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One Tree Hill - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
by charby
*This review contains spoilers for the first two seasons of One Tree Hill, so don't read on if you don't want to know what happens.*
One Tree Hill is one of my guilty pleasures. I pride myself on having good taste in film and TV shows and tend to only watch what I deem to be the best quality programmes, yet I openly watch a ... series as shallow as this. One Tree Hill is hardly high brow in its depiction of life for a group of 17 year old high school students in the USA and their parents, but that's exactly why I like it.
The third series picks up where the second one left off: Hayley returns home to Tree Hill after spending much of the second series on tour as a singer just as her father in law has been discovered in a fire at his work. Her husband, Nathan, is unsurprisingly still angry at her for leaving him for so long and Hayley finds it hard to know what to do now she's back home. She moves into hers and Nathan's old flat along with cheerleader Brooke, who is insisting on a non-exclusive, friends with benefits relationship with Hayley's best friend and Nathan's half-brother Lucas, despite the fact that things went awry when they dated back in the first series, as Lucas had feelings for Brooke's best friend Peyton (who used to go out with Nathan, by the way). Yes, everything's fairly confusing and these five people have had more brief relationships with each other than I care to count, but if you've watched everything up 'til now it's actual fairly simple to get your head around. The fact that Nathan and Hayley got married aged only 17 is fairly unlikely and bizarre, but since Nathan's father had two sons by two different women before he was twenty years old it seems that the Scott family seem quite keen to rush things. The father himself, Dan Scott, is as much of a cartoon villain as he has been in previous series, continually being a d*** to his sons, his wife (Deb), Lucas's mother (Karen), his brother (Keith) and now Hayley as well. Peyton also has family troubles in this series, as her father who works at sea is still as absent as ever, and the appearance of her biological mother brings up memories of her mother who died when Peyton was a child, as well as confusion as she never knew that she was adopted in the first place. Other characters include Lucas's friend Mouth and the new very beautiful Rachel who joins Tree Hill High this year.
As is expected from a teen drama, all of the actors are insanely good looking: the girls are pretty and skinny with constantly perfect hair and the boys are as handsome and muscular as it gets. I suppose a show where the main characters are either talented basketball players or cheerleaders is bound to have a cast of models, but it is still somewhat unbelievable how attractive they all are. That isn't to say that they're nothing but pretty faces, however: the actors are, in general, good at their jobs, and while nobody is going to win an award for their performance in this programme there's nobody who's particularly bad either. I feel fairly sorry for Lee Norris who plays Mouth as the fact that he is not as attractive as Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) is brought almost once an episode, which I imagine must be fairly damaging for his self esteem in real life even if his character takes it in his stride.
As unrealistic as life in this medium sized North Carolina town appears, I have to say that I love almost every minute of this third series. The main criticism I have of this series has to be the fact that while Dan Scott has been a fairly evil villain up until now, in the latter half of this series he does something so ridiculous that I can't in any way find it believable. While there has been a lot of drama and incredible events in this town so far (the fact that at age 17 Hayley is both married and a famous singer, for one) I find that what Dan does in this series makes it very clear to the viewer that we are watching a work of fiction rather than something which could have actually happened. That is only my opinion, however, and people who have seen this series may completely disagree with me, but there you go.
I've just finished watching this series for the second time and loved it as much as the first time I saw it, and although I know I should now watch something a bit more intelligent such as Six Feet Under or 24, I really can't wait for the fourth series I ordered to arrive in the post. This programme in general is fairly easy viewing and in no way highbrow, but that isn't always a bad thing, and I'm sure that most of you will know from my review whether it would be the type of thing that you would enjoy or not. I, for one, love it and think that this series is well worth its current price of £11.93 on Amazon especially considering that this set has a run time of 968 minutes.
If you've never seen One Tree Hill before but like the sound of it after reading my review, then I would strongly recommend buying the first series at the ridiculously low price of £8.44 on Amazon. If you've seen the first two series already and enjoyed them then I would say that getting this third series would be a great choice, as I loved it as much as the two previous seasons. The first six series are currently available on DVD and the seventh will be released in October 2010, so expect reviews of the later series to come soon!
