Exclusive: Meet The MunnRoyds!

1 03 2010

In my Real-Life Relationships series, I wrote how One Tree Hill held the honor of being the only teen drama to ever have married cast members. But they also held the dishonor of being the only show with divorced cast members when that same couple split. I’m happy to say honor has been restored this season with the introduction of Scott Holroyd as David. Holroyd’s recurring role meant he was starring on the very same show his wife, Allison Munn, has been on as Lauren for more than a year now.

Munn and Holroyd haven’t yet had the privilege of sharing scenes together but the excitement of just working on the same set has pleased them both. They were also more than enthusiastic about doing a joint interview and officially introducing everyone to the MunnRoyds.

TeenDramaWhore: Is this your first joint interview?

Munn: This is our first joint interview–except for the man who married us. We had an interview with the man who married us and that was equally as fun.

TDW: I am very honored, then, to be your first professional joint interview.

Munn: It’s very exciting. We’re having some wine and sitting down. This is fun.

Holroyd: You got the exclusive.

TDW: I’m very excited. Allison, we covered a lot of ground in our first interview, but something I forgot to ask you was how you got involved with One Tree Hill in the first place. Was it the typical casting call-audition route?

Munn: It was. The part came down the pipes and I went in. It was cool because I was sitting in the room waiting for everyone and I didn’t know who was actually going to be in the audition but [creator] Mark Schwahn walks in and I had known Mark back when I was on What I Like About You. Mark used to come by our set a lot so I was excited to see him again because he was always so nice. And then my friend Joe Davola walked. He’s one of the producers on One Tree Hill but he was also one of the producers on What I Like About You. So it was just a little mini-reunion and it took a minute to have the actual audition because we had to catch each other up on our lives. So that was fun. Then I auditioned and I think I found out that night that I got the part. It was kind of perfect because the day I flew in, I got into Wilmington at night and it was the show’s Christmas party. I went in and I went straight to the Christmas party and got to meet everyone there, which was a lot of fun.

TDW: That’s a great way to ease the stress of having to meet everyone when you first get on set.

Munn: Oh, yeah. It’s stressful when you guest-star on a show because they’re a tight-knit group and you’re a stranger coming into their world. But these people could not have been more accommodating or nice. It’s truly been a blessing to meet these people.

TDW: Your first episode was when Jamie [Jackson Brundage] asks you out on his little date [Episode 6.16, Screenwriter‘s Blues]. Did you sign on to do just that one episode or did you know there would be more?

Munn: I was only booked for that episode and when I read the scenes, the way they originally read, there was supposed to be a flirtation with Dan [Paul Johansson]. But they were very careful to not make it that way. I don’t know if they had it in their minds that I would go on. I finished that episode and I came home over the holidays and Mark Schwahn called me and pitched me the [storyline] that I would start dating Skills [Antwon Tanner]. That was really exciting. That was a great call to get.

TDW: I’m sure. So, Scott, last year did you visit Allison on set at all?

Holroyd: Yes, actually. I knew Joe from the What I Like About Days. I met Schwahn during Allison’s work on One Tree Hill and Mark was familiar some of the work I had done. I went and visited the Jerry Rice episode [7.01, 4:30 a.m. (Apparently They Were Traveling Abroad)]. I was in North Carolina during that time and Allison texted me and said, “Hey, do you know who Jerry Rice is?”

Munn: No, I think I texted you like, “Hey, have you ever heard of some guy named Jerry Rice?” Clearly I had no idea who he was.

Holroyd: And I was like, “Uh, yes! He’s only the best wide receiver in the history of the NFL.” And she was like “Well, I’m playing football with him right now.” I turned the car around and went to set. That was the first time I was on set and hung out with everybody there.

Munn: The greatest thing also about these people is that we also got to know a lot of them back here [in Los Angeles]. When they’re not in production in North Carolina, we tend to hang out and go to dinner here in Los Angeles. So he had met them socially as well here.

TDW: So then when the part of David came up, did you have a formal audition?

Holroyd: Yeah, I went in and read for Mark. It was a typical audition and then I got the call when I was in North Carolina to visit Allison and visit family. I got the offer when I was there so I ended up not leaving North Carolina and staying for the rest of the summer to shoot [my] first four episodes. It was actually perfect timing and a perfect situation because it’s always nice to work with friends. Mark had become a pal through all of this when Allison was in season 6. We’d hang out, like she said, go out to dinner with he and his wife. It was just a fun situation for us both and it was also fun to be home because Allison and I are both from that area. My mom and dad live in Myrtle Beach, which is 45 minutes away from Wilmington so that whole summer Allison and I were there with both of our dogs and it was the best summer on record for us.

Munn: It really was. We always say there’s very few times in your life when you’re having a wonderful time and you’re aware of how lucky you are and aware of the fact you’re going to look back on this moment in your life and reflect on it and say, “Wow, remember when we got to do that?” We were very aware of how good we had it this past summer. It was wonderful.

Holroyd: Was this the first time you were working on the same project?

Munn: Well, technically no. We were both on That 70’s Show. We were never on set at the same time. Scott did an episode and I think I did the episode after him. So technically we had but not like this.

TDW: On One Tree Hill, Lauren is a much a happier character than David has been. Scott, as someone who is happily married in real life, is it difficult to get into David’s frame of mind or do you embrace the challenge of playing someone so different from you?

Holroyd: You always embrace it. It’s fun. You can kind of empathize and understand. We’ve all had disappointments and adversity in our lives and you grasp onto that to figure out where the character’s coming from. So the challenge was fun.

Munn: Believe it or not, this is one of the nicer characters he’s played. He usually plays like rapists…

Holroyd: Murderers, wife-beaters.

Munn: Wife-beaters. So, yeah, this has been a departure from his normal roles.

Holroyd: Yeah, so when I got the offer from Mark, he was like, “Yeah, this is not like the things you normally play” because he had seen some of my work before. He was like, “Gosh! There is no vigilance in [David]. He’s a nice guy.”

Munn: I think Joe Davola was surprised, too, because Joe knew mostly his work when he on Dirty Sexy Money. I don’t know if you saw his arc on that but he ran the gamut. He hit women–

Holroyd: Pistol-whipped a woman.

Munn: Pistol-whipped a woman, he shot a person, he killed a person. It was a lot for them to wrap their head around, to have Scott be the nice guy for a change. I loved seeing that. I mean, yeah, he was in pain but it was really neat for me to see Scott play that role.

TDW: At what point did you know you’d be coming back for the Taylor [Lindsey McKeon] storyline?

Holroyd: Mark called and he was happy with how things had turned out and the arc of the story. He said there’d be some more stuff coming down the pipe. That’s all I knew. I didn’t know in what way I was going to be used or what way David was going to come back but he said there’d be more stuff for me to do. So when I got the call for the next little bit with Taylor and when I read the script, I was like, “Ohhhkay. Okay.” That’s when you see a little bit of David’s…kind of vindictive side. Maybe vindictive isn’t the right word.

Munn: No, he was kind of vindictive.

TDW: I was going to say vindictive, too.

Holroyd: Yeah, but it wasn’t really honest vindictiveness. It was more…

TDW: It came from a place of hurt.

