Marissa Cooper, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) just can’t shake off trouble in most things she does. The thought of old her and Georgina Sparks together really sounds like they’d top the list together.

Veronica Sawyer - Heathers

Heathers and Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) were ahead of the curve. When awkward loner Veronica gets invited to join the school’s most popular group, she quickly realizes it’s not the place for her. After befriending new kid Jason Dean (Christian Slater), they accidentally kill one of the Heathers. This sets off an entire killing spree that wreaks havoc on Westerburg High School.

Dawson Leery - Dawson’s Creek

Even though he may have been seen more as a golden boy during his reign, Dawson (James Van Der Beek) caused some major damage in his day. We literally have a separate list showcasing all the times Leery was the worst character for his loved ones to be around. If he'd only been supportive of Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) going to Paris, who knows what could've been?

Cady Heron - Mean Girls

Tina Fey’s wildly quotable Mean Girls needs no introduction or explanation. With Cady (Lindsay Lohan) coming to terms with attending a public high school in the US after growing up in Africa, she is a poster child for this list. As she explores her new reality, she gets lost for a moment amid girl world drama, which leads to multiple friend, family, and relationship troubles.

Rue Bennet - Euphoria

The Max ‘teen’ jewel-encrusted drama juggernaut holds another ensemble of lost and morose students. However, Rue Bennet (Zendaya) and her substance abuse issues are the focal point. It's upended friendships, caused familial stresses, multiple times over, causing Rue to lie, steal and hurt everyone in the East Highlanders.

Chris Hargensen - Carrie

Stephen King’s Carrie is another classic high school staple that helped push the envelope on what fictional teen worlds could hold. Popular girl and bully, Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) makes Carrie’s (Sissy Spacek) life a living nightmare. Hargensen continues down a downward spiral that leads to the bone-chilling but iconic prank that happens at the dance (which has some truly grim consequences).

Tim Riggins - Friday Night Lights

If you know anything about this NBC network TV classic, you either love or hate Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch). While he was a regular womanizer, heavy partier, not to mention that he sabotaged himself and the team with some regularity, he straightened up.

Dallas ‘Dally’ Winston - The Outsiders

Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of The Outsiders is a quintessential coming-of-age story. Even though the whole gang is rough and tumble, along with any of the ‘Socs,’ Dally (Matt Dillon) is the most troubled. With an already tumultuous background, Johnny’s death sends him on to make poor decisions for himself and his friends.

Cory Matthews - Boy Meets World

Surprising, I know. The more classic choice from Boy Meets World may be Shawn Hunter, but Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) sparked plenty of trouble in his time (like fellow do-gooder, Dawson Leery). Throughout the 7 seasons, he caused more rifts between his family, friends and Topanga than anyone else.

Billy Loomis & Stu Macher - Scream

Naturally, any teen in any scary movie generally has some baggage that leads to strife in one way or another. Youths like Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Matthew Lillard) are different, though, they are intentionally motivated to terrify and harm their fellow classmates and the people of Woodsboro. Unfortunately for them, their plans backfire on them gravely.

Lucas Scott - One Tree Hill

Like the aforementioned teen network drama shows of the mid and late ‘00s, any character is up for debate. Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), the main protagonist, puts on a good show of commotion for everyone in his life. Being a serial heartbreaker while being unloyal and manipulative to others lands him this particular title.

Jennifer Check - Jennifer’s Body

Jennifer’s Body, again, isn’t filled with average adolescents, and especially not Jennifer (Megan Fox). While she and longtime friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) head out for a semi-average night of Jennifer-approved fun, all goes awry. We find out that Jennifer has turned into a demon feasting on the male teens of Devil’s Kettle, WY. After the friends face off, Needy gets pinned for the murders and gets taken to an insane asylum.

Rachel Berry - Glee

The destined-for-greatness Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) typically stopped at nothing to get what she wanted, regardless of the consequences. While the fictional NYADA darling had moments of hope and promise, her ego and ambition always seemed to cause more harm than good. (Any Ryan Murphy-created teen could do, though.)

Seth - Superbad

The 2007 classic was the first Seth Rogen-Evan Goldberg project, and it immediately put them on the map. The semi-biographical Superbad revolves around characters with the same names and pretty typical senior tropes. Of the fictional duo Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), and their pal, Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), the first of the trio creates the most trouble for their celebratory evening. While the trio make up, along with the girls (Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac), before graduation.

Rory Gilmore - Gilmore Girls

“Why did you drop out of Yale?” Even though Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) is one of the more unusual fictional high schoolers on the list, her dropping out was monumental for the world of Gilmore Girls. Even Lauren Graham didn’t like the storyline because of the turmoil it created between Lorelai and Rory. Not to mention, her sleeping with Dean, missing Lorelai's graduation and later on, being more lost than ever in her 30s.

Donnie - Donnie Darko

Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) isn’t your typical troublesome, drama-filled teen, even though his choices in one reality lead to serious consequences. His present ED signifiers (Emotional Disturbance) present Donnie as something else, but we eventually come to realize he's an anti-hero of sorts. As he comes to realize that there are multiple timelines at play, he chooses to fix it to save Gretchen Ross' (Jena Malone) life. And with his developed powers, he returns to the day when it all went awry, which leads to his destiny--death.

Archie Andrews - Riverdale

Archie of The CW’s Riverdale was one of the many, much darker TV reboots out there. And though all the drama has always hinged on the red-headed football hero regardless of genre, the TV show really packs Archie with a punch. To be fair, he also found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time quite frequently–it’s how he reacted to them that gives him the top spot for the searching students of Riverdale High.

Kathryn Merteuil & Sebastian Valmont - Cruel Intentions

Another young and terrifying twosome is Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Philippe). The oddball step-siblings wager a bet that involves innocent and new Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon). Through the scheme, the group of students is faced with continuing drama until a very sad end.

Valerie Malone - Beverly Hills, 90210

Though there was plenty of actual drama on the set of Beverly Hills, 90210, Valerie Malone (Tiffani Thiessen) wasted no time sowing seeds of chaos. Arriving in Season 5 with a lot of baggage in the form of family trauma, Malone was immediately set up to be in trouble. She dated many of the guys and regularly feuded with the girls.

Max Fischer - Rushmore

As one of the many stylized Wes Anderson films, Rushmore was one of his earliest. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is a love-drunk student determined to date his teacher and will stop at nothing to achieve it. After an array of mishaps and his fellow acquaintance, Blume (Bill Murray), hitting it off with her, Max loses it. He leaked the affair publicly and temporarily burned bridges with both of them.

Willow Rosenberg - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Willow’s (Alyson Hannigan) rise to raising hell for Buffy and co. may be a slow burn, but once she hits it, things get wild. While her use of telepathy, manipulation and struggling to keep her magic in check kick off the season, Tara’s death sets Willow into overdrive in trying to destroy the world.

PJ & Josie - Bottoms

Gen Z coming-of-age comedies come in all shapes and sizes, including Emma Seligman’s Bottoms. The satirical take on the high school experience is wild, especially with PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri). The BFF’s hatch a fight club for girls so they can talk to cheerleaders they have crushes on. Needless to say, a lot of drama goes down, including a car blowing up.

Mona Vanderwaal - Pretty Little Liars

Honestly, most characters from the 2010 series have a fair shot here. But Mona (Janel Parrish) is the reason for all of the mystery and torment. She is who sparks the series because of her grudge against the main friend group. Eventually, she becomes one of them, and even more trouble ensues.

Laura Palmer - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

In my opinion, there’s no list about misguided high schoolers complete without Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). The character was cemented into pop culture in David Lynch’s cult show, Twin Peaks, but the less popular prequel movie shows her tragic undoing. Her last days are filled with traumas relating to her drug addiction, web of lies and darker spirits. Warning, this movie isn't for the faint of heart.

DeGrassi: The Next Generation

DeGrassi: The Next Generation is maybe the only title on the list in which each character is as chaotic and troubled as the last. The iconic Canadian teen soap has multiple iterations, but the 2002-2015 series takes the cake. Between the students, they have every classic dramatic HS storyline in the book, and alumni Drake’s “I’m Upset” reunion-filled music video summarizes some key points.

Nancy Downs - The Craft

The quartet of girls in The Craft start as lost as the next, but Nancy’s (Fairuza Balk) power-hungry ways destroy what they have together. After quiet Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) moves to town and gets wronged, Downs and her pals take her in. All four hatch a scheme to cast a spell on the wrongdoer, and when it succeeds, that’s when Nancy starts sabotaging everything.

John B - Outer Banks

Netflix’s Outer Banks is one wild ride with wayward John B (Chase Stokes) at the helm. Sure, other characters may be outwardly more troubled (JJ, Sarah or Rafe), but everyone’s lives intensified because of John B’s initial treasure hunt.

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson - Lady Bird

As one of the more subtle teenage pot stirrers, Ladybird (Saoirse Ronan) still makes her presence and opinions unmistakably clear. Her main sources of conflict reside within her relationship with her hardworking mom (Laurie Metcalf) and nerdy best friend (Beanie Feldstein). While Lady Bird temporarily burns bridges with both in pursuit of greater life expectations and new friends, she mends things with both.

Effy Stonem - Skins UK

A cult classic that ran from 2007-2013 and largely featured the rebellious but lost Effy Stonem (Kaya Scodelario). From the jump, we see 14-year-old her sneaking home in the early morning after being out all night at a rave. Needless to say, Effy’s journey was a bumpy one filled with substance abuse, mental health crises, and a web of lies.

A One Tree Hill sequel series is in the works to one day stream for fans with Netflix subscriptions, and it’s already been fun thinking about what these beloved characters have been up to since we said goodbye to them over 10 years ago. With Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton on board to return, and Bush even admitting changes she'd make to Brooke Davis, could more be joining them? Tyler Hilton recently expressed interest, and I am loving his idea of what Chris Keller would be up to today.

Hilton recurred throughout Seasons 2, 3, and 4 as the egotistical musician who almost broke up Nathan and Haley, and after a years-long hiatus, returned to star in the ninth and final season of The WB/CW teen drama. Despite causing some trouble almost every time he was on the screen, he certainly grew to be a fan-favorite, and I would love nothing more than to have Chris Keller back in Tree Hill. Hilton shares the same sentiment, telling People he would love to play Chris once again:

Considering there would be times where Chris Keller would just randomly show up out of nowhere, it would definitely be easy to make it happen and explain where he’s been and why he’s just shown up out of nowhere. Plus, it seems like the show still holds a big spot in Hilton’s heart, and it would be fun to see him as Chris again, presumably causing some kind of trouble for others.

That being said, what exactly would bring Chris Keller back into the picture? Hilton shared a fun idea that would be perfect for the character, and it would also be a good way to involve Tree Hill High once again. Knowing how close he is with the cast, I desperately need to see it happen because it would just be way too good:

Chris Keller helping a misfit group of teenage musicians would definitely be a unique way for the character to return, especially if he thinks he’s just helping himself. It would also give Hilton the chance to still be on the show without necessarily needing to show up in every single episode, if scheduling is a problem. While fans did see Chris turn on the charm for the kids in the final season, and he was actually pretty good at it, seeing him help teens would be a different story,

As of now, it’s unknown who else will be returning for the One Tree Hill reboot. Even though the original series might have gone on too long, the love for the show never went away, and it will be exciting to see, at least, where Brooke and Peyton are today as they raise their teens. It's going to be an emotional return to Tree Hill and for now, fans can go back and watch one of the many shows about young romance with all nine seasons of OTH streaming with a Hulu subscription.

There are so many types of films and TV shows out there where one of the main focuses is romance, whether it's the best rom-com movie out there or it's a dramatic, neverending tale of love. But today, we'll be focusing on films and TV shows that focus on young love – teenagers and the like, obviously. Let's get into it.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy (2018 – 2021)

This To All The Boys I've Loved Before trilogy defined a generation of young women like me who dream of having someone like Peter Kavinsky sweep them off their feet. We all agreed that Noah Centineo was the internet's boyfriend for years after this—indeed, a culture shift.

Teen Wolf (2011 – 2017)

While Teen Wolf certainly ranks high on our list of supernatural teen dramas because that is the basis of this show, a lot of people focus on love. And I mean a lot. The romances that happen are mainly what drives this series about a high schooler turning into a werewolf. You can't really get much better than that.

Grease (1978)

Okay, while literally, not a single person in the Grease cast was of high school age, the movie itself is about young romance. While I sometimes think Grease can be overrated, the movie musical does a good job of showing how young romance can affect a teenager – in an enjoyable musical form.

One Tree Hill (2003 – 2012)

When literally anyone thinks of teen romance, they think of One Tree Hill. Running for a total of nine seasons, the series tells the story of two half-brothers who compete for the same position on their school's basketball team, but of course, their love lives get entwined and tangled as well. This is drama to the max.

Easy A (2010)

When I think of Emma Stone's best movies, Easy A is always up there. While she's excellent in her dramatic roles, there is just something about seeing her in this comedic romance movie, which takes the cake every time. It takes young romance and makes it a joke, and honestly, it makes the relationship that her character forms with someone else even better.

Gilmore Girls (2000 – 2007)

Yes, I know I'll have some people say that Gilmore Girls isn't really based on young romance because it's more about the relationship between mother and daughter, but you tell me that you haven't spent time wondering who Rory was going to end up with in this series. Before there was Team Edward and Team Jacob, there was Team Dean and Team Jess (and Jess was the better option, BTW).

X.O. Kitty (2023 – Present)

A spinoff of To All The Boys I've Loved Before, this series, X.O. Kitty, is all about Lara Jean's younger sister, Kitty, and her adventures across the world in South Korea and honestly, I love it. While romance is a main aspect of the series, it's also a fun little coming-of-age comedy that anyone can get behind.

Dawson's Creek (1998 – 2003)

Running for six seasons, Dawson's Creek is another essential teen romance TV series that has been talked about for years. The series is like most teen romances out there, where it follows a close group of friends in high school and their lives together, as well as the relationships that follow, but man, it was huge and shot the stars to fame.

She's All That (1999)

Nah, we are not talking about He's All That. We are bringing up the original She's All That. The movie, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook, is all about a high schooler who says he can make any girl popular and takes a bet to turn a random woman into a prom queen in six weeks. Romance ensues, and it's just a fun teen rom-com from there on.

Twilight (2008)

They are about romance when you think about it. The Twilight films are primarily all about the romance between Bella and Edward. And Bella is a teenager – and Edward is trapped in a young person's body, so technically, it is a teen romance…even if he is hundreds of years old, but THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT, OKAY? It's a teen romance.

Glee (2009 – 2015)

When I was coming up with ideas for this article, Glee was one of the first I knew I had to include here. Sure, we all love the Glee covers, but man, we ate up these romances when the show was out. Blaine and Kurt, Santana and Brittany, Rachel and Finn – it was endless, y'all. This may be about a Glee club, but we are all here for the love.

Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)

The Gossip Girl cast undoubtedly reached a point while filming this show when they were no longer teenagers, but we all loved this series for its romances—no matter how absolutely messy they got. And they got messsssssy.

My So-Called Life (1994 – 1995)

While My So-Called Life only ran for one season, it certainly cemented itself into pop history. It was very realistic in its portrayal of teenagers and took a natural examination of romance in young love. Sure, it wasn't as dramatic as the others, but it's still a great show – and now a cult classic.

She's The Man (2006)

For a time, it felt like Amanda Bynes was the queen of teen romance comedies, and She's The Man was undoubtedly her best. Telling the story of a female soccer player who goes undercover as a man to join the men's soccer team in order to play, the movie is hysterical and creates a comedic young romance that is just too good.

Never Have I Ever (2020 – 2023)

Running for four seasons, Never Have I Ever is a great teen romance show. It's reportedly loosely based on Mindy Kaling's (the co-creator) life and her life in Boston. It follows the story of a teenager in high school and how she deals with her personal and school life in the aftermath of her father's passing. The romance is just as great as everything else.

Ginny & Georgia (2021 – Present)

While you could make the same argument for Ginny & Georgia as you could with Gilmore Girls – where it's essentially about a mother and a daughter – the Netflix series takes a hard stance on romance and really makes it a primary part of the story. Sometimes, you'll love these relationships. Other times, you'll want to pull your hair out. But hey, it's a fun time.

The O.C. (2003 – 2007)

Taking place over four seasons, The O.C. is another excellent teen drama that puts romance at its front most of the time. The series follows the life of a teenager who is adopted into a wealthy home, how he deals with his new life, and the relationships around him. It's one of the best teen series out there, so you should check it out if you haven't.

Crush (2022)

Starring Rowan Blanchard, this Hulu original film is a fun one. Crush is all about a high schooler who joins the track team in order to get close to her crush – but, in a plot twist, she ends up falling for her crush's twin sister instead and causes a whole mess of problems.

The Vampire Diaries (2009 – 2017)

Don't even get me started on this show. The Vampire Diaries may be about mythical creatures, but the romance is the plot. The show is all about a normal girl falling for a vampire that she thinks is a human, but then his brother ends up falling for her too, and she does as well as it's this whole love triangle – god, it was everywhere at the time. It's a young romance show despite the vampires being hundreds of years old.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of the best adaptations of a William Shakespeare piece because it is so fun. The movie is about a student who wants to date someone, so he enlists the help of the local bad boy to date the sister of the person he wishes to date—I mean, it's a recipe for success.

Dash & Lily (2020)

It's a shame because Dash & Lily came out during a time when it wasn't properly appreciated. The Netflix series stars Austin Abrams and Midori Francis and tells the story of two teenagers who fall in love while trading messages and dares in a notebook across various locations in NYC. I mean, that's adorable. Please watch it if you haven't.

Warm Bodies (2013)

I had to get one fun pick on here. Warm Bodies is one of Nicholas Hoult's best movies, and it's so funny. It's literally about a zombie teenager and a human teenager falling in love. Like, come on. That's freaking adorable.

The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008 – 2013)

With five seasons, The Secret Life of the American Teenager was a massive hit for ABC Family when it was released. The central premise of the first season is about a teenager who gets pregnant after her time at band camp and a one-night stand, but of course, the series takes plenty of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time, especially with the romance.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022 – Present)

Now, this is a tremendous young romance pick. The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on the novels of the same name and tells the story of a teenager and the love triangle that she develops between two brothers. Yes, it is about as dramatic as you can expect it to be, and I eat it up each time.

Euphoria (2019 – Present)

Is Euphoria a lot more mature than any other picks on this list? You betcha, but that's what you get when you do a young romance show on HBO. The series mainly follows Rue and her time with drugs, but the romance aspect is a massive part of the show, mainly between other characters, but also between Rue and Jules.

Love, Victor (2020 – 2022)

A spinoff of the movie Love, Simon, this series is honestly a great one, and I wish it had more seasons. Love, Victor is all about the titular character, Victor, who comes to terms with his sexuality and learns to love himself and others over the course of its three seasons. It's a great LGBTQ+ TV show that I personally love.

The Kissing Booth (2018)

Okay, so The Kissing Booth in itself is a meme because there are so many moments that make you scratch your head and wonder how these relationships even work. But that doesn't change the fact that the first movie is entertaining as heck and certainly makes for a fun young romance.

A Cinderella Story (2004)

There are so many adaptations of Cinderella out there, but personally, A Cinderella Story is one of my favorites. It's about two teenagers who are online penpals who plan to meet up for the first time at a school's Halloween event. It's so sweet and adorable—ugh, I love it.

Sex Education (2019 – 2023)

I mean, this show is all about romance, love, and sex, thrown into a pretty bow. The series mainly follows a teenager and his experiences at school when everyone finds out that his mother is a sex therapist, but there are some excellent portrayals of young love on this show that really take the cake – ones I genuinely adore.

Love, Simon (2018)

This teen romance movie is one of the best out there. The film, starring Nick Robinson, follows the story of a closeted high schooler who is being blackmailed by someone at school while also trying to find out who the person is that he has fallen in love with online and dealing with his personal life as well. The movie does a great job of showing young love, and I love it.

Heartstopper (2022 – Present)

Based on the graphic novels of the same name, Heartstopper has three seasons and mainly follows the love story between Charlie and his feelings for Nick, a schoolboy with whom he shares a class. But as the series progresses, you get more and more relationships that make it so much more fun.

Literally, Any Romeo & Juliet Adaptation

Do I have to explain why? Whether you're talking about the one from the 1960s, Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo + Juliet, or any of the others, it's all about teen romance and what it does to us.

These are just some of the great picks I can think of, but there are so many others. I think these will be perfect for a little date night or a long weekend binge.

When I was growing up, collage was really in, and an entire wall in my bedroom was devoted to pictures of fit dudes from some of my favorite TV shows I’d ripped out of magazines like YM, Teen People and Seventeen. Tom Welling. Paul Walker. Milo Ventimiglia. Jared Padalecki (yeah I was a Gilmore Girls fan). And of course, my favorite from One Tree Hill Chad Michael Murray. So, imagine my surprise when I woke up this week to the gift that just keeps on giving: a monthly calendar of Chad Michael Murray shirtless in a variety of bowties.

Netflix put together the calendar to promote Chad Michael Murray’s upcoming Christmas movie The Merry Gentlemen, which is headed to the 2024 Netflix schedule on November 20th. It might seem like an attention grab to make Murray look like a veritable Chippendales dancer, but I swear it makes sense given the context of the movie, which we’ll get to in a bit. For now, behold the first day of “Chad Michael Murray-mas.”

The Merry Gentlemen actually does feature the actor as a man who stages an all-male Christmas Revue for a noble reason: to save a theater that is about to go under. That theater will belong to the parents of Britt Robertson’s Ashley, and she’ll recruit Murray’s Luke to help her in her very exciting new venture--one that may also lead to some sparks in her personal life. Michael Gross, Maxwell Caulfield, Hector David Jr., Beth Broderick, Colt Prattes and Marc Anthony Samuel also star.

