I've had reservations about One Tree Hill since Lucas and Peyton departed in season 6 as I wondered how the show would cope without them. I've been a fan since the very beginning so it's good to see another solid season that shifts the focus onto other characters such as Brook, Hayley and Alex. The misdirect of the first episode felt overly romantic but fortunately the drama resumes quickly with certain characters fighting for their lives. All the characters develop well over the course of season 8 - there's pregnancies, accidents, a wedding, the dreaded mother-in-law, careers ending and beginning, love triangles and even Millie clucking in a chicken suit. The mid-season finale was certainly a highlight and overall the season fairs well against previous ones with a good balance of different storylines and humour. There are a few cheesy moments along the way such as the cringeworthy superhero episode and the toaster-pastry product placement but I don't think I'll be the only one feeling sad when season 9 rolls around and it's time to say goodbye to this odd, lovely bunch of characters.