Holroyd: Yes. It came from hurt. And when he realized it was all a lie, that’s when he kind of bailed on the whole thing because he was really just relying on Taylor. I think Taylor was honest in her approach to her sisters and I think David was just kind of going along with that, like “Okay.” I think David was looking at it as “Quinn hurt me. How can I hurt her back?” Taylor was the way to do that. I think that’s how that all came about. I think David kind of relished the moments, like at the dinner scene. I think David was just relishing watching Quinn [Shantel Van Santen], even though Quinn stayed above it all. But I think he relished it until he found out she didn’t really sleep with Clay [Robert Buckley]. That’s when his world really came crashing down again. David just got–

Munn: He got kicked. He got hammered.

Holroyd: He got kicked on all sides. Even when he tried to be forceful and be a little vindictive, he got hit again. I felt bad for David and I fought for David and I thought he was right in how he approached things. I agreed with him.

Munn: I really loved seeing those flashback scenes with him and Shantel [Episode 7.07, I And Love And You] because it was nice to see David happy and in a good place. That added, for me, a lot of depth to both their characters.

TDW: It did. It gave us the point of view of where David was coming from–what was the marriage he had with Quinn like? You would think anyone would be upset they’re getting divorced but we didn’t know what Quinn was leaving behind.

Munn: Right. And it’s hard because they had such a great thing. I think a lot of people were like, “Why is Quinn leaving this great marriage?” but, being in a relationship that actually works, you do really change a lot as people. If you don’t grow together, the growing apart feels so lonely and I think that’s what Quinn was really haunted by, her loneliness. David wasn’t the man she originally married.

Holroyd: Of course, I’m gonna side with David. I don’t think he necessarily changed.

Munn: I think he grew up.

Holroyd: I think he was thinking ahead and he was growing up and evolving and thinking, “Hey, I have a passion”–which was Quinn’s thing, “Stick to your passion”–“but if the passion doesn’t pay the bills, let’s be honest. You don’t want to be motivated by money but money is to an extent a necessity, so let me get a job that affords us a life that we can live on and grow and have a family.” So I saw where David was coming from. I don’t think he necessarily changed who he was; he just wanted to better his family. That’s my opinion on David but, of course, I’m going to stick up for my man.

TDW: I think the fans saw it from both sides. I think there were people were questioning, “What is Quinn doing?” and they wanted to see more of David. And there were people who accepted she wasn’t happy and wanted a change and to move on. I would also venture to guess a lot of the fans are younger and not married, so it might’ve been hard to understand. Maybe because they’re not married, they think that moving on is an easier thing to do.

Munn: Yeah, that’s intuitive.

Holroyd: A lot of people were asking, “Why?” A lot people were getting frustrated with the Quinn storyline and asking “Why would she want to move on? She has no reason.” And my explanation for the storyline was when you grow, you either grow together or you grow apart and sometimes you grow apart. It’s as simple as that. I think that frustrated people. It’s so simple that it frustrated people. It would’ve been a lot of easier had there been infidelity or something else. But it was just a matter of just growing apart. It’s as simple and as complicated as that.

TDW: I’ve been wondering where Quinn and David lived. I think the implication was that you guys were out of town. But I think people liked David and I know I would’ve liked to see him stick around and I came up with a way to have him stick but I didn’t know if he actually lived in Tree Hill or not.

Munn: I don’t think he does live in Tree Hill.

Holroyd: I don’t think he does either.

Munn: But what’s your way to make him stick? I want to hear it! I like it!

TDW: Well, David was in his own way a filmmaker. I guess documentary was more his style but he liked filmmaking. And you have another filmmaker in Tree Hill–you have Julian [Austin Nichols] making his movie. And I can easily see David trying to get a job on the set to be near Quinn, even though she’s moving on with Clay. You can just extend the length of that triangle, where Quinn has to deal with having her ex-husband living in town with them and working with her sister’s friend’s boyfriend, ‘cause everybody in Tree Hill is connected.

Munn: And Julian needs a good guy friend to hang out with.

TDW: He does.

Munn: And David needs a nice girlfriend who, perhaps, is a schoolteacher.

Holroyd: Named Lauren.

Munn: Named Lauren.

Holroyd: That’s a petition! Petition it! David and Lauren!

TDW: That would be great! Could you imagine if we got that going?

Holroyd: That would be insane.

TDW: I think working on Julian’s film is a totally plausible way to have David stick around and evolve into more than just Quinn’s ex.

Munn: I think you’re right.

Holroyd: Put it out there, Shari! Put it out there!

Munn: It’s up to you! I think you’re right. I think the Julian connection makes a lot of sense.

TDW: With Lauren, in 7.12 [Some Roads Leave Nowhere], that was the last episode before a hiatus for us and we saw Skills go to L.A. and people thought that was it for Skills and that therefore that would be it for Lauren. Did you think that, too, or did you know about the plans to tie her in with Mouth [Lee Norris] later on?

Munn: I didn’t know it was going to be with Mouth. I knew something was going to happen. They had the idea to have Skills come back and I would be dating someone else. I didn’t know it was going to be Mouth. So during those first scenes when I hang out with Mouth [Episode 7.14, Family Affair], I come and clean up the apartment and all that–

Holroyd: CSI-style.

Munn: Yeah, the CSI kind of stuff. We didn’t know we were going to be paired off. What I was told is that the writers watched those scenes and they could see a lot chemistry between the two of us and wrote to that.

TDW: Wow! I never would’ve guessed that it happened in that order!

Munn: I know! Me either. I remember actually talking to Paul Johansson, who directed that episode. I was like, “Look. I’ve been hanging out with this guy all day”–and typically on shows like One Tree Hill when that happens, usually romance springs from it–and I remember saying to him, “Do we need to be really careful to avoid any sort of romantic tension?” And he said, “Don’t play to it and don’t play against it. Just play the scene as it is. You don’t need to think that far ahead.” And I was like, “Okay, fine.” But I still didn’t expect us to end up having any sort of liaison, that’s for sure.

TDW: That’s such a treat to know because people watched those scenes and said, “Oh, I know what’s coming! Mouth and Lauren are getting together!”

Munn: Right! They saw it before us. That’s what some of the writers told me. It’s kind of neat that they do pay attention to that stuff and they write to it. I love that.

TDW: So then you did find out and what was your reaction?

Munn: I felt bad! As Allison, I felt bad because of Millie [Lisa Goldstein]. I didn’t feel bad because of Lauren’s relationship with Skills because of what had come out in some of the scenes. Skills moved. He didn’t ask me to move with him. When I pressured him, he was like “Fine, go with me” but that felt like it was half-hearted so I said no. And then we kept up a phone relationship for a while but then it just petered out, like he stopped calling me. I think it had been from the time Skills left and Lauren started having feelings for Mouth, I think it had been a while. It wasn’t just like a month. I think it was 3-6 months in the way the linear storyline goes. So I think that’s enough time for a relationship to peter out. Lauren kind of knew the relationship was done. We’ll see what happens with Skills. Maybe it wasn’t done on his end.

TDW: I do have a question about that but I want to go to back to something you just said. You as Allison felt bad for Millie?