Chad Michael Murray’s actually done a lot of these sorts of rom-com movies on the Hallmark schedule in recent years, but those have been, in my experience, a little more G-rated. I don’t really hate that Netflix is going a little harder with the eye candy, here, and after the release of the first trailer for The Merry Gentlemen, other fans who grew up with One Tree Hill seemed excited about the prospect, too.

The movie’s already drawn comparisons to Channing Tatum’s male dancer franchise Magic Mike, and if that logic continues, hopefully that means Murray, too, will be back for round 2. (And maybe even a Last Dance third movie. Hey, I’m bullish.) The Merry Gentlemen cast also put in the work, with the actor telling Netflix a few months ago they really did learn how to dance for the new role.

And hey– even if a second or third holiday movie doesn't spur from the loins of this one, I suppose it's always good to learn a new skill. Plus, fans who have stuck with Chad Michael Murray from his One Tree Hill days at least have 12 more months of joy to take from this gig. Thanks, Netflix.

Fans of Sophia Bush are thrilled to see the Good Sam star make her way to the 2024 TV schedule on another medical drama, as it was announced she’ll be a major recurring character on Grey’s Anatomy’s 21st season. But let’s be real, there are few things more exciting on the actress’ schedule than the upcoming One Tree Hill sequel, which was confirmed in August to be moving forward with members of the original cast. Details are scarce at this point, but one thing I can say is I fully agree with the change Bush hopes to see in her character.

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton will reprise their roles as BFFs Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer on the One Tree Hill sequel, as well as serve as executive producers alongside Danneel and Jensen Ackles. Danneel was also in talks to return as Rachel Gatina. When we last saw Brooke, she was taking over the fashion world with her line Clothes Over Bros, so of course that would be amongst Bush’s main concerns for how her character has changed. She said on her Drama Queens podcast:

It’s true that on watch-backs of One Tree Hill (which you can do on Hulu or Max — two of the best streaming services to subscribe to), some of the outfits might inspire some second-hand embarrassment. However, we all know that fashion is cyclical, and with the teen drama series first premiering in 2003, I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to see those trends rearing their heads again. We’ve already had Y2K belly chain and the early 2000s thong-baring looks resurface in the celebrity fashion circles.

As for what exactly Brooke Davis is wearing these days, that’s not something Sophia Bush has been able to put too much thought into yet, but she knows one essential item that will be in her character’s closet, as she continued:

Sophia Bush and the other members of One Tree Hill’s cast have had some mixed feelings over the years about reviving the beloved teen drama. Her stance on the matter has obviously softened over time, but not everyone feels that way. Chad Michael Murray does not plan to return, which leaves us with huge concerns about Lucas Scott and the status of him and Peyton, who we last saw together when Murray and Hilarie Burton left after Season 6. We know they were still an item when the actor made a guest appearance on Season 9, but has time not been kind to the couple?

While we wait on more details to come about the sequel, at least we don’t have to wait long to see Sophia Bush on the small screen again. The actress is joining Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Cass Beckman, a Seattle Presbyterian trauma surgeon who is married to Grey Sloan's cardiothoracic surgeon David Beckman. Previews for the episode “Night Moves” show her suggesting one way that Teddy Altman and Owen Hunt might spice up their marriage.

Don’t miss Grey’s Anatomy when it returns to ABC on Thursday, November 7, at 10 p.m. ET and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Though it’ll likely always remain a fan-favorite teen drama, One Tree Hill’s reputation has certainly diminished in part over the years, with creator Mark Schwahn having come under fire for multiple sexual assault allegations and for his alleged negative treatment of stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Hilarie Burton and more. In her new memoir, Lenz reflected on both that time of her life, as well as the decade she spent within the Big House Family cult, with comparisons made between Schwahn and her former cult leader.

Lenz’s new autobiographical release is called Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!), and hit shelves on October 22, which coincides with the One Tree Hill sequel series being developed with Burton and Sophia Bush reportedly returning. While it’s unclear if Lenz will return to the role of Haley for new stories, she did speak about her years playing the character on the O.G. series, which became more problematic due to Schwahn allegedly punishing the actors through storyline choices.

Recalling that she auditioned for the show as a faith-minded youth who wanted her character to reflect good morals, Bethany Joy Lenz says a One Tree Hill executive told her manager that the series was about “fucking and sucking,” and that she faced issues early on over a request to not have Haley wearing a bra for a scene. As she put it in the book (via Variety):

This incident served as an example of other problems she dealt with when trying to assert her opinions and ideas, and Lenz later came to realize that the tactics Mark Schwahn used to allegedly take advantage of her were not wildly dissimilar from the patterns that were put to use by the Big House Family leader she refers to in the memoir only as "Les."

To that end, she compared the two men, saying the main difference came down to the particulars of what she had to lose by not doing as she was told, which in the case of One Tree Hill, meant dealing with non-ideal plotlines for Haley. In her words:

At a time in which several of the show's female stars were dealing with on-set troubles, Lenz says she knew that her colleagues were talking about her cult involvement when was wasn't around, but says she was wrong about the context at the time, thinking they were being judgmental. As she put it (per Variety):

Thankfully, Bethany Joy Lenz made it throughout the full seven-season run of One Tree Hill intact, even if it took years to work past the transgressions of both her former work boss and her former cult leader. And while she's still booking gigs and maintaining her core fanbase, that former work boss hasn't earned any professional credits since the sexual assault allegations surfaced in 2017.

While waiting to see if the One Tree Hill sequel series will end up joining the 2025 TV schedule, fans can find Bethany Joy Lenz on Hallmark, where she hopes to reunite with former OTH co-star Jamie Lafferty for some holiday movie fun. In the meantime, One Tree Hill's entire run can be streamed with a Max subscription.

One Tree Hill’s sequel series sounds intriguing. I like the idea of Peyton and Brooke going about their lives decades after the original show with their teenage kids. I also like the premise of catching back up with these two beloved characters. However, I’m concerned about the lack of news surrounding Chad Michael Murray’s and the rest of the OTH cast's involvement.

When the initial news broke about the One Tree Hill sequel series, Deadline reported that Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton would be executive producing the show and returning to play Brooke and Peyton. The two women then confirmed the news with heartfelt Instagram posts about returning to Tree Hill. However, no one else from the original cast is officially attached to the series and one notable name is apparently not returning. So, yeah, I have concerns about this reboot.

Chad Michael Murray’s Lucas Is Reportedly Not Coming Back. What Does That Mean For Lucas And Peyton? 

Alright, here’s the deal, Chad Michael Murray was the only actor mentioned in the initial news when it came to people who wouldn’t be coming back, as Deadline’s report explained:

So, that probably means they won’t be together if he’s really not coming back, and that, to be blunt, sucks.

In Peyton and Lucas’ last episode of One Tree Hill (which was Season 6, Episode 24 “Remember Me as a Time of Day,” Hilarie Burton’s character gave birth to their daughter, and then the couple and their baby drove off into the sunset. After that, in Season 9, Murray reprised his role as Lucas in Episode 7, and during it he confirmed that he was still with Peyton, saying this as he spoke about his partner and daughter:

We know they were still together even though they weren’t in the show after Season 6. It would be heartbreaking to find out in this sequel series that Peyton and Lucas broke up, or worse, Lucas died. Now, I realize that the second option feels dramatic, but if you’ve seen One Tree Hill you know that they do surprising stuff like that, so it’s possible. Either way, I can’t stand to think that they aren’t together.

They went through so much adversity to end up with each other in One Tree Hill, and I feel like it’d backtrack on all of that to have them divorced in this new show. Plus, their daughter, Sawyer, was born in 2009, which would make her about 15 today (assuming the show will take place in the present). While OTH is all about the drama, I don’t want that to be explored by way of Peyton and Lucas breaking up. Haven’t they been through enough?

Hilarie Burton has said herself that “Peyton Sawyer doesn’t have nice moments,” with her specifically referring to her last episode in OTH. She deserves some “nice moments,” and I’d love some of them to come by way of her romance with Lucas.

Of course, there are ways this could work without him, I mean they did make the show work for three more seasons after Murray and Burton left. However, it’s by no means the ideal situation.

I Don't Know How A Show In Tree Hill Could Work Without Bethany Joy Lenz And James Lafferty

Along similar lines, while their participation was neither confirmed nor denied, I’m worried that Bethany Joy Lenz and James Lafferty won’t be back as Haley and Nathan.

Considering the original series' only constant couple was Nathan and Haley, to me it seems unfathomable to make a show without them. While One Tree Hill started with a story about brothers at its core, as it progressed Lafferty and Lenz played the characters who became the beating heart of the series.

Now, obviously, they could come back. As I said, Chad Michael Murray is reportedly the only one not returning at the moment. However, I find it odd that they weren’t attached to it from the jump, therefore I’m concerned about us getting a One Tree Hill sequel series that doesn’t include Nathan and Haley.

Notably, the OTH re-watch podcast Drama Queens – which was hosted by Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz – switched up the hosting line-up recently as Burton stepped down and Robert Buckley took her place. They did this because they reached the point in the show where Peyton left.

However, months before that, rumors started to float around that Burton and Lenz were feuding, per Glamour. Notably, though, none of that is confirmed, and the three women haven’t addressed it.

It’s hard not to wonder about the “what ifs,” though, including what if this drama is real and it’s going to impact who is cast in this sequel series.

When I think about One Tree Hill, Nathan and Haley are who I think of first and who I care the most about. I want to see where their kids went after the show ended, seeing as Jamie would probably be about 18 and Lydia would be about 13. And I’d love to see how their lives changed as their kids grew and Nathan’s basketball career was put firmly behind him.

Honestly, if they were missing, there would be a big hole in the show, much like there was back in the day when Peyton and Lucas drove off. Sure, they can explain their absence by simply saying they moved out of Tree Hill, and it’d probably be fine. However, I fear that the show could fall flat without them.

Luckily, both actors are very connected to the series. As I mentioned, Lenz co-hosts a rewatch podcast, and Lafferty has participated in multiple charity basketball games that are also One Tree Hill reunions. Plus, if Sophia Bush softened her stand on a reboot, why can’t they? All in all, I know their love for the show is still there, and I hope they are part of the group of actors who are reportedly in “informal conversations” about joining the series.

Overall, while I’m feeling concerned about the involvement of Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty and Bethany Joy Lenz, I am excited to see what happens with this One Tree Hill spinoff. It’s still early days, so anything truly can happen, and that includes these three being involved. However, at this moment they aren’t, and that’s why I’m feeling iffy about this sequel series.

A One Tree Hill sequel series is moving forward; understandably, many are emotional about the news, including its stars. Months after Sophia Bush revealed she’d softened her stance on a possible revival, it was announced she and Hilarie Burton would be returning to Tree Hill for a new show. They'll serve as executive producers and reprise their beloved roles as Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer, respectively. Now, the two confirmed the news by sharing emotional posts about coming back to their characters and the world of One Tree Hill.

The actresses shared the same statement on their respective Instagrams after the news broke to celebrate the upcoming series. Alongside very appropriate gifs tailored to their characters and a photo of them with co-stars Bevin Prince and Danneel Ackles – who is producing the new show with husband Jensen Ackles under their Chaos Machine banner – was an emotional caption that makes it all the more real that a return to Tree Hill is finally in the cards:

Even though OTH is a TV show that went on too long, a sequel series is something I can get behind. It also seems like Bush and Burton are as ready as ever to bring “Breyton” back into the fold.

The series always did a great job of feeling like a home, both for the characters and the viewers. This new sequel series already feels like that in more ways than one, and I’m emotional just thinking about it.

For a bit of context about why this is such a big deal, the fact that Hilarie Burton is on board is a pleasant surprise. She and Chad Michael Murray left at the end of Season 6. While Murray returned in a guest appearance for Season 9, Burton never came back, even when it came time for her best friend’s wedding. So, the fact that she's returning all these years later is extra exciting.

It’s hard to predict just what will happen and what will bring Peyton and Brooke back together in Tree Hill. However, as she, Sophia Bush, the series itself, and the series finale say, there really is only one Tree Hill. So, you know their return is going to be just as special as the town they're coming back to.

It was also only a matter of time before a new One Tree Hill series happened. It’s been 12 years since the WB/CW drama came to an end, but it is still arguably one of the best teen dramas streaming with a Hulu subscription. Despite behind-the-scenes controversy involving creator Mark Schwahn, most of the OTH cast has remained tight, and they'll get together for fan events or the rewatch podcast Drama Queens.

As of now, not many details have been revealed, but the series is at Netflix and in active development. With Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton attached, and possibly more to come, it wouldn’t be surprising if it eventually got the full order. So, fans will have to be patient and hope that they will be able to go back home to Tree Hill in the near future.

Never say never when it comes to the returns of hit shows with enthusiastic former stars, as the rumored revival of One Tree Hill has reportedly taken a big step forward. A sequel series is in the works for a very different platform than The WB/The CW where the original aired, with the very familiar faces from former One Tree Hill cast members already attached. That's not even all of the good news, so keep on reading for what you can expect from the new project.

While the sequel has not received a series order at the time of writing, Variety reports that the project is actively in development with Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, and Daneel Ackles as executive producers. Bush and Burton are already signed on to reprise their roles as Brooke and Peyton, respectively, and Ackles – who is producing alongside husband and Supernatural alum Jensen Ackles as part of their Chaos Machine production company – is said to be in talks to return on screen as Rachel as well.

I'd qualify that as plenty of good news straight off the bat, especially after Sophia Bush explained why she was coming around to a revival earlier this year despite previously saying that the idea of a revival was "complicated." Would anybody really be that invested in another story set in the One Tree Hill world without original stars?

Netflix and WBTV have not commented on the revival development reports at the time of writing, but I think it also qualifies as good news that original series creator, showrunner, and executive producer Mark Schwahn is not involved in the new project. Quite aside from the fact that the consensus among fans is that the later seasons were weaker than the earlier seasons, Schwahn was accused of sexual harassment of women in the cast and behind the scenes at One Tree Hill during its nine-season run. Hilarie Burton has even opened up about how the abuse continued to affect her even long after leaving the series.

There is some bad news, however. While Deadline reports that there have been talks between the executive producers and their fellow former castmates, Chad Michael Murray does not plan to return as Lucas Scott for the sequel series. This presents a potential problem, as Peyton and Lucas were together at the end of Season 9. In some better news about continuity from the end of One Tree Hill to however the story continues, Brooke's twin sons Davis and Jude are also said to be part of the series as teens, which suggests that the reboot could pick up in real time much like Netflix's Gilmore Girls revival did. The original ended in 2012.

All in all, I think there's more to celebrate than be bummed about at this point, even with the news that Chad Michael Murray is unlikely to return. There are plenty of cast members who seemingly haven't shot down potential returns, and there's no denying the enthusiasm of Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton. Along with Bethany Joy Galeotti (née Lenz), the two have been hosting the Drama Queens rewatch podcast to revisit their One Tree Hill days.

The wait is now on for details. If the news has put you in the mood to return to the original run of the series, you can find all nine seasons streaming with a Max subscription and/or a Hulu subscription.

Age-rap relationships aren't a rarity on television: in fact, they pop up in seemingly every genre, whether a big fantasy blockbuster like Game of Thrones, a beloved network sitcom like Modern Family, or an acclaimed drama like Succession. And in many cases, the TV wife is much younger than her onscreen spouse — here are 32 TV couples where the bride is married to a much older groom. 

Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)

There was a 15-year age difference between royal teen Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her much older husband, Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), on HBO's Game of Thrones. Even more surprising, Khaleesi was even younger in the George R. R. Martin novels upon which the fantasy show was based: though she's aged 17 in season one, she's only 13 in the book. 

Gloria Delgado-Pritchett (Modern Family)

Gloria Delgado-Pritchett (Sofia Vergara) is not only 25 years younger than her 60-something Modern Family hubby Jay (Ed O'Neill), but she's also only 14 months younger than her stepdaughter Claire (Julie Bowen). And while that hefty age disparity definitely lends itself to plenty of comedy throughout 11 seasons of the ABC sitcom, their relationship is actually one of the show's staples. 

Ethel Mertz (I Love Lucy)

Though Vivian Vance was only two years older than her onscreen BFF Lucille Ball when the classic comedy I Love Lucy began in 1951, the actress was a whopping 22 years younger than her TV spouse William Frawley, who played the Fred to her Ethel. Rumor has it that Vance wasn't too pleased to be paired with the older actor and their offscreen relationship was less pleasant than their famous chemistry suggests. 

Skyler White (Breaking Bad)

Skyler White (Anna Gunn) got a lot of hate during Breaking Bad's six-season run, but her husband Walt (Bryan Cranston) was running an entire meth empire behind her back so yes, she very much had reason to be upset with him. Walt was actually 12 years older than his wife, so he was definitely grown enough to know better than to get involved with the world of drug cartels. 

Julie Cooper (The O.C.) 

Marissa Cooper's mom Julie (Melinda Clarke) participated in her fair share of May-December romances as part of The O.C. cast, even having an affair with her daughter's ex-boyfriend Luke Ward (Chris Carmack). But it was her age-gap marriage to Caleb Nichol (Alan Dale) — the two-decades-older father of her friend Kristen — that earns her a spot on this list. 

Megan Draper (Mad Men)

The second wife of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) was the already younger Betty (January Jones), who was six or seven years his junior. But his third bride, Megan (Jessica Paré), was even younger than that: per The Daily Beast, Megan was somewhere between 25 and 26 years old this season, about 15 years younger than her husband and little more than a decade older than his daughter Sally (Kiernan Shipka).

Fran Fine (The Nanny)

Mr. Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) was a fortysomething widower and father of three when Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) ended up on his doorstep selling makeup and later became not only the nanny but the stepmother of his children. And though Fran lying about her age is a running joke throughout the CBS sitcom — in one late episode, even the FBI can't verify her real birthdate — it's clear that she's at least a decade younger than her husband. 

April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation)

There was an eight-year age difference between coworkers-turned-spouses April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) in Parks and Recreation. It was revealed during the first season of the beloved NBC sitcom that April was 19 years old while Andy was 28, an age gap which, though totally legal, didn't actually adhere to Andy's "half my age, plus seven" dating rule. 

Cheryl Mabel (According To Jim)

Though we actually don't learn the age of suburban mom Cheryl (played by Courtney Thorne-Smith) during eight seasons of the ABC sitcom According to Jim, it's safe to assume that the TV wife is more youthful than her onscreen hubby Jim (Jim Belushi), given that the actress playing her is 12 years younger than her co-star. 

Laura Petrie (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

Mary Tyler Moore was 24 when she began playing Laura Petrie, the stylish, capris-panted wife of TV writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), on The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1961. Moore was eleven years younger than the show's eponymous star, an age difference that Van Dyke revealed to Entertainment Tonight initially gave him pause. However, show creator Carl Reiner assured the actor: "I said, 'Nobody's going to know...Nobody ever even mentioned it. The first time they kissed on the pilot, that was it. They were together."

Princess Diana (The Crown)

Some TV couple age gaps are rooted in reality. Case in point, the age difference between the then-Prince of Wales, Charles III, and his 12-years-younger bride, Princess Diana, portrayed in Netflix's historical drama The Crown by Josh O'Connor and Emma Corrin in seasons 3 and 4, and Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki in seasons 5 and 6. 

Alicent Hightower (House Of The Dragon)

The fact that King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) married his daughter's best friend, Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), isn't the only awkward part about their relationship — there's also that considerable age difference. In George R. R. Martin's Fire & Blood, 30-year-old Viserys is 11 years older than his young bride; however, the onscreen age gap is much larger, with Viserys played by 50-year-old Considine and frequently in poor health in the fantasy series. 

Joanna Loudon (Newhart)

Mary Frann, best known for her role as Joanna Loudon, the wife of Bob Newhart's character on the CBS sitcom Newhart, was 13 years older than her iconic co-star. Per that infamous series finale, the storylines from the small-town sitcom all ended up being a dream inside the mind of Bob Hartley from The Bob Newhart Show, so it seems like a much younger TV wife was simply wishful thinking. 

Wanda Maximoff (WandaVision)

Given that WandaVision picked up just a few weeks after that big old Blip in Avengers: Endgame, we know that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) was still 28 years old in the Disney+ miniseries. As for her android husband, Vision (Paul Bettany) was technically only six at the time of the show, since he was "created" in 2015's Age of Ultron. But things get even more complicated when you consider that Bettany is nearly two decades older than his onscreen wife. 

Rhonda Volmer (Big Love)

HBO's polygamy drama Big Love saw many big age-gap marriages in its five seasons, which ran on the network from 2006 to 2011, but the couple with the largest disparity was octogenarian Juniper Creek prophet Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton) and his teen bride-to-be Rhonda Volmer (Daveigh Chase).

Peg Bundy (Married... with Children)

Katey Sagal started her role as Peggy Bundy on Married... with Children when she was 33 years old, eight years junior to her male counterpart Ed O'Neill, who played Al Bundy. However, Sagal mentioned in several interviews over the years that she always imagined Peg to be even younger than Al; in a season 11 episode, her character jokes that she was 9 years old and Al 18 when they wed. 

Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)

As is the case with many Game of Thrones characters, both Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage) and his younger missus Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) were aged up a few years from the A Song of Ice and Fire books for the HBO series. In the fantasy novels, Sansa is said to be 13 years old and Tyrion 26 at the time of their marriage; in the TV show, however, the Stark daughter was 15 and the Lannister lad around 34. 