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Outnumbered - Series 2
by tiger645
OUTNUMBERED - Series 2
After the success of series 1 in 2007 the show was granted a second series which was aired on the BBC in 2008 with the DVD being released in 2009. Outnumbered is a partially improvised comedy about the problems encountered by parents in normal family life. The series is about a fairly normal family with ... two parents who are "outnumbered" by their three children. There isn't really a plot us such, just every day life such as trying to get your children to go to school and explaining difficult topics to them. However it's done in an amusing way from the awkward questions the children say to the amusing comments they come out with.
~~~Characters~~~
Pete Brockman
Pete if the father in the family and works as a history teacher in an inner city secondary school. He has lots of problems with the school he is at and has been accused of being racist. He is most concerned about his older son and constantly tries to be friends with him. Pete is played by Hugh Dennis who I think fits the role well. He often gets frustrated at his children and improvises along with them quite well although clearly sometimes what the children say stumbles him. It is a different sort of comedy than he usually does and the focus is far more on the children being witty than him.
Sue Brockman
Sue Brockman is a part time PA who has to deal with the pressure of being a mum as well as working. She is far more calmer with the children than their father and tries to respond to all their questions no matter how difficult. However we often see her getting stressed and annoyed with the whole family including her husband. Sue is played by Claire Skinner and once again is very good at the role she plays. Everything she does follows on well and she fits into the role as a mum with ease.
Jake Brockman
Jake is an thirteen year old boy who is in a different secondary school than the one his father teaches in. We see a lot more of Jake in this series as he brings home a friend who happens to be a girl resulting in lots of questions from his parents. Jake is starting to hit puberty and we can see him getting increasingly frustrated not only at his parents but also his younger siblings. Jake is played by Tyger Drew-Honey and he plays a role somewhat between the adults and the children. He plays it well and adds to the family dynamics but I would have to say he isn't particularly funny but I do not believe his character is meant to be.
Ben Brockman
Ben is nine years old and definitely the child who causes the most number of problems. Not only does he say really awkward things at the wrong time but he also finds everything funny. He has a great imagination and can make nearly everything into a game. Ben is played by Daniel Roche and he is a great actor. He fits into the role perfectly, a young boy with too much energy and a big imagination. This of course results in destruction, mess and very embarrassing situations. He is very funny and can improvise very well coming up with very clever comebacks to his parents suggestions.
Karen Brockman
Karen is seven years old and asks lots of embarrassing questions to which her parents struggle to answer honestly. She will happily tell people what her parents have said about them as well as seeing and hearing things that her parents don't want her too. She then will question her parents relentlessly often on subjects which a parent would rather avoid. Karen is played by Ramona Marquez who is incredibly cute. She plays the part very well and you can't help but admire her, her comebacks are witty and she wont be ignored.
Others
Angela is Sue's sister who is off travelling the world. They don't get on very well and Sue resents Angela's lifestyle and the choices she has made. Frank is Sue's father who suffers from memory loss thus Sue has to take care of him to make sure he doesn't forget to take his medication and to try and prevent him from hurting himself. Jo is Jake's friend who happens to be a girl, although they aren't in a relationship their parents seem to think they are.