Munn: Yeah, because I think their relationship has been so sweet. I love Mouth and Millie together. Of course, over the course of this season, she has treated Mouth very, very poorly and I do think Mouth deserves better. I’m pulled in both directions. When I was watching it–it’s funny, because I don’t watch it as the actress; I watch it as a fan. I love the show. So when I was watching the episode when he asked Lauren out, I was rooting for him. I wanted him to ask Lauren out because I cared for Mouth and I feel like right now Lauren is much more stable choice than Millie–however, that being said, I really do like him and Millie together.

TDW: I’m already seeing two fandoms brewing. People who not only think Mouth and Millie are the endgame for Mouth’s character but just have been attached to this couple since season 5. And then there’s other people that are just tired of the drama, tired of the back and forth and also really like Lauren and see potential in the coupling with Mouth.

Munn: Mouth is such a stand-up guy. He’s so good. And so far what we’ve seen from Lauren is that she’s grounded and good as well. I can see why the fans who are really protective of Mouth would be glad that he gravitates towards Lauren now because she seems safe. Millie’s not safe right now.

TDW: In the last episode [Episode 7.18, The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance], we first saw Lauren say, “I’ll be your partner-in-crime but I’m not going to be your rebound.” And at the end of the episode, she kind of says, “Okay, I was kind of lying. I was worried that you were going to be my rebound.” Where do you think she was coming from there?

Munn: Well, actually, in that–Joe Davola was directing that episode and he had a really great note at the beginning of that scene. And what you guys didn’t see because I think it was cut out of the episode was that a lot of us were at the funeral. You didn’t see us all at the funeral for Haley’s [Bethany Joy Galleoti] mom.

TDW: Wow! Thank you for telling me that! Keep going, please!

Munn: There was a moment in the script that was cut out of what you guys saw. Mouth looks over at Millie and Millie smiles at him and I look at that. No, wait, I don’t think Millie’s smiles  at him. It was just a moment where they pan across and they see Millie, they see Mouth and then Mouth sees me. And pretty soon, like I don’t think it’s the next scene but it’s pretty close to that, I come and knock on the door and I say my piece to Mouth. So Joe had a really good note for me. He was like, “Look. You’ve just been to a funeral. You’ve seen that life is short. You’re feeling lonely. Carpe diem.”

TDW: Nothing against the way they do the show or anything but that’s so helpful to know. That would’ve enhanced things, because you two only had two scenes in that episode that aired.

Munn: That’s true.

TDW: You had the first scene where you’re walking in town and the scene when you come to his apartment. It was very little of you two and some people said it felt weird having that second scene mixed in with the trauma of Lydia’s [Bess Armstrong] death and the funeral and what Haley was going through afterward. But there’s such another layer to it when you tell me now that you guys were at the funeral and that kind of motivated Lauren.

Munn: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I see what you’re saying. I guess it did help them [in how it aired] because they wanted the audience to be surprised by her actions but you’re right, character-wise, it did seem to come a little bit more out of nowhere.

TDW: Let me just ask you another question about the funeral. Was there any planned dialogue for that or was it always just supposed to be montage-style with a song playing?

Munn: Actually, now that you say that, I remember when we were shooting it the only dialogue was this woman who did the service. It was the typical “ashes to ashes, death to death” speech. It was sort of chilling. I was surprised to see how short that sequence was. But I think the sisters did such a great, great job–Joy and Shantel and Lindsey. They did such a great job. They made me want to cry when I saw that. But I did notice that the “ashes to ashes, death to the death,” that whole speech was taken out. So there was definitely that dialogue and there were other moments. I know you got to see Brooke [Sophia Bush] and Julian. I forget who else they showed at the funeral but they did film me and Millie and Mouth also.

TDW: That’s good to know.

Munn: It made a lot of sense for me when I read it. I hadn’t even thought about that [since] because sometimes when you’re watching the episodes, you forget what you originally said or the original flow. I didn’t even think that that might be a little jarring. That makes a lot of sense now.

TDW: In the promo for the next batch episodes, there’s a really quick scene of Skills punching Mouth. Can you tease a little bit about what gets them to that point?

Munn: Well, I think you can probably guess what might lead to that, as per what we just talked about.

TDW: Well, you mentioned before how to you it seemed the relationship with Skills petered out because he stopped calling. But when he walks in the door in that last episode, he’s back to calling you “baby” and I got the sense that maybe things weren’t so over.

Munn: Yeah, you might be right with that. It’s funny how things can be miscommunicated but from what I knew and what Lauren knew, he had stopped calling. Lauren had called him more and he had quit returning her phone calls. And she had relayed that information to Mouth, not to lead him on but because they were friends. She was confiding in him, like, “We don’t really talk anymore. He doesn’t call me back. I don’t even know how he’s doing.” She was actually finding out more of how he was doing through Mouth than through actually talking to Skills. So when he walks back in the door and he’s like “Hey, baby!” completely casual, I think Lauren was really taken aback by that.

TDW: I think we were, too.  So now I guess you’re going to have these two friends pitted against each other.

Munn: Yeah, and it’s a shame because they have a really solid friendship. I hate that for them.

TDW: And their friendship goes back to the very first episode of the show.

Munn: Yep, the pilot. That’s a shame. Never let a lady come between you, boys!

TDW: Well, if the show lived by that, we would’ve missed out on countless storylines!

Munn: Scott just whispered “bros before hos.” That’s a twist on the “Clothes Over Bros.”

TDW: Well, that’s something Brooke and Peyton [Hilarie Burton] used to say to each other. They used to say, “Hos over bros” and once it became “Hos over psychos” [Episode 4.16, You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love]. Anyway, I know Antwon tweeted that he’s in like three of the last four episodes.

Munn: Yes, I think so. I’m forgetting how many we shot. I know he’s around, definitely. I don’t know that he’s in all of the last ones. I don’t know how much I can say without giving away too much. He’s in–sorry, I’m counting–yep, you’re right. It’s three of the last four, correct.

TDW: Can you say how many more you are in?

Munn: I just wrapped for the season and they have another one to shoot. I don’t think they’ll get mad at me for saying this but I’m not in the last two.

TDW: Oh, you’re not in the last two?

Munn: No, but I don’t think that has anything to do with the story. They’re just wrapping their season and I’m not one of the main characters, you know?

TDW: Okay, so you’re not in 7.21 or 22.

Munn: Right. But that’s not a big spoiler anything. It’s not like I get shot or I drown or anything.

TDW: What are you hearing about a season eight?

Munn: You know, nobody really knows what quite to think yet. I look at the ratings versus the ratings of other shows on the network and I think we stand a pretty good chance.

Holroyd: If you’re asking me as a fan, I think it’s definitely going to get picked up for an eighth season.

Munn: I like that. I like where his head is at! I really hope so.

Holroyd: But that’s me as a fan.

Munn: That’s Scott as fan. Honestly, I talked to the major players this week and nobody really knows for sure. But everyone is very optimistic, if that helps.

TDW: Do you know if you have a future on the show if there’s an eighth season?

Munn: You know, I never know. I would hope so but I never know.

Holroyd: David and Lauren!

Munn: David and Lauren all the way!

TDW: I would totally buy it. You guys already have the chemistry.

Munn: I know. Lauren and David and David and Skills. Oops, sorry, not David and Skills–that would be a whole different show! Who else can David date? Hmm…

Holroyd: David and Haley, what?!

Munn: Aw, no! That would be a disaster!

Holroyd: All the Scott sisters, yes!

Munn: No way!

TDW: Scott, We’ll see you next on Chuck, right?