Fiona Gallagher (Shameless)

With an absentee mother and an alcoholic father, Fiona Gallagher (Emma Rossum) was forced to grow up early as the matriarch of the Gallagher clan in Showtime's Shameless. So it wasn't too much of a surprise when the 23-year-old was set to wed Sean Pierce (Dermot Mulroney), the fortysomething owner of her employer Patsy's Pies. However, their marital plans fell through when his troubled past came back to haunt them. 

Meredith Grey (Grey's Anatomy)

In the season 1 script for the long-running medical drama, then-surgical intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was described as 32 years old, making her older than the rest of the mid-twenties interns but about seven years younger than her McDreamy one-night stand and eventual husband, Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). 

Anna Smith (Downton Abbey)

Anne Smith (Joanne Froggatt) met her future husband, John Bates (Brendan Coyle) in the very first episode of Downton Abbey, when the man is hired as the new valet to Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville). By the end of season 2, they would marry, despite a solid 15-year age difference between them. 

Connie McDowell (NYPD Blue)

Even the producers of the ABC procedural NYPD Blue were concerned about pairing up Dennis Franz's Andy Sipowicz and Charlotte Ross's much younger Connie McDowell for the detective's third marriage. Executive producer Bill Clark likened turning the characters into a romantic couple to "walking onto a minefield," telling The Los Angeles Times: “I can say I don’t think in all of the years on the show any decision has had as much effort put into it like this one.”

Penny Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

Onscreen, the age difference between Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and his neighbor-turned-wife Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is about five years, but behind-the-scenes, the IRL discrepancy is even larger: born in 1975, Galecki is a whole decade older than his co-star. 

Natasha Naginsky (Sex and the City)

The youthfulness of Natasha Naginsky (Bridget Moynahan), the 26-year-old second wife of fortysomething Mr. Big (Chris Noth), is a major point of contention for Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and the rest of the Sex and the City girls. However, despite being younger than the rest, Natasha proves to be the only one with real maturity, handling Carrie and Big's messy affair with strength and dignity. 

Abishola Wheeler (Bob Hearts Abishola)

Looks like Bob hearts younger women. In the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, Bob Wheeler (Billy Gardell) falls for Nigerian nurse Abishola Adebambo (Folake Olowofoyeku) while being treated at the hospital for a mild heart attack. Along with their cultural differences, there is also a generation gap between the couple: Bob is in his fifties and while Abishola's age is never stated in the show, it's safe to assume she's in her thirties like actress Olowofoyeku. 

Margot Sauerbruch (Charité at War)

In the German drama Charité at War, Doctor Margot Sauerbruch (Luise Wolfram) is nearly three decades younger than her husband Ferdinand Sauerbruch (Ulrich Noethen), who is the head of surgery at Berlin's Charité hospital. In fact, Margot is much closer in age to her stepson Peter (Maximilian Klas) than his father.

Esther Keyes (The Handmaid's Tale)

In the dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale, women and girls are taken as wives as long as they are fertile to boost birthrates. For example, Esther Keyes (Mckenna Grace), is only 14 years old when she is placed into an arranged marriage to the elderly Commander Keyes (Bill MacDonald). However, Esther rebels against the oppression and ends up slowly poisoning her older husband. 

Barbra Jean Hart (Reba)

It's become a cliché for a man to move on from his first marriage by marrying a much younger bride for his second, but that's exactly what happened in The WB comedy Reba. Reba Hart's (Reba McEntire) life was upended when her husband of 20 years, Brock (Christopher Rich), decided to divorce her after getting his dental hygienist, Barbra Jean (Melissa Peterman) — who was half his age — pregnant. 

Marcia Roy (Succession)

Even at two decades younger than her husband, the in-her-60s Marcia Roy (Hiam Abbass) was a significantly more age-appropriate partner for powerful media-mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) than his even younger secretary-slash mistress Kerry Castellabate (Zoë Winters), who was only in her thirties. 

Sara Sidle (CSI)

CSI fans were in for a surprise in the season 6 finale of the CBS police procedural, when Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and Gil Grissom (William Petersen) ended up in bed with each other. The coupling was even more unexpected, given the age gap between the two characters, who later married in season 10: Grissom was not only Sara's boss but also 15 years older than her. 

Shelly Tambo (Northern Exposure)

Shelly Tambo (Cynthia Geary) was first introduced on the Alaska-set CBS dramedy Northern Exposure as the young girlfriend of sexagenarian Holling Vincoeur (John Cullum). She initially has a difficult time getting Holling down the altar, as the storied lifespans of the Vincoeur males has him worries that, despite being more than 40 years older than Shelly, he could outlive her for decades with a broken heart. 

Rachel Gatina (One Tree Hill)

The name "Rachel Gatina" is pretty notorious among One Tree Hill fans and for good reason: Danneel Harris's character had a long history of manipulation and promiscuity in the teen drama. And that drama didn't stop when she married Dan Scott, the father of her former Tree Hill schoolmates Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan (James Lafferty).

Elena Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries)

Though Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) looked around the same age as her primary love interests Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) — the latter of whom she married in the season 8 finale episode — both men were significantly older than her as they were, of course, vampires. (Damon was 169 years old and Stefan was seven years younger in The Vampire Diaries pilot.) 

Nicole Wright (True Blood)

In the sixth season of HBO's fantasy drama True Blood, Merlotte's Bar and Grill owner Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) meets the much younger supernatural rights activist Nicole Wright (Jurnee Smollett-Bell). Despite the large age gap (there are 17 years between the performers) and the fact that they're different species (he a shapeshifter, she a mere human), the twosome goes on to leave Bon Temps together, marry and have children, as revealed in the show's epilogue. 

Sophia Bush is known for many projects over the years of her career, including four seasons of NBC primetime with Chicago P.D. and the iconic 2006 teen comedy John Tucker Must Die. That said, many of her fans have been following her since her days as Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill, where she starred for all nine of the WB/CW show’s seasons. Now, more than ten years after the 2012 finale with the 2024 TV schedule in full swing, Bush explained why she couldn’t change her hair as Brooke.

Despite opening up about negative set experiences on One Tree Hill due to the behavior of creator Mark Schwahn, Sophia Bush has remained fond of the series and her co-stars, including kinda sorta coming around to the idea of a revival and co-hosting the Drama Queens rewatch podcast with fellow OTH alums Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz. Bush reflected on why she wasn’t allowed to change her hair throughout the era of that show (a.k.a. from 2003-2012) during a recent appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

She and celeb partner Alex Edelman were asked about what “pulling a Felicity” means after a TV incident in the ‘90s. Bush didn’t waste a moment, quickly saying:

Felicity starred Keri Russell, was created by J.J. Abrams, and ran for four seasons on The WB from 1999-2002, meaning that Felicity was still fresh in pop culture when One Tree Hill premiered in 2003. While there were undoubtedly many reasons why the critically acclaimed Felicity’s ratings dipped drastically from Season 1 to Season 2, the legend around Felicity is that it was doomed as soon as Keri Russell’s curly hair was cut to a bob for Season 2. The origin of the haircut was actually a joke played by Russell, but it became an infamous reality.

And apparently, the higher ups at One Tree Hill were so determined to avoid “pulling a Felicity” with Sophia Bush and presumably the rest of the cast that personal haircuts were just not allowed. I doubt the biggest reason for Felicity tanking really is Keri Russell's hair, but OTH certainly did run for longer than Felicity did. Russell’s show ended after 84 episodes over four seasons; One Tree Hill ran for nine seasons and 187 episodes.

Sophia Bush could clearly laugh about the haircut rule nowadays, but I have to wonder if she felt differently back in her WB/CW days. If you’re now in the mood to revisit the highs and lows of One Tree Hill, you can find all nine seasons streaming with a Hulu subscription and/or Max subscription. Bush’s episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire will be available streaming on Hulu. You can also check out our list of shows like One Tree Hill for some similar but not identical options!

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

There are those shows that ended long before we wanted them to, from '90s one-season wonders like Freaks & Geeks and My So-Called Life to perfectly timed dramas like Succession and Breaking Bad. These are not those shows. Instead, these television titles overstayed their welcome, long after their biggest stars departed, or the critical acclaim and awards dried up, or the storylines made any sense. Here are 32 TV shows that simply went on way too long. 

Californication

At the beginning of Showtime's Californication, which ran on the network from 2007 to 2014, the story of troubled novelist Hank Moody (David Duchovny) and his hedonistic ways felt fresh and edgy. But seven seasons of incessant drinking and womanizing majorly dulled any of that edge. 

The Walking Dead

How long can people survive a zombie apocalypse? Apparently, for a while—the AMC flagship series The Walking Dead went on for an unfathomable eleven seasons and the survival story of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) still isn't over, having been picked up in the spin-off miniseries The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. 

Dexter

One word: lumberjack. For eight seasons, the Showtime series followed Miami man Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) as he worked as a forensic pathologist by day and a vigilante serial killer by night. Spending nearly a decade watching Dexter get away with murder after murder felt both implausible and repetitive. And don't even get us started on that disappointing, woodsy series finale. 

Grey's Anatomy

It's felt like Grey's Anatomy has been resuscitated more times than any of the patients at Seattle Grace. It's been the longest-running medical drama on primetime, but it became barely the Grey's that O.G. fans remember. In later seasons, lead actress Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, scaled back to a recurring role, and beloved original characters like Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) were all long gone. 

The Handmaid's Tale

There's plenty of argument to be made that Hulu's dragged-out dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale—which sees fertile American women (played by the likes of Elisabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel and Samira Wiley) being forced into child-bearing slavery by a totalitarian government—should have been a one-and-done miniseries. After all, the 1985 Margaret Atwood novel on which it is based concluded after the events of the first season. 

Sons of Anarchy

Too-long episodes (many of which pushed way past the traditional hour-long mark) and irredeemable characters made it hard to continue to care about Jax (Charlie Hunnam), Gemma (Katey Sagal) and the rest of the outlaw bikers in the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club after seven seasons of the FX crime drama.

Shameless

Sure, Shameless had a jam-packed ensemble throughout its entire eleven season run, including Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy, Cameron Monaghan and Shanola Hampton. But the grungy Showtime family drama lost its heart when lead actress Emmy Rossum—who played the older sister-turned-matriarch Fiona Gallagher—departed the series in season nine. 

White Collar

Many White Collar fans felt that things were getting a little rinse-and-repeat with the USA Network procedural by the end of its six-season run, with case-of-the-week storylines and stagnant character development. Imagine their surprise, then, when it was announced that the show was getting a Netflix revival, with actors Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay and Tiffani Thiessen reprising their roles. 

This Is Us

The earned emotionality of early seasons of This Is Us—an NBC family drama that follows the lives of two parents (played by Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore) and their three children (Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley,) in several different time frames—started to feel manipulative and maudlin after six years. 

Suits

Some television shows suffer from an unsustainable premise. Case in point, Suits, the USA Network legal drama that follows a college dropout with a photographic memory (Patrick J. Adams) who is hired to work as an associate at a prestigious law firm, despite not actually having a license to practice law. Sure, Jan. Despite the dubious concept, Suits aired for a whopping nine seasons. 

Supernatural

Exactly how many demons, ghosts and monsters did brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) have to hunt down to save the world? Fifteen seasons and 327 episodes worth! However, even many Supernatural superfans believe the CW fantasy series lost its way by the end and should have finished after season five when creator Eric Kripke left as showrunner. 

How I Met Your Mother

That is one long story that Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor) tells his adolescent children Luke (David Henrie) and Penny (Lyndsy Fonseca) about how their dad first met their mother. In fact, the tale took nine whole years, with many meandering tangents along the way, that we wouldn't blame the kids if they, too, got bored listening to it. 

Glee

Few shows faced quite the critical fall from grace as Glee. Early on, the FOX teen show—which centered on the plucky members of New Directions, the glee club of the fictional William McKinley High School—was an awards show juggernaut, winning several Emmys in its first few seasons, but those high notes were soured when the scripts focused less on the show's original characters and more on ad nauseum celebrity guests. 

Scrubs

Starting with the ninth season, many of the original Scrubs cast—including Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn—stepped back from being main characters on the show, popping up in only a handful or as little as one episode that season. Longtime fans of the NBC medical comedy didn't love that their favorites got replaced with new characters, played by the likes of Kerry Bishé, Michael Mosley and Dave Franco.

The Big Bang Theory

Running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes, this CBS sitcom about Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and their similarly geeky pals got bogged down by too many main characters, recycled old catchphrases and the use of laugh tracks as a crutch. 

The Simpsons

As old as, well, the person writing this very article, the satirical animated sitcom has broken several TV records in its three-decade tenure, including being the longest-running scripted primetime series in American television. And though Homer, Marge, Bar, Lisa, Maggie and the rest of the residents of Springfield are comedy legends, they now feel like relics of a different generation. 

Riverdale

The occurrences within the town of Riverdale were easy enough to keep track of in the early seasons of the CW teen drama, which was populated with the famous characters from Archie Comics (Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the like.) But as the writing got messier and mazelike, and the characters' storylines more and more outlandish, the soapy series became impossible to take seriously by the end of its seven-season run. 

Game of Thrones

The brazenness with which the Game of Thrones creators killed off some of its biggest, most beloved characters — Ned Stark (Sean Bean) in season one, his son Robb (Richard Madden) and wife Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) in season four — majorly lost its umph when the show killed off Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the season five finale...only to resurrect him two episodes later. 

Homeland

The first two seasons of this Showtime espionage thriller — in which Claire Danes stars as a CIA officer with bipolar disorder, opposite Damian Lewis playing a Marine Corps Scout Sniper who has just returned home following eight years in captivity — received universal acclaim, including the 2012 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. However, though Homeland had eight seasons total, it never recovered in quality following the death of Lewis's character in season 3. 

Two and a Half Men

It's always a gamble when you replace the main character of a TV show, especially such a long-running one as the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men. Originally starring Charlie Sheen as a hedonistic jingle writer living with his uptight brother (played by Jon Cryer) and his nephew (Angus T. Jones), the show misguidedly hired Ashton Kutcher to lead the cast in seasons nine through twelve after Sheen left the show to enter drug rehab. 

One Tree Hill

It rarely works when a high school show follows its characters to college and into adulthood. One Tree Hill, the early-aughts teen drama that ran for three seasons on The WB and another six on The CW, stretched the storylines of Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton), Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) and the rest of the Tree Hill Ravens crew too long past graduation, especially as both Murray and Burton departed the show after season five.  

Lost

Airing 121 episodes over six seasons from 2004 to 2010, Lost packed a lot of supernatural nonsense onto that island, frustratingly devolving over the years from a character drama to a complex mythology swirling with time travel, smoke monsters and electromagnetic phenomena. Even co-creator Damon Lindelof has said that he wanted the show to end after three seasons instead of six. By the time the series aired its final episode, the sci-fi series had offered up far too many questions and far too few answers.

Modern Family

Even Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, who played Haley Dunphy in 11 seasons of the Emmy-winning ABC comedy, was kind of disappointed by the show's later seasons. And she seemingly wasn't the only one: though it had earned both critical acclaim and strong viewership for its earlier installments, season 10 had the worst ratings of the series. 

Once Upon a Time

The thing about fairytales is that soon enough you get to that happily ever after at the end. The ABC fantasy drama Once Upon a Time seemingly didn't get that message because it made fans wait for that storybook ending for seven long seasons — even Robert Carlyle, who portrayed Rumplestiltskin in the series, retrospectively admitted to The A.V. Club that he felt that the series "ran for too long."

Killing Eve

On paper, we should have never wanted Killing Eve to end, with its cast led by a superb Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer — as a British intelligence investigator and the psychopathic assassin she's tasked with capturing, respectively — and scripts from the brilliant mind of Fleabag scribe-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. However, when Waller-Bridge departed as head writer after the first season, the once-great show simply ran out of story. 

Bones

Crime procedurals have a habit of staying on TV long after they should, what with their formulaic case-of-the-week structure that's easy to replicate season after season. And Bones, the long-running Fox crime drama starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, is definitely no exception, overstuffed with soapy gimmicks, themed episodes and a way-too-long will-they-won't-they dynamic between Deschanel's Temperance Brennan and Boreanaz's Seeley Booth.

The Office

Of course, we love the entire Dunder Mifflin crew, but everybody knows that The Office should have naturally called it quits when lead Steve Carell — who played the "World's Best Boss," a.k.a. the delightfully incompetent Michael Scott — departed the show after its seventh season. Not even big-name actors like Will Ferrell and James Spader could fill the hole Michael Scott left. 

Westworld

Westworld's first season is to this day the most-watched first season of any HBO original series. However, that popularity, coupled with early critical acclaim, didn't last long for the dystopian Western — the writing and character work drastically declined by the time the show was canceled in November 2022, and just a month later, the entire series was brutally removed from HBO Max. 

That '70s Show

The Fox teen drama — centered on a groovy group of teenage friends living in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin — worked because of the chemistry created by its young cast, including Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama. So of course the show itself took a creative hit when that chemistry was altered following the departures of Grace and Kutcher after the seventh season. 

Smallville

Initially a show about a teenage Clark Kent dealing with issues both human (bullies, crushes) and superhuman (kryptonite and such) while growing up in fictional Smallville, Kansas, Smallville seemed to care less and less about the human side of the Man of Steel over the course of ten seasons. Many fans suggest that the TV superhero should have hung his cape after season seven, which saw the departure of both the show's main villain Lex Luther (Michael Rosenbaum) and Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. 

13 Reasons Why

Based on the young adult novel by Jay Asher, 13 Reasons Why is one of those cases where a multi-season show was made to be a limited series. Instead of just neatly telling the story of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) and the tapes she leaves behind after tragically ending her own life, the Netflix teen drama inexplicably changed genres throughout its four-season run, becoming a poor murder mystery in the show's third season. 

Heroes

Though the NBC superhero drama Heroes only went on for four seasons, critics of the show were already pointing out less-than-engaging storylines and lack of cohesion as early as season two. The tales of ordinary people who discover that they have superhuman abilities and have to work together to prevent catastrophic futures should have been adrenaline-pumping stuff, but it simply couldn't sustain that energy after its acclaimed first season. 

Across One Tree Hill’s nine-season run, there are a number of notable episodes that probably stand out the most in fans’ minds. One such installment is sure to be the Season 6 finale, “Remember Me as a Time of Day.” That’s because it marked Hilarie Burton and Chad Michael Murray’s final episode as regular cast members – and it was the last time Burton ever appeared on the show at all. The actress, who played the role of Peyton Sawyer Scott, recently recalled filming her final scene. And, needless to say, this behind-the-scenes story from the set of one of the best teen dramas streaming right now is awkward.

What Happens During This One Tree Hill Episode?

The Season 6 finale includes a number of major developments, to say the least. For instance, Brooke Davis and her mother, Victoria, come to an understanding, which results in the latter signing Brooke’s clothing company back over to her. Nathan Scott also learns that he’s made it into the NBA. What may be the biggest development, though, is that Peyton and Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) welcome their baby girl, Sawyer. That happens after Peyton is rushed to the hospital after fainting and losing blood.

By episode’s end, the couple and their child leave the town of Tree Hill, North Carolina behind. It’s a bittersweet moment, but that and the hospital scene are incredibly sweet to watch. But, after you hear Hilarie Burton’s account of shooting material for the latter, which was chronologically shot last, you may not look at it the same way.

Hilarie Burton Has A Wild Story To Tell About Shooting Her Final One Tree Hill Scene?

The veteran actress has shared a number of intriguing BTS details about her time on the WB/CW show since she and friends/former co-stars Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz started their Drama Queens podcast. During the latest installment, they reviewed the aforementioned episode and shared their recollections of making it. One of the reasons that it was so odd for the Secret Life of Bees star to film the hospital-set scenes was that she had a prosthetic in order to help her simulate a baby bump. The situation began to really turn, however, after the majority of the crew finished their work:

So, at this point, you’re probably thinking that the awkwardest portion of this story has to deal with everyone leaving and not acknowledging the Lethal Weapon alum’s final shooting day. But that’s not it. She further explained to Bethany Joy Lenz and Sophia Bush that Chad Michael Murray proceeded to do something that (unintentionally) made the situation weirder:

One can honestly appreciate what Chad Michael Murray seemingly tried to do for his co-star, in wrangling the One Tree Hill cast so that they could say their goodbyes. But, yeah, that all sounds downright cringeworthy and, even now, I’m feeling second-hand embarrassment for Hilarie Burton. She added further thoughts about the ordeal, saying:

No one would blame you at all if you were to wince while reading this. Thankfully, the actress made it through and successfully concluded her tenure on the show. However, there’s another moment that she and her co-star experienced during Season 6 that was arguably even more awkward.

How Did Hilarie Burton And Chad Michael Murray Learn They Wouldn’t Be Returning To The Show?

During another episode of Drama Queens that premiered earlier this year, the Solstice alum recalled the moment that she and Chad Michael Murray discovered that the show would be returning for Season 7 – without them. The star explained that she and Murray were filming a flashback sequence for Season 6, Episode 21, "A Kiss to Build a Dream On," which was set at Flaming Amy’s Bowl. She noted that, up to that point, everyone in the cast appeared to be in negotiations for new deals, except for her and her on-screen beau. And then came a painful-sounding moment that occurred while the two co-stars were filming:

Hilarie Burton went on to say that they tried to reach out to series creator Mark Schwahn, who she seemingly referred to as “Voldemort” during the podcast and other execs, as they were in town. However, they allegedly “refused” to see her and Chad Michael Murray. Like other members of the cast, the actress had issues with Schwain, who was fired for various allegations of sexual harassment while making The Royals in 2018. Burton has also discussed abuse she experienced due to Schwain.

