15 Shows Like One Tree Hill Fans Can Binge-Watch Now

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

To paraphrase Karen (Moira Kelly), there's only one Tree Hill, and it aired on the WB from 2003 to 2012. Though far from the only popular teen show of the era, "One Tree Hill" featured several elements that made it stand out from the crowd. For starters, the focus on brothers Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan (James Lafferty), caught up in a Shakespearean drama involving opposing destinies, gave the show a compellingly theatrical angle. It was also a riveting sports drama, and unlike many shows of its ilk, followed its characters into adulthood.

Of course, that doesn't mean "One Tree Hill" is in a league of its own when it comes to television shows. There have been plenty of shows with small-town drama, complicated family dynamics, the highs and lows of high school sports, adolescent love triangles, and many of those fall into that wonderful late '90s/early 2000s sweet spot of teen TV. 

Check out these shows like "One Tree Hill" for your next binge-watch.

"One Tree Hill" is one of the few teen shows in which teen pregnancy actually works out well, as Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) and Nathan (James Lafferty) have a kid in high school and still live happily ever after. Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) is also the product of a teen pregnancy, though his story isn't quite as idyllic. Though teen pregnancy isn't exactly the focus of "Gilmore Girls" it does center on a former teen mom and her teenage daughter, and "One Tree Hill" fans are likely to appreciate the eccentric small-town dynamics.

Lauren Graham plays Lorelai Gilmore, a quirky 30-something who runs an inn in the town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. She lives with her teenage daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), a lovable nerd with whom she's very close. More upbeat and comedic than "One Tree Hill," "Gilmore Girls" features immensely lovable characters and some fun high school drama in its early seasons. In fact, Chad Michael Murray plays one of Rory's classmates at her private school, and the pair have a brief flirtation.

One of the most influential teen shows of the era, "The O.C." was a pop culture phenomenon that inspired both fashion and music trends. The WB show follows Ryan (Ben McKenzie), a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who goes to live with the Cohens, including teenager Seth (Adam Brody), who live in the wealthy neighborhood of Newport Beach. Teen strife and relationship drama abound, and class is an important theme.

Ryan functions as a sort of Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) character, an outsider who doesn't hang with the popular crowd like rich kid Nathan (James Lafferty). In addition to these social dynamics, the two shows have another significant element in common: the music. "The O.C." is perhaps best-known for its soundtrack, popularizing indie artists like Death Cab for Cutie, Phantom Planet, and Modest Mouse. "One Tree Hill" featured several musician characters, and both shows included all-ages music clubs that became important parts of the shows' aesthetics. Though they differ significantly in tone and setting, the two series have an era-defining look and sound that is bound to inspire nostalgia in viewers today.

One of the things that differentiates "One Tree Hill" from other teen shows is its focus on sports. Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan (James Lafferty) both play on the basketball team, and Nathan goes on to play in the NBA. In the NBC series "Friday Night Lights," high school football isn't just a sport; it's a way of life. The entire town of Dillon, Texas, rallies around the team with near-religious fervor, and the pressure put on the teen athletes is immense.

Thankfully, a king among men is at the helm. Kyle Chandler plays Eric Taylor, coach of the Dillon Panthers and arguably the greatest TV dad of all time. He's backed by his wife, Tami (Connie Britton), a formidable woman in her own right. Through the lens of a high school football team, the show explores pressing issues in American culture, particularly in small towns, including poverty, substance abuse, racism, and religion. The show aims for realism and authenticity, as indicated by the handheld cameras used for filming. Featuring an incredible cast of actors, including a young Michael B. Jordan, "Friday Night Lights" will hit you right in the feels.

While "One Tree Hill" aimed for a more grounded approach to teen drama as opposed to its glitzier contemporaries, it featured plenty of soapy moments as well, like when a dog ate Dan's (Paul Johansson) new heart. If you like your teen shows with a requisite dose of campy fun, look no further than the Netflix series "Outer Banks." Like "One Tree Hill," "Outer Banks" takes place in North Carolina, specifically the coastline for which the series is named.

Like many teen series, "Outer Banks" tackles the divide between the haves and the have-nots. On Kildare Island, there are two classes: the Kooks, who are the wealthy owners of vacation homes, and the Pogues, who are the working-class locals. John (Chase Stokes), the leader of his Pogue friend group, becomes obsessed with solving the disappearance of his father, who was searching for buried treasure when he vanished out of thin air. Along with this central mystery, the show features numerous ludicrous plotlines involving romance, friendship, and money. It's often over–the-top, but in the most delicious way.

Like "One Tree Hill," "Dawson's Creek" was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, and it also features Lucas Scott himself, Chad Michael Murray, in a supporting role. ("OTH" star Hilarie Burton also appears in one episode.) In addition to those factual similarities, the two shows overlap in tone and content. As opposed to glamorous shows like "Gossip Girl" and "90210," both series depict so-called normal teenagers who live in average American towns. Though their triumphs and heartbreaks often appear larger-than-life, we imagine these characters could be our friends.