Holroyd: Yes.

Munn: It’s very exciting. He has a really good arc on Chuck.

Holroyd: Here’s the only problem: it airs Monday nights at 8!

TDW: I know!

Holroyd: So people have to be able to record two shows at once or have two televisions. They have to watch One Tree Hill.

Munn: They have to watch One Tree Hill! If you have to choose, choose One Tree Hill but if you have another option, choose One Tree Hill and Chuck.

Holroyd: Right, there you go. I think my stuff starts in a couple of months, probably mid-April, late April. I don’t know when the season ends for One Tree Hill.

Munn: I don’t know. Shari, you probably have a better idea than I do.

TDW: The show comes back from hiatus April 26 and if it airs the last four episodes in a row, that takes through May 17.

Holroyd: Uht-oh, there’s gonna be an overlap. You need to be able to record two shows at once.

TDW: So right now the next step for you both, besides Chuck, is pilot season.

Munn: Oh, good lord, it’s a nightmare!

Holroyd: Yes.

TDW: Can you tell me a little bit about that nightmare?

Munn: It’s a nightmare in the best way. The networks are buying a lot of pilots this season. So we have been completely inundated with auditions. Sometimes it’s up to three a day and it’s exhausting. It’s one of those where you have a change of clothes in your car and you go to one and you either change in the bathroom of that one or in the car on the way to the next one. It’s been pretty crazy.

TDW: Are any of these for leading roles?

Munn: Oh, yeah. They’re all for leading roles.

TDW: That’s awesome!

Munn: Yeah, it’s great. We’re reading some really good scripts. There’s good stuff out there right now. It’s an exciting time for actors in L.A.

TDW: By chance, any of the same projects?

Munn: No! I wish!

Holroyd: That’s why One Tree Hill was such a blessing. That doesn’t often, if ever.

Munn: The planets really have to be aligned for you to even get a job. So for you to get a job co-starring your husband, it’s pretty close to impossible.

TDW: I sincerely hope it happens. It’s great having you both on One Tree Hill but it would be even better to see you in a scene together.

Munn: It would be really fun to act with Scott. I’m a huge fan of his. It would be a lot of fun. And it would be really fun to continue to get to do interviews this way because we are having a blast!

TDW: I am, too! Are you guys still drinking your wine?

Munn: Yes, we actually just poured more!

Holroyd: Cheers! (glasses clink)

TDW: I heard that! That’s great. I really appreciate your time.

Munn: Absolutely, Shari. I have to say I really respect what you do. I’ve been to your site and I think you have really great interviews. You ask such great questions. You get some really cool interviews and I just have to say I’m super-impressed with you.

TDW: Wow, thank you very much! That means a lot to me. Can I print that?!

Munn: Print it and reproduce it anywhere you want! I’m very much impressed with your journalistic skills.

Holroyd: And we’re excited that this is our first dual interview. You got the exclusive.

Munn: Yeah, you’ve got the MunnRoyds.

TDW: The MunnRoyds! Do people actually call you that?

Munn: Yes!

Holroyd: We do!

Munn: We call ourselves that and we forced our friends to call us that. It could be the title of a sitcom, “Hangin’ With The MunnRoyds.”

Holroyd: There’s Brangelina; we’re the MunnRoyds!

TDW: That works!

Munn: It sounds like a terrible infection you’d get on your foot.

Holroyd: “Oh man, I’ve got a terrible case of the MunnRoyds!”

Munn: But it works for us.

TDW: Allison, have you thought about changing your name professionally?

Munn: I haven’t.

Holroyd: No.

Munn: Holroyd is a pretty difficult name. I’m taking it personally and it’ll be on my driver’s license and all that eventually but professionally, as Scott can tell you–he’s begged me, “Honey, I promise you, you don’t have to take this name!”–it’s a burden sometimes.

Holroyd: She’s worked very hard to make a name for herself as Allison Munn. She’s made a great name for herself. It’s hard enough to have a career in this business but it’s even harder with a name like Holroyd. I’m proud of my name–

Munn: I love your name!

Holroyd: But it doesn’t make things easier.

Munn: You have to spell it about five times with each person.

Holroyd: My name is not Scott Holroyd, it’s “Scott Holroyd, H-O-L-R-O-Y-D.”

Munn: “No, it’s H-O-L-R-O-Y-D. No, not I-D, Y-D. H-O-L-No, yes, H-O-L-R-O-Y-D, yes, that’s the name!”

Holroyd: That’s my goal. I just want people to know my name.

H & M: (singing) “Say my name, say my name”

TDW: Can I make a little request, Scott? Actually to both of you. You both need to tweet a bit more.

Munn: I know! It’s hard. I get nervous. And I know Scott gets even more nervous than I do.

TDW: Why are you nervous?

Munn: Because it goes out there to a lot of people! I get shy, Shari, I get shy!

TDW: I think fans just love it because it’s really unprecedented access. Before this, we were lucky if people had official sites and actually updated them. So this is a great connection. If we don’t interact with you, we’re still hearing from you and the fans just feel closer to you.

Munn: You’re right. It’s true. And I like having that kind of access, where I can write fans back. I usually direct message fans. You feel like you have access but you don’t feel completely accessible, which is nice. I think Twitter’s really great for that.

TDW: There’s actually a fan account on there for you, linked to a fansite, I think.

Munn: Really? I’ll google myself later and find it. Awesome! I’ll do that tonight.

TDW: You guys should start a joint Web site, how about that?

Munn: Babe, we should start a joint Web site and then we could do Flip videos of us hanging out.

Holroyd: That wouldn’t be boring.

Munn: That wouldn’t be boring at all. I think it’s the need to feel creative that’s a little bit stressful.

Holroyd: The need to be witty.

Munn: Yeah, I have to think of something smart and funny to say. That’s where I get stymied a little bit.

TDW: Two suggestions.

Munn: Okay, perfect.

TDW: Mike Grubbs [Grubbs], he has a blog. And he does little blog posts but he also does short little videos from the set or other places in his life. They’re maybe, like, a minute long but they’re funny. And Jana Kramer [Alex] and her fiancé, I guess it’s his Web site but there’s like episodes of their life on there and we actually got to see footage of his marriage proposal.

Munn: I saw some of that and that was incredible! That was so cool to be able to see. I love Jana Kramer. But I haven’t seen all of their videos. I have to check those out.

TDW: I have to admit I haven’t seen all of them either and it’s kind of weird that I don’t actually know them but I saw them get engaged.

Munn: I know, right?

TDW: But, anyway, I think people love to think the characters on their show are together in real life and that can be a blessing and curse but here we have two people who are together and I think people would be interested in seeing more of it if you guys were willing to put it out there.

Munn: That’s a cool idea. Maybe we will. Babe, what do you think?

Holroyd: Shari, you may have a point.

Munn: I forced him to get the Twitter account. He’s been very hesitant to do any of the social media stuff.

TDW: I know it’s hard for some people who worry about it being a big invasion of privacy and the stalking that happens in real life is transferred to online.

Munn: Yes. And I think for people who are in a position to be stalked, like pretty famous people, I can understand why they’d be scared of that stuff. It would stink I think to be a celebrity and say I’m at a certain place for lunch and have people show up. I think that’s where some people should draw the line.