The leading lady ultimately referred to the collective situation as a “betrayal,” though she eventually came to see it as a blessing in a way. For one, Hilarie Burton’s departure ultimately put her in a position to meet future husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan (who auditioned for OTH before meeting her). On top of that, she also landed her gig on USA Network’s White Collar. As a whole, Burton’s experiences with filming her final scene and learning beforehand that she was being let go weren’t great. So it’s lovely to hear that she’s since turned the negatives into positives.

You can check out One Tree Hill now with a Hulu subscription, and Max subscribers have access to it as well. There are also plenty of other great teen dramas to stream that you can find on the 2024 TV schedule.

The One Tree Hill cast is still very tight. Between Bethany Joy Lenz hosting a rewatch podcast with Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton and reuniting with them on Good Sam, the boys getting together for charity basketball games and more, the love these folks have for each other is incredibly strong. Now, Lenz has opened up about the possibility of reuniting for a Hallmark movie, and I’m so on board with her ideas.  

As Bethany Joy Lenz released her Hallmark movie on the 2024 TV schedule, Savoring Paris, she’s also looking forward to the future. This included speculating about some fun One Tree Hill reunion ideas, and her first one will make Nathan and Haley shippers, like me, very happy, as she told TV Line:

It’s a super big deal! Much like how if One Tree Hill got a revival the OG cast would have to return, if the Nathan and Haley actors reunited, it has to be for the perfect project. I think it would have to be a rom-com, and if we’re really dreaming big, basketball would be involved. 

She continued to gush about her on-screen husband and the career James Lafferty has had since OTH. Continuing to talk about the perspective of working with him again, she said:

Lenz also mentioned another idea, saying that she’d love to share the screen with fellow Hallmark star Shantel VanSanten again. The two played sisters on One Tree Hill, and it’d be so nice to see them reunited on screen, as the actress said:

A girls' trip would be great for the gals who played Haley and Quinn. 

I’d love to see these two on-screen again, and what would make it even better is if more One Tree Hill cast joined in too. Lenz already noted Lafferty and VanSanten. However, Hilarie Burton, Chad Michael Murray and Robert Buckley (among many others) are all OTH alums turned Hallmark stars. So I don’t think it's a stretch to get them in this reunion too.

You never know, one of these reunions could happen, and maybe we’ll see a project led by Lafferty and Lenz or Lenz and VanSanten on the list of upcoming Hallmark movies. As we continue to hope for that dream to become reality, you can stream Bethany Joy Lenz’s latest project, Savoring Paris, with a Peacock subscription and you can go back and see her with her former co-stars by watching One Tree Hill with a Hulu subscription. 

There have been dozens of teen dramas in the same vein as One Tree Hill, but it’s rare for a series to capture an audience’s heart quite like the one centered around half-brothers Nathan and Lucas Scott. With this show widely considered one of the best teen dramas, it’s not a surprise that the One Tree Hill cast members have been asked many times over the years about a revival, and while that was apparently out of the question for Sophia Bush at one point, it seems she’s warmed to the idea a little bit. The actress has also apparently put some thought into where her character Brooke Davis would be today.

After One Tree Hill ended its nine-season run in 2012, it was learned that the young actresses and others working on the show had endured years of harassment at the hands of creator Mark Schwahn, and the abuse has continued to affect their lives. So no one could blame them for not wanting to reprise those characters and return to that world. However, it seems that through doing the Drama Queens podcast with former co-stars Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz, Sophia Bush has softened her stance against a revival, telling E! News: 

Her outlook on the issue, she said, has changed from “never to never say never,” and that’s likely because the women have found some healing in Drama Queens. Sophia Bush has said that at first they were nervous to open up about their negative experiences on the One Tree Hill set, because they didn’t want to taint this show that so many people loved. However, in being honest, all three actresses have said they’ve become closer to their fans. 

As far as seeing them share the screen again, members of the One Tree Hill cast have reunited on other projects, including Christmas TV movies like 2018’s The Christmas Contract. Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz also guest-starred on Sophia Bush’s medical series Good Sam in 2022.

With such a large cast, though — and, yes, any revival would need to star the OG cast — the former Chicago P.D. actress has said figuring out all of their hectic schedules would be complicated. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t given it thought, though, and she’s got a great idea of where Brooke would be today. She told E! News: 

I can totally see her holding an office, after we last saw her dominating the fashion world. I mean, what can't Brooke Davis do? Of course, One Tree Hill fans would likely be happy with any plot if it meant getting the North Carolina team back together. Until that day comes, you can relive all the angsty teen drama by streaming One Tree Hill with a Max subscription or Hulu subscription. 

One Tree Hill is a classic teen drama, and to this day it’s beloved for its soapy drama, romances and focus on friendship, family and basketball. The story follows the iconic OTH cast – which features Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz – as they make their way through high school in a small town. This early 2000s series was a staple of its time, and if you are looking to find this kind of drama and nostalgia again I have some show recommendations for you.

The O.C.

When the wealthy Cohen family adopts Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), he and Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) go about their dramatic lives in Orange County.

Why The O.C. Is Like One Tree Hill: This soapy teen drama from the early 2000s focuses on two brothers, albeit their relationship is a lot healthier than Nathan and Lucas’, and their journey through high school. With romantic pairings like Seth (Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson), and big dramatic moments played out by the ensemble cast of The O.C. too, it’s actually super similar to One Tree Hill.

Stream The O.C. on Max.

Stream The O.C. on Hulu. 

Outer Banks

A crew of teens from the Outer Banks, led by Chase Stokes’ John B. are on the hunt for an ancient treasure. 

Why Outer Banks Is Like One Tree Hill: Need a show that also takes place in one of the two Carolina states and features beloved romances, intense adventures and unexpected action? Outer Banks is for you. While its main character John B. almost dies way more often than any character on One Tree Hill, it’s still full of the same soapy drama that I’m sure you’ll like if you dug the early 2000s show. 

Stream Outer Banks on Netflix.

Dawson's Creek

To this day, you’ll find people re-watching Dawson’s Creek much like they do One Tree Hill. The story follows Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) through high school and the drama that ensues between them and their romantic interests – especially when Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Jen (Michelle Williams) get involved.

Why Dawson’s Creek Is Like One Tree Hill: This show is arguably the most similar to One Tree Hill on this list. Both series ran for many seasons during the early 2000s and centered around high schoolers dealing with love, life, family and soapy drama. Along with their plot similarities, both the Dawson’s Creek cast and OTH ensemble took off because of their shows. Also, Chad Michael Murray played a role in both seminal teen dramas. 

Stream Dawson’s Creek on Hulu.

Stream Dawson's Creek on Amazon Prime.

Stream Dawson's Creek on The CW.

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl centers around a group of rich Upper Eastside teens (and Dan from Brooklyn) who are targeted by the titular anonymous gossip blog. 

Why Gossip Girl Is Like One Tree Hill: While the New York City setting is what greatly differentiates these two shows, at their core, they are both centered around a dramatic high school and the interpersonal relationships between the core characters. And let’s face it, both One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl live up to their hype because of their iconic relationships (like Chuck and Blair and Nathan and Haley). 

Stream Gossip Girl on Max.

Stream Gossip Girl on The Roku Channel.

Gilmore Girls

Mother/daughter duo Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) live in Stars Hallow, and they go about life in their small town with their friends and family.

Why Gossip Girl Is Like One Tree Hill: Both Tree Hill and Stars Hallow are small towns, and both shows span over many years as we watch the ensemble cast grow up. Also, like Gilmore Girls, OTH focuses a lot on family, both biological and found. Not to mention, one of the Gilmore Girls cast members whose career took off after he starred in the show was our beloved Chad Michael Murray – however, a big difference is Lucas from Tree Hill is significantly nicer than Stars Hollow’s Tristin.

Stream Gilmore Girls on Netflix.

Riverdale

Based on Archie Comics, Riverdale follows Archie (K.J. Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and Veronica (Camila Mendes) through high school. Throughout the show, there are murder mysteries, supernatural entanglements and even musicals.

Why Riverdale Is Like One Tree Hill: If you are looking for over-the-top high school drama, relationships that you’re excited to ship and a fun ensemble, both these shows have you covered. While Riverdale has crazy plot twists that involve more magic and mystery than OTH, they both will fill your need for a good ol' high school drama. Oh, also, Chad Michael Murray guest stars in a few episodes of this too.

Stream Riverdale on Netflix.

Stream Riverdale on The CW.

Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights follows one of high school’s best football teams, the Dillon Panthers, and their coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler).

Why Friday Night Lights Is Like One Tree Hill: The biggest reason these two shows are like one another is how sports play into the story. The majority of the Friday Night Lights cast are on or involved with the town’s football team. Just switch the sport to basketball, and you have a similar situation with One Tree Hill, especially in the earlier seasons. 

Stream Friday Night Lights on Netflix.

Stream Friday Night Lights on Hulu.

Stream Friday Night Lights on Amazon Prime.

All American

All American follows a young football player, Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) after he moves as he attempts to adjust to his new school, life and team. 

Why All American Is Like One Tree Hill: While there are many shows like All American, One Tree Hill stands out as an apt comparison because it's centered around sports -- football and basketball, respectively -- and the story of one guy adjusting to a new team. While Spencer is new at his school, Lucas has been in Tree Hill forever. However, when he joins the basketball team, it almost feels like he’s the new kid. 

Stream All American on Netflix.

Stream All American on The CW.

On My Block

On My Block follows Monse (Sierra Capri), Ruby (Jason Genao), Jamal (Brett Gray) and Cesar (Diego Tinoco) through high school in this coming-of-age drama. 

Why All American Is Like One Tree Hill: When it comes to the legacies of On My Block and One Tree Hill, they both stand as beloved dramas about growing up, coming-of-age and friendship. If you are looking for a YA drama from more recent years, this is the show for you.

Stream On My Block on Netflix.

Parenthood

Parenthood follows the Braverman family by focusing on Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia), their kids and grandkids. 

Why Parenthood Is Like One Tree Hill: Along with One Tree Hill and Parenthood featuring famous folks you forgot were in it, its central focus on family and the trauma and love that comes with them is the major reason why these two shows are alike. 

Stream Parenthood on Hulu.

Degrassi

This long-running Canadian teen drama follows an ensemble of kids as they deal with love, life and high school as well as the transition from childhood into adulthood. 

Why Degrassi Is Like One Tree Hill: Like One Tree Hill, Degrassi was long-running, ending on Season 14, and it told its stories in a soapy way. Whether it be tales of love, coursework, sports or the occasional crime, both shows are big and dramatic, which is why we love them.

Stream Degrassi on Amazon Prime.

Stream Degrassi on Max.

Stream Degrassi on Tubi.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty focuses on Belly (Lola Tung) and her relationship with Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney) as she navigates her romantic feelings for the brothers.

Why The Summer I Turned Pretty Is Like One Tree Hill: Both TSITP and One Tree Hill have romance at the center of them, and feature some seriously iconic love triangles. From Lucas, Peyton and Brooke on OTH to the aforementioned Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad, the romantic relationships in these shows are messy, dramatic and oh-so-compelling. 

Stream The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime.

One Tree Hill is truly one of the most iconic teen dramas, and luckily many came both before and after it that are worth checking out. So, after you see how Brooke, Lucas, Nathan, Haley and Peyton’s stories come to a close, make sure to check a few of the aforementioned shows out. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them! 

Considered by many to be one of the best TV shows on Netflix and, most definitely, one of its most popular in recent memory is Outer Banks. Created by Shannon Burke with Jonas and Josh Pate, the series — which first premiered in 2020 — follows a young man (Chase Stokes) who discovers that his father’s disappearance is connected to a lost treasure that he and his friends set out to find, which soon brings him face-to-face with death multiple times as a result.

However, the Outer Banks cast is not the only group of teens that you can find on the small screen who live dangerously… or, at least, have a lot of problems that seem to get worse with each season. As fans await the upcoming fourth season’s currently unannounced premiere date on the 2024 TV schedule, let’s dig up some similar favorites that you can bide your time with.

Surviving Summer (2022-Present)

An expelled Manhattan teen (played by Sky Katz) is sent to the land down under where she makes herself at home in a small town where surfing is treated like a way of life.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: The similarities between OBX and Surviving Summer do not just stop at the title — considering how John B. and company genuinely struggling to make it through the season alive — since this coming-of-age Australian import (also featuring Talk to Me cast member Chris Alosio) also boasts some stellar scenes of characters surfing the waves.

Stream Surviving Summer on Netflix.

Blood & Water (2020-Present)

A young woman (played by Ama Qamata) enrolls into a prestigious school where she begins to uncover shocking secrets about her own family history.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: Yet another Netflix exclusive, international teen drama where the title reflects some of OBX’s own plot details, South Africa’s Blood & Water is also a compelling mystery thriller that will have viewers of all ages hooked.

Stream Blood & Water on Netflix.

On My Block (2018-2021) 

A group of bright teens and close friends try to keep each other out of trouble while living in South Central Los Angeles.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: Before the action gets going, OBX is, essentially, the story of a young quartet dealing with romantic troubles, family issues, and their own hometowns economic hardships — much like the great Latinx TV show, On My Block, which later spawned a spin-off called Freeridge in 2023.

Stream On My Block on Netflix.

Panic (2021)

A high school senior (played by Fear Street cast member Olivia Scott Welch) and other hopeful graduates participate in a mysterious annual tournament consisting of high stakes challenges for a life-changing reward.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: Created by Lauren Oliver (who also wrote the original novel), the Amazon Prime original miniseries Panic, like OBX, focuses on teens whose aspirations to leave their hometown end up putting them in harm’s way, but with a twist similar to The Hunger Games movies without the dystopian setting.

Stream Panic on Amazon Prime.

The Wilds (2020-2022)

When their plane crashes on a deserted island, a group of teenage girls must learn how to survive the harsh terrain and each other.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: The teens from OBX may be fed up with their hometown, but at least they are not quite as desperate to leave the island like the young ladies on the Amazon Prime original, The Wilds — a TV show that was cancelled before reaching a proper ending, but is worth giving a try for the thrill.

Stream The Wilds on Amazon Prime.

The Society (2019)

A teenager girl (played by Kathryn Newton in one of her best roles) and other youths discover that all of their adult peers have suddenly vanished from their small town, which they are also mysteriously unable to leave from.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: If the teens from OBX actually found themselves physically and inexplicably unable to leave their hometown (and they did not live near water) their situation might resemble the plot of Netflix’s The Society — another prematurely cancelled coming-of-age drama, but with a sci-fi twist, and one of Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s best TV shows, too.

Stream The Society on Netflix.

Riverdale (2017-2023)

The increasingly unsettling adventures of Archie (K.J. Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead (Cole Sprouse), Veronica (Camila Mendes), and others in a small American town plagued by shady individuals and haunting secrets.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: While the setting of The CW’s dark adaptation of the Archie comics is not as idyllic and some plot points border on the supernatural, the situations that the Riverdale cast members finds themselves in — ranging from murder mysteries to love triangles — are not too different from what the OBX crew often face.

Stream Riverdale on Netflix.
Buy Riverdale on Amazon.

Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)

A young aspiring filmmaker (played by James van der Beek) and his friends find themselves at odds with life and with each other as they approach adulthood.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: When first promoting Outer Banks, Netflix literally referred to it as “Dawson’s Creek meets The Goonies,” which is a concept that might go over their target audience’s heads, but is just another reason for them to check out creator Kevin Williamson’s primetime soap opera that launched the careers of Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and others when The CW was still called The WB.

Stream Dawson's Creek on Amazon Prime.
Stream Dawson's Creek on Hulu.

One Tree Hill (2003-2012)

A young man (Chad Michael Murray), his half brother (James Lafferty), and their loved ones face various social and professional challenges while growing up together in a small town from North Carolina.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: What could be considered The WB’s successor to Dawson’s Creek is this intense coming-of-age drama that also served as breakthrough for many members of the One Tree Hill cast — including Sophia Bush and Brooke Davis Baker.

Stream One Tree Hill on Hulu.
Stream One Tree Hill on Max.
Buy One Tree Hill on Amazon.

Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)

After the disappearance of their friend, four young women become taunted by an unknown enemy that puts their deepest and darkest secrets at risk of being revealed.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: One of the most popular series about attractive youths in danger in recent memory (and with multiple spin-offs to prove it) is Pretty Little Liars — an adaptation of Sara Shepard’s best-selling book series that lasted long enough to see its parent network, ABC Family, eventually become Freeform.

Stream Pretty Little Liars on Hulu.
Stream Pretty Little Liars on Max.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022-Present)

A teenage girl (Lola Tung) suddenly finds herself embroiled in a love triangle with two of her childhood friends (Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno) while spending the summer at their beach house.

Why it is one of the best shows like Outer Banks: In case you come to a point where you have had enough of attractive youths in danger, but still long for Outer Banks’ picturesque setting and romantic complications, Amazon Prime’s series adaption of the novel The Summer I Turned Pretty should do the trick.

Stream The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime.

Hopefully, these are just the right treasures that should satisfy your appetite for more Outer Banks.

When thinking about some of the biggest shows right now, The Summer I Turned Pretty instantly comes to mind. Sporting two seasons, with a third one already ordered, the Amazon Prime Video adaptation, based on the books by Jenny Han, follows the story of a teenager (Lola Tung) who's involved in a love triangle between two brothers who happen to both want her (Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno).

The series became a major hit for Prime Video when it first premiered and has only gotten bigger with Season 2. But, if you're looking for shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty, there are plenty of great romantic, coming-of-age stories that you can check out now.

Dawson's Creek (1998 - 2003)

The first show I think of in this category is Dawson's Creek. The series is named after the titular character, Dawson Leery, and follows a group of friends as they journey through their younger years and experience love, heartbreak, love triangles, grief, and so much more.

Dawson's Creek ran for six seasons and many great episodes and was created by the same person who made The Vampire Diaries, so you know that it will be full of drama and romance -- perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty. It was a huge show when it first came out, and is quite honestly, one of the most significant coming-of-age romance shows ever. The Dawson's Creek cast is also insanely talented.

Stream Dawson's Creek on Hulu.

The Sex Lives Of College Girls (2021 – Present)

In this dramedy created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, The Sex Lives of College Girls is as outrageously hilarious as that title. It follows four young women who happen to be roommates starting out college, and follows their lives as they grow up, including their sexual endeavors, romantic relationships, and more. 

While I do think that the content of The Sex Lives of College Girls is a bit more mature than The Summer I Turned Pretty, both deal with the idea of love at a younger age and what growing up in today’s world is like. Plus, The Sex Lives of College Girls cast is insanely talented and I assure you, you will laugh your butt off. 

Stream The Sex Lives of College Girls on Max. 

Emily In Paris (2020 – Present)

Have you ever dreamed about running away to Paris and starting a new life? Well, Emily in Paris is the answer to that dream. Starring Lily Collins in one of her best roles, the show (created by Darren Star) follows a young woman who gets the chance to go to Paris for her job as a replacement, and it turns her life upside down. 

This is another case where the characters in this show are older than the ones in The Summer I Turned Pretty, but there’s something so similar about these two main characters where they are putting themselves out there in a new place where I can’t help but draw comparisons. Plus, an Emily in Paris Season 4 is on the way, so might as well catch up on all the drama. 

Stream Emily in Paris on Netflix. 

Dickinson (2019 - 2021)

The comedy-drama, Dickinson, is one of the best Apple TV+ shows and it stars Hailee Steinfeld. The series tells the story of Emily Dickinson and follows her relationships, her role in society, and more. 

Love isn't the focus here. It's certainly in the background compared to everything else in Emily's life. but the series is great for those who want to see a young woman find herself. While different customs and time periods separate her and Belly, there's a solid commonality between these two characters – both want to be understood by their families and accepted as they are.

It's a great show and one I recommend to anyone who wants something new to watch after The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Stream Dickinson on Apple TV+. 

One Tree Hill (2003 - 2012)

One Tree Hill is a famous CW show that goes everywhere at some points for the most ridiculous plotlines. Still, the two people we focus on at first are Lucas and Nathan, two sports stars and half-brothers, competing for a spot on their school's basketball team, and the drama from their romances – including dating the other's girlfriends. 

This show is just completely out there sometimes with its story in the later seasons, but the first few are perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty. It captures that drama and romance I'm sure we all secretly crave, just in a more dramatic way.

Stream One Tree Hill on Hulu.

On My Block (2018 – 2021)

This was a Netflix show that was cancelled way too soon. On My Block follows a group of friends who all attend Los Angeles, and while they grow up, they discover more of the world that is darker than what they ever experienced, going through social hardships, secretive betrayals, and more. 

Okay, so On My Block is a lot darker than The Summer I Turned Pretty, but for some reason, I really like these two and compare them a lot. Both of them feature some great friendships that are super complex, and both feature situations that really force the characters to grow up quicker. I think I just like On My Block so much because it feels so real in comparison to many of the others on this list – and sometimes, you really need a show that speaks on these real-life issues so skillfully. 

Stream On My Block on Netflix. 

XO Kitty (2023 - Present)

Serving as a spinoff to the Netflix franchise, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, this series, called XO Kitty, follows Kitty in her adventures as she travels across the world to South Korea to see her long-distance boyfriend, but her trip ends up changing her life more than she thought it would. 

Unlike many spinoffs, you don't need to have seen To All The Boys to enjoy it. Like The Summer I Turned Pretty, the series features an independent young woman on her journey to understand love and grow up, which is beautiful. Plus, you get to see a new country – South Korea. And, Jenny Han wrote both Pretty and To All The Boys, so I think it's a good fit. 

Stream XO Kitty on Netflix. 

Heartstopper (2022 – Present)

This is the teen dramedy that everyone needs to watch. Heartstopper is based on the graphic novel series of the same name and follows Charlie, a gay schoolboy who winds up falling for his classmate, Nick, when school begins, and we dig deeper into their relationship as time goes on. 

