One Tree Hill: Complete Second Season [DVD] [2004] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Brilliant American series.

Love the whole series

I'm currently watching this on TV and have nearly seen the entire season. The storylines are much more mature than season one and so far there has not been one basketball match featured! The actors have pulled off very touching and emotional performances that all deserve recognition: especially Brooke who struggles to open her heart after it has been broken previously.The season begins with the inevitable return of Lukas and Keith which causes the newly reunited Peyton and Brooke to make peace with the man they once fought over. They find this an easier task than they thought, and their new friendship with Lukas is touching in later episodes of the season.This season is based primarily on the characters romantic affairs with many of the characters falling in love then having their heart broken. Peyton falls for the runaway Jake who returns with his daughter Jenny, and Karen has an extremely close student-teacher relationship whilst attending a business course. Taboo subjects like drugs and homosexuality are also dealt with giving the characters depth and emotion, and showing the audience that problems should be faced and dealt with.The main focus of the season is the strain put on the teenage newlyweds Hayley and Nathan. Hayley wishes to pursue a singing career and Nathan begins to wonder if he is a part of her future. The following events change their lives forever and both actors pull off poignant performances.The best part of the season is Lukas and Karen's boyfriend's pursuit of Dan, who from what I have seen will get his comeuppance for all of his crimes against his family and friends.Overall this is a much more mature and well scripted season that is thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Definitely one of the best teen dramas on the TV and, dare I say it, better than 'The OC'.

That heart attack only briefly stopped Dan in his tracks. Now the control freak is again plotting - top priorites the destruction of Nathan and Haley's marriage, the humiliating downfall of brother Keith.As in Season 1, main focus is on Dan's sons Lucas and Nathan - charismatic Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty rising to the challenge. Much of the time they are united, wary of again being entangled in their father's web. There is, though, an extra worry - have they inherited his genetic heart condition?The new series sees interesting developments. Brooke, formerly so shallow and (dare one say it?) an irritant, gains stature thanks to more substantial storylines. She still has fun, however, and can be very funny - not least when a crab! Intriguing newcomers include wealthy teacher Andy (attracted to Lucas' mother); Brooke's teenage neighbours, Anna and self-adoring Felix; musician Chris, who greatly tempts Haley; Jules, who seems set to marry Keith. It is also good to see Jake back, he desperately still trying to protect his little daughter from her hotly pursuing ruthless mum.Issues include drugs, lesbianism and the pitfalls of marrying so young. Strengths include an all-round fine cast - not least Barry Corbin as thoroughly dependable Coach and Lee Norris as the increasingly impressive Mouth. Amongst many stand-out episodes is one where the High School pupils prepare messages for a time capsule to be opened fifty years later.The show is addictive and often surprisingly moving - further proof of how well it is written and acted. Three cheers, too, for producers who know best how to incorporate music. Here there is plenty - but it never distracts, always enhances. (By the way, the tour Haley sets on was a tour for real - enormously successful wherever it played.)Cliffhangers, especially the one involving Dan, ensure a stampede for Season 3. All concerned deserve the acclaim.

I got this as I already had Season 1 and wanted to find out what happened next. This season is better than the first one, with better writing, meatier storylines, and I suppose the actors have found their characters. On the whole, this series is pretty much the usual teen/high school stuff which has been done before in other series such as The OC, Dawson's Creek and the granddaddy of them all, Beverly Hills 90210. The inclusion of the basket ball theme is interesting, and this time is not so much the centre of it all as it was in series 1. My major criticism would cover pretty much all American teen dramas, and that is the use of actors in their mid twenties to play teenagers. Certainly four out of the five main leads fall into this category, and as an result the actors playing the parents (particularly the mothers) thus don't look old enough! This is a minor observation, and I suppose one has to suspend reality a bit anyway to watch this.

Having been an unlikely person to get hooked on a show like this in the first place, I couldn't wait to get Series 2. After a great ending to the first series, it was going to be interesting to see what events were going to unfold this time round. It does start off quite slow and it does take several episodes before the big story lines start to kick in, although it is all part of the big build up. There are also a few new faces thrown into the mix. However when it does eventually get going, you once again find yourself gripped by the show and consequently end up getting to bed later than you should because you want to squeeze in another episode! At the end of series 2, I was straight onto Series 3, so the show has done a great job in keeping me interested and gripping me with it's story lines, so its another 5 star rating from me.