TDW: The whole service is what you make of it. People say, “I don’t want to know when so-and-so is going to the bathroom.” Well, then don’t follow the person who tells you when they’re going to the bathroom.

Munn: Exactly. You’re right. It’s like when people are upset about something that’s on television. Well, then change the channel. You have a choice.

TDW: Right. People forget what is actually in their control.

Munn: Scott is so excited he can follow Conan [O’Brien] now. That was a big day.

Holroyd: He just joined. He tweets once a day. He doesn’t follow anyone. He’s got like 500,000 followers. His first tweet was…

TDW: With his squirrel!

Holroyd: “Today I interviewed a squirrel in my backyard and then threw to commercial. Somebody help me.”

Munn: I love the fact that in his picture he’s got a full beard.

Holroyd: He’s embracing his unemployment.

TDW: If Conan can tweet once a day, Scott, so can you!

H & M: Oh!!!!

Munn: Way to bring it back, Shari. Shari for the win!

Holroyd: Alright, I got you. I accept your challenge.

TDW: I’m going to hold you to that! I’ll give you tomorrow off because I’m going to publish this Monday night. Monday can start your Twitter Challenge!

Munn: Can it be a week? The Twitter Challenge Week? I’ll force him to do it.

Holroyd: Okay.

TDW: Okay, starting Monday, I’ll see if you do it.

Munn: It’s on, Shari. He just said he accepted.

Holroyd: Yeah, I accept. You throw it down and I will accept it!

Munn: I’ll make sure he follows through.

TDW: Well, thank you guys so much. If nothing else, I’m just honored to be in your history book as your first joint interview.

Holroyd: There you go!

Munn: We’re the ones who are honored. We had a good time. We really did. This was fun.

TDW: Well, thank you so much. Keep drinking your wine, relax, have a good night.

Munn: Thank you so much, Shari. You, too!

TDW: Goodnight guys!

Come back Sunday for another exclusive interview!

TDW Interview Index





News Roundup: One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, 90210 and The O.C.

27 10 2009
  • Be sure to check out The CW’s site for all the new video content this week.
  • Last night’s One Tree Hill ( 2. 7 million viewers rounded up) and Gossip Girl ( 2.3 million viewers) both increased in the ratings compared to last week.  One Tree Hill raised quite dramatically to a season high in both total viewers and the key demographics, according to a press release.
  • The new One Tree Hill Connection podcast has an interview with Amanda Schull (Sara, One Tree Hill) and The Avett Brothers, who song “I and Love and You” was the title of last night’s episode.
  • SoapNet has a short piece on James Lafferty (Nathan, One Tree Hill) directing last night’s episode, and some photos too.
  • Here’s Mark Schwahn’s preview for next week’s OTH.
  • Star News has an article about One Tree Hill’s presence on Twitter.  Remember, you can follow me @sizzlemaker.
  • SoapNet has a poll asking which OTH couple is the strangest pairing.
  • Sherri Saum will appear on Gossip Girl.
  • This article by The Frisky really nails some of my points on the problems with Gossip Girl–and why The O.C. was so much better.
  • Both Gossip Girl and 90210 made Zap2it’s list of the worst TV theme songs of current shows.
  • Blake Lively (Serena, Gossip Girl) lost to AnnaLynne McCord (Naomi, 90210) in an Access Hollywood poll of who should be the next Bond Girl.  They both lost, though, to Eliza Dushku.
  • SoapNet also has a poll asking which girl was the best for Dylan (Luke Perry, Beverly Hills 90210).  I think you know by now that my vote will always go to Kelly (Jennie Garth, Beverly Hills 90210), as they are my all-time favorite couple.
  • They also have another poll asking which actor from The O.C. has been the most successful.




Reaction: One Tree Hill 7.07

27 10 2009

In lieu of a live-blog Monday, I offer you my old-school reaction post.

Gossip Girl will be posted later in the week.

