my co-worker, matt, gets all the credit for this one because slvdr hoodies are a staple in his wardrobe, and I comment on them every time he wears one. this one is my favorite:
they’re a little pricey, but they are soft, fitted, and detailed enough to make hoodies seem like they’re not such a lazy fashion choice after all. (sorry, matt.)
This January 11th, One Tree Hill premiered its ninth and final season. I’m not going to pose and say that I’ve been a fan all nine years. I honestly can’t remember how much of it I watched when it premiered in 2003. In fact, much of what I knew about the series was this:
This moment proves two things: The show was ridiculous and the show knows not to take itself too seriously – both positives. A show that takes itself too seriously has much more room to fall than one that knows how to laugh at itself. If you start ridiculously, it makes it easier for the viewer to suspend disbelief and accept more outlandish storylines, and therefore more storylines in general. Although most soap operas are resting in peace now, there’s a reason many of them were able to last decades.
A little over a year ago, I started watching One Tree Hill marathons on Soapnet. I found it relaxing. Then I became mildly obsessed — when Netflix acquired all the seasons, I knew it was my chance to catch up. Soapnet would be gone soon enough, and there would be nowhere else to watch but online. I started with Season 5, when the show propelled itself forward four years, worked all the way through Season 8 then started back at Seasons 1-4. And, quickly but surely, I caught up. And as I’ve now watched every single episode, I can honestly say that I appreciate One Tree Hill. And I honestly don’t think it gets enough credit for what it was able to do, and what it did before many of its contemporaries figured it out.
Male Objectification
NYMag.com’s Vulture blog asked this question back in September: Are we living in the golden age of male objectification? While one could argue that males have always been objectified, and perhaps no better/worse now than when boy bands were at their height, perhaps the real difference is not the objectification done by the fans in their magazine spread-covered bedrooms, but by the reative people behind the content — the primary sources themselves. One Tree Hill has been objectifiying its men since the season premiere. From male-focused stripping to steamy sex scenes (sorry, no other way to describe them) to the sports choreography themselves, One Tree Hill has never shied away from a male glamour shot. And we thank the show for it. Sigh.
It Gets Better
This expression is now associated with the gay rights movement and anti-bullying campaigns, but it was used in an episode of One Tree Hill years ago, dealing with a high school shooting story arc. I never really thought about the importance of this storyline until a friend of mine mentioned how much they liked how they dealt with the Columbine-inspired plot. The show didn’t drop it after one episode, either. The experience continued to affect the characters, etc. It wasn’t a gimmick — it was a fact of life. A lot of really bad things happen to the characters on the show, and not everything is tied with a neat bow at the end. Characters actually deal with their problems — something that makes the show very realistic, despite scenes like this:
Sorry, this scene deserved an Emmy on its own.
Female Friendship
I’ve always maintinated that you can’t trust a girl with no female friends. (It’s true.) While characters Brooke and Peyton fought over Lucas, Mia and Alex fought over Chase, etc., one thing that always remained strong in the show was the power of female friendship. One could certainly argue that females are objectified on this show, but for some reason, it’s never bothered me. Perhaps it’s because the males are equally objectified (see above), or that the bonds between the female characters are often tested, but rarely broken. The show is just as much about the relationships between brothers and sisters — both literally and spiritually — as the romantic relationships between men and women.
Forget College!
One of the biggest lessons other teen shows can learn from One Tree Hill is how it handled the college years, in that, it didn’t. Skipped right over them. After Season 4, the show catapults itself four years forward, only mentioning those pesky college years in flashbacks and broken dreams. The college years have killed shows before. Sure, 90210 (the original) made it work somehow, but I’m prepared to argue that it never had quite the same magic as the high school years (if only for the fact that I just want to prove this point.) Gossip Girl has seemingly taken a page out of its sister show’s page and completely ignored college. Its characters entered college, but suddently the kids just stopped going. Oh well. Probably for the best. Happy to see Josh Schwartz learn something from Mark Schwahn. No, Josh, we haven’t forgotten about The O.C.’s demise.