In "Dawson's Creek," James Van Der Beek plays Dawson, a thoughtful teenager with dreams of being a filmmaker. He spends time with his BFF Joey (Katie Holmes), who has been in love with him since they were kids, and his pal Pacey (Joshua Jackson), the class clown. Their friend group is shaken up by the arrival of new girl Jen, played by Michelle Williams. Though "Dawson's Creek" features many familiar teen drama plots, it also deals with serious issues like abuse and adolescent sexuality, giving it a reputation for being "edgy" despite its humble setting.

Lucas (Chad Michael Murray), the angsty protagonist of "One Tree Hill," often juggles multiple identities. He's a sensitive writer, but he's also a jock. He grew up with his mom and his nerdy best friend but also lusts after cheerleaders. This kind of identity trouble is the bread and butter of the superhero genre, which is why "Smallville" is the perfect sci-fi follow-up to "OTH."

Tom Welling leads the cast of "Smallville" as Clark Kent, playing Superman before he dons his blue and red cape. We meet Clark in high school in his hometown of Smallville, Kansas. A typical teenager, minus the fact that he's an alien with superpowers, Clark's squad includes his neighbor and first love, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), and his friend and future nemesis, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). Later seasons follow Clark as he graduates and moves to Metropolis, beginning his career in journalism. Similar to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Smallville" mixes teen drama with supernatural threats, and this charming show offers a novel take on the now bloated superhero genre.

Before he was the showrunner of "Friday Night Lights," Jason Katims sank his teeth into the supernatural genre with "Roswell." Though it only ran for three seasons, the show was beloved enough that it was revived after getting canceled, thanks to a fan campaign. Like "One Tree Hill," "Roswell" follows an outcast protagonist living in a small town.

Shiri Appleby plays Liz, a teenage girl who works as a waitress in an alien-themed restaurant in Roswell, New Mexico. When her handsome classmate, Max (Jason Behr), saves her life, everything changes. Liz learns that Max is an alien sent to Earth as a child along with his sister Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and friend Michael (Brendan Fehr). They were adopted by human families and have kept their identities secret until Max's heroic act threatens to expose them. Liz finds herself in the midst of an extraterrestrial fight for survival and a love story that's more complicated than she'd bargained for. A cute take on the alien story, Appleby sells the out-of-this-world premise with her girl-next-door charm.

Fans of "One Tree Hill" love the show's voice-over segments, which feature Chad Michael Murray expressing his angst by quoting literature. The beloved series "Veronica Mars" also includes voice-overs spoken by an angsty teenager, and we predict the show will appeal to "OTH" fans. Kristen Bell plays the titular character, a sullen high schooler living in the stratified town of Neptune, California. Veronica used to run with the popular crowd until a traumatic event changed everything, leading her to live the life of an outcast.

Now, as an outside observer of her high school's many dramas, Veronica helps her dad with his work as a private investigator and takes on cases involving fellow students. Cynical and witty, Veronica uses her sardonic sense of humor to hide how much the events of the past hurt her. The series is styled like a film noir, with Veronica representing the hardboiled detective, and this clever melding of genres makes "Veronica Mars" stand out from the pack. The show takes Veronica and her fellow teens seriously and treats them with respect, and its darker elements pack a real emotional punch. If you go in expecting a frivolous teen drama, you're in for a surprise.

It's a tale as old as time — a gorgeous beach house, two brothers, and a girl who doesn't want to lose out on a killer vacation spot. Based on the series of novels by Jenny Han, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" follows 16-year-old Belly Conklin (Lola Tung). Belly and her mother, Laurel (Jackie Chung), spend every summer at Cousins Beach, staying at the beach house of their longtime friends, the Fisher family. As Belly grows into a young woman, her relationship with the Fisher boys, Conrad (Christopher Briney), and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), begins to change.

At its core, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" tackles the love triangle between Belly and the two Fisher brothers. The love triangle is a common trope in YA media, including our beloved "One Tree Hill." Though Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) only ever has eyes for Nathan (James Lafferty), lowkey playboy Lucas gets himself involved with both Peyton (Hilarie Burton) and Brooke (Sophia Bush). The sibling rivalry at the heart of it all gives "The Summer I Turned Pretty" a frothy twist, and although it's undeniably silly, it's a feel-good ride all the way through.

Even if you've never heard of "Party of Five," we can almost guarantee you'll recognize some of the faces that populated the '90s show. Featuring a cast of up-and-coming actors, the Fox series follows a group of five siblings who become a close-knit family unit when their parents are killed in a car accident.

Matthew Fox of "Lost" fame plays the eldest Salinger sibling, 24-year-old Charlie, who becomes the guardian of his siblings. Those siblings include 16-year-old Bailey (Scott Wolf), 15-year-old Julia (Neve Campbell), 11-year-old Claudia (Lacey Chabert), and their baby brother, Owen (played by multiple actors). Jennifer Love Hewitt was part of the main cast from season two onward, and she starred in a largely unsuccessful spin-off alongside a young Jennifer Garner.