Read Last Week’s Live-Blog

EPISODE 7.07: I and Love and You

  • Previously on: Brooke finds out Alex was naked in front of Julian, she fires Alex, Quinn admits to David she went home with Clay, Clay tells Quinn that Nathan is against them hanging out, Clay invites Sara to stay the night, Dan said 14 months ago, he was given days to live, Dan tells Renee he has a proposition for him, Renee says Dan’s plan could ruin Nathan, Rachel says Dan wants to bury Nate and Renee will get paid more, she agrees.
  • This episode was directed by James Lafferty (Nathan).
  • On the set of Dan’s show.
  • People are taking their seats.
  • Dan looks nervous and Rachel says she’s excited.
  • Dan says it will be a big show.
  • Rachel reminds Dan that he reached out to Nathan, who rejected him and “he was never going to forgive you anyway.”
  • Q1: Sometimes the truth is all we have.–Dan
  • Dan walks away and Rachel looks perplexed and nervous
  • Nathan is standing in Jamie’s room looking at basketball jerseys.
  • Haley’s hair looks amazing straight!  But I still don’t like the color.
  • Haley says Jamie is going to stay with Skills and be kept away from the TV–exactly what they should’ve been doing all along!
  • Nathan says his first memory is sitting in Dan’s lap, holding a basketball.
  • He says Dan spent his entire life trying to get him to the NBA and “now he’s going to take it away.”
  • I guess they know Renee is going on Dan’s show.
  • Julian is on their porch, watching Brooke from afar, who is looking longingly out to the distance.
  • Clay wakes up, and sees Sara looking distressed and out the window.
  • He walks outside and there are clothes and other belongings everywhere.
  • He picks up a film cannister.
  • Dan checks on Renee in the dressing room.
  • She’s concerned that the show is live.
  • Dan says it’s better since the audience and ratings will be bigger.
  • And he tells her after today, everyone will know her story.
  • She says she’s nervous and he tells her to “speak from the heart” and smile.
  • Renee asks what happened between Nathan and him.
  • Q2: I murdered his uncle.  Among other things.–Dan
  • Clay is handing Quinn a box of stuff.
  • Apparently it was all her things strewn across Clay’s yard.  David dumped the stuff there.
  • Quinn apologizes and says she’ll talk to him.
  • I don’t like that.  David seemed like a great guy.  I don’t like that they’re giving us reasons now to dislike him and sympathize with Quinn.
  • Quinn asks Clay if he’s coming to watch “the show”–Dan’s show, I guess–and he says he’s going to stay here.
  • Quinn tells him he hopes everything turns out okay.
  • Q3: “You and Nathan are both really great guys.  You deserve better.” “So do you, Quinn.”–Quinn and Clay
  • He watches her go longingly.
  • He goes back inside and Sara is laughing.
  • Sara is naming all of the women in Clay’s love life–the girl from the body wash commercial, Alex and Quinn.
  • Clay takes out a beer and Sara tells him it’s too early.  She says she wants grape kool aid.
  • Clay tells her to stop and…
  • Q4: “It’s okay if you like her.”  “No it’s not because she was somebody’s wife.”  “So?  I was your wife.” “Yeah, but you left me.”–Sara and Clay
  • Yep, this is the wife that was spoiled a while back. And as some people have already said, I think she’s death and he is hallucinating this.
  • Sara says things change, and that Quinn’s beautiful and he likes her.
  • Q5: She’s not you.–Clay
  • Clay says he has to watch “my and Nathan’s career possibly end” and tells her she can go but she says she’s “not going anywhere, babe.”
  • Haley helps Quinn carry her things in.
  • She vaguely explains what happened with David.
  • She says she’ll watch the show from her room, to give her and Nate space.
  • Did Haley just call her “Quinny”?
  • Haley looks a little nervous.
  • She finds Nathan outside and tells him it’s going to start.
  • Q6: “It’s been a good life.” “Yeah, it’s been a wonderful life.  You know when this show is over, it’s still going to be a wonderful life because I love you and your son loves you and nothing that happens in the next hour is going to change that.”  “God, I needed to hear you say that.”  “Good. I  really needed to say it.”–Nathan and Haley
  • It’s really remarkable how far they’ve come and how together they are. I love it.
  • But, if anything ever happened to one of them, I don’t think the other would survive.  They are just too connected to each other to live alone.
  • Dan is introducing Renee (last name Richardson) with pictures of her and Nathan, as well as him and Nathan, on screens behind him.
  • He says she is four months pregnant with “this NBA player’s child” and “that NBA player happens to be my son.”
  • Dan poses the question: “Is she lying or am I about to become a grandfather again?”
  • The intro was so talk-show-like.  Pretty well done.
  • Haley and Nathan are watching from their couch.
  • Dan says people should be skeptical of believing things and you should “test and judge them to be true” first.
  • The audience boos Renee as she comes on stage.
  • Sara and Clay are watching.
  • Sara says she’s pretty and Clay gives her a look.  Well, she is pretty.
  • Dan asks Renee to set the stage, the night they met.
  • Renee says they had been at the same “parties and club” before but were never introduced.
  • Dan says this was 4 months ago.
  • And Renee says she remembers because it was “the night of the Memphis game” and Nathan had a season-high that night.
  • Flashback to Nathan and Clay at a party, celebrating.
  • They take a shot when Renee walks up.
  • Renee asks for a picture.
  • Q7: Dude, having you around is so much better than a puppy.–Clay to Nathan
  • Q8: But seriously, I’m proud of you and I love you and you absolutely deserve this.”
  • I guess we are on Tree Hill time because 4 months ago (whether we’re going from November or September when this storyline started) sooooo wasn’t basketball season.
  • Clay takes a picture of Nathan with the girls.
  • Back to present day, and Clay is telling Sara “we were really hammered that night” and “it was the longest road trip of the year.”
  • Sara interrupts and says…
  • Q9: “You were lonely.”  “I’m always lonely.” “On the count of two…”–Sara and Clay
  • Flashback to Clay and Sara about to jump off a bridge–what we saw spoiled a while back in news articles and photos.
  • A bunch of people are jumping off the bridge.
  • Clay and Sara are both nervous but it doesn’t look like they know each other.
  • Q10: “I’m not really a fan of heights.  Beer pongs, I can do.  It’s a wonderful college tradition.  Streaking through the quad, that’s another one.” “I did that.”  “Really?  Man, did I pick the wrong school.”–Clay
  • So is this college or post-college?
  • They definitely made Sara look younger.  Clay kinda does, too, somehow.
  • He introduces himself to her and says they should jump together.
  • They hold hands and…
  • Q11: “On the count of 2.” “Wait, on the count of 2? Nobody goes on the count of 2.”  “Yeah, I know, but it’ll be our thing.  Something we tell the grandkids abut.” “We can talk about streaking on the quad.”  “Yeah, nobody wants to hear that from their grandparents.”–Clay and Quinn
  • Kind of loving this!
  • They jump, and she kisses him.
  • Q12: “Tell that to the grandkids.”
  • Back to present day, Dan is telling Renee he wants to go back to her childhood.  He says she was a cheerleader and shows a picture.
  • Renee seems hesitant.
  • Dan continues: she was also homecoming queen and a hostess at a club.
  • Renee interrupts and says there was no nudity involved.
  • Dan says he understands and says “My wife was a stripper.  A little nudity.”
  • He chuckles and Rachel looks annoyed and rolls her eyes.
  • Dan asks Renee if she’s ever been married and she shakes her head no.
  • Dan points out that she knew Nathan was married.
  • She says she “felt bad about it” and wishes that he weren’t.  And she says she was attracted to him.
  • Dan points out that attraction isn’t a choice.
  • He asks if Renee has ever been in love (she says yes) and he says it feels good.
  • Dashboard Confessional playing in the background.  Love it.
  • Q13: Falling in love is the easiest thing you’re ever gonna do.  It’s the most exciting thing, the most powerful thing–Dan
  • Scene cuts to Julian walking up to Brooke.
  • Q14: That’s why falling out of love hurts like hell.  But falling in love, there’s nothing better.  It’s the best it ever gets–Dan
  • Cut to Quinn watching and unpacking.
  • Flashback to Quinn in her dark room when David comes in and calls her amazing.
  • They share a lovey-dovey moment, and he promises to get her a real dark room some day.
  • Quinn points to a picture and says how happy he was.  She says she doesn’t need a dark room as long as he’s always that happy because he deserves it.
  • Q15: “How did I get so lucky with you?”  “Technically, you haven’t gotten lucky just yet.  But I think you’re about to.”–David and Quinn
  • That was kinda cute, kinda hot.
