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:
Of all the things that we’ve all done separate from One Tree Hill, nothing has stayed and had such longevity with people as this show. People watch it over and over and over again. The writing’s great, the actors are all so good and real. We love each other a lot and when we were doing that show, we were the most important [people] to each other. It’s right around that college age — when you’re a kid, it’s your parents, when you’re a little older, it’s your spouse or your kids, but when you’re in the late teens, early 20s, your friends are who matter the most and they matter more than even whoever you’re dating and stuff like that. We all met during that time.
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:
And the show went for nine years, so we stayed really close throughout that process. Then because of the conventions and because of the different things that keep happening and all the press that we did together during the show, we get to see each other all the time. And amazingly it wasn’t a recipe for anybody hating each other. We all still really like each other and it’s flowered into other stuff. Like I said, I worked with Hilarie’s husband for a while on a show and Hilarie and my wife [Megan Park] I think might even be better friends than Hilarie and I are now. So it’s just things like that, they just kind of keep flowering and we get to keep coming back together.
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:
They had me on the Drama Queens podcast and then they did the Drama Queens Live and I came out and did some songs and did some hanging with them on Drama Queens Live. Then we just did another convention. So it feels like I get to see these people all the time and I feel so lucky. I have no idea why this gets to happen to us, but it’s so cool. It really is.
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.
