I thought I would start the thread this week. Those of us on the west coast will see it last and I wish we were all seeing it at the same time. I am so excited about tonight's episode. Noles has been hinting that things are going to pick up with the Dan/Rachel, Naley storyline.  Renee meeting with Dan and Rach and going on their show, this should be good.  Anyone have any thoughts?

Hey girl---glad you went ahead and started the thread this week, hehe, and yes things are about to pick up big time, lol.  This week, and next week as well are huge episodes for the Scott family, and so of course you know I'm all kinds of happy, hehe!!!  I wish you didn't have to wait as long as well, but no worries,  I know you'll share your thoughts just as soon as you can!!!

My thoughts about this episode---the Scott family continues to rock as usual, without a doubt!!!  It's a no-brainer who the substance of this show is sustained through!!!

Naley, what can I say that everybody doesn't already know?  The JL's continue to amaze and are proving what they can clearly do with proper material.  I'll post a Naley thread a little later since this episode once again centered on them, and so therefore they deserve their own thread, but yeah, they owned for sure!!!

Anyone figure out Rachel's angle yet? lol  How about Dan?  What's your guess, is he sincere or not? hehe  And how do you all see this unfolding?  What's gonna happen with Renee on Dan's show next week? hehe

Clay---anyone figure him out yet?  I won't say in case people don't know who Sara is?  But I'm glad that his stuff is moving along, as it'll help explain him more. 

Quinn---well, I'm glad that Nathan put her in her place, lol---that was great!!!

Mouth---while his stuff is predicable for sure, I still love the fact that he stands up for Nathan and does the right thing, despite it jeorpodizing his career!!!

Brooke/Julian/Alex/Millie---I continue to be bothered by all of their stuff.  Where's the substance?  All their stuff just seems so blah to me, really what's the point to it?  And sigh---they are going the predicable route with Millie and Alex's diet pills, ugh----wake me up when this stuff is over, lol!!!

But overall, once again Naley and The Scott's rule, so I continue to be over the moon about this season!!!

Really enjoyed tonight's episode. 

Loved Naley tonight.  I'm so glad they are showing the tension this is causing in the relationship.  They're both trying to do what's best for each other, rather than themselves, which is getting their wires crossed.  I loved all the angst and I loved all the emotion, particularly in Nathan's speeches (for lack of a better word) to Haley.  Their final scene in the bedroom should've been the last scene of the episode.   I was really disappointed that it wasn't.  It was the perfect ending.

I liked the parallel that was made between high school Brooke and Alex now.  I thought that point was driven home really well, and I liked the role Chase played.  Even Mia's scene with Julian, I was happy to see them have relevance to the story being told instead of showing us their own (irrelevant) world.  I do worry that we're in for more of the same Alex-Julian-Brooke stuff with no real progression, just repetition.  Someone pointed out that tonight could've been a positive sign for the Alex character--Brooke started very similar to Alex and look how beloved she came.  Perhaps Alex will have a similar evolution and similar effect in time, I guess is the theory.  Not sure I buy into that.  Also, that Peyton picture was completely random.

I thought Quinn and Nathan's fight was well done.  I was pleased to see a meaningful scene between the two of them, even if I am tired of seeing Quinn be mopey.

At first I was turned off when I realized Millie would be going the diet pill/eating disorder route but now I think it has a lot of possibility.  We're used to see bulimia and anorexia addressed in teens and I think it would be interesting to explore it in an adult character. (BH90210 touched on it barely.)  I also think it's very believable for the character of Millicent to struggle with this.  And I loved the Mouth stuff.  His speech was great.

Glad we're sloooooooooowly getting some Clay background.  It was very vague and a bit confusing but I guess that was the point.  A few people said they got the feeling Clay was hallucinating, that Sara was a ghost.  Crazy theory but we know OTH has done crazy before.  I think there's another sign that points to that being a possibility as well, but it's a spoiler so I'll keep it to myself.

I continue to enjoy seeing the Rachel-Dan dynamic.  I just wish we were seeing more of it.

And herein lies my problem.  I'm either upset that the show's going too slow or going too fast, either giving too much or giving too little.  Nothing ever feels just the right pace or amount for me, at least not lately.  Part of me is glad Jamie wasn't in tonight's episode but then I wonder WTH he was and think it was strange and unrealistic that he wasn't mentioned at all.  I'm loving the Naley stuff but it's going on and on and on, and the Rachel-Dan stuff seems so promising but we're not getting it.  We're getting the Quinn stuff drilled over and over again, but Clay is so slow moving.  But I guess that's just  my issue with the episodes/season/show.  Just focusing on tonight's show itself, again, I really enjoyed it.

I thought tonight's episode was deep. It really got into the feelings of fear, insecurity, and anger that surrounds problems that all the character's faced. Naley stole the show again and the way that all that anger and momentary doubt was bubbling to the surface with Haley was terrific. My favorite scene was when Nathan said to her that if what the skank was saying was true then he would be Dan Scott. That was powerful because you just know he has lived his life in fear of making bad choices like his dad.  Also that finally brought Haley back to knowing the man she loves would not cheat and lie. 

