Just thought I would start tonight's thread.  I am totally excited to see this plot against Nathan unfold. I will be watching Rachel closely as I think she set this up. I know some disagree but hey that's what makes this fun.  Also, looking forward to learning more about Clay's past.

Noles, where are you-it is not as much fun without you.

Yeah tonight's episode should be real good!!!  James was so excited about the chance to direct this particular episode as it's a key one for the entire Scott family and friends!!!  I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product air, since the scenes I filmed and saw get filmed----were great!!!!  And I'll definitely look forward to hearing from you and talking about things!!!

Arpagian said...

Noles, where are you-it is not as much fun without you.

 You're too sweet---it's always nice to be missed!!!  I've actually been in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for the past 5 days, as my Noles played UNC this past Thursday night so I went up for the game, and just came back into town late late last night.  But it was a super fun long weekend since FSU won, finally, lol!!!! 

But thanks for asking about me!!!  It doesn't appear that I missed too much, so I don't have to really get caught up on anything, lol, which is good, so I'll be ready to post tonight---no worries there, hehe!!!

Sounds like a fun long weekend. Congrat's to your Noles-I saw that they won and was thinking how happy you must have been.

Nolegirl247 said...

I'll definitely look forward to hearing from you and talking about things!!!

I will try to kick my husband off the computer as soon as the episode is over-lol.

Loved this episode tonight!!!  It rocked, just like I knew it would!!!  James did an amazing job directing this episode, and I'm so glad that Mark gave him this one as it was packed with amazing material, and James behind the camera for all the wonderful Naley and Scott family stuff-----was fantastic!!!  He couldn't have had a better episode to work with for his character and all the other main players.  Plus with Mark saying that he had director's envy over this episode, and stating that he cried while writing it---speaks volumes!!!  I think we can all see why this is one of the very best episodes that Mark has ever written!!!  Huge props to him and everyone!!!

Dan, what can you say?  He's the man!!!  He rocked tonight, and kudos to those of you who guessed that he would be the one to expose Renee!!!  I got plenty of laughs reading all the theories about who was involved, lol!!!  Which is why I said a while ago, that if you just went with your gut and instincts, you would figure out how this was all going to unfold, hehe!!!  It was funny reading how many fans were trying to make this into something so much bigger, lol!!!!

Naley----sigh!!!!  What more can I say about them? hehe  I gush over them all the time, and once again, they were wonderful tonight!!!  The JL's rocked, they were amazing together as always, and I hope that people enjoyed the payoff with this story and could see the huge difference as opposed to some stories from past seasons?  When Haley starting sobbing when Renee admitted she was lying?  Gosh---so good, amazing!!!  The JL's had so many magical an unscripted touches and kisses in this episode that I was giddy throughout, lol.   Anybody guess which stuff was all the JL's?  Hint hint---the scenes we all love an adore, hehe!!!  But they rock the intimate touches and caress like no other, hence the amazing chemistry between them!!!  And James behind the camera for it---doesn't get any better, hehe!!!

Clay/Sara---loved them tonight!!!  I've been so excited about this episode for so long now, half of it was because of the Dan/Naley stuff, and the other half was because of Clay's backstory finally being revealed!!!  I hope people liked it, as I will continue to say that Clay is the best developed new character of the season and Rob shines in this role, and tonight he was wonderful!!  He had so many powerful scenes, and blew me away!!!  And James once again, did awesome with the direction of it!!!  Him and Sara were very believable and to those of you who guessed that Sara was a ghost (his deceased wife) good job, hehe!!! 

Quinn/David---I continue to really like them, and I enjoyed all their stuff tonight!!!  I like them together, and enjoy their dynamic with NHJ, and so I do hope that down the line, they work things out.  I like Clay and Quinn together as friends at this point, and even though I believe that a pairing of CQ is inevitable, I do appreciate the fact that they are taking things slow with them.  It makes for the dynamic between all involved, so much better!!! 

Brooke/Julian---well,  they were the least needed in tonight's episode in my opinion, as their stuff just didn't fit in at all with the overall material and tone for this episode, but having said that, it was okay.  I did like the fact that Julian told Brooke at the end, "there's no rush, forever's a long time" because I do get tired of seeing mopey Brooke more often than not.  I sometimes think that the writer's really don't know what to do with Brooke outside of giving her the comedic role ---hence the creation of Alex!!!  And speaking of Alex, yay for not seeing her tonight!!!  Wasn't it wonderful? lol Mark take notice, see how much better it is?

And the coda was perfect for this episode!!!  Totally loved the tie in with the song at the end with  Clay/Sara and what could have been for the couple that didn't have nearly enough time, to Naley getting the last scene for the couple that is, and will always be!!!  Huge props to James for that decision and choice, as that was all him!!!!