~~~Episodes~~~
Episode 1
In this episode Sue's cousin Julie is getting married. The episode starts with the problems of getting ready for a wedding and Karen manages to get herself stuck in the bathroom. At the wedding Karen questions the bride relentlessly about love causing Julie to doubt her own wedding. At the party after Karen and Ben question the priest about Jesus, asking deep questions which the priest tries to handle the best he can. Meanwhile Pete is trying to keep the peace between Sue and her sister who are getting on particularly badly. This episode is very funny and I think Karen and Ben questioning both Julie and the priest are the best parts. 8/10
Episode 2
Karen is very angry at her parents in this episode for killing a mouse in their house. She mourns the dead mouse whilst accusing her mum a murderer. Ben is trying to get elected as class president by using persuasions such as offering money and proving he can do lots of different impressions. In this episode Jake brings his friend Jo home and his parents are suspicious they are more than just friends. Karen also has a friend over and it becomes apparent that this little girl is always being looked after my Sue and Pete much to their disgust. This episode hasn't really got a main theme just a general family day however is still quite witty. 7/10
Episode 3
In this episode it's Sunday and Sue speaks to her next door neighbour who always seems to be doing very well and informs her that they ban television on a Sunday in an attempt to seem as good as her. Thus the family have to endure family games, something which quickly leads to arguments and the children making up different rules. Eventually they play hide and seek but the parents are too tired to look for them so the children start to argue with them only to result in the ban on tv being lifted. I would say this is another standard episode and although there isn't really a great story line the children are still witty. 7/10
Episode 4
In this episode the family with granddad are coming back from holiday but get stuck in an airport for hours on end with very little to do. Not only do the parents have to look after the children but also their grandfather who is becoming increasingly forgetful. Jake and Ben share a double expresso and decide to play a game of how many words can you say that you shouldn't such as "dynamite". Meanwhile Karen questions the thought processes of Al Qaeda. Later they play a game of eye spy which causes more problems when Karen decided "Muslim" is one of her words and her parents try to explain that she can't use that. This episode is hilarious and is definitely worth viewing. It's very funny and the children, especially Karen ask really awkward questions. 9/10
Episode 5
Sue and Pete decide to go out for a night leaving the children with a baby sitter but before they go they discuss their financial difficulties. Karen has lots of useful suggestions to save money such as not buying broccoli. The children are left with the babysitter Draxi who manages the children very well but lets them eat chocolate and doesn't make them go to bed. This means when the parents get home the children are still up and hyper. 8/10
Episode 6
This episode opens with Ben being very angry with his father who has refereed his match and sent him off. He is in a bad mood and successfully manages to kick his way around the kitchen. Karen starts to ask more difficult questions about God and Satan, something her parents don't really know how to explain to her. Not much really happens in this episode, once again it's just an average family day where they don't really do anything except hang around the house. 7/10
Episode 7
This is the final episode in the series and it starts with Ben returning from AnE, somewhere he has been familiar with. Pete tries to explain that his son is careless and is not being abused, however the nurse does not seem convinced. When he gets home he explains he has "a pattern of unexplained bruises" however his parents tell him that he knows exactly how he got them. Karen has had a disagreement with her teacher and writes to the prime minister to explain that she wants her teacher sacked. The family are also visited by the police towards the end of the episode. An episode which covers many serious topics in a light hearted way whilst conserving the humour the show entails. 8/10
~~~My Opinion~~~
If you are looking for a show with a great story line then this isn't it. This programme is just about everyday life of having children and the problems faces by a normal family. It is a comedy and is designed to make you laugh, and that without a doubt it does. The way the story is acted out through awkward questions, statements and actions makes the whole series hilarious and you can't help but laugh at how the parents struggle to cope with their children. I don't think I'm alone by saying this really is a great, laid back comedy.
I don't think this comedy is suitable for everybody, I certainly don't think children would necessarily understand it and it could raise awkward questions in their families! However apart from children it really is suitable for everyone else. I love the programme as do many of my friends, we find it very amusing even though we don't have children. I also showed it to my mum and my younger sister who is a couple of years younger than me and they both loved it. I think parents will find it very funny but equally I think those without children, such as myself, find it equally funny because the scenes are just comic.
I haven't yet met someone who doesn't like it so it can't be bad! I recommend the DVDs because I have now watched them several times and I still find myself laughing out loud at them, thus I believe they can be watched several times. It is very hard to describe the comedy in a review without giving away the lines so I would say it's worth trying.
I believe this series is even better than the first series which is quite an achievement. The first series was a great success and the second series even so more. The show received 3 awards at the comedy awards which I believe shows how fantastic this show is.
~~~Extras~~~
There a couple of extras with this series such as the comic relief special which isn't as good as the other episode and Sue and Jake are both missing from the episode, however it is still worth a watch. You also get outtakes which are quite funny and mainly involve someone laughing midday through what they're saying. Finally you get deleted scenes which are generally a longer version of what is shown in the episodes but there is a little new material.
~~~Additional Information~~~
The total running time for both discs is 200 minutes. It is available on amazon for new for £10 which is a great value. There are two discs with all the episodes on as well as the extra features. If you have any doubts about whether you would like show or not there is a preview on amazon if you follow this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outnumbered-2-DVD-Hugh-Dennis/dp/B001PIJ7RI . The BBC often air repeats of the show and sometimes they can be found on iplayer or there are clips on youtube.
Recommended very much!
Thanks for reading.
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