I thought the Brooke scenes were well done. Reflecting back on high school Brooke and the insecure girl she was and how she used sex as a way to feel wanted and worth while was a good story line for her. However, at her worst Brooke was never as skanky as Alex.  And I still can not stand Alex. 

I will comment more tomorrow,I really liked tonight's episode but I need to collect my thoughts further.

Plus I want to read Noles Naley post and think about it.

Agree, the Naley scene should have been the last scene of the episode instead of Quinn on the beach, but the coda was still Naley/Naley's world centric, so I can over look that, lol!!!  But yes---Naleys bedroom scene was hands down the best of the entire episode, and that's the magic of the JL's for you!!!  Only they have that kind of power!!!

Yep, I cheered too when Nathan put Quinn in her place as well, hehe!!!  It was warranted, although I still like Quinn and like the fact that she tries to look out for Haley, she need not forget her place and who's house she's staying at!!!

Yeah, I continue to be very pleased with how they are developing Clay.  As I've said all along, he is the best new addition this season and the writers have done a great job of creating him and setting up his backstory.  And if you know who Sara is, don't spoil it, cause I'm not going to either, since I can guarantee you that there are plenty of fans that still have no idea who she is just yet, hehe.  But I do really love what's to come with Clay, and if you are ready for his individual story to move along, then you'll like the next several episodes!!!

Yep, agree as well, I too wish we got more, but so far what we've got, I've loved---so I can deal, lol!!!  Plus there is more to come!!!

As for the overall season so far, I love it!!!  Sure, there are things that I'm not crazy about, ie all the Brooke/Julian/Alex/Millie stuff---sighs, lol, but as I've said all along, this season is all about Naley and the Scott's, and that's why I can over look all the other silliness, because as long as Naley continues to get the focus and they get the material with substance (which they will), all is good with me!!!   I know you still see things differently than I do this season and that's fine, but with 6 episodes airing so far, I do hope that you can at least acknowledge the direction of things?  If anything all the recent interviews should clear up any doubt, as they point blank mention who the focus is on, lol!!!

Very well said girl, as the episode did have some very deep and emotional moments for sure!!!  That all goes back to Naley of course and glad that you brought up the kitchen scene between them when Nathan was pleading with Haley that if he was guilty of this, that would make him Dan.  Very powerful indeed, as I've said all along that I was so pleased that they are bringing back the Dan/Nathan parallel this season because it is the root and foundation of the show, and it's what makes Naley tick and work so well!!!  But yes, Naley rocked it tonight for sure, that's not even debatable, lol!!!

Yeah, Brooke does have her comedic moments this season which is good I guess, but I'm still very disappointed in what they're doing with her.  Her and Julian have no substance to them as a couple because it hasn't been established because they've had no time to build it and show us it, much less explore it since they made them an insta couple after like 2 episodes last season---poorly done.  And if Julian doesn't stop smirking 24/7 in every single scene, I'm going to pull my hair out, lol!!!  Believe me, it's an Austin thing and part of his charm and charisma, but they need to tone it down big time with Julian because it's making it near impossible to ever imagine him in a dramatic role and storyline, much less being able to carry it.  At this point, I don't think he can pull off anything other than sultry banter and humor, and so it makes it really hard to buy any real problems between them as a "solid" couple.   

An Alex is just silly and ridiculous at this point as a threat to them, and I'm not at all impressed with the whole Brooke/Julian/Alex/Millie dynamic anyways as I view it a complete waste, compared to the substance and depth that we're getting with The Scott's!!!  So there's my take on things, lol---but if I was a huge Brooke fan or Brulian fan, I'd be greatly disappointed that this was the best they could come up for them, and don't even get me started on what's coming either!!!  More of the same, and Brooke whining and wanting things with Julian that they haven't built up to---sighs!!!

Hehe, never be afraid to post in there, as they rocked for sure!!!

God yes, the thing I liked least about this episode was Julian. I don't find the smirking an attractive part of his character at all. What I liked was Brooke's self reflection and coming to terms with who she was and who she is now. Julian was just a smirking prop in the story-lol.

Yes, as it's too much of an Austin thing, but it does nothing for Julian's character to be that goofy and lighthearted 24/7, especially on a drama television series.  Just imagine if Nathan went around with a grin and smirk on his face all the time, lol---you would have a hard time taking any of his scenes serious as they wouldn't have any merit.  I don't know if it's a personal choice by Austin to keep playing Julian that way, or if he continues to get that kind of direction, but whatever it is---it needs to be toned down big time, as it's just ridiculous at this point.  It's cute every now and then, but not in every freak!ng scene of his this season!!!

That I can agree with as the self-reflection part was on par with Brooke's character, but I just don't care for her individual story so far.  I feel like they don't know what to do with her at times, and then there's the fact that her and Julian don't have any substance for any kind of "real" story as a couple, as they are having to create a history with them as they go along.  So yeah, all of that combined with all the silly stuff with Alex just irks me at this point, lol!!!