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    26 Wild Things I Forgot Actually Happened In The "One Tree Hill" Pilot

    I can't believe Brooke wasn't in this!

    One of my absolute favorite TV shows is One Tree Hill.

    "One Tree Hill" main cast
    Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection

    It's the story of two estranged half-brothers, Lucas and Nathan, whose lives suddenly collide when they find themselves on the same high school basketball team. It's filled with drama, love triangles, and so, so much angst — it was THEEE show of my teenage years!!!

    The WB

    Recently, I decided to go back and rewatch the pilot to see how it held up after all these years — and man, did I have a lot of thoughts! Here are 26 things I noticed while rewatching the first episode:

    Warning: spoilers ahead!!!

    1. Wow, James Lafferty (Nathan) looks SO young here. Fun fact: he was only 18 when this pilot aired.

    James Lafferty as Nathan labeled "actual teenager" alongside Chad Michael Murray as Lucas labeled "not a teenager"
    The WB

    For comparison, Chad Michael Murray (Lucas) and Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley) were both 22 when this aired. Out of the main cast, James was the only actor who was actually a teen at the start of the series.

    2. Oh man...it's weird and kinda sad seeing Jimmy here knowing what happens in Season 3. See episode “With Tired Eyes, With Tired Minds, With Tired Souls, They Slept.”

    Jimmy and Mouth being "sportscasters" at the river court
    The WB

    If you know, you know.

    3. HOW did Nathan just steal a school bus like this after the basketball game?!! These kids are wild.

    Nathan driving school bus captioned "lol YOLO"
    The WB

    Also, like...how did they get the keys? How did nobody notice them breaking into the bus? I have so many questions.

    4. Wait, why is Peyton mad at Lucas when she's the one who almost ran him over on his way back from the River Court? This is the one and only time I will side with Lucas Scott.

    Peyton stares at Lucas with her mouth open after almost running him over with her car
    The WB

    Also, who just stares at each other like this? So weird.

    5. OMG, of course Nathan gets off the hook for the school bus incident even though he was literally the one driving the freaking bus.

    meme of Nathan saying "but Dad I drove" and Dan saying "quiet son"
    The WB

    6. "My best friend is an idiot." Buckle up, Haley — you're gonna be saying that a LOT throughout this series.

    Haley holds magazine up to Lucas, jokingly calls it the "'my best friend is an idiot' issue"
    The WB

    7. I'm so, so grateful the writers never made Lucas and Haley a couple.

    Haley: "Which implies some 'Joey loves Dawson' scenario and completely creeps me out"
    The WB

    Also, LOL @ the Dawson's Creek reference — Chad Michael Murray was on that show too!

    8. Alright, now Keith is showing Whitey Lucas's game at the River Court to convince him to consider him for varsity. Out of context, them just spying on these teens like this looks super creepy.

    The WB

    Aww man, I'm sad about Keith now.

    9. Seeing Nathan and Peyton as a couple is so weird. Also, WOW, I forgot how terrible Nathan was in the very beginning.

    Nathan calls Peyton a bitch and tells her to sit in her closet and listen to her loser rock
    The WB

    Nathan still becomes 10 times the man Lucas will ever be, though.

    10. God, can you imagine how weird it would be to have a half-sibling, who you grew up totally estranged from, in all of your classes at school? Like, what if you got paired up for a group project or something? Awkward.

    meme of Whitey calling "Scott" and Lucas saying "he means me dumbass" to Nathan
    The WB

    11. Whitey comparing a high school gym to a church feels...very weird.

    Whitey: "I like my gym quiet clean kinda like a church, a lot of praying done here"
    The WB

    12. Show me a real-life teenage boy who speaks like this with a straight face. I'll wait.

    Lucas tells Whitey, "I say the people who pray here are wasting their time, God doesn't watch sports" and dramatically exits gym
    The WB

    Also, why is Lucas SO ANGSTY??! Is everything really that dramatic?

    13. Dan Scott has been the worst from the very beginning. Also, we don't talk enough about how this man really got two girls pregnant within a couple months of each other as a teenager.

    meme of Dan saying, "tell this kid not to join the team" and Nathan replying, "you mean your son?"
    The WB

    14. IDK why, but Nathan trying to intimidate Lucas is so funny to me. I just...cannot take this seriously. I guess they're gonna play a one-on-one game to settle this.

    meme of Nathan circling Lucas captioned, "bawk bawk bawk, chicken"
    The WB

    15. Not Lucas mansplaining random, useless bird terminology to Haley...this is why nobody likes you, Luke.

    Lucas tells Haley that more than one crow is called a murder
    The WB

    16. I know Peyton is pissed at Nathan and doesn't really like Lucas yet, but this feels like a wildly dramatic response to someone offering you a ride home.

    Peyton goes on a dramatic rant about how Lucas doesn't know her and how guys are such jerks
    The WB

    Joke's on you, Peyton — you're gonna marry this guy.

    17. I...I cannot with these kids.

    Lucas asks Peyton if she's ever had something she's better at that anyone else, she replies "sex"
    The WB

    18. Why do characters always tell these deeply personal stories about their childhood trauma to people they barely know?

    Lucas tells Peyton the story of why he quit junior league basketball
    The WB

    In fairness to the show, Peyton does call out how weird this is.

    19. Sassy Nathan is my favorite version of Nathan.

    Dan: "If I wanted a daughter I'd adopt one," Nathan: "So you could abandon her too?"
    The WB

    20. Alright, time for Nathan and Lucas's little one-on-one game. Couldn't they have played this earlier? It's almost midnight — do none of these kids have a curfew?

    11:30 on Lucas' clock
    The WB

    21. OMFG, the terms of Lucas and Nathan's bet...excuse me, is this the 1800s?!

    Nathan:"Lucas gets you if he wins," Peyton: "Do I not get any fucking say in this?"
    The WB

    I know that's not what they actually bet, but still. Sheesh!!

    22. This whole game is stupid. Either join the team or don't, Lucas. Why must the whole town be involved in your weird family drama?

    meme of Nathan walking onto the court, "I'm the shit' and Lucas saying, "so I guess we're not celebrating National Siblings Day?"
    The WB

    23. I wish Brooke was in this episode. I can't believe they didn't add her character until after the pilot!

    crowd by the court captioned, "no Brooke" with a sad face
    The WB

    24. Annnnd after a ton of back-and-forth, Lucas wins by one basket! Sorry, Nathan.

    meme of Lucas captioned, "yahoo, I'm the best, you suck Nathan"
    The WB

    If it's any consolation, Nathan, you're the one who will go on to play in the NBA.

    25. "I'll be seeing ya" — and so it begins...

    The WB

    26. Okay, one final note — WHY was Peyton allowed to have a webcam that just recorded her in her room 24/7 for the whole world to see?

    Peyton watching herself on webcam
    The WB

    Her dad REALLY should have been around more.

    Well, that was quite the wild ride! Got any other teen dramas you think I should rewatch the first episode of? Tell me in the comments!