With two seasons, I can’t rave enough about Heartstopper. Truly. I love this show with such a passion that I will literally get anyone to watch it. For fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, it has plenty of the same type of love you would expect from younger couples, all the fumbling and awkwardness and everything else, but there’s so much more to this series, and I have to share plenty of love for it. 

Stream Heartstopper on Netflix. 

Ginny & Georgia (2021 - Present)

Totaling two seasons (and a third one on the way), Ginny & Georgia follows the titular characters, Ginny and her mother, Georgia, as they travel to a new town with her half-brother to settle down for good. But soon, demons from Georgia's past show up, and Ginny discovers that her mom isn't as perfect as she seems.

Here's another excellent example of a TV series that only partially focuses on love. It's a big part of the show, and we even saw that in Season 2 of the series, but what makes it great is the dynamic between Ginny and her mother. I love watching their scenes together. 

For fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, you'll come for the romances and drama; trust me, there is plenty. But, you'll stay for the intriguing plot and the characters that always draw you in. If we're being truthful, you'll want a mom like Georgia by the time you're done with the series. 

Stream Ginny & Georgia on Netflix. 

Never Have I Ever (2020 - 2023)

Spanning four seasons, Never Have I Ever was co-created by Mindy Kaling and is loosely based on her childhood, as told through the eyes of Devi, a young, Indian-American girl who wants to change her social status in high school after her father's sudden death. 

Never Have I Ever is the perfect show for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty. There's romance, drama, hilarious scenes, and a great lead character. While the show only lasted four seasons, it told a complete and compelling story, and we all got to watch Devi grow into a beautiful young woman. 

Stream Never Have I Ever on Netflix. 

Grown-ish (2018 - Present)

Grown-ish is a spinoff of the popular sitcom, black-ish. The series mainly focuses on the children that were featured in Black-ish as they go to college and learn how to become an adult – and all the drama and hilarities that ensue from that. 

If I’m being honest, I almost enjoy grown-ish more than black-ish because I connect more with the main characters as someone who just graduated from college three years ago. I understand all of the stresses, pain, and everything else – which is why I think it's perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty. There's love and romance, but the friendships and sweet moments make this a good pick. 

Stream grown-ish on Hulu. 

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019 – 2023)

Lastly, we have to talk about High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. This Disney+ show follows the students who actually go to East High School where the High School Musical movies were filmed. And during the first season, they are filmed in a documentary style as they put on their high school musical – an actual musical version of High School Musical. 

Yes, you read that right, and yes, the joke is just as meta as you would think it would be —  and the comedy doesn’t stop there. This show is so funny so often that sometimes it almost feels unintentional. For fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, you’ll love the cute romances and the evolving friendships, but you’ll stay for the musical numbers. Plus, you also get to see Olivia Rodrigo before she blows up to stardom – that’s always worth the time. 

Stream High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. 

There are so many great TV shows you should check out once you finish up The Summer I Turned Pretty. I'm about to go and binge-watch them again just for fun. I need my romance fix until season 3 for this show comes around.

For anybody growing up in the aughts, Chad Michael Murray was the epitome of a teenage dream. Known best for navigating some complicated family dynamics on and off the basketball court as Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill, Murray actually played a few different heartthrobs before becoming a familiar face to Hallmark Christmas Movie fans. Certainly everybody’s got a favorite, but what does the actor think? Murray recently played a game of Kiss, Marry, Kill with a few of his most famous roles, and let’s just say things didn’t go so well for his Gilmore Girls character.

During an interview with the Canadian network CTV, Chad Michael Murray was asked to kiss, marry and kill one of his 2000s-era characters, choosing between Lucas Scott (of course), Tristan Dugray from Gilmore Girls and Austin Ames from A Cinderella Story. He started off with the first option, saying: 

He's spot-on here. Austin from A Cinderella Story is a literal Prince Charming. Of course we want to kiss the prince, and possibly attend the same Ivy League college as him. But while we will lock lips with this character — in the rain? yes please — we do not need to devote our entire life to Austin Ames, which leads to Chad Michael Murray’s next selection: 

Again, this is 100% the right choice. I love Chad Michael Murray calling his One Tree Hill character his ride or die. Lucas Scott is a man who has faced more than his share of adversity. He had a strong father figure in his uncle Keith (oh, Keith), while simultaneously learning how NOT to act from his father Dan. Having Lucas as a husband would mean inheriting a great brother- and sister-in-law in Nathan and Haley, and you’d get Karen as your mother-in-law?! Keep your castle, Cinderella, this is the family I’m marrying into.

That just leaves one obvious choice for CMM’s final pick. He concluded:

Don’t shoot the messenger; Chad Michael Murray was just playing the game. Even if the first two answers hadn’t been so perfect, I’d still say this was the obvious option for Gilmore Girls’ Tristan. The actor appeared in only 11 episodes of the Stars Hallow dramedy and opted not to return for Netflix’s revival, forcing Tristan to be recast in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. And besides, when it comes to guys who pursued Rory, there are only three names that matter: Dean, Jess and Logan.

I’m sure this was a fun look back for Chad Michael Murray. You can check out his full responses on the TikTok video below:

If you also want to relive Chad Michael Murray’s heartthrob days of decades past, Gilmore Girls is one of the best dramedies available to watch with a Netflix subscription; One Tree Hill is available with a Hulu subscription or to HBO Max subscription holders; and A Cinderella Story can be rented or purchased from several services, including Amazon and Apple TV. 

The CW has been a haven for the best teen dramas since its days as The WB, but of all the classic shows that have come and gone, some have more staying power and interest than others. One Tree Hill has continued to be a show audiences revisit or experience for the first time more than ten years after the series finale, but why does it have that kind of longevity? Former star Tyler Hilton recently shared his thoughts on the subject, and why fans are still addicted to the drama long after the series concluded. 

Tyler Hilton, who played Chris Keller on One Tree Hill throughout its run, recently caught up with TV Insider. The actor talked about the legacy of the iconic teen drama, how the series has celebrated longevity that he hasn’t seen with other projects, and how his relationship is with the former cast: 

From Tyler Hilton’s perspective, it’s easy to understand why One Tree Hill is still beloved following its conclusion in 2012. Fans enjoy the series, and as Hilton suggested, perhaps they pick up on the real relationships of actors coming through when watching. Hilton confirmed that he was close with members of the cast during his appearances in Seasons 2 through 4, and in Season 9 when he became a main cast member. 

And while One Tree Hill was a series that suffered its share of behind-the-scenes controversies and issues that some in the cast are still dealing with today, the actors still share a pleasant relationship and remain close. Tyler Hilton credited conventions as a factor in that, and shared some of the opportunities he’s had to see his former co-stars over the years:

Tyler Hilton’s Chris Keller was a bit of a troublemaker during One Tree Hill, and caused issues in relationships whenever he was around. Fortunately, it seems that Hilton is not like his fictional character and has a great relationship with former co-star Hilarie Burton Morgan and even worked with her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. 

One key reason people may keep returning to One Tree Hill is tied to the Drama Queens podcast hosted by former stars Hilarie Burton Morgan, Sophia Bush, and Bethany Joy Lenz. The co-hosts revisit episodes and feature other former actors in the show for an experience that supplements the show. Hilton mentioned he’s appeared on it and how lucky he is to continue to reunite with friends: 

Tyler Hilton is really making a strong case for me to rewatch One Tree Hill in 2023, and apparently, I’d be joining others who are already doing so. Honestly, just listening to Gavin Degraw repeatedly sing “I Don’t Want To Be” during the opening credits a few times a day might be enough for me to commit, but I’m also really invested in reliving the drama of the great series all over again. 

Those with a Hulu subscription and/or HBO Max subscription can start their binge of One Tree Hill right now, and maybe skip straight to the episode when – spoiler alert – that dog ate Dan’s new heart. 

Back in the early 2000s the ladies of One Tree Hill were icons, especially to the women and girls who grew up loving the show. In 2006 during Season 4 of the show, three actresses on the show, Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Danneel Ackles appeared on the cover of Maxim. Now Bush and Burton, along with their co-star Bethany Joy Lenz opened up about the misogyny and abuse of power on the set of the photoshoot. 

Burton started the conversation about the magazine shoot on the One Tree Hill rewatch podcast Drama Queens, saying: 

Bush also explained how they had carefully chosen their outfits that day, and then discussed how their bodies were altered after the photo shoot, she said: 

Both Bush and Burton explained that they had to participate in the photoshoot. The actress behind Brooke explained that she was given an ultimatum when she said she didn’t want to do it, she explained: 

Along with being forced into the shoot, Burton also explained that the “boss” who visited the set of the Maxim shoot had given her an iPod with music that he had thought “was applicable” to her. She said it was given to her to put Bush “in her place” and make Danneel Ackles “jealous.” Bush said the situation was “scary and uncomfortable.” 

Burton, who ended up leaving the One Tree Hill cast early, and praised her co-star for convincing her to do it, has been open about the abuse on the set of the CW show, and how it still affects her. She explained that she will be proud if her daughter tells someone off because she wished she “had had the ability to do that.” 

The other host of the podcast, Bethany Joy Lenz explained that she felt like she had been “replaced” because a different actress was put on the cover with Burton and Bush rather than her. She explained that she was told she wasn’t asked by Maxim because she “was too fat” and “wasn’t the ‘hot girl.’” This was news to Bush and Burton, and both actresses were shocked and angry when they learned that the magazine didn’t ask Lenz to do the shoot. This was because they had been told she refused to do the photoshoot. 

This is not the first uncomfortable story to come from the actresses, on their podcast they have talked about many uncomfortable and scary situations they have been put in. Eventually, everything the people on One Tree Hill became known, and the showrunner of it and later The Royals Mark Schwahn was fired from The Royals over sexual harassment allegations. 

These three actresses started the Drama Queens podcast back in 2021, and Bush explained that they were nervous to speak about their on-set experiences because they were “scared to break hearts.” However, now, they like talking about the show, and Lenz explained that rewatching it has been “healing.” 

If you are interested in watching One Tree Hill along with these actresses, you can do so with a Hulu subscription. 

In a shocking tragedy that occurred over the pre-Fourth of July weekend, the husband of One Tree Hill alum Bevin Prince, William Friend, died after being struck by lightning in the area near the couple’s home in Wilmington, North Carolina. Friend was 33 years old. 

On Sunday, July 3, William Friend was reportedly on a boat on the waters near Masonboro Island, when it’s stated that he was struck by lightning, according to WECT in Wilmington. Civilians apparently raised the attention of Wilmington PD’s Marine Unit, who responded to the accident along with the Marine Unit from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. The deputies on the scene performed CPR on Friend as he was being transported to the Bradley Creek Marina where EMTs were waiting. 

He was then taken to an ambulance, where medical professionals spent 20 minutes attempting to resuscitate William Friend, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. At this point, Friend was pronounced dead, and his body was transported to the hospital where family members were waiting. 

Following his death, a GoFundMe campaign was started up in William Friend’s memory, with a goal of raising $250,000 to support two different causes that he and Bevin Prince were involved with. The first is Recess, the cycling studio business that Friend and Prince opened in 2020, and had been building up ever since. The second is the Special Operators Transition Foundation, which was founded by former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill in order to make returning to civilian life easier on Special Ops vets and their families. At this time, over $40,000 were raised in less than a day.

Bevin Prince, who starred on One Tree Hill as the same-named Bevin throughout its early years (before returning for the series finale), hasn’t yet shared any public responses to her husband’s death, though there have been quite a few on social media who are honoring William Friend’s memory. The former actress’ best friend Odette Annable, best known for her work on Supergirl and Walker, posted the following on Instagram:

Recess also shared a statement on Friend’s death on social media, saying:

William Friend was the CEO of the company Bisnow Media for the past seven years, and had helped to raise its public awareness and popularity over time. Bisnow’s COO and CFO Gregg Mayer had this to say in a statement:  

Bevin Prince and William Friend were wed in May 2016, and moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina during the pandemic so that they could be around more family members. 

We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences with the family and friends of Bevin Prince and William Friend during this mournful time.  

One Tree Hill was a teen phenomenon back in the early 2000s, following the rivalry of half-brothers Nathan and Lucas Scott (James Lafferty and Chad Michael Murray, respectively) on and off the basketball court. A trio of leading ladies — Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz — were also among those who came to fame on the soapy series, but while the drama was sumptuous (if not stereotypical) for its angsty audience, it wasn’t a very healthy environment for the young women and others working on the show. 

In 2017 — five years after One Tree Hill came to an end — Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz were among 18 women from the show who signed a letter validating accusations made by former writer Audrey Wauchope against creator Mark Schwahn. The letter said they were “manipulated psychologically and emotionally,” and “put in uncomfortable positions.” When the actresses decided to start a rewatch podcast, Drama Queens in 2021, they told Variety that they were a little apprehensive about being honest about their on-set experiences, because of how beloved the series was to its fans. According to Bush (who played Brooke Davis): 

Not only did the fans not turn against the actresses for speaking their truth, but they embraced them even more. Hilarie Burton left the role of Peyton Sawyer in 2009, later crediting co-star Moira Kelly for convincing her to get out of the situation. She said in her 2020 memoir The Rural Diaries that what she went through on One Tree Hill still affects her life and the way she parents, but the podcast seems to have brought some healing. Being honest about their experiences has brought the fans even closer, Burton said: 

While Bethany Joy Lenz was nervous about watching herself back and remembering her “cringy” mistakes she made in her younger days, the Haley James Scott actress said so much healing has actually come from doing the podcast:

Certainly part of that healing is the fact the actresses have each other there for support as they relive the One Tree Hill episodes. The trio recently reunited on-screen again for Sophia Bush’s latest series, Good Sam. Bethany Joy Lenz plays Amy Taylor, a patient of Dr. Sam Griffith (Bush), and Hilarie Burton plays Amy’s sister Gretchen. Check out new episodes of Good Sam on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, or catch it streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. For more viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule!

Spoilers ahead for the March 23 episode of Good Sam, called "Keep Talking."

Sophia Bush returned to primetime in the 2021-2022 TV season to play an expert surgeon on CBS' Good Sam, and the freshman series just delivered a blast from the leading lady's past thanks to some appearances from Bush's One Tree Hill co-stars. Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton were guest stars in "Keep Talking," playing sisters brought to the hospital due to a mysterious ailment. Although the three actresses weren't exactly playing Brooke, Haley, and Peyton again, One Tree Hill fans were loving the medical drama reunion.

Good Sam itself had some fun with the reunion by dropping Easter eggs about One Tree Hill, and it felt fitting that Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton were playing sisters. The very first image of their reunion with Sophia Bush for the series looked like family coming back together, and they actually have worked together on the Drama Queens podcast, but this was the trio back together on TV. Fans had a lot to say about it on social media! 

On top of the show bringing the three actresses back together, there was another nod to their original show with the date of the episode. Although CBS almost certainly didn't specifically plan for the One Tree Hill reunion to air on the March 23 episode of Good Sam, OTH fans definitely caught on to the numbers and were flashing back to the basketball jersey numbers of the Scott brothers (played by Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty). The ladies didn't need the Scott brothers for their Good Sam story, though!

In "Keep Talking," Bethany Joy Lenz played Amy Taylor, a recovering alcoholic who was admitted for heart disease, but was revealed to have an underlying condition, to the surprise of her sister Gretchen. Hilarie Burton played Gretchen as the sister who definitely wasn't dealing with the same issues as her sister, so OTH fans got to see Burton playing the "good girl" and Lenz playing the "bad girl" this time around. And the prevailing opinion was excitement:

Good Sam got very direct at alluding to the bond between the actresses at one point, when Bethany Joy Lenz's Amy – intoxicated due to the underlying condition that resulted in her body brewing its own alcohol – started talking about seeing Sophia Bush's Sam before "a long time ago." (Like 2009, perhaps?) Sam obviously had no idea what Amy was talking about, but fans caught on to the reference:

As part of the same scene, Amy started talking about a time when she was passed out on Sam's lawn, and Sam sprayed her with a hose. That of course didn't happen on Good Sam, but was a callback to a memorable One Tree Hill car wash scene when Brooke sprayed Rachel (played by Danneel Harris, who is currently producing a new project at The CW with husband Jensen Ackles) with a hose. CBS even called attention to the mention, and it didn't go unnoticed!

The Good Sam episode didn't end in a way that indicated Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton's characters will return to the medical drama, so fans shouldn't count on seeing them again. Still, it was a fun episode with a reunion, and left at least one fan ready for a OTH revival:

In light of the reports of misconduct behind the scenes during the original run of One Tree Hill (and of course Sophia Bush being busy starring on Good Sam), an official revival may not be especially likely to happen. Still, the three former OTH stars host the Dramas Queens podcast that revisits every episode of the series, and can be found on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast services. You can also rewatch the full run of the series streaming with an HBO Max subscription. 

As for Good Sam, you can find the series with new episodes on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, and/or check the show out streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. For more viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule!

Sophia Bush had plenty of experience with starring roles in hit TV shows before she landed Good Sam on CBS, and now the actress is bringing some of her past to her present in the form of her One Tree Hill BFFs. Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz are both guest-starring in an upcoming episode of television’s newest medical drama, and based on the first look, it’s safe to say that the three friends are excited to be working together in TV again.

The three actresses formed strong bonds over their years of The CW’s One Tree Hill, and went on to co-host a podcast together that is still going strong. Good Sam will bring Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, and Bethany Joy Lenz back together in front of the camera instead of simply behind microphones, and it looks like OTH fans have a lot to look forward to. Before getting into what Burton and Lenz's characters will bring to the new medical drama, check out all three together in costume!

Sophia Bush’s Sam may not have had tons of reasons to smile on the job on Good Sam ever since her dad (played by Jason Isaacs) started causing trouble for her, and Bethany Joy Lenz’s character is wearing a hospital gown, but the three actresses certainly look thrilled to be back together again! The One Tree Hill veterans are reuniting with Bush for guest-starring roles, so they won’t be around full time, but their episode (which just began shooting in Toronto) should be fun for fans. 

For their episode, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz will play sisters by the names of Gretchen Taylor and Amy Taylor. Amy will be admitted as a patient at Detroit’s Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital, where Bush’s Sam works – or tries to work, anyway – as chief of surgeon. It’s the same position that her egotistical dad held before being shot and left in a coma for months. Hopefully the Taylor sisters will give Sam as many reasons to smile in the episode as the arrivals of Bush’s BFFs clearly did in real life!

Sophia Bush starred in all nine seasons of One Tree Hill as Brooke Davis, as did Bethany Joy Lenz as Haley James. Hilarie Burton was on board The CW drama from the first season through the sixth as Peyton Sawyer. Although Bush wasted no time in moving on to star in NBC’s Chicago P.D. after wrapping her time as Brooke, she has been vocal about her time on OTH over the years since, for better or worse. 

Stars spoke out with allegations of abuse against One Tree Hill creator and executive producer Mark Schwahn, which hit the mainstream in late 2017 and gained steam in 2018. Hilarie Burton has since spoken out about how her experiences with Schwahn continue to affect her life. Still, the three actresses still think highly enough of their time on One Tree Hill to host the Drama Queens podcast that revisits every episode of the beloved show for fans. It should be interesting to see if Good Sam includes any nods or Easter eggs about their history together. 

For now, you can find new episodes of Good Sam (which are up against some stiff competition) airing on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, and all nine seasons of One Tree Hill currently streaming on Hulu.

With television series becoming more respected than ever and more actors transitioning between small screen and big screen projects often, there are not many people we can definitively call a “TV star” anymore these days. However, I think Sophia Bush may be one of the few who can still proudly bear this honor, given how exciting her return to network television as the lead of the CBS medical drama, Good Sam, turned out to be.

Of course, the actress and Drama Queens podcast co-host’s film career is no less worthy of praise, which is why we will be mentioning her cinematic greatest hits on our following breakdown of her most essential career highlights, as well. Here are some of the best Sophia Bush movies and TV shows available to stream and / or rent, or purchase digitally, starting with her breakout role.

One Tree Hill (Hulu)

Two half-brothers (Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty), their significant others, and additional loved ones and enemies alike experience various social and professional challenges while moving at the speed of life in a small North Carolina town.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: Sophia Bush’s best known role to date is still, arguably, Brooke Davis (later Brooke Davis Baker), whom she played as a member of the One Tree Hill cast for nine seasons, from 2003 to 2012, and often looks back on that time with her former co-stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton on their aforementioned podcast, Drama Queens.

Stream One Tree Hill on Hulu.
Buy One Tree Hill on Amazon.

National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (Tubi)

A journalism student (Tara Reid) is assigned to write a series of articles about her campus’ most popular and debaucherous resident (Ryan Reynolds), who begins to fear that his now seven-year stay may be coming to an end, after his wealthy father (Tim Matheson) threatens to cut off his tuition.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: Sophia Bush made her acting debut in the raunchy, 2002 college comedy, National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, as Sally, whose attempt to comfort Ryan Reynolds’ titular party animal when he is down in the dumps about Gwen (Tara Reid) almost ruins any future chance he may have had with her.

Stream National Lampoon’s Van Wilder on Tubi.
Rent/Buy National Lampoon’s Van Wilder on Amazon.

John Tucker Must Die (Amazon Prime)

A shy girl who recently moved to a new town (future Pitch Perfect cast member Brittany Snow) helps her new friends (Sophia Bush, Ashanti, Arielle Kebbel) give the most popular and desirable guy at their high school (Jesse Metcalf) a taste of his own medicine after they discover he was dating all three of them at the same time.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: Sophia Bush had a more prominent starring role in the comparatively lighter 2006 high school comedy, John Tucker Must Die, as Beth - one of the three former girlfriends of Jesse Metcalf’s titular player, on whom they seek revenge for three-timing them.