Product Placement
Oh, Sunkist. I have no idea how much money you’ve given to One Tree Hill and The CW over the years, but thank you. I’m going to assume that you’re probably one of the few monetary reasons the show is still on the air. The show has been able to seamlessly — albeit sometimes laughably — integrate Sunkist into their sotyrlines. Not only do the actors wear Sunkist shirts, drink Sunkist on a daily basis (a seemingly sensible alternative to alcohol for the underage characters and fans of the show), but entire concert series are sponsored by… Sunkist! Great brand recall.
Post-Modernism
Gossip Girl would never called chuck and Blair “Chair” in-show, but Nathan and Haley? They’re Naley. To fans and the characters living in the fictional world of the show. It’s this sort of little wink to the crazy fans, those ones that make sweeping and emotional YouTube videos about the show, that let the viewers know the show cares about them. The writers even make little jokes at the actors themselves, making fun of James Lafferty’s stiff delivery (ahem), etc. that lets us know they’re having fun, they they know we’re out there. This nod to the viewer, the connection to the fan, is indicative of the overall emo undertone of the show. I won’t go into the tenets of emo music and its roots (I did write a whole long-form feature on it that I can provide if asked), but I will get into the music on the show…
Launching Music
The show has given amazing exposure to bands such as Fall Out Boy, Jack’s Mannequin, Wakey! Wakey!, and more. They haven’t just been fleeting cameos, parts of songs, muffled by the sounds of dialogue over them, but essentially full concerts, including band members incorporated into storylines.
One Tree Hill introduced me to Wakey! Wakey!, and for that I’m grateful, but the other bands such as Fall out Boy and Jack’s Manneuin were part of a time, a time when emo music was, well, everywhere, the music of the disenfranchised and emotional youth and One Tree Hill listened. It was the type of music One Tree Hill chose to hang its hat on, while also maintinaing the singer/songwrite style of music by characters Haley and Mia, and finally Wakey! Wakey!. One Tree Hill finally went country, one of the most lucrative arms of the music industry, with the addition of character Alex Dupre. Another smart move.
There are probably a million (or at least a few more ways) to examine this show – how “straight” it is, its use of brilliant child actors — but I’ll leave that for future posts. I hope showrunners lke Josh Schwartz and Ryan Murphy, two people notorious for running out of steam after about two seasons, can learn from Mark Schwahn and the example that One Tree Hill has set. And I hope you all enjoy the ninth and final season of a show that deserves just a bit more respect than we give it.
sure, his best friend, robert pattinson, gets most of the attention, but i’ve had my eye on mr. sturridge — not to be confused with another talented brit, jim sturgess — since his role in 2009’s pirate radio. i just reacquainted myself with him while selecting a random film on netflix, waiting forever. well, maybe not so random since i selected it because of his involvement. unfortunately, his part was greater than the sum of the film.
he’s also quite impressive in this fan vid compilation of his best interview moments:
i look forward to seeing his star rise as high as his best friend’s in the coming year.
this is the second christmas in a row i’ve used these as christmas cards for my doormen and co-workers. i just can’t resist the happy plaid. they’re also currently 50% off! BUY NOW
after reading others’ reviews on this item, i realize the fit might not be for everyone, but my sister let me borrow hers for the high holidays this year (synagogue gets cold!), and i just had to get my own, so i ordered it in three different colors! the fleece material is super-soft, the shape is more flattering than a pancho, and it’s just a nice basic to have around the home and office.
it’s on sale right now at nordstrom.com, so it’s a great time to buy.
i was getting into a bit of a malbec rut (guggenheim is probably my favorite), so one of the lovely men at the sutton wine shop recommended this vidigal reserva over a month ago, and i’ve bought it for almost every wine-appropriate occasion since. i don’t know enough about wine to describe it in any sort of sophisticated way, so i’ll just say that it’s smooth, delicious, affordable, and everyone i’ve forced to try it has enjoyed it. after thanking the man at the wine shop recently for recommending it, he told me it was a big hit among his patrons, and that they were coming in to buy about a bottle a day! (yikes!)
pictured is 2009 vintage, but here’s a link to more info about the brand and the wine itself (they feature a 2008.)
l’chaim!