Like "One Tree Hill," "Party of Five" aimed to depict an average group of young people having sometimes extraordinary experiences. The show portrayed teenagers dealing with mature issues like domestic violence, substance abuse, and health problems. A reliable tear-jerker, "Party of Five" is filled with angst, but a lovable cast of characters — and a powerful dose of '90s nostalgia — make it worth watching.

"One Tree Hill" is about family as much as it is about friends, and the complicated sibling dynamic between Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan (James Lafferty) provides reliable intrigue. In "Parenthood," complex family dynamics are the show's raison d'etre. Adapted from the same-named 1989 film, in addition to the 1990 TV series, "Parenthood" follows the Braverman family, who live in Berkley, California.

The family is led by parents Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia) Braverman. They have four children, Adam (Peter Krause), Sarah (Lauren Graham), Crosby (Dax Shepard), and Julia (Erika Christensen). The Bravermans are a somewhat dysfunctional family, but that's what makes them so fun to watch. They disagree on many things, but never stop loving each other. Like "This is Us," "Parenthood" became well-known for making audiences cry on a regular basis, and the emotional catharsis it provides is one of its most compelling qualities. Come for the family strife, stay for the poignant reconciliation.

The young adult series "Edgemont" falls squarely into the forgotten TV category. A Canadian teen drama often overshadowed by "Degrassi," the two series have several things in common. "Edgemont" follows a group of teenagers with relatable high school problems. More educational in nature than "One Tree Hill," the Canadian series is comprised of 30-minute episodes that track the students' relationship issues as well as their encounters with social ills like racism and homophobia.

A pre-"Smallville" Kristin Kreuk plays Laurel, a new girl with dreams of becoming a model. Her classmates include Jen (Sarah Lind), an aspiring journalist who lost her father, Mark (Dominic Zamprogna), who struggles to balance his school and home life, Shannon (Grace Park from "Battlestar Galactica"), a rule-following Christian, gossip-obsessed Anika (Vanessa King), and popular jock Chris (P.J. Prinsloo). Though the series was aimed at teenagers, many adults counted themselves as fans when it was on air, as around half of the viewers were over 18 during the show's second season. Despite (or perhaps because of) no grown-ups appearing in the frame, it's easy to become invested in these teens' problems, even if you left high school behind long ago.

It's been a long time since we've had a great teen sports show on air, and "All American" arrived on the scene to fill that gap. A classic fish-out-of-water story, "All American" is based on a fascinating true story. Daniel Ezra plays Spencer James, a character based on former NFL player Spencer Paysinger. Spencer is a talented football player living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Crenshaw. When a coach from Beverly Hills, Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), recruits Spencer to play for his team, Spencer goes to live with Billy and his family so he can transfer schools.

Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) finds himself in a similar but far less dramatic situation in "One Tree Hill," joining the basketball team where his estranged half-brother is the star player. In "All American," the contrast between the two worlds carries more weight, and the show tackles racial and class differences much more than "One Tree Hill" ever did. Spencer struggles to adjust to his new surroundings, especially since Coach Baker's son, Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), isn't thrilled to have him around. Spencer forms a bond with Jordan's twin sister, Olivia (Samantha Logan), who faces her own hardships.

Though it centers on adults, "Hart of Dixie" features several actors fans of teen shows might recognize. Rachel Bilson of "The O.C." plays the main character, and the show co-stars Scott Porter of "Friday Night Lights" fame. (Robert Buckley from "One Tree Hill" also has a small part.) Zoe Hart (Bilson) is a doctor living in New York City. When she misses out on her dream job in the city, Zoe accepts an offer to work as a general practitioner in the small town of Bluebell, Alabama, inheriting half of the practice from a father she never knew.

The transition isn't easy. Zoe isn't used to the Southern lifestyle, her bedside manner leaves something to be desired, and she doesn't receive a particularly warm welcome from the locals. Zoe's romantic entanglements also get her into trouble, and navigating the town's longstanding social dynamcis prove difficult. Executive produced by Josh Schwartz, creator of both "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl," "Hart of Dixie" retains his penchant for witty writing, lovable protagonists, and occasionally presportorous humor. "One Tree Hill" fans will appreciate the small town setting and juicy relationship drama, while rom-com lovers are sure to enjoy its lighthearted, romantic tone.

"Wildfire" is sort of like "The O.C." but with a female protagonist, though it never achieved the same popularity. The series follows Kris Furillo (Genevieve Cortese), a young woman who has just been released from juvie after stealing a car. Kris is a talented horse trainer, and goes to work at the Raintree ranch, run by the Ritter family. She develops a close relationship with a horse named Wildfire, and will do anything to protect her only friend. Meanwhile, the Ritter family are struggling to save their ranch from financial ruin, and Kris does her best to fit in and adjust to her new environment.

"Wildfire" uses the outsider trope common in many teen shows, including "One Tree Hill," and the horse-racing element gives the series a compelling sports narrative. The drama can be over-the-top at times, but the equestrian plotline is unique enough that it's worth checking out. If you're in the market for a juicy love triangle, "Wildfire" has that category covered as well. Horse girls and horse boys everywhere will want to tune into this one.