Stream John Tucker Must Die on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy John Tucker Must Die on Amazon.

Stay Alive (Amazon Rental)

A group of gamers discover that the sudden death of their friend is mysteriously linked to a violent online video game with a strange historical significance, and they could be next if they cannot make it to the next level.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: In the same year John Tucker Must Die was released, Sophia Bush began her modest reputation as a Scream Queen when she starred in Stay Alive as October Bantum - one of the central characters who are literally gaming to save their lives.

Rent/Buy Stay Alive on Amazon.

The Hitcher (Amazon Rental)

A college student (Sophia Bush) and her boyfriend (Zachary Knighton) discover that they have made a terrible mistake by agreeing to give a ride to a stranger (Sean Bean) who soon reveals to have grave intentions for the couple.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: The second, and arguably best, of Sophia Bush’s horror movies is the 2007 remake of The Hitcher, in which she plays Grace Andrews, who falls prey to Sean Bean as John Ryder - a deadly role first played by the late, great Rutger Hauer in the 1986 original thriller.

Rent/Buy The Hitcher on Amazon.

False Positive (Hulu)

A woman (co-writer Ilana Glazer) begins to suspect that something is awry with her fertility specialist (Pierce Brosnan) and that her husband (Justin Theroux) - a former student of the doctor - may not even be worth trusting, either, when she starts experiencing startling circumstances shortly after becoming pregnant.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: The most recent of Sophia Bush’s horror movies is 2021’s A24-produced Hulu original, False Positive - a modern take on one of the all-time best horror movies, Rosemary’s Baby, in which she plays Corgan, a fellow mother-to-be whom Ilana Glazer’s character, Lucy, tries to confide in about her unsettling suspicions regarding her pregnancy.

Stream False Positive on Hulu.

Table For Three (Tubi, Plex, Vudu)

After a disastrous marriage proposal suddenly leaves him single again and in need of a new roommate, a man (Brandon Routh) takes in an inseparable, seemingly perfect couple (Sophia Bush and Jesse Bradford) who help him get back on his feet, until they begin to unwelcomely insert themselves into just about every aspect of his life and threaten to ruin his chances of finding love again with the woman of his dreams (Jennifer Morrison).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: One of Sophia Bush’s first TV roles following her tenure on One Tree Hill was on the short-lived CBS sitcom Partners, which also starred former Superman actor Brandon Routh, whom she had previously starred alongside in the 2009 romantic comedy, Table for Three, as Mary - one half of the eccentric, aggressively nosy couple he begrudgingly calls his new roommates.

Stream Table For Three on Tubi.
Stream Table For Three on Plex.
Stream Table For Three on Vudu.

Rent/Buy Table For Three on Amazon.

Chicago P.D. (Peacock)

The uniformed police officers and undercover intelligence unit of the Chicago Police Department’s 21st District take on drug trafficking, murder cases, organized crime, and more of the worst offenses to be found in the Windy City.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: Sophia Bush’s most iconic TV role following her tenure on One Tree Hill is Detective Erin Lindsay, whom she debuted as on Chicago Fire before becoming a series regular with the Chicago P.D. cast for the NBC procedural crime drama’s first four seasons.

Stream Chicago P.D. on Peacock.
Buy Chicago P.D. on Amazon.

Incredibles 2 (Disney+)

Shortly after coming out of hiding to save their city from the Underminer (John Ratzenberger), the super-strong Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson), his elastic wife, Helen (Holly Hunter), their transparent daughter, Violet (Sarah Vowell), speedy son “Dash” (Huck Milner), and diversely gifted infant Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) receive a second chance to “relive the glory days” and potentially create positive change for the state of vigilantism.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: A year after leaving her role on Chicago P.D. in 2017, Sophia Bush played a different kind of crimefighter when she made her superhero movies debut in Pixar’s Incredibles 2 - the long-awaited sequel to one of the best superhero movies ever made (animated or not) as the voice of Voyd, a teleporter who idolizes Elastigirl.

Stream Incredibles 2 on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Incredibles 2 on Amazon.

Hard Luck Love Song (Amazon Rental)

A boozy, down-on-his-luck, aspiring country music singer (Michael Dorman) travels the road, hustling billiard hall denizens and ruining cheap motels along the way, in the hope of finding and reuniting with his past lover (Sophia Bush), if only his own personal demons would not intervene.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: In 2020, Sophia Bush played the female lead of Hard Luck Love Song - co-writer and director Justin Corsbie’s cinematic adaptation of folk singer Todd Snider’s ballad “Just Like Old Times” that is part romantic-comedy, part Neo Western drama, part crime thriller, and all brutally honest grit.

Rent/Buy Hard Luck Love Song on Amazon.

Love, Victor (Hulu)

A Latino teen (Michael Cimino) faces the challenges of being the new kid in town, opening up to his family, and struggling with his own sexuality after recently enrolling into Creekwood High School.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sophia Bush: Speaking of love stories, also in 2020, Sophia Bush joined the Love, Victor cast in the recurring role of Veronica - the stepmother of Rachel Naomi Hilson’s character, Mia - for a current total of seven episodes of Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger’s Hulu original series spun-off from the hit LGBTQ+ teen dramedy, Love, Simon, from 2018.

Stream Love, Victor on Hulu.

Of course, we also cannot forget about the notable TV guest roles that Sophia Bush played - such as Lizzy in the This Is Us cast, Alexandria on Netflix’s Easy, and Julie on Jane the Virgin, too - before signing on as star and producer on Good Sam, which is on the CBS 2022 TV schedule. We are looking forward to seeing what she signs on for next.

Despite 2022 not even being a week old yet, TV networks aplenty have begun rolling out winter returns and midseason premieres, giving viewers a lot of options to consider as the outside world remains pandemic-torn. One such new series is CBS’ Good Sam, which stars Chicago P.D. and One Tree Hill vet Sophia Bush alongside Star Trek Discovery and Harry Potter franchise alum Jason Isaacs. The hospital-set drama is Bush’s first broadcast network role after her highly publicized exit from the One Chicago universe back in 2017, and the star has opened up about what drew her back to the Big 4.

Having most recently served in a recurring capacity across both streaming seasons of Hulu’s dramedy Love, Victor, Sophia Bush certainly doesn’t wish to have repeat experiences of her time on NBC’s Chicago P.D. and the alleged abusive behavior she witnessed and experienced on that show. But in an interview with USA Today, the actress revealed the key reason why she decided to head up another network show after such a relatively quick turnaround. In her words: 

When it comes right down to it, it sounds like Sophia Bush is seeking out shows with showrunners and producers that she feels comfortable working with, as well as ones that can deliver attention-grabbing scripts and narratives. And it appears she landed just such a combination with Good Sam, which was created by the aforementioned Katie Wech, a former writer/producer on such series as The Republic of Sarah, Jane the Virgin, Rizzoli and Isles, and BH90210. All series with strong, largely celebrated female leads front and center. 

Fellow writer/producer Jennie Snyder Urman also worked on Jane the Virgin, as well as the original 90210 continuation series, Gilmore Girls and the Charmed reboot. Both she and Joanna Klein worked on CBS’ short-lived comedy Broke, which was Pauley Perrette’s first big TV role following her controversial exit from NCIS. So one can assume the two producers are somewhat familiar with trying to keep things as free from toxicity and misconduct behind the scenes as possible, which is surely something Sophia Bush can appreciate. 

When asked how her past experiences on Chicago P.D. and One Tree Hill — which she and other female co-stars have spoken out against in regards to alleged abuse from showrunner Mark Schwann — have affected her decision-making when it comes to taking acting roles, Bush said: 

It’s one thing to take a movie role that likely won’t require more than a few months out of one’s life to take part in, but signing on for a network TV drama is a huge commitment, especially when there are contractual stipulations specifically meant to thwart actors from bowing out early. Bush herself was said to have been told there was no way she could get out of her Chicago P.D. contract before it expired, and yet she did just that. 

Hopefully nothing even remotely similar to those alleged woes will occur on Good Sam, which is as much a relationship-driven drama between Dr. Sam Griffith and her father Dr. Rob Griffith as it is a traditional medical drama. Think of it like This Is Us (which Sophia Bush appeared on in 2020) meets The Good Doctor. 

And while you're thinking about it, be sure to watch new episodes of Good Sam on CBS every Wednesday night at 10:00 p.m. ET, the very same time slot as her former home of Chicago P.D. 

One of the most well-known genres of television is the teen drama. For years, these types of shows, filled with steamy romances, the highs and lows of high school sports, fashion gods, and so much more, have been a major part of television. From some older options to brand new ones, there are plenty of shows out there for the teen drama enthusiast. 

If you’re looking for your next binge, check out the best teen drama TV shows streaming, that you can watch right now. 

Riverdale (Netflix)

Riverdale is the titular name of a small little town in upstate New York on this show from The CW, where everything seems normal until one person begins to dig a little deeper into the area's dark history, and murders start to pile up, creating plenty of drama for its residents. 

Riverdale has certainly gone up and down in quality over its run, but I’ll always have a special place in my heart for its craziness. The characters are all so different, and the relationships are very entertaining to follow. It’s definitely a great murder mystery show and while it has its moments of utter strangeness - like those weird musical episodes - it’s still an entertaining teen drama. 

Stream Riverdale on Netflix. 

All American (Netflix)

Next up, we have a classic sports show, All American. This teen drama follows a young high school football player who transfers to Beverly Hills High after being recruited from South L.A. We follow his wins and losses, both on the field and off. 

As someone who is a huge fan of sports movies, and loves watching football, I can confirm that this is an awesome show. I especially love that All American isn’t afraid to really dive deeply into hard to talk about topics that not a lot of older teen dramas really got into, such as racial injustice. The series is a lot of fun, and has great storylines filled with inspiration. 

Stream All American on Netflix. 

Elite (Netflix)

This international series on Netflix, Elite, is set in an elite secondary school, and follows the story of three working-class students who end up attending through a scholarship program, and clash with their wealthy classmates. 

I’ve always felt that Elite is like the Spanish version of Gossip Girl, except I think the characters are a lot more personable and fun to follow. We follow some truly crazy storylines, and I also especially love that the school they film in really does look like an amazingly private prep school. The romances in this are also so much fun to root for as well. There are six seasons and a seventh on the way, so time to binge.

Stream Elite on Netflix. 

Euphoria (HBO Max)

Next up, we have the HBO original series, Euphoria. While there’s a whole ensemble of characters, the main two that we follow are Rue and Jules, two young women, as they struggle through high school, and the social problems that surround them. 

Out of all the picks on this list, Euphoria is definitely the most mature. I’d say it even teeters between teen drama and adult drama with some of its content. However, I do feel that it’s an important show to watch, as it talks about some serious themes such as sexual assault, drug abuse and addiction, gender transitioning, and more. Zendaya is brilliant in her starring role, but the whole Euphoria cast is excellent, as well. Truly a great hit for HBO. 

Stream Euphoria on HBO Max.

The 100 (Netflix)

Another CW show, The 100, follows a group of delinquents from a spaceship, who are sent back down to Earth to investigate if the planet is ready to be occupied by humans again, after a nuclear apocalypse. But, the kids find out that not only is the planet habitable - they are not alone. 

I absolutely adore dystopian shows like this, but mix that in with some teen drama and it’s a winner for me. From The 100 cast to the storylines to its surprisingly great costuming and set design, it’s such a well-done show, and the lore is truly interesting. I’m not the hugest fan of the last season, but the rest is great. 

Stream The 100 on Netflix.

Degrassi: The Next Generation (Amazon Prime)

Taking place more than a decade after Degrassi Junior High, this show, Degrassi: The Next Generation, follows the obstacles of being a teenager, whether that means having to deal with relationship problems, sexuality, bullying, or even darker themes like sexual assault, gun control, and more. 

I’m going to be honest - Degrassi: The Next Generation was a little bit before my time of teen dramas, however, I recently binged it with a friend and I have to say, it holds up. The topics that are talked about are still relevant to today’s teens - if not even more so - and Degrassi: The Next Generation’s cast is full of talent and produced an entertaining show. I mean, the show even has Drake before he was super famous. It’s definitely worth a watch. 

Stream Degrassi: The Next Generation on Amazon Prime. 

Gossip Girl (HBO Max)

A classic CW show, Gossip Girl follows Serena Van der Woodsen (played by Blake Lively), a teenager growing up on the Upper East Side of New York City. We follow her daily struggles with schooling, her best friend, relationship issues and more, through six seasons of craziness. 

As someone who recently just watched all of this for the first time, I can understand why it was so popular. The Gossip Girl cast is ridiculously skillful in their portrayals of these characters, and it’s no wonder why most of them went on to have very fulfilling careers. The storylines are intense and crazy, the characters easy to follow, and the fashion impeccable. The latest HBO Max remake isn’t that great, in my opinion, so better to just stick with the original. 

Stream Gossip Girl on HBO Max.

Ginny & Georgia (Netflix)

With two seasons so far – and a third one on the way – this is probably one of Netflix’s most popular original teen shows. Ginny & Georgia follows Ginny, a young teenager who moves to a new town with her brother and mother, who had her as a teenager. Ginny lovers her mother, but as she starts to settle into this new town, she begins to discover secrets about her mom’s past that she never would have guessed – and it changes her life forever. 

Ginny & Georgia is one of those shows where you either enjoy the heck out of it or you can’t make it past the first season because the way the high schoolers talk can be very dated (as is the case with many teen shows). But what I will say is that the story is honestly really good and has a lot of suspense around Georgia’s character, and Season 2 especially dives into much heavier themes. 

Stream Ginny & Georgia on Netflix. 

One Tree Hill (Hulu)

Another classic teen drama, One Tree Hill, is all about the Scott brothers, Lucas and Nathan, half siblings who are competing against each other for spots on the basketball team, romances, and a lot more, in the town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. 

I feel like everyone has heard of One Tree Hill. It’s such a great combination of genres within a teen drama, like having a sports storyline, including so much romance it’s almost impossible to keep up with it, and much, much more. Plus, the One Tree Hill cast is full of stars, such as Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie Burton, and James Lafferty. The show had nine seasons, so you know it was, at the very least, quite successful. 

Stream One Tree Hill on Hulu. 

Pretty Little Liars (HBO Max)

Pretty Little Liars follows a group of five best friends, but their lives start to fall apart when their leader, Alison, suddenly vanishes. A year later, the friends reunite when they are threatened by a person named ‘A,’ who is saying they will expose all their darkest secrets. 

I feel like Pretty Little Liars is famous for so many reasons, whether it be for its drama, its romances, its dark twists and turns, or something else. The show became incredibly popular, and Pretty Little Liars cast went on to succeed in many different projects after the series finale. 

Stream Pretty Little Liars on HBO Max. 

Veronica Mars (Hulu)

In this popular CW series, Veronica Mars follows the titular character as she moves from high school to college, while also working as a private investigator, thanks to her father, who is a detective. In each new episode, we get to follow Veronica as she takes on a new case, while constantly trying to figure out the bigger mystery at hand. 

Starring Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars is the perfect example of a teen drama that can be entertaining for teens and adults. The mysteries that are involved are so much fun, but what really makes it such a great series is how, at the end of each season, it’s all tied to the bigger mystery of the season. And, how can you not love Kristen Bell as Veronica? She has that spunky personality that’s just impossible not to like.

Stream Veronica Mars on Hulu. 

Teen Wolf (Hulu)

Loosely based on the '80s film of the same name, Teen Wolf follows Scott, a seemingly normal high schooler whose world is turned upside down when he is bitten by a werewolf the night before his sophomore year, completely changing the course of his life. 

This is an excellent werewolf show, if not for the costume design, then for the Teen Wolf cast. Everyone works so well together and helped create a truly entertaining fantasy series that’s full of lore, enjoyable characters, and really cool monsters. My personal favorite character from the series is Stiles. Definitely one of Dylan O’Brien's best movies and TV shows. 

Stream Teen Wolf on Hulu. 

Outer Banks (Netflix)

Lastly, we have the Netflix original series, Outer Banks. This series is set in the town of Outer Banks, North Carolina, where there’s a stark difference between the wealthy and the working-class, called Kooks and Pogues. We follow a group of Pogues, who are on a mission to find out what happened to their ringleader’s father, who mysteriously disappeared. 

I personally think that this show sometimes dives a little too deep into teen drama tropes by making these romances as intense as they are. However, Outer Banks provides some awesomely fun adventure with its inclusion of mystery, mixed in with a warm feeling provided by the setting’s atmosphere. I love to watch this show in the winter when it’s cold, as it reminds me of summer. 

Stream Outer Banks on Netflix. 

While there are plenty of awesome teen dramas that we can all look forward to popping up on the 2023 TV schedule, sometimes it’s better to just sit back, relax, and binge what's come before. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to re-watch Gossip Girl for the umpteenth time.

While One Tree Hill may have been the story of half-brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott playing basketball in their small North Carolina town, the women of Tree Hill were just as important to the teen drama’s longevity as anything to do with the Scott brothers. It turns out the off-screen support the women gave each other throughout what has since been described as an abusive working environment was vital. Hilarie Burton recently reconnected with One Tree Hill matriarch Moira Kelly, who played Lucas’ mom Karen, and revealed just how much Kelly changed her life by giving her “permission” to leave the show.

On the podcast Drama Queens, former One Tree Hill stars Hilarie Burton, Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz spoke with Moira Kelly about their time on set together, with the trio revealing that they were so intimidated by the seasoned actress because they respected her so much. While the drama wrapped its nine-season run in 2012, Burton left the show in 2009, later alleging she’d endured years of abuse at the hands of showrunner Mark Schwahn. Burton became emotional on the podcast as she told her former co-star, whom she had not seen since their time on the show, that Kelly's advice and support saved her life. 

In 2017, former One Tree Hill writer Audrey Wauchope tweeted that she and her writing partner at the time had been sexually harassed when they worked on the show in Season 7. That prompted Hilarie Burton and 17 other women — including Sophia Bush — to speak out, accusing Mark Schwahn of sexual harassment and more. Burton offered more insight into the allegations in her book, The Rural Diaries, which also discussed how she’s still affected by what she endured.

On the podcast, Moira Kelly expressed her regret about not being more aware of what was happening with her younger co-stars, saying if she’d been more present, she surely would have done something. But the Drama Queens co-hosts insisted that she did help — that the example she set for them, and the way Kelly prioritized her family over work, taught them so much. Hilarie Burton said she’d been wanting to thank Kelly since she was 26 years old. 

Seems like a good time to note that Hilarie Burton and her son have both appeared on The Walking Dead, which stars the respective husband and father Jeffrey Dean Morgan. So the AMC dramas fans also have Moira Kelly to thank for the roles of Lucille and...hungry zombie kid.

All nine seasons of One Tree Hill are available for streaming on Hulu. And be sure to check out our 2021 Fall TV Schedule for upcoming premieres.

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I don’t know if you know this, but The CW has a lot of shows. So many that I hardly even know what to do with myself. Some are even premiering on the 2021 fall TV schedule soon, so now is the perfect time to catch up.

From classics like Gossip Girl and Jane the Virgin, to newer shows like Riverdale or All American, these are some of the best (non-Arrowverse) The CW shows you can watch that are streaming right now.

Dynasty

A remake of the classic soap opera, Dynasty tells the story of Fallon Carrington, a young woman who is unhappy to find her billionaire father engaged to a rival employee at the family company, creating tensions, until mysteries unfold.

Starring Elizabeth Gillies from Victorious, she shines exceptionally well in this remake. If you thought that your family had drama, just wait until you dive into the Carrington’s, where a lot of what they do will shock and surprise you, no matter what you’ve seen before.

Stream Dynasty on Netflix.

Jane The Virgin

Jane the Virgin tells the story of a young virgin, named Jane, who ends up accidentally inseminated while she is at a regular check-up with her gynecologist, spurring on a whole world of problems.

Gina Rodriguez stars as Jane here, and honestly, she’s amazing in the role, alongside her awesome Jane the Virgin cast. While the premise does sound a little wacky, that’s sort of what you’re signing up for. Everyone here has their own personal issues and ends up doing crazy things, but somehow, it still works wonderfully.

Stream Jane the Virgin on Netflix.

Reign

In this historical drama, Reign tells the story of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her rise to power in the French court.

Keep in mind that this is a TV show, so it’s not going to be accurate to the true story of the legendary figure. But, Reign is full of fun stars, a story that will intrigue you, and some awesome set and costume design. If you’re looking for a fictionalized medieval history show, Reign is definitely a great choice.

Stream Reign on Netflix.

Riverdale

In Riverdale, we follow Archie Andrews and his friends in Riverdale, a small town that seems to be perfect from the outside, but hides dark secrets within.

Okay, look, Riverdale has it’s issues, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not an entertaining show. The mysteries it explores are creative, even when they feel unbelievable, and the romances are fun...For the most part - but you’ll find out about that later. If you want to know all about the legend that is Riverdale, be sure to check out this show.

Stream Riverdale on Netflix.

One Tree Hill

Looking back on a classic, One Tree Hill is set in the fictional town of Tree Hill, and follows two brothers, Lucas and Nathan, who are competing for spots on the school’s basketball team, while also showing the drama of their romances.

One Tree Hill is a classic teen drama for a reason, and, honestly, one of the best CW shows, in my opinion. The One Tree Hill cast is full of stars, and the stories are full of the drama and intensity you would expect from a show like this. With nine seasons to binge, One Tree Hill is the perfect series for you to enjoy on a rainy day when you feel like watching a good teen drama.

Stream One Tree Hill on Hulu.

