Image Credit: Fred Norris/The CW

Early on in One Tree Hill‘s eventual nine-year run, Mark Schwahn remembers clearly how one critic described the show: “painfully earnest.” Personally, he’s always preferred “heartfelt.”

And while not too much about the show’s heart-tugging tendencies will change in the show’s final season, which kicks off tonight, he didn’t take the opportunity to go out on bold terms lightly. “I felt like we had to worry less about our safety net so we could take more risks on the high wire,” says Schwahn. “We didn’t want to do a season of just looking back and self-congratulatory in a way. So I wanted the season to be challenging.” And fans will get a chance to see what challenges await the characters in the first minutes of tonight’s premiere. READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: Fred Norris/The CW

Ish is about to hit the fan, Hill fans, and trust me when I say you want to be around to see it happen.

Back in March, before One Tree Hill took a six-week break, from which it returned last night, we found out that Professor Kellerman’s young son — and now Nathan’s young star talent — was involved in the crash that nearly claimed the life of Nathan’s son. And even though last night’s ep focused on a lot of baby drama, Nathan’s work has only begun.

“I think Nathan’s gotten himself into something here,” says Lafferty. “I think he feels like he has to do some detective work. Whether or not he should be taking it upon himself remains to be seen. He definitely is going to pursue the truth, and I think it’s possible he will bite off more than he can chew.”

And a warning to the Kellermans… and anyone else involved: Nathan’s ready for a fight. READ FULL STORY »