One Tree Hill

This week I watched an episode of One Tree Hill, called "A Rush of Blood to the Head". I've been watching this show since I was in middle school and now, it's in the final season. Season nine has been quite eventful to say the least and this episode didn't prove to be any different. One Tree Hill is very soap opera like and in this particular episode, many dramatic things were going on. For one, Nathan is missing and his wife, Haley has heard nothing and is starting to think he may be dead. The viewers though, know that he is being held hostage by a mystery man. There is a scene in this episode where a cop comes to Haley's door and says he needs her to come down to the station in order to identify a body which could be Nathan's. For the next couple of minutes leading up to the body identification, the music gets extremely slow and intense and the scene is shown in slow motion. Clearly the dramatic use of sound and editing is to add to the suspense of the scene; it worked! Music is not the only type of sound being used in this scene. Haley's voice is being played in the background as she walks into the police station. She is talking as if she is speaking directly to Nathan, recalling memories of their life together and telling him that she can't imagine life without him.

Lighting in this episode is also important; specifically chiaroscuro. In another outrageously dramatic scene, Brooke and her husband Julian are closing up at their cafe and in the window is this man who assaulted her a while back. Xavier was recently let out on parole and has been creepily showing up everywhere she seems to be. Julian sees him through the window and goes to chase him, but as soon as he gets outside, Xavier is gone. As the camera zooms out, it pans to the door step and you are able to see a shadow. This is how the episode ends and it certainly leaves the audience wondering whats going to happen next.