The 100

In The 100, based the book series of the same name, we follow a group of delinquents who are sent down to Earth more than a hundred years after life seemingly went extinct, to see if it is habitable again. However, when they are down there, they run into trouble almost immediately.

I’ve always loved The 100, and especially The 100 cast. Their chemistry works so well together, and the friendships and stories that they build will make any fan of post-apocalyptic shows tune in. The series just came to a close over this past year.

Stream The 100 on Netflix.

iZombie

Of course the CW needed a zombie show at some point - and that’s where iZombie comes into play. This dramedy follows the story of a doctor-turned-zombie, a Seattle Police medical examiner named Olivia, who helps solve murders after eating the victims’ brains and temporarily inheriting their memories.

I feel like this show covers all the basics for a TV series to succeed. It has an interesting premise, some really funny bits, a great cast, and somehow makes the crime genre even more creative by adding on the zombie twist. In a world where we live in a time filled with zombie media, such as Army of the Dead or the AMC series, The Walking Dead, it’s nice to have a comedy-filled drama with zombies instead of constant death.

Stream iZombie on Netflix.

Walker

Walker, which is a reimagining of the long-running series, Walker, Texas Ranger, follows the story of Cordell Walker, a widower and a father with his own personal moral code, returning home after working undercover for two years.

Starring Supernatural star Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker, this remake stands out about the rest on The CW's offerings. Not only does Padalecki (who works as an executive producer on the show) shine as Cordell, the rest of the cast does, as well, adding a new layer to the story of Cordell Walker. The second season is set to come out in October, so now is the perfect time to watch.

Stream it on the CW.

All American

Inspired by the life of Spencer Paysinger, All American tells the story of a young boy from South L.A. who is recruited to play football for Beverly Hills High School, showing the struggles of two families from very different communities as they collide.

All American is one of those series that, even if you aren’t a big fan of sports, it’s still an engrossing series for you to watch. The dynamic between social classes is well discussed, and they talk about serious issues often on the show, from discrimination to the Black Lives Matter movement. With Season 4 around the corner, take the time now to catch up on All American before it premieres.

Stream All American on Netflix.

Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars is the story of a high school student who works as a private investigator behind the scenes, under the tutelage of her detective father.

Starring a young Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars is a great example of what a mystery show should be about, with plenty of interesting stories and exciting characters. The show was so popular it spawned a movie and recent series revival, so give it a shot if mysteries are your go-to genre.

Stream Veronica Mars on Hulu.

Charmed

In this reboot of the original series, Charmed, we follow a trio of sisters, known as the Charmed Ones, who are powerful, good witches. Their job is to use their combined power to save innocent lives from evil forces, such as warlocks, or demons.

Charmed is one of those fantasy shows that truly shines because of its main characters. The Charmed cast, and their amazing chemistry together, is what drives this show. With three seasons so far, if you’re craving magic and sorcery, Charmed is the show for you.

Stream Charmed on Netflix.

Gilmore Girls

A classic dramedy, Gilmore Girls centers around the titular Gilmore girls, Rory, a teenager, and her mother, Lorelai. The two of them live in a small Connecticut town called Stars Hollow, and we follow the ups and downs of their lives.

Known for its simplicity and mother-daughter storylines, Gilmore Girls is a wonderful coming of age series. We get to follow the story of Rory as she grows up, goes to college, makes mistakes, falls in love, and everything else in between, while also following the story of Lorelai trying to become successful in her career. Plenty of careers took off after it premiered. A reunion mini-series happened on Netflix not that long ago because the show was so popular. If you haven’t given it a shot, check it out now.

Stream Gilmore Girls on Netflix.

Supernatural

Supernatural follows the story of brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester, who both hunt down supernatural beings, getting themselves into trouble in various different ways in each episode, getting help along the way.

Supernatural is arguably one of the CW’s most popular shows ever, with fifteen seasons, all with episodes that are more than forty minutes long. And, it got popular for a reason. If you don’t love the brotherly love between Sam and Dean, you’ll surely learn to care for Castiel, or Bobby Singer, or many other characters. With so many amazing episodes, you’ll find it hard to pick the best one.

Stream Supernatural on Netflix.

Gossip Girl

Another classic CW show, Gossip Girl follows the story of a group of privileged teenagers on the upper East side of New York City, who are suddenly targeted by an unknown person, who calls themself “Gossip Girl.”

First off, the Gossip Girl cast is one of the best out there, with soon-to-be big-time names starring in it like Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, and more. Not only that, but the story is genuinely so much fun and filled with that constant mystery hanging over your head - who exactly is Gossip Girl? And, why are they doing this? It’s one of the best CW shows they've had - so much so that it received a (not so great) reboot that premiered on HBO Max earlier this year, but I'd rather stick to the original.

Stream Gossip Girl on HBO Max.

The Vampire Diaries

Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, The Vampire Diaries follows the story of Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl whose parents passed away in a car accident, and who falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore.

The Vampire Diaries premiered when the Twilight films were coming out, and created a whole slew of vampire-obsessed fans. However, The Vampire Diaries carries itself well and created a fun, fantasy experience with plenty of entertaining moments, including a strong love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon. It’s not my favorite fantasy series, but it’s definitely worth the watch if vampires are your thing.

Stream The Vampire Diaries on Netflix.

With so many great shows to pick from, one can only imagine that you'll have fun diving in. What are you feeling? Mystery? Sports? Comedy? No matter what, the CW has you covered with plenty of options.

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If the original One Tree Hill cast didn't wanna be anything other than what they had been trying to be while on the show, it does not seem to have worked out that way. Stars such as Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush have gone onto act in movies and TV shows that have proved to be a vast departure from the long-running coming-of-age drama since its final curtain in 2012 on The CW (after first debuting nine years earlier when it was still called The WB). The following is a look at the successes that this cast has achieved since departing from this successful series, starting with one of its greatest success stories.

Chad Michael Murray (Lucas Scott)

Recurring roles on the Gilmore Girls cast and Dawson’s Creek cast led Chad Michael Murray to score the lead on The WB’s next hit One Tree Hill as his film career was taking off with the 2003 Freaky Friday remake, the Hilary Duff-led A Cinderella Story in 2004, and another film based on pre-existing work of fiction: House of Wax in 2005. Since leaving One Tree Hill after Season 6, the former model most notably played a cop in Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, a spy on Agent Carter (one of ABC’s pre-Disney+ Marvel TV shows), and returned to The CW with a recurring role on the Riverdale cast in 2019. Murray will next star in the movie Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman as the titular serial killer and is currently working on his second, third, and fourth action movie co-starring Bruce Willis.

James Lafferty (Nathan Scott)

Like Chad Michael Murray, his onscreen half-brother from the One Tree Hill cast, James Lafferty also has a bit of a Scream King reputation after starring in the 2009 Donnie Darko sequel S. Darko, appearing in Mike Flanagan’s terrifying mainstream debut Oculus, and the filmmaker’s acclaimed Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Hill House in 2018. Between those thrillers, the actor, writer, producer, and director (who even helmed a few One Tree Hill episodes) took roles on short-lived series like Crisis on NBC and Underground on WGN and acted in films that range from comedies like Waffle Street to dramas like Small Town Crime. In addition to playing Scott Carpenter on Disney+’s The Right Stuff in 2020, Lafferty would later team-up with fellow One Tree Hill alum Stephen Colletti to create and star on Everyone is Doing Great: a comedy series loosely based on their own lives since leaving The CW hit.

Sophia Bush (Brooke Davis Baker)

Positively doing great since seeing One Tree Hill to its end is Sophia Bush, who is best known these days for playing Detective Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D. and the hit NBC series’ other spin-off procedural dramas taking place in the Windy City until 2017. The following year, she would also play a cop in Bruce Willis movie (Acts of Violence) and lent her voice to the Pixar sequel Incredibles 2 as an aspiring superhero named Voyd. In addition to small guest spots on otherwise huge hit series like Jane the Virgin or This Is Us, Bush has a recurring part on the Love, Victor cast, starred in the A24-produced horror movie False Positive (another Hulu original) in 2021, and was cast in the title role of the upcoming medical drama Good Sam, which will be on the 2021 Fall TV Schedule on CBS.

Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley James Scott)

The daytime soap opera Guiding Light was Bethany Joy Lenz’s big break before she was cast on the primetime soap opera One Tree Hill as Nathan’s eventual wife, Haley. Her next big TV role was a recurring spot on Dexter Season 8 before appearing on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a Hydra devotee in 2016, Thora Birch’s replacement on the USA sci-fi drama Colony the following year, and becoming a series regular on the short-lived Suits spin-off Pearson in 2019. While Hallmark movies seem to be Lenz’s main claim to fame lately, she also has a horror movie called So Cold the River in the works.

Paul Johansson (Dan Scott)

As the biological father of both Lucas and Nathan Scott on One Tree Hill we have Paul Johansson, who also broke out on a daytime soap (Santa Barbera) before starring in a film that makes fun of them (Soapdish) and then appearing in a recurring role on Beverly Hills, 90210 (the precursor to another CW hit) in the early 1990s. Following the death of his character in One Tree Hill’s final season, Johansson would go on to join the Mad Men cast for three episodes, appear in the 2016 coming-of-age period drama Dear Eleanor, and play a bloodsucking antagonist from SyFy’s modern-day take on the legend of Van Helsing during its first two seasons. The actor is currently filming the crime drama God is a Bullet from The Notebook helmer Nick Cassavetes, who also directed Johansson in John Q opposite Denzel Washington in 2002.

Hilarie Burton (Peyton Sawyer)

Like a few of her co-stars, Hilarie Burton previously starred on Dawson’s Creek, which also saw her debut before becoming a series regular on One Tree Hill and later the White Collar cast following her 2009 exit. In addition to recurring spots on series like the Halle Berry-led sci-fi drama Extant or her guest appearance on The Walking Dead as Lucille (the late wife of her real-life husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Burton also shares common appearances in Hallmark movie roles with some of her One Tree Hill castmates. Plus, she, Sophia Bush, and Bethany Joy Lenz recently go together create a podcast called Drama Queens, on which they recall their time together on the series.

Lee Norris (Mouth McFadden)

Starting off as a recurring character on the One Tree Hill cast before being promoted to series regular in Season 3 is Lee Norris, who had previously experienced the reverse (well, just barely) on the Boy Meets World cast as Stuart Minkus, a role he would reprise on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World years later. In between then, the actor appeared in two David Fincher movies (namely Zodiac in 2007 and 2014’s Gone Girl) and had a recurring role on AMC’s The Walking Dead in 2017 before Hilarie Burton made her first guest appearance. Speaking of Hilarie Burton, she and Norris starred in the Lifetime original holiday movie A Christmas Wish (along with fellow One Tree Hill alum Tyler Hilton) a year before Norris shared the screen with Tom Hanks in the Apple TV+ exclusive Greyhound in 2020.

Moira Kelly (Karen Roe)

Another recent One Tree Hill castmember turned Lifetime movie star is Moira Kelly, who first rose to stardom as the female lead of the romantic sports movie The Cutting Edge in 1992. That same year, she replaced Lara Flynn Boyle in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (a prequel to David Lynch’s groundbreaking series) and played Charlie Chaplin’s wife in a biopic starring starring Robert Downey Jr. as the silent film legend before voicing Nala in the original animated Lion King in 1994. Kelly recently landed a recurring role on Fox’s hit medical drama The Resident and also stars in the Amazon Prime original series Panic, inspired by the thrilling young adult novel.

Barbara Alyn Woods (Deb Scott)

Another One Tree Hill alum who starred in the aforementioned 2019 Lifetime movie A Christmas Wish is Barbara Alyn Woods, who has appeared in everything from a guest spot on the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast to the Demi Moore-led movie Striptease to the series adaptation of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as Diane Szalinski. Her other major roles following her One Tree Hill exit in 2012 include two episodes of the hit ABC comedy The Goldbergs, the 2019 Netflix original movie Walk. Ride. Rodeo., and the SyFy original horror-comedy (Future) Cult Classic from that same year. Speaking of horror-comedies on SyFy, Barbara Alyn Woods will also appear on Chucky, an upcoming series that continues the legacy of the classic slasher Child’s Play form 1988.

Craig Sheffer (Keith Scott)

Craig Sheffer has also done a Lifetime movie and Hallmark movie in his day, in addition to the highly eclectic career he has led before and after playing Keith Scott on One Tree Hill. Some of his best known early roles include the 1987 John Hughes-penned classic Some Kind of Wonderful, Clive Barker’s cult favorite horror flick Nightbreed from 1990, and A River Runs Through It, a Robert Redford directed period piece in which he played Brad Pitt’s onscreen brother. Outside of his smaller role in the Apple TV+ exclusive drama Palmer, Sheffer has continued his reputation as B-movie royalty in the movies like the upcoming thriller Sarah, which will reunite him with his Fire with Fire co-star Virginia Madsen.

Antwon Tanner (Skills Taylor)

Not only does Antwon Tanner have a few recent holiday Lifetime movies on his resume, but he also appeared in A Christmas Wish with his former One Tree Hill castmates in 2019. Some of his most notable work outside of becoming a series regular on the hit series include a recurring role on the Brandy-led sitcom Moesha, The Wood starring Taye Diggs, and Coach Carter, a fact-based sports drama starring Samuel L. Jackson from 2005. Tanner’s most notable work after One Tree Hill includes the Adult Swim original series Black Jesus, BET’s series sequel to the Eddie Murphy favorite Boomerang, and the upcoming music drama Packz, which is filming now.

Well, with the exception of a podcast about their experiences on the show, a TV shows about the experiences after leaving the show, and one Lifetime movie in common, it appears to me that the One Tree Hill cast has indeed managed to be nearly anything other than what they had been trying to be during the drama’s 2003-2012 run.

The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan got hitched a couple years ago. It sounds like it could have been a lot sooner, though, because his now-wife Hilarie Burton has revealed that Morgan apparently auditioned for her long-running show, One Tree Hill, long before the two ever met, and if he would have snagged the role the couple would have been introduced a lot sooner.

The ladies from the hit show One Tree Hill have reunited for a podcast called Drama Queens, and in the first episode of the podcast Hilarie Burton revealed that when she met her now-husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, he told her he auditioned for a part on her show but didn’t end up getting it. This is what Burton said:

Honestly, that sounds just like the style we have come to expect from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The Watchmen actor has played a ton of excellent parts, a lot of which have gone under the radar. Back when One Tree Hill launched in 2003, Morgan was appearing in a lot of series for just an episode or two and had not locked down the persona that we know and love now. One Tree Hill would have been a larger part for him at the time.

The “gritty” character referred to was a series regular up until he was killed in Season 3, and had a few flashback scenes in Season 4 of One Tree Hill. If Jeffrey Dean Morgan had indeed gotten the part, he surely would have been spending a good amount of time around Hilarie Burton. In the same interview, the actress said she is sure she would have been won over by Morgan back then. Burton explained:

They say everything happens for a reason, and it just may be that the two stars were not ready to meet back then. The couple does have two children together, and if they had met sooner and had those kids years before they did, they certainly would not be the same children they are now. Hopefully both stars would say that the timing worked out pretty perfectly.

Jeffery Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton have appeared together on screen, even if it wasn’t on One Tree Hill. Burton joined her husband on The Walking Dead, and interestingly enough played his character’s wife. The chemistry shared by the two was natural and brought out a softer and more relatable side to Morgan’s Negan. There are no known plans for the two to appear in another project together right now, but one can certainly hold out hope!

If there's one thing that's abundantly clear from looking at the (usually) very public lives of celebrities, it's that being famous is sometimes not so great. With the public adoration also comes intense public scrutiny, and frequently about things in their lives that are really no one's business. Former Chicago P.D. and One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush has been on our TV (and movie) screens for nearly 20 years, and in that time she's learned a lot about trying to keep her life to herself, and she recently opened up about why she keeps her personal life private.

Sophia Bush has several fan-favorite roles under her belt now, with One Tree Hill's Brooke Davis and Erin Lindsay of the Chicago P.D. cast being among her most beloved parts on television. But, it would seem that she's had more than her fair share of rude awakenings when it comes to how the personal lives of famous folk are often dissected in the media, especially if those celebs happen to be female. While speaking with Entertainment Tonight about her upcoming film, False Positive, she was asked if it's intentional that she talks about issues which are important to her while keeping mum about her private life, and Bush said:

While there are certainly a lot of well-known people who dive right in to being a very public person and seem to thrive on everyone knowing their every move, like, and dislike, there are still many who truly try to keep as much of their personal lives to themselves as possible, preferring to only talk about work. As Sophia Bush noted, it's difficult to look up one day and realize that no area of your life is just for you and your nearest and dearest. Mostly, this is because the public and/or press don't simply take in the information we receive, but also "pick over everything," leading to misconceptions, and lots of outright lies.

As Bush also said, she became famous during the early aughts, a time when women were especially prone to receiving the worst of the press / gossip due to their personal choices, and no decision ever seemed to be good enough. While we've all become more aware of this in recent months (largely thanks to the Framing Britney Spears documentary), it's not something that's been completely eradicated, and certainly won't change quickly.

Sophia Bush also explained that she simply grew tired of the narrative she found herself forced into when it came to her private life, and added:

Not hiding, but also not flaunting, your personal life can be a tough line to walk for someone in the public eye, but I'd say that Sophia Bush has managed it pretty well. There will probably always be a number of celebrities who want to put their lives all out there for everyone to dig into, so when we get the famous people who'd rather not deal in that, we should all just back away and let them live their lives in peace.

Sophia Bush will next be seen this fall on CBS in Good Sam, but for more to watch in the coming weeks, check out the 2021 summer TV shows!

The WB/CW drama One Tree Hill came to an end nearly a decade ago and, with three of its stars -- Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton Morgan and Bethany Joy Lenz -- coming together to do a podcast to reflect on their time on the hit series, it raises a question of whether or not a return to Tree Hill, North Carolina is possible. Bush may never return to NBC’s Chicago P.D. following her exit and, now, she's speaking on the chances of her joining an OTH revival.

Sophia Bush exited the NBC procedural four years ago, revealing that she “wanted to” and that she prioritized her personal health over the series. Meanwhile, the actress has kept close to her One Tree Hill family and fans, even attending conventions. Now that she’s doing a new podcast with her on-screen besties, Bush has opened up to Entertainment Tonight about a One Tree Hill revival:

While Sophia Bush didn’t exactly give a straight answer, it seems a One Tree Hill revival or reunion of some sorts is possible. Considering the series came to an end in 2012, now would be the perfect time. Some of the cast did have a reunion when they starred in the Lifetime Christmas movie, The Christmas Contract together. Although it was nice to see them together, it only made fans yearn for an actual reunion or revival in the future.

Most would probably agree that there's definitely a market for modern continuations of TV series. There have been plenty of revivals and reboots lately, such as the new iCarly show on Paramount+, and not to mention the upcoming Gossip Girl series on HBO Max.

If there were to be an OTH revival, it would need to have the original cast and not a new group of friends. But what would a new series look like and where would the characters be after all this time? Believe it or not, while promoting The Christmas Contract, Hilarie Burton Morgan threw out a fun idea for a One Tree Hill revival: A Christmas movie! It would give the characters an in-show reason to be reuniting, so that could work.

Since Sophia Bush is occupied with her new CBS medical drama, Good Sam, and much of the cast is also working on other projects, it’s likely that should a One Tree Hill revival does happen, it won't see the light of day for a while. One also has to consider how much work would need to be done for it to happen. But one can still dream!

In the meantime, you can still revisit One Tree Hill in full on Hulu, if you ever want to hang out with Lucas, Peyton, Nathan, Haley, Brooke, Skillz, and Mouth.

One Tree Hill ended its nine-season run in 2012, but series star Hilarie Burton left the show in 2009, later alleging that she suffered years of abuse at the hands of showrunner Mark Schwahn, which reportedly included being kissed on the mouth against her will. Burton provides further details about her years on the show in her new memoir, The Rural Diaries, and she recently opened up about how the abuse on the set of One Tree Hill still affects her life.

In 2017, a former One Tree Hill writer named Audrey Wauchope tweeted that she and her writing partner at the time had been sexually harassed when they worked on the show in Season 7. That, in turn, prompted Hilarie Burton and 17 other women — including Chicago P.D.’s Sophia Bush — to write a letter accusing Mark Schwahn of sexual harassment. Following the allegations, an internal investigation was conducted that ultimately resulted in Schwahn’s firing from his job as The Royals’ showrunner. In the pages of The Rural Diaries — which is out May 5 — Burton offers more insight about the allegations and her experiences with Schwahn. Burton says the years of abuse still pisses her off to this day and has impacted her life and kids:

Hilarie Burton concedes to People that her time on One Tree Hill wasn’t all bad, but says that the alleged abuse she suffered through heavily weighed on her. She recalls being told not to tell anyone at Warner Bros. about the alleged harassment from Mark Schwahn because it would end her career and she’d be “labeled a troublemaker.”

What’s more, Hilarie Burton says she’s spoken to her ten-year-old son Gus about her experience on One Tree Hill, at least to some degree. Here’s how she frames it for him in terms of why she continues discussing all the good and bad aspects of her years on the show:

More recently, Hilarie Burton and her husband, The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan, currently host the weekly Friday Night In with the Morgans, a video chat-based series on AMC that’s filmed on Burton and Morgan’s farm in upstate New York.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere guide for more on what to watch in the coming months.

One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray nearly died as a teenager. Not only did it give him a different perspective on life, it also pushed him into acting. During a recent interview, the actor spoke out about how his abs hid a life-threatening condition (this really happened) and how he nearly died.

Speaking in a Sirius XM interview on The Jess Cagle Show, Chad Michael Murray recounted a tale that began with being a teenager and having washboard abs. What problems! Really though, in this case, his abs were the actual problem. He says he was bleeding internally due to his intestines twisting, and the doctors couldn’t tell because his stomach didn’t expand given he had really “tight” abs.

