The One Tree Hill season 8 premiere airs tonight on The CW at 8pm eastern.
I won’t be live-blogging, but I’m happy to chat about the episode.
Before you watch, though, catch up on where last season ended:
One Tree Hill Season 7 Finale Live-Blog
TeenDramaWhore
There's always drama but without it, what fun would TV be?
TeenDramaWhore 
I didn’t know if I was going to tune in for the new season of One Tree Hill, but I flipped the channel and boy was I surprised to see that they aired the “I Don’t Wanna Be” theme song! Revised of course to add all the current cast. It was quite a shock to hear that song again and see the older clips mixed with all the new. It definitely put a smile on my face =)
The return of the theme song had been rumored and then officially announced by the network yesterday. In future episodes, it will be different singers – not Gavin DeGraw usually – singing the song, though I imagine the pictures themselves will not change each week.
I knew it was coming, but it still kind of took my breath away and I felt punched in the gut! In a good way! lol I didn’t expect them to still have the Lucas clip in the beginning, or any old clips for that matter. I think I am glad they kept the Luke one (I can’t hear the song and not think of him and that image), and I am really glad they used old photos. But as soon as they got to Rob/Clay, I got POed. Yes, I’m still not over the casting changes/how they were handled. Sigh.
P.S. I’m surprised that you were considering not tuning in! I know you’ve been mixed on OTH in the last year, like I have, but I wasn’t expecting that, lol.
I probably sound crazy, but I was FREAKING OUT when I saw the theme song! I kind of didn’t register that they didn’t have the one tree hill over black at the beginning until right before it came on. But adding it back in for what will (hopefully) be the final season took away all the problems I’ve had with the show in past years, I also really loved that Haley was writing Lucas, it told us that they haven’t forgot about them. I think this season will be a good one. 🙂
Daniel, I’m glad you liked it! So, was the theme song’s absence the only problem you’ve had with the show, or did you mean its return made up for all the other problems? Regardless, I hope the season does turn out to be good for you and me!
Yes, I was considering not tuning in. I know that seems completely strange coming from a person who has been a fan since the VERY beginning. I just have found so much in the last souple years that I don’t like. And when I watch now, I almost don’t care what happens or get excited about it. I wish the show could have went out with a bang, but it seems that the window for that opportunity has long since passed. The show is a shadow of its former self and I don’t know if I want to be a part of it anymore. Going into the 6th season and especially last season I mostly watched becasuse I felt obligated. Actually, there are a few epsiodes from last season that I have yet to watch. I did watch last night and my only hope for the show is that they can manage to make a decent last season. I would love to see Leyton in a finale (or more) but I won’t hold my breath for that.
Daniel – i freaked out too! i told everyone about it today and i was so excited and they all just stared at me like i was crazy. it didn’t register with me at all at first…i was like “am i watching an old episode…” and i loved the way the mixed some of the old clips with the new ones. and i was okay with them showing the new characters…it made it feel like they were a part of the show and not just some randoms they gave stories/screen time to. anyways i agree with everything you said about lucas/haley and the fact that it took away the problems.
Alyssa – I mostly watch because I feel obligated. I know what you mean about not getting excited about it so much anymore. I’m usually on my computer while watching now as opposed to before when the show had my undivided attention. It’s sad because i’m 18 now and have been watching the show since i was 11 years old and now i feel like i have to stick with it till the end. and you are right. when i go back and watch the season 4 or the season 6 finale i always feel like that could have/should have been the end. both had really good closure…now i’m just hoping for the same this season and i think a brulian wedding with pucas(sorry had to go there…really don’t like them) would be perfect. (btw when i wrote that last sentence i typoed and wrote brucas instead of brulian…haha)
Anyways….I liked last night’s episode. It was funny and cute and the Clay/Quinn twist was good. I didn’t see it coming til they were on the beach alone. So sad about Brooke/CoB but Julian was such a good boyfriendd. I really like Alex/Chase and throwing Mia in there bc there hasn’t been a good love triangle since Brucas/Peyton. Hope the season keeps getting better and that it ends well.
Alyssa and Lexy, I absolutely agree the show is a shadow of its former self. While I loved season 6, I wanted it to end there. 6.24 would’ve been a wonderful way “to go out,” and the season 4 finale would’ve been as well. I can’t imagine anything now possibly coming close to those, whether Leyton returns or not. I continue to hope I’ll be proven wrong.
I guess I, too, am watching out of obligation. I’m often asked, actually, why I keep watching if I don’t like what I’m seeing and my answer is this: I want to see it out to the end. It may no longer be my favorite show, but I stick with it out of respect to the show, and because my love of the genre and the need I have to keep tabs on it. I guess the sad thing is that I also feel this way about Gossip Girl and 90210. And I sometimes I wish I could detach and move on. I think it’s not only a brave thing to do, but a healthy one as well.
As for the episode this week…I could’ve done without Clay/Quinn as well as the Alex/Chase/Mia stuff, but I liked the Brooke/CoB stuff for the most part and Julian was being a good boyfriend throughout it. In hindsight, though, the only parts worth watching IMO were the Naley scenes.
Well the return of the opening theme didn’t necessarily take away all the problems but it felt like they were at least trying to go back to what made the show so great in the beginning. I agree that I watch out of obligation now, I used to get SO excited during the first four seasons. And I was also really excited for the season 5 premiere because of the time jump but it was really a let down. For me the show really should have ended at season 4. It was perfect. The last scene had the entire cast together and ended so right with Lucas and Nathan facing off one last time. Th fifth season, in my opinion, was terrible. The only episode I was ok with was the 100th, and it still wasn’t that great. Season six was somewhat of an improvement and it seriously should have ended there, the finale was perfect. But no let’s continue it and drag it out as far as humanly possible. I always got so excited when it was on The WB and they had their promos. But ultimately I will watch this season thinking it is the last. However, if it continues past this year I won’t be watching.
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Tree-Hill-Schwahn-1022987.aspx
I read this today. He even says that the theme was a way to go back to original one tree hill. It def worked because I felt like I was at least still watching the same show I was watching 4-5 seasons ago. Once again I agree with everything you just said but i think that when it comes down to it and they decide to continue it for another year(which i hope they dont. for my sanity.) I will end up watching it anyways.
Daniel, I find your viewpoint very interesting because it’s very much how I feel – but on a different timeline. While I would’ve been perfectly satisfied if the show ended with season 4, I ended up loving seasons 5 and 6. But now I see seasons 7 and 8 as what you said, trying to drag it out as far as humanly possible. There were two chances to go out “on top,” so to speak, and they are both long gone, IMO. Though there are many who still believe the show is excellent – and should continue.
Lexy, I read that as well (it’s so weird not to be posting links on a daily basis!) and I have to say that I have practically no faith in Mark anymore. He’s lost his credibility with me, and I take almost everything he says with a large grain of salt. I think a lot of what we’re reading in these recent interviews is B.S. and PR stuff. ::shrug:: And while I also hope it won’t continue, I know I will be watching if it does.