This week’s episode (directed by Sophia Bush) far surpassed last week’s mediocre attempt. While it was hard to see some of the characters fall from grace, it was just the right amount of drama to stir up some interest for the rest of the season.
Dan and Rachel are back in Tree Hill, much to the chagrin of everyone else. Dan is after redemption and Nathan isn’t having it. He says he will put up with him for Jamie’s sake, but as far as their father-son relationship, there isn’t one. Ouch. And Nathan tells him he shouldn’t bother making the plane ride to ask Lucas for forgiveness either (a very vague Lucas-mention of course). Dan isn’t a man who gives up so this should get interesting.
Meanwhile Clay and Quinn are becoming very close and spending time getting to know each other. He is trying to land Nathan a 3-year contract deal, which is looking good while she brings him to a children’s shelter where she volunteers. Clay meets a young basketball player plagued with loneliness from the death of his mother and they bond over their similar emotional states. And later…after much flirting, Clay finally gives in to the notion of moving on and kisses Quinn. It was cute. I’m finally warming up to these two as regular characters.
Millie is becoming Alex and I can’t stand her. She stays up partying all night and continues to take the diet pills, which Mouth finds in a heap of her clothes. When he confronts her, she fires back at him about fitting in. Luckily, he isn’t buying it. Finally a Mouth I can agree with! Anyway, Millie also steals a new Clothes Over Bro’s design from the store and Brooke is pissed.
But of course, Brooke isn’t just pissed about that. In probably the most intriguing storyline of the episode, Brooke excitedly thinks she is pregnant. Sadly, she isn’t preggers and to make matters worse, Rachel tries apologizing/paying her off for all the crap she pulled in the past as a model for COB. Brooke bitch-slaps her. Love it! Brings back memories from when Haley did it back in Season 4. But anyway, Brooke is also fed up with Julian spending all his time with the annoying Alex. Julian insists it’s merely work-related and that they are almost finished with the script anyway. But when they actually do finish it, Alex threatens a coke relapse to get Julian to come over. And he does!
And in a HUGE reveal, we find out that Alex’s coke vial is empty! Julian is pissed she lied and storms out. Turns out she isn’t lying. It WAS full. That is, until MILLIE snorted it! Oh man…this girl is going downhill fast.
And as for our resident married couple, Haley performs a free show in TRIC to preview her upcoming album. Even though her label isn’t thrilled about it, she ultimately does a good job and receives praise from that bitchy British lady. Things seem to be going good and she promises Nathan everything will be OK, even with Dan back in town. Cut to the television. The Bobcats signed someone else…leaving Nathan’s contract and career up in the air.
Oh, and Brooke throws her birth control away…uh oh. Should get good!
Sharon Tharp is a freelance writer who has contributed to a variety of publications including Hamptons magazine and the Web sites of both Marie Claire and CosmoGIRL!.