It got to the point where a priest even visited and he saw his father cry. Given the seriousness of the situation, it was touch and go for a while and he was in and our of consciousness during the event. Chad Michael Murray ultimately recovered, but it was those hours he spent in bed watching TV that led him to his current profession. According to the actor,

Chad Michael Murray was 15 at the time of the accident and the actor landed his first role in an episode of the TV series Undressed a few years later in 2000. He then went on to land a breakthrough role as Tristin Dugray on Gilmore Girls that same year.

Roles on Dawson’s Creek and as a lead in One Tree Hill followed, although he left that series before it ended. Since then Chad Michael Murray has worked steadily, appearing in small roles in programs like Scream Queens and in bigger gigs like Agent Carter and Sun Records. In 2019, he booked a recurring gig as Edgar Evernever in Riverdale.

In The Jess Cagle Show interview, Chad Michael Murray also credits a nurse named Sandy for saving his life, also saying,

Ultimately, if it weren’t for Sandy, who knows if One Tree Hill would really have the same place in our hearts? She certainly kept Chad Michael Murray alive and gave him a new value and perspective on his life, on food, and what he wanted to do with his career. The actor now says his entire worldview is about “putting out good love and energy in the world through my family, God and my work.”

Catch the actor next in the TV movie Write Before Christmas, which is expected to air on Hallmark on November 17 as part of the network's giant Christmas lineup this year.

Former co-stars Sophia Bush and Daphne Zuniga had a mini One Tree Hill reunion, so feel free to let your heart soar! The actresses co-starred on The CW drama as daughter and mother, respectively. Bush memorably portrayed fashion mogul, Brooke Davis. Zuniga joined the cast of One Tree Hill in Season 5 as Brooke’s mother, Victoria.

That’s right! The West Wing’s co-stars are not the only ones sharing a harmonious reunion. Sophia Bush and Daphne Zuniga did not share an on-screen meeting, though. The former One Tree Hill stars instead reunited at an event, and Bush and Zuniga were clearly thrilled by it. Check out Bush’s tweet below:

How sweet is this? If you were not already hoping for a One Tree Hill revival with the original cast, this reunion would undoubtedly get you amped for one. I am ready for Sophie Bush and Daphne Zuniga to reprise their roles! Their characters’ dynamic was one of the great additions to One Tree Hill as Brooke reconnected with her mom, and eventually, her dad.

Yes, it took five seasons before viewers were introduced to Brooke’s mom. After joining One Tree Hill in Season 5, Daphne Zuniga stayed on the show until it ended with Season 9. In the years since One Tree Hill concluded, Sophia Bush starred on and then exited Chicago P.D. on NBC. She will be returning to television via a role in the Love, Simon TV show.

The One Tree Hill cast has remained close through the years, reuniting and sharing their own fun revival idea. Last year, many of Sophia Bush and Daphne Zuniga’s former co-stars came together for a mystery project that turned out to be a Christmas movie for Lifetime. It certainly got fans’ hopes up for a revival!

In what has already been a week of nostalgic glory by way of the Lizzie McGuire revival, anything feels possible. I tend to take co-stars remaining close off-screen as a good sign for them potentially returning for a continuation. Daphne Zuniga and Sophia Bush have clearly remained at least friendly.

When One Tree Hill ended, Brooke and Victoria had mended their relationship. It would be neat to explore where their mother/daughter bond stands now. Are they still close? On that note, given all of the revivals and the reboots, is it One Tree Hill’s turn?

The drama premiered in 2003 and finished its run in 2012. As hard as it is to believe, it has been seven years since Brooke and company’s adventures came to an end. Sophia Bush and Daphne Zuniga’s reunion certainly makes you hope that a revival is not out of the question.

One Tree Hill is currently streaming in its entirety on Hulu. For other viewing options, check out with this fall’s premieres.

One Tree Hill is one of those shows that I truly miss, even years after it left the airwaves. It ended its run with nine seasons in 2012. The past seven years have been tough without its huge drama and compelling characters. Considering how long it has been since it went off the air, there is an unmistakable desire for a revival.

Given how nostalgic television has been recently, a revival seems more possible than ever. If that day ever comes, there is one thing that would need to happen. It cannot be a reboot. Revisiting One Tree Hill needs to happen via a revival that stars as much of the original cast as possible. In other words, whoever would agree to return.

In the show’s series finale, there was a sense it may have been opening itself up to continue via a follow-up series. That theoretical show could focus on Haley and Nathan’s son, Jamie, as he pursues basketball in high school. Remember, he was shown as a teenager entering the basketball court playing for the Ravens in the series’ final scene.

Many of the main characters had kids when One Tree Hill finished. Jump forward a few more years after the series finale and an argument for One Tree Hill: The Next Generation could get made. The children of Brooke, Peyton, etc., would be the characters that television executives could be tempted to shift towards.

However, it feels way too soon for the original cast to be handing over the torch. Those characters still have a lot of stories to tell. I would want a revival to keep its focus on the original cast of characters. They are the reason that so many fans tuned in to watch. Finding out where their stories are today and watching where they head would be the hook.

Viewers have a history with Brooke, Peyton, Lucas, Haley, Nathan, Skills, Mouth and so on. While the new set could be fleshed out and become beloved, they could not take the originals' spot. Watching a show's first cast play supporting characters has not been fun to watch when done by other revivals.

I am unlikely to be the only fan curious to know what One Tree Hill's original characters would be doing today. At this point, many of them would be settled into their marriages, and it would be fun to know what excitement they have in their lives. If there is one thing that was never in short supply in Tree Hill, it was drama.

You may be wondering if it would be possible to get everyone back. It may not be, which is fine. One Tree Hill has shown itself to be no stranger to self-contained rebooting. However, it may also be possible to get a lot of the original cast back together for a revival. Hopefully including Peyton, who never returned, while Lucas did.

Last year, Hilarie Burton said that she wanted to do a project with Sophie Bush (Brooke) and Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley) in the future. What better outing than a revival of One Tree Hill? It could focus on Peyton, Brooke, and Haley’s dynamic if their spouses were unable to return.

Explanations could be given for why they are not shown, if the actors won't return. However, that would be a huge shift. Much like Fuller House not having enough of Danny, Jesse, Joey, and Becky when it got started, it could be a bad thing. That is something every revival should want to avoid. If it can get the cast together and they are willing to take a prominent role, then crisis averted.

If One Tree Hill cannot get everyone back, the show could pivot to include new characters to fill the void. During its initial run, the show proved it could re-shuffle and bring in new additions that became fan favorites.

When Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton left the show in Season 6, they took Lucas and Peyton with them. The following season, One Tree Hill introduced Haley’s sister, Quinn, and Nathan’s sports agent, Clay. They ended up fitting in wonderfully, in my opinion. They became core characters this viewer could root for as much everyone else.

To have the original core cast back would be great, along with some of the familiar faces that came in throughout its run, either starring or putting in appearances. It is worth noting that the cast that sent the show off was brilliant.

Not having Dan around is a tough loss for the revival. He was killed off in the final season. Dan fueled a lot of the villain-looking-for-redemption arcs that pulsed through the series in a positive way. Tree Hill without Dan will be an adjustment. Unless Dan had a secret identical twin the show never told viewers about, who could come to town.

Thankfully, a lot of the One Tree Hill cast remains close. That is a positive sign that a revival could eventually come about in the future. Plus, much of the cast is available.

Many of the show’s actors came back together for a Lifetime Christmas movie in 2018. At the time, Hilarie Burton expressed interest in doing a Christmas movie revival. That's a pitch that I really hope someone was listening to and makes happen. It is a fantastic idea!

The beauty of One Tree Hill is that even though it went on for nine seasons, it felt endless. There always seemed to be another great story lurking around the bend. When Season 9 finished, there was no lack of storylines left to continue pursuing. Julian did have that Tree Hill-inspired TV show.

Imagine the One Tree Hill revival opening with Julian lamenting the end of his TV show as a wink to fans as the real One Tree Hill is actually making its return. Symmetry.

It would be so much fun to find out how Haley and Nathan are doing. How are they handling being parents to a teenager? Is Brooke’s company Baker Man still doing well? Did Peyton and Lucas ever stop traveling? Has Skills found everlasting happiness with Bevin? See? No shortage of questions.

If One Tree Hill returns, it will probably have to deal with that time jump it put in its finale. Getting away from that timeline would be tricky. Seven years have passed since it aired, so it would make sense to pick up where the show ended.

Many of the shows that were beginning when One Tree Hill was ending are now coming to an end. What better time to start the drama back again? It would be The CW coming full circle.

You can currently binge all nine seasons of One Tree Hill on Hulu.

Chad Michael Murray will be returning to The CW but not for a One Tree Hill revival. Murray will go from calling Tree Hill his TV home on the network to the not-so-quiet town of Riverdale. He is joining the recently renewed CW series in a role that is a far cry from Lucas Scott. Murray will be playing a cult leader.

The actor will be coming to Riverdale as the much-talked-about character Edgar Evernever, per TVLine. Described as “enigmatic,” Edgar is the head of the “cult-like” organization known as the Farm. Viewers are already familiar with the group, which has heavily ingratiated itself with Betty’s mom, Alice. They have yet to set eyes on its leader, though.

Thanks to Chad Michael Murray’s casting, they are about to get a visual. So, what is he up to? Edgar is finally heading to town with plans to share his teachings, and that is not all he has in mind.

According to the report, he is also looking to restore the “ravaged soul” of the “once wholesome” Riverdale. As that is not foreboding enough, there's more. Edgar’s character description asks, almost rhetorically, if he is “hiding a more sinister agenda.” If he is not that would be quite a twist.

As for Edgar’s personality, that is where things get even more curious. Fans have heard a lot about the Farm and Edgar. Now they will get to see him in action. He is said to be a “charming, handsome guru.” His influence on the town and, especially, Betty’s family members precedes him.

For long-time CW viewers, the casting of Chad Michael Murray is a pretty brilliant move. Before the teen drama that is Riverdale, there was One Tree Hill. By casting Murray, Riverdale may be able to draw in curious One Tree Hill fans that have yet to watch the series. Both shows already share having a lot of drama in their storylines.

What will this mean for Riverdale’s cast of characters? One thing it hints at is that the Farm storyline is about to come to a crescendo. Why else introduce the leader of the Farm? Edgar finally being seen does not mean the story is about to end any time soon, though.

The report does not mention how long the role is set to last. Since Riverdale is entering the back half of its third season, he could theoretically be around for a while. It seems doubtful they would cast Chad Michael Murray for a role that was pretty blink-and-you-missed-it.

Find out what happens with Chad Michael Murray’s Edgar and the Farm when new episodes of Riverdale air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. Even more shows await viewers in the new year.

The One Tree Hill cast members just had a couple of reunions on Thanksgiving. First, several stars appeared together on Lifetime's The Christmas Contract. That was followed by a One Tree Hill reunion special with the actors discussing a possible revival of The CW series. Instead of bringing back the show for more episodes, Hilarie Burton (Peyton Sawyer-Scott) shared this alternate idea:

Paul Johansson (Dan Scott) hosted the reunion and said the fans would love that. Danneel Ackles (Rachel Gattina) said they could even just set it in Wilmington, N.C., where the show was filmed, because that city is so beautiful.

In addition to those three stars, the 'Tis the Season: A One Tree Hill Cast Reunion also featured Antwon Tanner (Antwon "Skills" Taylor), Tyler Hilton (Chris Keller), Bevin Prince (Bevin Mirskey), Stephen Colletti (Chase Adams), and Robert Buckley (Clay Evans).

One Tree Hill originally aired from 2003 to 2012 on The CW. Several stars sounded game to return for any kind of revival -- of the show itself, or just a special Christmas movie following the characters today.

The stars speculated about where their characters would be now -- including Hilarie Burton figuring Peyton might be in rehab, and Bevin Prince generously countering that Peyton might now be a life coach. If Burton does get the cast together for a Christmas movie revival, maybe we can see where Peyton is instead of just guessing.

A few months ago, when several stars were filming The Christmas Contract, they took some photos together and got fans excited for what was thought to be a One Tree Hill reunion. The photos were taken on set when no one was looking, and posted to Twitter -- then were swiftly taken down. Taking down the pics just fed the speculation that a reunion might be happening, because The Christmas Contract hadn't been announced at that point. Danneel Ackles said they may have gotten in a bit of trouble for that, but it all worked out.

In addition to the reunion special, Hilarie Burton talked to The Hollywood Reporter about working with fellow One Tree Hill stars Robert Buckley, Danneel Ackles, Antwon Tanner, Tyler Hilton, and Elisabeth Harnois for The Christmas Contract. She also revealed which other One Tree Hill costars she'd like to collaborate with on a future project:

That would be amazing. Now Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz just have to sign on -- whether for Hilarie Burton's Christmas in Tree Hill idea or something else.

As we wait for any official One Tree Hill revival/movie news, keep up with what's coming soon on TV in our fall 2018 and midseason 2019 premiere guides. You can also watch 'Tis the Season: A One Tree Hill Cast Reunion right now on Lifetime.

The teen drama is a vital part of the television experience, with shows that each generation has their loyalties to. What would happen, however, if we took each major teen drama stereotype and named the definitive character of that category in hopes Hollywood would construct an all-star team of characters similar to them? We're not sure, but we did it in hopes someone gets wise and makes a show with characters modeled after our favorites in each category. We even threw in some runner-ups just so that whoever tackles this primo drama has some additional options for inspiration. Take a look!

The Leading Man: Ryan Atwood - The O.C.

If ever there was a character in a teen drama everyone could get behind, Ryan Atwood of The O.C. was it. Who doesn't love a kid from a bad upbringing finally seeing some comeuppance and transforming a community around him in the process? In a genre where it's seemingly hard to write a leading man who is objectively good as well as entertaining, Ben McKenzie's portrayal is the gold standard. The ideal teen drama leading man needs the opportunity to grow into the character he should be as the series continues on, and Ryan Atwood is the perfect example of what happens when that works.

Runner-Up: Lucas Scott - One Tree Hill

Ironically enough Chad Michael Murray turned down the role of Ryan Atwood to play Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill. Lucas and Ryan are similar characters, but Ben McKenzie's portrayal and the overall cheese One Tree Hill got into with its later seasons certainly put Ryan above Lucas.

Leading Lady: Veronica Mars - Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars was such a great character she has the show named after her. Kristen Bell's portrayal as the young private investigator was so popular it even managed to get a film years later, which is yet another nod to how great her character was. Teen dramas often feature young characters solving mysteries the town is stumped by, and while Riverdale's Betty Cooper does some pretty good investigating, Veronica would've easily sniffed out her father was the Black Hood killer long before Cooper ever did. Veronica Mars also taps into the compelling story of a lead overcoming a terrible past situation, which is not something that always happens for principal female characters in these types of shows.

Runner-Up: Elena Gilbert - The Vampire Diaries

Elena certainly has the tragic background for a female lead, but it's a hard sell to say she's as good as Veronica Mars. Put simply, The Vampire Diaries was able to continue without Nina Dobrev. Could Veronica Mars have kept going without Kristen Bell?

The Girl Next Door: Joey Potter - Dawson's Creek

The girl next door archetype isn't always vital to the teen drama, but when it is done it needs to be done right. Joey Potter is the perfect case study for what the "girl next door" should be, as it sets some real-world expectations for teens who may be experiencing a relationship similar to that of Dawson and Joey. As hard as it may be to hear for young lovers, fairy tale romances don't always happen the way folks plan, and surely Joey's story on Dawson's Creek encouraged plenty of people to move on from their Dawson to link up with their Pacey.

Runner-Up: Betty Cooper - Riverdale

Betty might not be the definitive archetype in any teen drama category, but her character often falls in the middle of the road in many other categories. This includes her playing "girl next door" to Archie and keeping that perfect balance between close friend and potential lover about as close as teens like to walk that tightrope.

Best Friend: Paul Pfeiffer - The Wonder Years

Best friends don't get much better than The Wonder Years' Paul Pfeiffer, who stuck with his friend Kevin Arnold for about as long as anyone could. Sure the two had a bit of a strained relationship in the show's later years, but it's completely understandable considering Kevin could be a real dick sometimes. Despite that, Paul stuck around in the younger years and really managed to make Kevin look much better in comparison even though Kevin was just an average kid. That's about as good of a solid as any best friend can do for another

Runner-Up: Bill Haverchuck - Freaks and Geeks

There had to be some inspiration taken from Paul Pfeiffer to create Freaks and Geeks' Bill Haverchuck, which means the title by default has to go to the OG who started it all. Plus, Bill is cooler (not by much) than Paul, and best friends that outshine lead characters rarely benefit anyone and can end in ill-conceived spinoffs that no one wants.

The Queen Bee: Cheryl Blossom - Riverdale

A lot of teen dramas like to make their alpha female a raging "B," but that isn't always necessary to create a memorable and interesting side character who shakes things up. Riverdale showed this with Madelaine Petsch's Cheryl Blossom. While Cheryl does have quite the mean streak, she's hands down also one of the most lovable parts of Riverdale. Whether she's rocking some flawless outfit, going off the rails crazy, or just delivering a snarky one-liner in the midst of a serious situation, Cheryl commands every scene she's given in. She certainly keeps things interesting when the story starts to lag, which is really what this type of character should always be doing.

Runner-Up: Blair Waldorf - Gossip Girl

This one was incredibly close to call, although Cheryl ends up besting Blair because she has no discernable weakness. Blair, on the other hand, had a weakness for perhaps one of the sleaziest characters in teen drama history, which segues beautifully into the next category.

The Redeemable Bad Boy: Chuck Bass - Gossip Girl

Chuck Bass is one of the most beloved and memorable characters of Gossip Girl, which is really a testament to how the show changed his character around. Chuck was originally written to be an antagonist in the novels and was portrayed as an attempted rapist sociopath in Season 1. Somewhere down the stretch the character won some fans, and while he was still a self-absorbed asshole seasons later, Chuck was well-liked enough that he even got a happy ending just like everyone else. Honestly, it's not something anyone can understand if they didn't watch Gossip Girl, but trust us, it worked.

Runner-Up: Tim Riggins - Friday Night Lights

Tim Riggins is certainly a solid choice for the bad boy aspect. Not so much. Friday Night Lights knew Tim was a good kid deep down but had a lot of demons he had to deal with in real life. He's nowhere near the level of crazy exhibited by Chuck Bass and in our opinion a distant second.

The Parents: The Taylors - Friday Night Lights

Eric and Tami Taylor are about the most wholesome, strong, and amazing adult couple the teen genre has ever seen. The Friday Night Lights parents aren't just mentors to their daughters, but to just about every other teen in the series they come in contact with. On top of that, they both weather some pretty tough times while still being the definition of relationship goals. All of these things are nearly impossible for a parent to accomplish in the average teen drama, so credit to Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton for owning those roles so well the show never actively sought out to create drama between them.

Runner-Up: Karen Roe - One Tree Hill

Out of a sea of teen drama parents who are incompetent sticks in the mud, Karen is kind of a boss. That said she almost had just as much drama as the teen characters in One Tree Hill, and the ideal teen drama parent rises above that kind of stuff. Had Karen known of the motto "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," perhaps things may have been different.

The Douchebag Villain: Dan Scott - One Tree Hill

No villain in teen drama history will ever be able to measure up to the diabolical Dan Scott of One Tree Hill. In addition to pitting his son against his illegitimate son, murdering his brother, and being a jerk literally each and every chance he got, he also had an incredibly punchable face. No disrespect to Paul Johansson of course, and if anything, it's more of a testament as to how well he played a truly miserable and self-entitled human being. In short, he was a character people loved to hate, and so effective the series rarely had to switch focus to a new villain throughout a bulk of its run.

Runner-Up: Cliff Blossom - Riverdale

Cliff Blossom is one of the big reasons Riverdale is rife with crime in the first place. Sure Hiram Lodge ran with things once he got out of prison, but with the Blossom family's deep crime links it wasn't hard for him to flip the town into some corrupt criminal underworld in the course of months. He also killed his son, so there's that.

The Teacher: Will Schuester - Glee

Who better to be the hypothetical teacher of the best teen drama than the teacher who started a nationwide phenomenon? While glee clubs existed to sing their hearts out well before the show Glee, certainly not in the way that Will Schuester and his singing students would inspire other schools to do. Aside from that, Will was always ready to go to bat for his students when it came to the club and was a strong mentor to the students throughout the series. We may never forgive him for playing part of the show's various butchering of classic songs, but as a teacher, he was pretty solid.

Runner-Up: Tami Taylor - Friday Night Lights

Tami was never technically a teacher, but she worked for the school and inspired a whole lot of kids without a football team. The fact that she could snag this role without technically meeting the requirements is just a bigger testament to how awesome her character is, although most folks probably don't need that reminder.

Best Kid Sibling - Sam Weir: Freaks and Geeks

Kid siblings in teen dramas are rarely relevant, and almost always the worst. Sam Weir is one of the sole exceptions to this rule, which is likely due to the fact Freaks and Geeks split the story between him and his older sister Lindsay. Regardless, Sam was able to be a part of the Freaks and Geeks storyline without falling into the stereotype of always meddling and being a general nuisance. He also had that ridiculous and infectious laugh that made every funny moment he was in that much better, but that's ultimately just icing on the cake.

Runner-Up: N/A

There really is no one second to Sam Weir. Most if not all younger siblings in teen dramas are annoying and unremarkable.

Are there any characters you think got left out or teen drama stereotypes we missed? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to keep tabs on all upcoming current television with our summer premiere guide.