Tuesday marks the 11th anniversary for one of the most important days in television history. Not only is it "TV Nostalgia Day" but it has also been 11 years since One Tree Hill aired its first episode. OTH was everything I wanted life to be — with a few exceptions — and to this day, I still get wrapped up in a binge marathon of it on Netflix. Sure, I thought the show got a little tired at points, and sure, I'll admit seasons one through four were the best ones — wouldn't any fan say that? — but that doesn't mean the second half of the show's run didn't provide some amazing OMG moments.
The entire series always had me sitting across from my television with my jaw on the floor. How were some of these things possibly happening to high schoolers? Is this what high school is like (I was still two years out from starting high school when the series began)? Even if it seemed a little unrealistic at times, I didn't care. I didn't care that this group of teens had the most dramatic and tragic lives I've ever heard of. I didn't care that their relationships were like roller coasters at Six Flags. One Tree Hill is to this day one of my favorite shows, and these 11 OMG OTH moments are just a few reasons.
1) A Dog Eats Dan's Heart
In what felt like Dan's eighth chance at cheating death — don't worry, he lived — Dan Scott found man's best friend ruining his chance at getting a new man's best organ. Is it crazy? 100 percent. A dog actually starts eating the heart Dan was going to get for his transplant. It's absurd. But it is absurd in the best way possible, right?
2) Haley Gets Hit By A Moving Car
I just wanted Haley to catch a break in life.* I think that's all she really needed. But instead, after having complications with her pregnancy — around the same time her husband was accused/guilty of shaving points off of a basketball game — she gets hit by a car by Dante. (*Note: There is no such thing as "catching a break in life" when the character exists on a CW/WB show)
3) Lucas Tells Peyton "It's You"
I know some people were Team Brooke all the way, but I loved Peyton and Lucas together (I loved Brooke and Julian together even more). After four very long seasons of will they or won't they end up together, Lucas "picks" Peyton. Looking back on it, it is kind of awful that two women were waiting to be picked by the man (ahem, Bachelor), but I was happy regardless.
4) The Cast Sings "I Don't Want To Be"
I love television moments where the audience is given a little hat tip by the actors. In the series finale, the cast (that was still around after so many seasons) sang the opening credit song with Gavin DeGraw and it is amazing. I still get chills from it.
5) Keith Forgives Dan
The real OMG moment was when Dan shoots Keith during the school shooting episode in season three, but this moment was something that felt very needed in the Dan and Keith relationship for the entire series. It's a perfect scene.
6) Haley Tells Nathan She Is Pregnant
Now, it seems like teen pregnancies are in every single television series, but back when it originally aired, it wasn't as commonplace, so when Haley told Nathan — right after he got a full scholarship offer from Duke —that she was pregnant, I think we all said OMG.
7) Dan Tries To Choke Lucas
Was Dan going to just kill Lucas on the basketball court with Peyton standing there? Sure he was mad about the dealership, and thought Lucas was to blame, but for Dan Scott, that seems a little messy.
8) Psycho Derek Wants To Go To Prom
Well, maybe he doesn't exactly want to go to prom, but he did make it seem that way when Peyton answered the door thinking it was Lucas.
9) Nathan Gives Haley A Crackerjack Bracelet
There were many swoon-worthy "Naley" moments of the series, but this was definitely one of the very first.
10) The Spice Girls Dance
I love One Tree Hill and I love the Spice Girls, so this mashup of the two was like a dream come true for a 1990s baby like myself.
11) Pete Wentz
I may never understand Pete Wentz's three-episode appearance in One Tree Hill, but again, if you loved OTH and Spice Girls, you probably also had a Fall Out Boy phase, so who cares why he was there.
