Disappointing seventh season for "One Tree Hill

10/20/09 - After what appeared to be a promising start, the hit CW show "One Tree Hill," has definitely dropped off in quality. "One Tree Hill," which is now in it's 7th season, returned in September with two less familiar faces-- Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton. After the announcement hit that neither of the actors would be returning, many people were skeptic of whether or not a 7th season was even a possibility.

Thus far, the skeptics appear to be correct.

For four seasons "One Tree Hill" followed the lives of high school students who underwent every problem under the sun. Then, with season five, the show jumped four years ahead in time, and at this season's opener has jumped ahead another two years.

Nathan is now in the NBA, Haley now runs Red Bedroom Records, Brooke is holding fashion shows in which Millie is appearing, Jamie Scott is, again, too smart for his age and Mouth is still trying to make a name for himself as a sports broadcaster.

Aside from the return of these characters, "One Tree Hill" has introduced several new characters including Haley's sister, Quinn, Nathan's agent, Clay, Brooke's model, Alex, and Haley's new boss, Miranda.

Reoccurring on the show is Brooke's love interest Julian, Nate and Lucas's father Dan, an old high school friend named Rachel.

The combination of old characters and new characters almost had a chance, but creator Mark Schwan went wrong when he decided to replay old story-lines and introduce new ridiculous ones.

This season centers on a woman attempting to blackmail Nathan. She claims that she and Nathan slept together and that the baby she is now pregnant with is his. The storyline of Nathan being a cheating husband and father was played out in the fifth season when Nanny Carrie went crazy and attempted to kidnap and keep his son after he refused to give in to her nutty whims and requests. It appears that Nathan's alleged one-night-stand is looking to get even, just as Nanny Carrie was.

Another repeated storyline is that of Haley and her opportunity to make a record. Haley, who made a record and toured in Seasons 2 and 3, has since then, struggled to make another record. As frustrating as it is for her recording company, it is equally as frustrating for "One Tree Hill" fans. Either make the record or don't, but stop pretending. Many times her singing scenes seem more like filler than scenes relevant to the plot.

As for ridiculous storylines, Rachel's return brings the most ludicrous one of all. The last time audience members saw Rachel was when she overdosed on drugs in Season 5. Rachel is now back on the show, with a new story. She is now married to Dan Scott-Nathan and Lucas's father. Not only are they just about two decades apart in age, but Rachel has also dated and slept with Dan's ex wife's brother before-talk about keeping it in the family.

One thing that is refreshing, though, is seeing a smile on Brooke's face through Season 7. Prior to Season 7, Brooke appeared as a damaged young woman who had her heart broken too many times. In Season 1, her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend. By the end of Season 3, her boyfriend left her once more for her best friend and in Season 5, her love interest Owen left her after she announced her interest in starting a family in the near future.

Other than bad breakups, however, Brooke underwent other traumas throughout the show, both emotional and physical, but by Season 7, Brooke had become accomplished in the fashion industry and finally seemed to be in a steady relationship.

The show falters, though, in its explanation of Lucas and Peyton's disappearance. Several times, the current characters will mention that they miss their two best friends, but no one has said where they have gone, or why they left. The tight knit group had always come back to Tree Hill because they referred to one another as family. Lucas and Peyton are completely unexplained by plots. Have they gone off to Europe to reside with Lucas' mom? Have they moved back to LA for Peyton's work?

The show had the potential to leave off on an exciting and nostalgic moment in Season 4, but the crew and producers decided to go another way. It turns out that moving on with the show has become an uphill battle.one that is beginning to completely tumble down as the show enters into the second month of its season. The people in charge of the hit show, "One Tree Hill," now have to hope that their fans remain faithful to it, or else it may not make it to a series finale.