Once again, I'll continue to say that overall, S7 rocks, I'm enjoying it immensely, and compared to the last couple of seasons, the material this year doesn't even compare!!!    I love the direction and focus this year, as it's how it should be!!!  And who doesn't look forward to seeing more of Dan, now that he played the hero for Nathan, yet again?  I do, and can't wait for his stuff down the line, hehe!!!

Tonight's episode was amazing for The Scott family, no doubt about that!!!

 

Wow Wow Wow that was an amazing episode-frankly one of the best I've seen. I am almost at a loss of words to describe it. The way that James directed it was amazing. The cutting between Dan's show and the different stories was so well done.

The Dan show was great. I loved how he worked her into finally admitting she lied. Flashing back to how she and Nate met helped the story. Rachel's devious looks also made me want to further figure out her part in all this. Maybe not directly involved in this but I just feel she is up to something. I knew Dan could never do something so horrible to Nate or Jaime, so I was waiting for how he was going to flush the truth out.

The Clay story had me tearing up. It kind of reminded me of the movie the Sixth Sense because I did not realize she was dead and this was a fantasy sequence until near the end. There whole love story and his loss was so touching and it explains so much about his character. It was beautifully done.

I also liked the Quinn/David story, but I kept thinking that guy is so great why would you dump him-lol. I like the background for the new characters because you can start caring about them if you know who they are.

The Brooke and Julian stuff was okay but I swear if they get married I am going to tear my hair out. Mark if you read this give Brooke a real story please.

So Dan did get a new heart-like the scene with the scar-that was a slick way of letting us know without having to say anything. Can't wait to get the back story on how that came about.

Naley, what can you say great as usual.

Thought I was at a loss for words but i guess not-lol.  I absolutely loved tonight's episode and I love this season .

A reply to this last message of the show tonight, it was a very wonderful show.  I said that I would not tune in since Peyton and Lucas left but I admit I have peeked in and I am seeing a more mature scripting!!  I had a feeling that Dan would come through for his son for no matter what he does love his son, in his own wierd way and in the past Rachel has come through for her pal Brooke so why not now!!  As for the Clay story, you were all right about his past love, she was just too perfect to be alive, I mean that in a real way, Brooke and Julians story was not needed and not correctly interpreted so they could have been omited but James being behind the camera was amazing!! He might have a new calling but oh no.....he might leave the show!!

All in all I was very pleased with tonights episode, more so than any other so far this season, but then again I guess it just has to progress! 

 

Hey girl, you were spot on with everything that you said!!!  Yep, it was definitely an amazing episode, and not only the best of the season so far, but one of the best of the entire series!!! 

Hehe, yeah that's what a great episode and story arc will do for you!!!  Isn't it amazing how much more there is to talk about this season? lol  I knew you'd enjoy it, so I'm glad to hear that you did!!!

I'm glad to hear that you still decided to tune in anyways, and that you can see the obvious and aren't afraid to admit it.  The differences are glaring this season, and we see it week in and week out.  If this episode doesn't clue people in on that, than I'm not sure anything will, lol!!!  And oh yeah---the material is 100x better as well, that's for sure.  It doesn't even compare!!!!

Yep, Dan loves Nathan dearly and would do whatever it takes to protect him and his family!!!  Happy to hear that you knew Dan would come through, because of course he would, nobody messes with his family!!!

Yep, you guessed the Clay stuff if you figured out that Sara was indeed a ghost.  And yeah, she was perfect for Clay, she's his Haley if you will, which is why James directed certain scenes like he did to showcase that parallel, especially at the end!!! 

And I definitely agree with you about Brulian in this episode, as they were out of place with the main focus and content of this episode and they could have been omitted, for sure!!!  I think Mark just put them in there to give them something to do, lol, cause otherwise there is no substance to them at this point!!!

Yeah, James did an amazing job, hands down!!!  Believe me, he was so excited about the opportunity to direct this episode and you can see why, hehe!!!  Oh yeah, he's definitely got a future behind the camera should he decide to pursue it full time down the line.  In fact, I could see it later on, as it's more his style anyways, than wanting to become a leading man in Hollywood.  For the past few years he's done other projects that have allowed him to hone in on his directing skills and learn, and he's currently working on another documentary, so it's why you were clearly able to see how great he's gotten at it!!!  Plus it helps when you have amazing material to work with, and this episode definitely provided him that!!!

 Glad to hear that you've still decided to tune in.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts, as it's always nice to hear from a Leyton fan that gets the direction of things now and how the show has evolved.  And yeah, things will begin to progress even more and hopefully you will continue to like this season!!!  For me, it's one of the best in a long while!!!!

I was in-flight when the episode aired so I just watched it now.  It was AMAZING.  By far the best of the season, no contest.  I'm going to try to stop crying and then focus on writing.

Okay, whew. Here we go:

Again, I thought it was the best episode of the season and none of the others even came close to this.  It made watching this season thus far just completely pay off, as various storylines either progressed and/or had new details come to light. Aside from being emotionally moving (which had to do in part with  it relating to where I am in my own life and things going on), it was just so seemless.  And I attribute that to Dan and the way his talk show centered the show, with his dialogue applying to all the other storylines and the cuts back and forth between them.  I am also a sucker for flashbacks, which I've said before, so that just made the episode even better.

