The 20 best things to happen on 'One Tree Hill'

This was a moment One Tree Hill fans had been waiting for: The moment Nathan first gave Haley the bracelet back in Season 1. The first wedding took place in the premiere season, with only Haley’s parents present. 

Season 3 saw them renew their vows as Nathan sought to give his wife the wedding she deserved. This was a big moment since they had gone through some struggles as Haley went on tour, but they could move past those for this momentous occasion.

Following a beautiful wedding between Nathan and Haley, his Uncle Cooper got tangled up with Rachel, and the two stole the couple’s limo after they had been drinking. They swerved off the bridge after nearly colliding with Haley and Nathan. In an act of heroism, Nathan leaped off the bridge to rescue Cooper. He saved both of them before he got stuck himself, eventually being transported to the hospital. 

The episode ends before that, though, as viewers only saw his bravery for Haley floating to the surface and Nathan nowhere to be found.

There was something special about the bond that Lucas’ mom, Karen, had with Haley. Though not mother-daughter, the two had a connection reminiscent of that. Haley worked at Karen’s Cafe and was an unofficial member of her and Lucas' family, as her parents were barely shown through nine seasons.

This man was everything. He was the father figure for Lucas after his brother, Dan, left him and Karen alone. He was the blue-collared one among the brothers as he ran his own auto shop. In every aspect, Keith was involved in Lucas’ life. His love for Karen was undeniable. Seeing Dan take him out of the picture out of his own insecurities remains one of the most gut-wrenching scenes. The Season 3 hallway scene will never leave the heads of One Tree Hill watchers.

Early on in Season 1, it's evident that basketball will be a major factor in this show. Despite being brothers, Lucas and Nathan never see themselves in that light, and it's more so a rivalry than anything else. Eventually, these two become inseparable, and much of their foundation is built once Lucas joins the high school basketball team.

Inserting new characters into a popular series, especially when it's a child, can often take away from the show. In the case of Jamie, he was perfectly incorporated. Jamie infused new life into the show, finding a way to have different relationships with all the major characters, all while exuding a boyish charm. The Jamie and Quentin arc was so beautiful and heartbreaking. It remains one of the best storylines from the show.

There was so much music incorporated into this show. Fall Out Boy takes the cake, though, especially because Pete Wentz was incorporated into the story. The band’s guitarist wound up dating Peyton. Fall Out Boy performed two songs at Tric, while Wentz showed up in three episodes, including a trio with Peyton to Rachel's cabin.

Another bond that popped up in Season 6 was the foster daughter of Brooke. This was not an instant connection, as the two met due to her robbing Brooke’s store and a brutal attack. Brooke eventually learns this after having taken her in, and despite another setback, they are able to move back toward solid footing. Sam served the purpose of giving Brooke a look at life as a mother, something she strived for and eventually got.

This one was one of the wilder developments of this series, but it was emotional. Clay meets Logan in the final season at a psychiatric hospital. Apparently, Clay blocked out that he had a child following the death of his wife, Sara. All those years went by when he had no clue. What made this so special was their instant connection at the hospital, only to learn later that they were father and son. Quinn later welcomes him into their life as the three become a family that all viewers were rooting for.

This club for all ages turned out to be a frequent setting for the cast once it debuted in Season 2. Founded by Karen and Peyton (and later run by Chase), this joint brought much of the music into the episodes. Bands like Fall Out Boy, Jack’s Mannequin, and Yellowcard performed here. So, too, did Lupe Fiasco and Gavin DeGraw.

The man behind the banger of a theme song, “I Don't Want To Be,” ends up popping up as himself at an Open Mic night at Karen’s Cafe, where he performs the hit song. His song wasn't used in the opening in Seasons 5-7 (it returned in Season 8 with different singers), but a cool moment occurred in Season 5 when a scene showed Jamie and DeGraw at a piano singing the song.

Only one person could get the best out of Quentin, a troubled basketball player who only thought about himself. While Nathan and Lucas did all they could to get him to buy in, Jamie was the one who got him to open up and show a different side to himself. Their bond was truly special, and his tragic death and the ensuing jersey worn in his honor by Jamie still breaks the hearts of fans to this day. 

This nanny was something else. There was so much unnecessary drama that resulted from Carrie. She did all she could to tear this family apart, from flirting with Nathan to later kidnapping Jamie and Dan. Her storyline was sometimes unbelievable, but her final moments were tense until Dan saved the day by shooting her. 

Many relationships were shown between the cast and children, particularly ones that weren't their own. One of the later ones we see is Chase taking a liking to Chuck after mentoring him through the Big Brother program. When Chase discovers that Chuck is being abused by his father, he confronts and assaults the father. This unexpected narrative point stands out when looking back on the series as a whole. 

Let's get this out of the way: There are so many questions about the possibility of this happening. Not only is a dog in the hospital, but the nurses drop the heart intended for Dan to help make him better. All of this meets when the heart hits the ground; the dog grabs it and scurries off to eat it. As Dan realizes the life he could have had has now been taken from him, the look on his face is harrowing. 

There isn't a character who went through more stuff than Peyton. She finally finds her mom, Ellie, and the two are spitting images of each other. They both have a strong interest in music and art. One Tree Hill decided to rip the hearts out of its fans when it revealed that Ellie had terminal cancer, which reared its ugly head in a heartbreaking scene in Season 3. 

Jake is an underrated character on One Tree Hill. He was only around for 25 episodes but always managed to steal the scenes he was in. One of his best moments was when he finally made a public appearance with his daughter, Jenny, at Karen's Cafe per the request of Lucas. Jake had so much going on in his life but hid it all. He eventually gets together with Peyton, a popular couple, until he gets caught up in a custody battle which takes him offscreen as he leaves to be with his daughter. 

This moment started it all for One Tree Hill's longest-running couple. On paper, these two weren't supposed to get together. Nathan was the jock, while Haley was focused on her grades. They meet through tutoring. Through Haley, Nathan's character is able to undergo a major change. The bracelet that he hands to her symbolizes his love for her and the start of a chapter in which he rids himself clean of Dan's shadow. 

Lucas left the show after starring in the first six seasons. He would only make one more return in the ninth and final season. Unfortunately, his character was out of the picture, essentially running off with Peyton, because there was still so much left to explore with him, particularly seeing him as an uncle to Jamie. That said, his return was rewarding for the OG One Tree Hill watchers who waited all those years to see one of the faces of the show get his sendoff. 

Not every series, especially one with as many seasons as One Tree Hill, is able to stick the landing. There was a ton of time reflecting on the show, but it felt natural. One such example was Brooke and Julian seemingly revising high school, but it's actually a film set for Julian’s TV show. Brooke gets her own store across from Karen’s Cafe, Clay and Karen marry, and Mouth goes back to the school shooting scene. A lot went down in an hour, but seeing the gang return in a time jump to watch a Tree Hill basketball game that started Jamie Scott was an incredible full-circle moment.