One Tree Hill: 10 Things Fans Find Confusing, According To Reddit

While TV series about young adults do strive for realism in many ways, as they tackle tough topics that really do affect teenagers, sometimes these shows are pretty confusing. One Tree Hill is famous for sometimes illogical plotlines like characters hanging out in limbo between life and death, although the show does balance the realistic and the super dramatic on a regular basis.

Fans will always love the characters on this beloved show, but sometimes the characters or storylines seem strange, and viewers are discussing the oddest aspects of One Tree Hill in some threads on Reddit.

10 Why Doesn’t The Town Hate Dan At The Beginning?

When One Tree Hill opens, the difference between Nathan and Lucas becomes clear: Nathan is the son who Dan is proud of and Lucas has been left out in the cold. Reddit user chanel444 thinks that it would make for sense if the residents of Tree Hill “shamed” Dan for not taking care of Lucas, writing, “You always see everyone in everyones business in these small towns.”

It would make sense if the focus of the first part of season 1 was on how much everyone hates Dan, and that seems like it could have been easily incorporated.

9 Why Don’t Brooke And Peyton Know Lucas When The Show Starts?

The same Reddit user also wonders “How come Peyton and Brooke don’t know Lucas at the begining of the season 1? Was he just not on their radar?”

One Tree Hill’s love triangle ams up the drama in the first few seasons, and while it does make sense that Peyton and Brooke wouldn’t socialize with Lucas before they both fall for him, it does seem like they would know more about him than they do at the start of the series. The characters all live in a tiny place.

8 The Timeline Is Confusing

Sometimes teen drama timelines can be confusing, as too many events seem to happen in a short amount of time. One Redditor is confused about One Tree Hill‘s timeline, writing, “We don’t see summer until the very end of season 2 so are we assuming that the entirety of season 2 happened in the span of like 2 months? Or did we miss an entire basketball season and summer for them?” Reddit user rwatkins829 replied that the timeline is definitely off and it seems like season 2 lasts for four months.

It’s definitely tricky to figure out the timing on this series, and there are several Reddit threads about this subject. Fans aren’t sure how long basketball season lasts or how much time has passed during some big storylines.

7 When Is Jamie’s Birthday?

Nathan and Haley’s son Jamie is a sweet, heartwarming part of the series, but many viewers aren’t sure about his birthday. Reddit user CK971 wrote, “the kid was born on graduation day, after the Basketball playoffs were over, but 4 years later, when Nate, Lucas and Skills came back to coach the Ravens, school and Basketball were still in session when his birthday came around.”

This might be a small thing compared to some larger storylines, but it does seem confusing that Jamie would appear to have different birthdays.

6 Why Do Lucas And Karen Seem To Forgive Dan?

While many One Tree Hill storylines are wild, with ghosts and a stalker nanny being par for the course with this young adult drama, the show also has an emotional center that includes the character of Dan. This unlikable character upsets and confuses Lucas and Nathan for their entire lives.

While Dan is shown to be evil for much of the show, Reddit user Blacksmith_Actual doesn’t understand why Lucas and Karen seem to be so sweet and forgiving toward Dan after Keith passes away. The fan wrote, “Lucas always saw Dan for what he truly was then all the sudden that was out the door. Made no sense at all.” This is definitely strange as it seems to come out of nowhere.

5 The In-Between States Are A Bit Odd

While much of One Tree Hill takes place in the here and now, there are some storylines featuring spirits or characters who almost die. Reddit user BullE1015 is confused about the in-between states of the characters as there seem to be different rules. The fan wrote, “While unconscious Lucas remembers his talk with Keith. Clay remembers Will but him and Quinn don’t remember the time they spent together. How exactly does that work, is this an inconsistency or did I miss something?”

Reddit user mayor_of_the_LAND shared that it’s possible that it was Lucas “tapping into his subconscious,” although they weren’t sure the explanation for Clay and Quinn.

4 Wouldn’t Haley Let Lucas Know About Her Marriage Sooner?

Nathan and Haley’s best One Tree Hill episodes tug at the heartstrings as they come from opposite worlds and still find each other. It’s compelling watching them fall for each other and build a family, but the fact that they get married while still in high school is a tough plot point for some.

Reddit user dyingstars28 thinks it’s strange that Haley and Nathan would tie the knot but not tell Lucas for a while. The fan said, “I cant believe she got ‘married’ without telling Lucas (though he probably wouldve just judged so I get why she didnt). Still, though, for best friends they do keep a lot of secrets from each other.”

3 Why Do Nathan And Haley Want Dan And Jamie To Get Along?

One Redditor said of all the confusing storylines on One Tree Hill, they don’t understand “Nathan and Haley being so willing to allow Jamie a relationship with Dan in S5 onwards.”

This does seem strange as viewers know that Dan is evil and it doesn’t ever feel like his character can be forgiven or redeemed. It would be much more logical if Haley and Nathan decided that Dan couldn’t go near their son, as many people would understand that choice thanks to everything that Dan has done.

2 Brooke Lets Rachel Leave In Season 5

Of Brooke’s best One Tree Hill storylines, viewers really like when Brooke and Rachel become friends, which is why it’s surprising when Rachel leaves town and no one hears from her again.

The same Reddit user also wonders about “Brooke not going after Rachel in S5.” Rachel and Dan also have an odd marriage that seems to be more about Rachel wanting to be secure money-wise than anything else.

1 Where Are The Parents?

While sometimes the parents on teen shows get their own dramatic plotlines, at other times, they don’t seem to play a big role in their teens’ lives at all. In the case of One Tree Hill, Reddit user gb33321 finds it confusing that “all the parents are absent,” explaining that Peyton is always home alone and Brooke’s parents couldn’t always be traveling. The fan wrote, “Everyone ended up having way more freedom then realistic for high school especially considering no one came off as wealthy besides Brooke.”

It works that these parents aren’t around since it allows them to have more dramatic storylines, but it’s still something that fans consider a bit confusing.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1742 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

More From Aya Tsintziras