  • Maybe I would’ve liked his Quinn.  Still don’t like the version we’re seeing now.  I understand people change, and they change because of other people and other things.
  • Back to present day, with Dan saying to Renee “and then you kissed.”
  • Hmmm. How did they get to the kissing point?
  • Dan says the kissing escalated and Renee kind of shrugs.
  • He says they’re going to talk about “love and loss…and then we’re going to find out if Renee is telling the truth.”
  • Nice way to go to commercial, very meta.
  • Really interesting to see this side of Dan.  I miss him.  In general.
  • Not even halfway through the episode.  Loving it so far.
  • But I’m a sucker for flashbacks, anyway.
  • Gossip Girl promo
  • Quinn is still going through her stuff.
  • She pulls out an envelope–Cinema Grant Application
  • Flashback to her and David in bed
  • David tells Quinn he took a different job (or an added job?  I’m not sure) at work and she asks why.  He says he’s tired of being poor.
  • She asks about his documentary and says she picked up the grant forms, something he’s always wanted apparently.
  • He says he’ll still want it a year from now but money is more important now.  He wants to get her a house and a dark room.
  • She says she only needs him to be happy and inspired.
  • Q16: Well, this will make me happy.  And you’ll keep me inspired.–David
  • She agrees and makes him promise he’ll fill out he forms.
  • Back to present day.
  • Q17: Falling love is easy.  A lifetime of love, now there’s a miracle.–Dan
  • Cut to Brooke and Julian
  • He says he loves her and she points out that she fired Alex and yet he’s still working with her
  • He says it’s about her script
  • Brooke asks: “You like her script or you like her?”
  • I have to say, I don’t think she’s overreacting.  Given her past with Lucas and Peyton, I understand her worry and concern.  She’s seen that being just friends 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.
  • Dan reminds the audience he is on his second marriage.
  • He says divorce doesn’t just happen and marriages don’t end in an instant.
  • Quinn perks up.
  • Cut to Clay and Sara still watching.
  • She asks him what happened to his wedding ring.
  • He says he doesn’t know and she asks if he just wasn’t to remember.
  • How long ago was that jumping scene we saw?  How long were they married for?
  • Flashback to another scene with them.
  • He is in a suit, explaining this is his “shot.”  I guess this is him trying to get his start in the sports agency business.
  • Sara tells him to go casual for the interview.
  • She pulls put a wedding band from the drawer and puts it on him, saying that it shows maturity and stability.
  • Q18: “Only I’m not married.”  “Then marry me, you knucklehead.”  “Yes!”–Clay and Sara
  • Wow, that was a really great proposal!  I love that a) we got to see it and b) it wasn’t like any other we’ve seen on the show (or any other I’ve seen anywhere!)
  • Back to present day, where Dan says people aren’t happy because “we become experts at sabotaging our own happiness.”
  • Cut to Julian putting his arm about Brooke
  • Dan continues, saying it’s choices that get us where we are and “we’re not victims.”
  • Q19: We’re assassins when it comes to love and happiness.–Dan
  • I wonder if he rehearses what he’s going to say, or comes up with it on the fly (Dan, not Paul Jonhansson)
  • Dan says Renee is beautiful, smart and wants love–“but who did she choose to sleep with–allegedly?”
  • Nice that he threw “allegedly” in there.
  • Dan says Renee may be telling the truth and pay deserve compensation but “she’s not victim.”
  • Renee looks uneasy.  I would be, too.
  • Dan says people need to stop victimizing themselves.
  • Cut to Quinn, also looking uneasy.  Perhaps this hits home for her.  That’s obviously the point.  Not sure how I feel about that.
  • Q20: “Renee, you says my son Nathan is Scott is the father of your unborn child, right?” “Yes.” “I believe you.”–Dan and Renee
  • Cut to Haley looking shocked and Nathan looking stoic and then dejected.
  • First time we’re seeing them in a while now.  I liked that.
  • Dan says he’s going to prove she’s telling the truth with a lie detector machine.
  • Renee, again, looks uneasy.
  • So I imagine Dan knows she’s lying and is going to expose her this way.
  • Are those things really all that good?  I never believed in them.
  • Nathan is dumbfounded and says “this is unbelievable.”
  • Really, he should be happy because the test should expose what he already knows: she’s lying.
  • Unless, of course, she isn’t.  But we we know she is, right?
  • Haley kind of looks intrigued, like she knows where this is going.
  • They are hooking Renee up to the machine, and she snaps at Rachel, saying she never agreed to this.
  • Rachel tells her to relax, that it makes good TV and that if she’s lying, it will come out sooner or later anyway.
  • Renee looks more and more uneasy.
  • Haley follows Nathan outside.
  • Q21: Do you believes this?  The guy shot his brother at point-blank range and now he has a hit TV show.–Nathan
  • Yes!  I love every time they mention Keith and what happened, and Nathan makes it clear what it meant to him.
  • Nathan is upset that Dan is doing this with Renee and he has to “sit 3,000 miles away and just take it.”
  • Haley says “screw him” and they shouldn’t watch the rest of the show.
  • Q22: It’s a nice.  It’s a nice life.–Haley
  • Nathan asks her how he she can be so strong.
  • Q23: It’s a question of character.  Who has better character?  It is Renee?  Or is it Nathan?–Dan
  • I think we already know, don’t we?
  • Flashback to Clay practicing his sales pitch with Sara.
  • Sara says he can do better than the guy he’s going after, that the guy is a bad guy.
  • Clay says he if only represents “good guys,” he’ll have no clients.
  • Sara says the guy is just a great player, not great and “the man I love knows the difference.”
  • She tells him he’ll find clients he believes in, ones that will become friends and have heart, and it will change everything for him.
  • Back to present-day with Brooke telling Julian she loves him.
  • But she says he hurt her feelings when he said they weren’t getting married.
  • Julian’s response: “When did I ever say anything about marriage?”
  • Yeah, when did he?  I don’t remember.
  • Brooke says it was when his father was in town.  I still don’t remember.  It was probably said in passing.
  • Julian says he was just venting and it had nothing to do “with the actual concept of marrying you” and he admits he thinks about it all the time. Aw!
  • She says “Good, because that’s what I wrote in the sand.”  The night he told her about the movie in New Zealand, she wrote “marry me” in the sand (like David did on Beverly Hills 90210!) and then she didn’t show him because he told her first that he was leaving.  “Surprise.”
  • OMG! She was going to propose to him!  That would’ve been a-mazing!
  • But I really like how it’s coming out now.
  • Flashback to Quinn entering an empty house, finding David there.  He says “surprise,” indicating that this is their new home.
  • Back to present-day, with Dan saying  the show’s motto: “Step into the light and get yourself right.”  Lame.
  • Dan explains the lie detector process: he asks a question, she answers and the word “true” or “lie” will appear on a screen behind them.  Very advanced technology, I see.  No more reading reports of squiggly lines, I guess.
  • First question: did you meet Nathan at the party as described earlier?  Yes. True.
  • Cut to Naley’s house where the show is still on but no one’s in the living room watching.
  • Second question: did you flirt with Nathan? Yes. True.
  • Third question: did Nathan flirt back?
  • Flashback to the party scene where Nathan accepts the compliment from her that he smells good.
  • So, third question.  Yes. True.
  • Fourth question: is Nathan the father of your unborn child?  Yes.  True.
  • !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Again, I don’t really believe these things.
  • Cut to Clay looking shocked, Quinn looking shocked, and no one in Naley’s living room as TRUE appears on the screen.
  • Looks like the same font The CW uses in their ad campaigns. Hmmm.
  • Clay is calling Nathan, for the third time, and leaves a message saying he’s watching the show and wants to talk to him.
  • Kind of surprised they didn’t watch together but I guess it was more respectful for Naley to watch alone.
  • Quinn is walking around the house looking for Naley.
  • She walks back into her room and stares at her boxes.
  • Flashback  to David setting up a screening room in their house.  Quinn is taken aback and looks sad.
  • She says they were really happy with their old car and futon.
  • David says those things sucked.
  • Quinn finds the old picture of him that she likes.
  • David says that guy was “struggling, foolish and broke.”
  • Quinn says it’s not true and David says she has “some crazy romantic notion of who I used to be. Who we used to be.”
  • David says he never wants go back to that and she looks sad.
