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'One Tree Hill' creator Mark Schwahn: Will Season 8 be its last?
Last week, "One Tree Hill" was picked up by The CW for an 8th year, just two days before the network's official fall schedule was presented to advertisers in New York.
The 11th hour renewal was a big victory for the show's cast, crew and its creator, Mark Schwahn, who tells Korbi TV that this next year is really a gift to the loyal fans who have stuck with "OTH" for seven years and deserve to see its storylines tied up properly.
So, will this 8th go-round be the series' last?
Schwahn weighs in ...
MS: It's such a great question because nobody's talking like that! I never say never with this show. You know, our back's been against the wall every year. And going into this [upcoming] season, at the Upfronts, [the network] announced [that it would be] the final season of "Smallville." They didn't do that with us.
So you're absolutely game to keep going indefinitely?
MS: Our order is [for] 13 [episodes], but what the fans don't know is, I think every year but one, our order has been 13 and "we'll see"... and every year, we get a full season. And I expect to get a full season again. Nobody's guaranteeing it, but if you look at the schedule, I think we'll have a good night with "Life Unexpected" and, you know, I expect to be successful again, as we have been in the past. And I hope around episode 9 or 10 or 11, they'll be calling to say, keep going.
If we don't, like I said, we'll still be so fortunate to have been able to resolve the journey in some creative way that is satisfying to our fanbase. But the actors are under contract for one more [full] year. The other thing is, at the end of the season, if we go 23 episodes, we'll be at 175. So, that 200 number starts to loom and looks really nice and, you know, who knows, stranger things have happened.
But if they tell me it's the last season, that'll be wonderful and we'll tell you and we'll act accordingly. But no one's said that so far, so I'm just going to set my star for the middle of the season -- at 13 -- and then, you know, they'll tell me at some point whether we're going further and I'll obviously have a plan for that.
If they wanted "OTH" to run forever, would you be into it? Or do you see yourself, at some point, saying this is it.
MS: Well, you know, I get tired like anyone else and sometimes it's hard to generate the same adrenaline that you had. I mean, it's a long season. But I'm sort of reinvigorated with the show. Obviously, creatively, I want to do something else at some point, but right now, it's a good way of life, it's what I wished for and I'm paid really well to do it and I like the people that I work with. And, I will say, that with the refacing of the show [this past season], there was an additional energy that came from that and everything felt new again. For like the third time. So that makes me feel like, you know, I'm happy to do it this year and next year, if they want to do it again.
But I don't want to overstay my welcome. Nobody does, and there's nothing worse than, like, seeing an athlete who was great and should've hung 'em up but just can't let go. We're getting into the twilight of this show for sure, but we keep refacing it and I like to say that when we [time] jumped ahead in Season 5, that really was Season 1 again, so we're actually only going into Season 4 of this 20-something version of the show...
What do you guys think?
Agreed?
Could you see "OTH" going on until Haley's a grandma?
Weigh in below and come back in a week to hear more from Mr. Schwahn on what's to come next season.
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Photo credit: The CW
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END THIS SHOW NOW!!!! This man is an idiot. It got an 11th hour save and really compared OTH to Smallville?? All the other dramas were renewed way in advance with 22 eps. He gets a last minute renewal with 13 eps and he seriously thinks this show is unstoppable? No. I've stuck with the show because I loved the early years and care about the characters. But the stories, plots and everything related is so repetitive because he's just simply run out of ideas! I wanted season 7 to be its last. Now I REALLY want season 8 to be its last w/ only 13 eps. No more.
IA with Brittany... END THE SHOW!!!!!! It the same stories and it has become predictable. It also became a show all about the newbies no one cares about.
I'd be okay with another full season. I'd probably watch it until Haley became a grandma because I really love the show, but it's hard coming up with new ideas after so many seasons. I would also be okay with another time jump into the next season... I just think I'd feel lost without a new season to look forward to! I just love the characters, even if nothing super dramatic happens to them.
ONE TREE HILL FOREVER!!!!!!
Lmfao. Brittany, stfu. No one cares. I'm pretty sure you like, one in a million saying you don't like OTH. I want them to keep going. I wouldn't mind watching it untill Haley's a gramdmother. :P I love One Tree Hill.
I'm one of the biggest Haley fans.
But a big fat, ole NO to seeing her till she's a grandmother because the longer this dreck is on, the longer it eats up Joy's potential. So again, no.
"The other thing is, at the end of the season, if we go 23 episodes, we'll be at 175. So, that 200 number starts to loom and looks really nice and, you know, who knows, stranger things have happened."
WTF?
All I can say is; greedy, hack writer.
This show's exactly how invested Mark is in his script and characters. If he really had a real map of the stories he wanted to tell, he would NOT be talking this nonsense, about 175 or 200 episodes.
most people that want it to stop are Leyton fans -_-
OTH forever
i think it will end this year. i mean i highly doubt the core will sign on again. they have lives to lead too. and when haley, nathan, and brooke go. thats it. the core 5 are all gone. no one is going to watch the show with only mouth, quinn, clay, and the others. im glad we got a s8 but its time to wrap things up and go out on a high note.
Yes, let's leave out that One Tree Hill is now one of the most expensive shows on The CW because it's been on for seven seasons and now an 8th season. Not to mention the show was only renewed last minute and not even included on the early renewal list with the two other WB shows Smallville & Supernatural.
All of the OTH's cast signed for 8 seasons, so their contracts would be up again. The 8th season will be the final season of OTH. The show dropped big time in quality after season four, and season seven has been crap. No more talk about milking One Tree Hill even further. End it right, Mark! OTH is not going to magically pick up new viewers in it's 8th season, and especially not up against Glee in the fall.
I agree with him, that they could carry on for a while. But I want season 8 to be the last. It's good now. They could continue for ever, I know they could. But they don't have to. But I'll follow OTH until the end.