letterten 2003-04 fall preview

debuts Tuesday, Sep 23, 9:00pm

premise from	Arrogant Nathan is the star of the high school basketball team. Quiet Lucas is the son of a single mother. The two completely boys have only two things in common: a love for hoops and their father. When Lucas joins the school team, old wounds are opened as the boys compete both on and off the court. [The WB link]
stars	Chad Michael Murray ("Gilmore Girls," "Dawson's Creek"), James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton, Paul Johansson, Moira Kelly ("The West Wing," "The Cutting Edge"), Craig Sheffer ("A River Runs Through It," "Some Kind of Wonderful"), Barry Corbin ("Northern Exposure"), Joie Lenz
producers	Mark Schwahn, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins, Joe Davola
studio	Tollins/Robbins Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television

opinions
	It's "Dawson's Creek" meets "Everwood" with a dash of "Gilmore Girls" and "7th Heaven" -- let's hope they've got them all in the proper proportions. Shot in North Carolina at the studio which was the "Creek" for six years, it's a perfect fit for the WB. I expect it will fit the void left by "Creek" and I'll bet that's exactly what they are hoping for.
	Not previewed, but it just wouldn't be The WB without Murray.

my thoughts on "One Tree Hill"
	Probable full season. It's a competitive slot, but it works. I think it'll survive the season with some buzz. It's not going to be "Dawson's Creek," but just as "The O.C." can't get away from "Beverly Hills, 90210" comparisons, this won't get away from "Creek" ones. I don't expect it to be a "Savannah" or "Hyperion Bay."