  • I think he changed, and grew up, and their lifestyle changed and that drove Quinn away, longing for the past, and leading her to where she is now.
  • She finds the grant application in the box and says “it’s a really dark room.”  Touche.
  • Back to-present day with Julian asking if Brooke meant it when she proposed and she says she did then.
  • Brooke says she doesn’t know about  now.
  • He apologizes, and says he didn’t know.
  • He kisses her and apologizes again for hurting her feelings, and he holds her.
  • Kind of the right answer but not really.  The best answer would’ve been saying he does want to get married and proposing right then and there.
  • He hasn’t really proven his love, which is what she is looking for.
  • Dan hooks himself up to the lie detector test.  Is he going to prove that it’s faulty or something?
  • Now Rachel looks uneasy.
  • Dan says Nathan is a good man but sometimes people do “funny things” under pressure and truth is absolute and “can set you free.”
  • First statement: My name is Dan Scott.  True.
  • Second statement: I love my wife, Rachel. True.
  • Hmmmm.  I guess I do believe he does.
  • Rachel shakes her head and asks into her headset, “what is he doing?”
  • Third statement: Nathan loves me. True.
  • I suppose he does, deep down.
  • Fourth statement: I am president of the United States. True.
  • Obviously not true.  And the audience gaps.
  • But this only proves that the machine doesn’t work, not that she was lying.
  • Fifth statement: I’m Santa Claus. True.
  • Sixth statement: I didn’t kill my brother.  True
  • Rachel nods her head, satisfied.
  • Quinn finds Naley outside, and tells them they have to come in and watch.
  • Dan is onstage, showing photos of Renee from throughout the show and analyzing her facial expressions.
  • He says she was surprised when he announced the lie detector test and surprised again when the monitor said “true” after she said she slept with Nathan.
  • Dan says she thinks Renee is a good person and something bad happened to her and she was “clever enough to see a way out.”
  • Flashback to the party and Nathan taking the photo.
  • Clay says the photo can’t look to sexy or it’ll “cost us $20 million next year.”
  • Back to present-day, with Dan saying Renee is “afraid, and lose and desperate.”
  • She knew Nathan was “in a contract year” and she had too much to drink that night.
  • Flashback to Renee leaving a bedroom, with a guy still sleeping in it.
  • In the next room, Nathan is sleeping.
  • Whose house was this?  Clay’s?  Was that Clay in the bed she left?
  • Dan’s voiceover asks if someone hurt her, lied to her or she was just tired of being a good person.
  • Renee says “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
  • The show or the charade?
  • Dan says the “good news” is that she can stop it–the charade–right now.
  • He says she wanted security and saw it in someone who had so much.  But he didn’t react the way she wanted, and then she got “angry” and then the press got involved and then there “was no turning back.”
  • Quinn is watching along with Naley.
  • Dan says there’s experts backstage who study body language, heart rate response and other things.
  • Dan says “You were at the party that night.  And you had sex. And you got pregnant.”
  • She nods.
  • By Clay?! Hmm..
  • Q24: “But you didn’t have sex with Nathan Scott and you’ve never had sex with Nathan Scott.”  “No.”
  • Cut to Haley sighing with relief and bursting into tears.
  • Nathan obviously looks relieved as well.
  • Quinn, too, but she’s also teary-eyed.
  • And Clay is shocked and relieved as well.
  • Q25: Well, whattya know?  Character changes everything.–Sara
  • Dan is comforting Renee on stage, saying “it’s okay” and “it’s over now.”
  • Rachel is smiling and nods at Dan.
  • So who did she sleep with?  Who got her pregnant?
  • Nathan is also comforting Haley saying “it’s okay.”  Like father, like son?
  • Gossip Girl promo
  • It’s nighttime now and Nathan gets off the phone as Haley approaches.
  • Apparently Renee is “dropping everything.”
  • Haley intensely kisses him and says she’s sorry he had to go through this.
  • He admits he never should’ve gotten drunk and she points out he’s still young.
  • Um, so are you, Hales!
  • Whew, okay, she added “We both are” and they “forget that sometimes.”
  • So true!
  • Clay is looking at his record player and Sara asks what he’s listening to.
  • He says she knows, that he never changed.
  • She asks him to play it, he says no and she says “for me?”
  • He plays it and it flashes back to it playing in their apartment.
  • She asks him to dance with her and they do.
  • Really beautiful moment.
  • She says she wants grape kool aid and goes to make some.
  • Clay starts talking about pens when she goes pale and passes out to the floor.
  • In slow mo, he runs to her and the paramedics come in.
  • He’s watching in shock and then it goes to a montage of their scenes together from the episode, playing backwards almost.
  • The paramedics cover her with a blanket.  She’s dead.
  • Back to the present-day, when Clay snaps out of it and she’s still sitting there.
  • He says that “sometimes, I can’t see you anymore” and he forgets things and worries that he’s “losing us.”
  • Man, this is just like Andy and Julia from Everwood.  So sad.
  • Me = crying.
  • Sara says he’s worried that by moving on with another girl, he’ll erase her.  She says he won’t.
  • How long were they together?  Why can’t they just tell us that?
  • I guess with a love so strong it doesn’t matter but I’m curious.
  • Clay says he can’t (let someone in) when someone knocks–presumably Quinn.
  • Sara tells him to open the door, “on the count of 2.”
  • He walks over and she counts to 2.
  • He opens the door, and there’s Quinn.
  • He turns around and Sara’s gone.
  • Q26: “You should go home.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was a bad–” “To David. I think you should go home to David.  And I’m sorry, too.”–Clay and David
  • She’s shocked but walks away.
  • Nathan is holding Haley outside.
  • Q26: I love you so much, my beautiful wife.–Nathan
  • Quinn is sitting in her room, crying and holding the picture of David she liked.
  • David is sitting in their screening room, just staring.
  • Dan is in his dressing room, drinking, and Rachel walks in.
  • She tells him he did a good job.
  • Apparently there were no experts backstage, he just made that up to get her to confess. Smart one, Danny.
  • Rachel is unbuttoning Dan’s shirt and asks how he knew she was lying.
  • Dan says Nathan is his son, he raised him and he knows what kind of guy he is.
  • Rachel traces a scar down Dan’s chest.  Guess he did get that transplant after all.
  • He says he knew a con because he’s a con.
  • Rachel says it was a good show and she says “I love you.”
  • He just says “yeah.”
  • I wonder if she really loves him.  And now I wonder, again, if he loves her.
  • Brooke is sketching in the kitchen when Julian walks in.
  • He asks if she’s okay and she says no.
  • She says she needs to know that he feels the same way that she does: that he can see himself being with her forever, because if not, what are they doing?
  • Q27: We’re us, Brooke. You’re the girl I love with all my heart, who I’m going to be with forever.  We don’t have to rush into anything. Forever is a very long time.–Julian
  • She nods.
  • Well, I guess that was nice but doesn’t have the same lasting bond as a marriage proposal.
  • And as Clay taught us, and us Leyton almost did last year, foever may not be a very long time.
  • Not a reason to rush things but still.
  • Clay is sitting on his couch, listening to the music, with Sara across from him.
  • Q28: “It’s not fair. We were supposed to have more time.”  “And you still do.  I don’t want you to be alone, honey.”–Clay and Sara
  • She asks him Clay likes Quinn and why he sent her away.
  • Q29: “I don’t want to lose us.”  “You can’t erase who we were or what we had. We burned so bright together. You won’t lose that.” “I loved you so much, Sara.” “You were perfect for me. And you always will be.  But now it’s time to let go.  It’s okay, honey.”
  • She’s wearing his wedding band.  Awww.
  • Q30: “I love you.”–Sara
  • Flashback to Clay crying over her casket. He puts his wedding banmd on her finger.
  • Back to present-day with Naley still lying together in the backyard.
  • Fade to black.
  • I am hysterical, tears running down my cheeks.  A lot of it is just this episode being super-relevant to me now but just an altogether moving, well-done episode.  The best of the whole season.
  • Wish it ended on Clay, not Naley, though.
  • Preview: Nathan says he wants to spend time with Jamie and “I barely even know this guy,” cut to Julian with camping gear and Chuck asking who he is, Brooke is having a girls night with Haley and Quinn, the guys are camping and Skills brings up Nathan and Brooke’s sex tape

Those are my thoughts.  What’s yours?








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