"One Tree Hill" Closes Door on Fourth Season and Gears Up for Fifth

A murderer exposed, a state championship in basketball, two babies born, and a heart attack. That sounds like a lifetime's worth of drama, but on 'One Tree Hill,' it's all in a year's work. The fourth season is now over and fans of the show now have the summer to soak it all in.

Last night's season finale provided closure to many of the show's storylines. Dan Scott finally turned himself in for murdering his brother in season three. Nathan and Haley welcomed their child to the world. Lucas finally decided what he would do after high school. As much closure as the season finale provided, there will be even more suspense than ever going into next season.

The CW Network picked up 'One Tree Hill' for a fifth season. Fans of the show feared that a cancellation was immanent. They gathered petitions and diligently sent letters to the CW. Network executives responded to the fans' enthusiasm by bringing the show back for a fifth season, despite mediocre ratings.

There will be a major challenge awaiting the show next fall; the characters have all graduated from high school. Many teenage soaps have lost all of their momentum by transitioning the show from a high school to college setting. 'One Tree Hill' creator Mark Schwan appears set to try a fresh approach to the dilemma. He's setting the fifth season five years in the future. Rather than deal with the entire college transition, he has elected to skip it.

Imagine the type of questions that will surround next fall's season premiere. How will Nathan and Haley's marriage survive their college experience? What will Dan be up to? Where will Lucas, Brooke and Peyton be in five years? Will second-tier characters like Mouth, Whitey, and Rachel return?

It is certainly an interesting approach and through the use of flashback scenes, should provide plenty of entertainment for viewers. It is reminiscent of the 'Dawson's Creek,' series finale, which was set five years in the future. That type of setting worked for a one-off finale, but can it work for a full season?

There's no reason to believe it can't. It will give the show a chance to completely reinvent itself. All of the characters will reunite and get reacquainted. It will be interesting to see it all play out. It is nice to see this extra season be turned into such a creative idea.