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'One Tree Hill' finale: Everything's better and everything's safe
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Are you crying? We're crying.Tuesday's Season 8 finale of "One Tree Hill" was not the series finale -- just hours before airtime, The CW officially picked up a 13-episode Season 9. That said, it could have easily served as a satisfying end to the series. Though Mark Schwahn shot several cliffhangers to end the season on in case Season 9 got the green light, he ultimately decided to end with some closure.
The season ender spanned a year - so much time that Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) went from having just learned of her pregnancy to giving birth to twin boys, Davis and Jude. With Davis, Brooke and Julian (Austin Nichols) stuck with the Tree Hill trend of naming their kids after their mothers' maiden names, while Jude's name came from "Hey Jude," which John Lennon wrote for his son, Julian.
She was also enjoying the successful reopening of Karen's Cafe, which she and Haley (Bethany Joy Galeotti) opened in a sweet homage to Haley's childhood sanctuary. The Cafe provided a stage for Haley to perform a cover of Toad the Wet Sprocket's "Walk On the Ocean"... and for Nathan (James Lafferty) to give a hilarious performance of his own. (Let's just say that the DILF factor on this episode was truly outstanding.)
Elsewhere, Mouth (Lee Norris) and Millie (Lisa Goldstein) scored their own Tree Hill morning show, and Chase (Stephen Colletti) returned from a year in the Air Force to reunite with Alex (Jana Kramer). We were treated to music from Kramer, set in the background, and in a sweet moment, we even saw Mia (Kate Voegele) perform one of her new songs before a final moment with Chase. After Clay (Robert Buckley) returned from a successful scouting trip with Nathan, he and Quinn (Shantal VanSanten) resumed their saccharine love story.
In a poignant moment, Jamie Scott (Jackson Brundage) donned an old Keith Scott Body Shop hoodie and dribbled his basketball across the bridge on his way to the River Court, in a recreation of the classic shot of his uncle Lucas from the series' pilot episode.
The episode was heavy on the music montages that have become a staple of "One Tree Hill" over the years, and after last year's life-and-death cliffhanger, we're a little bit relieved to see a season finale that doesn't leave us worrying about our favorite characters all summer long.
Because we loved the music so much, we've listed all the songs below. You know, in case you need a soundtrack to cry to.
Sarah Jaffe - Clementine
Gavin DeGraw - I Don't Want To Be (Yeah, you know this one. Still, it was nice to hear the original.)
Rosie and Me - Darkest Horse
Jana Kramer - Why You Wanna
Mah Nà Mah Nà
Bethany Joy Galeotti/Toad the Wet Sprocket - Walk On the Ocean
Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains
Sea of Bees - Wizbot
Jarrod Gorbel - A Moment of Peace
Matt Nathanson - Kiss Quick
Angus & Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane
Future of Forestry - Slow Your Breath Down
Weigh in, "One Tree Hill" fans. Do you wish there had been cliffhangers in tonight's finale? Do you feel that Season 9 is unnecessary now that we've seen this episode, which could have served well as a series finale? What do you hope to see in Season 9? Drop us a line in the comments below and let us know your thoughts.
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Photo/Video credit: The CW
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sounds like i missed nothing. cool that brooke had twins, everything else sounds lame. ive seen every other ep. not sure if ill tune in to this online or s9, unless hilarie or chad return.
How do you top that? Jamie running down the bridge in that sweatshirt. DYING. So. Many. Tears. Dear Mark Schwahn, you have done it again.
i want more than 13 episodes next season i feel kinda jipped we been with this show for 8 years and i feel as though the cw doesnt have respect for us fans or loyalty smallville got a full season and a 2 hour finale we deserved that esp if season 9 is the last everything was great about this episode cried so much and i rememberd why this show is my favorite i want more nathan and haley and hope mark has something up his sleeve for them next year and i hope brooke gets a new company
I think this should be the end...with everything better and safe (couldn't resist to this).
I cried a lot, and they can't top the last scene. It's impossible. But now that is renewed, I want Bevin! And Rachel! And Taylor! And Deb, of course. I miss her.
This could have been a great series finale - Jamie on the bridge was simply amazing - but I'm glad we got season 9. We get to see Brooke be a mom, something we've been waiting for since season 5, and there's hope for a Leyton return. A cliffhanger may have been better though because seriously, the last scene was just a perfect end to the show. That could have been saved for next year.
This would have been a great series finale.. if it wasn't for my need to see Brooke Davis up to her ears in nappies and the hilarity that will ensue.. Nathan is the alltime DILF. The scene with the Ma na ma na was amazing - Nathan has always seemed a little awkward to me, I don't know if thats the character or James (love him regardless) but in this scene with Lydia he seemed so at ease and hilarious! Maybe season 9 could explore more of Nathan's humour instead of just a man needing to overcome the neverending obstacle.
The music was, as always, brilliant. A true soundtrack junkie episode!
Am looking forward to season 9. I'm definitely not a diehard fan of this show but have stuck with it none the less for these kinds of episodes which frankly have been too far apart the last couple of seasons..
oh and CMM tweeting about the Lucas Love.... definitely deserving of the "He doesn't even go here!!!"
This episode was a great example of the classic prefect One Tree Hill episodes, it had everything anyone could have wanted and it would have mad an amazing series finale. Saying so I am really glad they will be back for at least 13 more episodes.
I honestly loved the finale but watching the time as the end of the show crept up on me I was wondering what the cliffhanger would be, and I was worried that they were going to kill Brooke's babies off and that would have been awful. But I am very glad that there will be a season 9 because I don't ever want this show to end! It's amazing and it's hard for a show to keep up after so many seasons, but it's still great.
Loved the OTH finale, it could hav easily been the series finale. Brooke havn twins, si happy for her! Jamie w the hoodie n drbbling the baskeyball like lucas did..sooo lovly! also loved that they used the original theme song..hope they continue using it..the others r nice but havn that tru sense of OTH w the original song is best. The show felt like it came full circle I'm curious as to what they will come up w nxt season, but no worries here the OTH writers hav always been exceptional!
PS. Im secretly hopin for Lucas to reappear.
I think the only thing left to do in Season 9 is bring back Lucas(chad)& Peyton ( Hilarie) for one final time.