Naley: I'm glad to see the storyline resolved and I'm eager to see where they go from here.  I know the most vague details of their next storylines, and eveyone can probably guess what it will have to do with. I also like that I didn't feel overwhelmed with Naley scenes.  The basic plot of exposing Renee related to them but they had few scenes compared to Clay and Quinn.  I liked that, rather than just focusing on them, they made the messages as a whole (again, through Dan) apply to everything else that was going on.

Dan: Call him what you will, but you can't argue the man's not smart.  I'm glad he actually got Renee to confess because the lie detector test and body language experts (even though they didn't really exist) wouldn't have been enough for me.  I'm curious to know who Renee did actually sleep with--could it have been Clay?  Back to Dan, I find myself going back and forth wondering if he really loves Rachel.  I think he does and then I think he doesn't and then I think he does again.  Similarly, I'm wondering if she loves him.  I haven't seen anything to sway me one way or the other.  And I would still like more flashbacks on their relationship and how Dan ended up with a TV show andddd Nathan first finding out about it.  So glad we got resolution, even non-verbally, regarding the heart issue.  (Though part of me wonders, since it wasn't explicitly said and obviously never seen, if it's a scar from self-mutiilation when he was at his low-point).  And I love every time he or Nathan mention Keith and what happened because, whether you disagree with Mark's choice or not, it was a life-changing event that should never cease to have reprecussions.  In my opinion, anyway.

Brulian: I can see the argument that they didn't belong in the episode and what we saw could've easily happened in any other ep but I think they made it work with what Dan was saying and as a parallel to Clay and Sara.  Specifically, I understood why Brooke was upset but I like that they didn't hit us over the head with it.  Given her past with Lucas and Peyton, her worry and concern about Alex makes sense.  She’s seen that being just friends with someone can lead to something more.  And Julian swore up and down he wasn’t like that so she gave him a chance.  And now she fears, once again, that betrayal is in fact on the horizon.  Then, with the reveal that she was going to propose to him, that just complicated things even further.  It was nice that he did say he wants forever with her but that doesn’t have the same lasting bond as a marriage proposal. (Then again, we know marriages end. Thank you, Quinn.) And as Clay taught us, and Leyton almost did last year, forever may not be a very long time.  I know a bit of what's coming up for them and I'm looking forward to it.

Quinn and David:  Glad we saw more of him (and I know he's interested in doing more episodes so I wonder if they'll bring him back later this season), as I think actually seeing his past with Quinn was necessary. Even though the bottom line was the same--she thinks he's changed and she wants different things, hence her leaving him--it was helpful to actually see it play out.  And I liked the Quinn she used to be and I kind of wish we had that version of her.  But as much as I liked seeing her past, again, the bottom line is the same: she didn't progress from being her mopey self (though I completely identify with that and what she's going through) and I still don't like who she is right now and what we're seeing with her.  I will obviously give it more time, as I'm not going to stop watching, so I'm still hoping my thoughts will change.

Alex: She was MIA. Halleluha!

Mouth/Millie: Episode completely worked without them, just like it would've worked without Brulian.  I don't think this means they're unnecessary to the show as a whole, though.  And clearly Mark and The CW doesn't think so either, if the press release they sent out last week was any indication.

Clay and Sara: Saved them for last as this storyline was the highlight of the episode for me.  As I've been saying for weeks now, I was eager to get his backstory and, although I knew about it already, it was completely different to see it unfold (which is how I feel about spoilers in general).  I loved seeing the highlights of their romance--all of it, from how they met to the way she proposed, was really cerative.  In fact, I thought it was all beautifully done and the last few scenes were very reminiscent of Everwood, another one of my fave shows.  I wish his scene at the casket, or him closing the door on Quinn, was the last scene as I thought either of those would've been a more powerful ending.  Anyway, I cried my eyes out both because it was so well-done and I generally do with life-and-death storylines, and because where I am in my life personally.  One detail I would've liked to know is how long they were together.  It was never said.  I know that, at the end of the day, with a love so strong it doesn't matter but I'm just curious.  Then again, the amount of time together did end up mattering.  I'd also like to know where Nathan fit in to all of this.

I thought I had more to say but I think I'm really just at a loss for words beyond this.  Perhaps when it sinks it more I'll have more to say but I think I hit everything anyway and this post was quite long already.  Just got a press release from The CW--the episode was a season-high both in terms of total audience and in the key demographics.  Not sure why more people tuned in last night versus other episodes this season but I'm sure many of them were glad they did.  Curious to see if it has a ripple effect onto the next few episodes.

Good post dc,.  I think it was so well done and James should be very proud of himself, as that was directed so well. As I said before Mark wrote one hell of a script. Just loved it and I plan on watching it again when my kids are asleep.