Sophia, Joy and Rob recall the massive production of filming Haley's tour and share behind the scenes details of what fans never saw. They get into the complexity of Julian's feelings for Alex and Brooke and share why they're still upset over a storyline involving Haley's sister Taylor.
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We all about that high school drama. Girl drama, Girl, all about them.
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Girl Drama, Queens Drama, Queens Drama, Queens Drama, Drama, Queens Drama, Queens. Hey, Everybody, Season seven, Episode thirteen Weeks go by like days. Air date January eighteen, twenty ten. Welcome everyone, Hey everybody, Hello, Hello friends, you got the whole crew today.
Everybody's back. Guys. I feel like our lives lately have been planes, trains and automobiles. Yes, everyone is just somewhere flying, driving, campaigning.
But look at us today. We got Sophia, we got Joy I'm back in my hotel room. It's like order has been restored in the universe.
Yes, a moment to breathe, I'm connect I love it well. This episode is uh. It's about the Scott family joining Haley on the last leg of the tour. It's about Brooke and Julian trying to figure their shout, reconnecting after a six week break.
Uh.
Okay.
Clay and Quinn are also trying to figure out how to move forward after his public declaration of of love. But it was it's not love, it's it's planned love. It's intense, an intended love.
It's predicted love.
Perhaps yeah, it's predicted love. And the post rehab alex not to be confused with Alexander. Somebody thought that was smart, tries to make amends with herself and the people she's let down. Writer Karen gist Or Kareem gist Or Gotheen, No, Hi, Karen, we love you. And director Wow, what'd you think?
Beautiful intro? Joy?
I really enjoyed this. Oh, I meant the episode, but also yes, the intro both both excellent.
No, what did you think the intro?
You were great? Flawless as usual, Joy, well.
Done, well done.
It was really fun and it was a very cool thing. You know, it's not lost on me that we just celebrated the twenty first anniversary of our show and we all got to talk about how Wilmington just always feels like home. Not to rub it in again, Rob, because I know you had major fomo. I know Hillary did. Also. I was like I was getting photos during my fomo on Saturday from the basketball game and then finally making it into town and then you had fomo and then Hillary was sending me photos of like the kid's soccer tournament, and I was like sending photos of brat pans. I was like, what is our life? This is crazy? But there was something about watching this episode where your tour joy made me feel the same way coming home for the conventions. Does you know what I mean? Like seeing Haley come home from six weeks on the road, and they did a really good job doing the montage and giving us the information about how long you guys had been gone as a family and the whole thing. And then you came home and it was like big crowds, big event, and it almost felt like a convention feels now, Yeah, And it was so cool.
It was fun.
This was a welcome reprieve after last week's episode where it just felt like every scene was doing the most and it was trying so hard, right, and then this episode was like, come join us on this fun musical tour. Yeah, we're gonna have a little adventure.
So you were right. Your instinct was right last week that it was the last episode before the break the holiday break, and that's why every scene felt like the end of the episode. I mean I was really starting to get exhausted, but it was. I enjoyed it still. But yeah, so this was a fun I like that they came back after six weeks after we had actually been gone for six weeks off the air. That's kind of cool. This was fun for me. This was a massive production doing this tour set up. I mean they really they really went all out. We were in Wilmington. I can't remember where we filmed that.
We were at the River Court.
Yeah, oh, you're right.
Courthouse in the background.
Yeah, yes, And I remember how cool it was to come down there because base Camp was where it always was and it was such a familiar location, but because they'd built you that enormous stage and then they put the Hayley James fans, like the audience, they put them on the concrete of the river Court. Yeah, and so it was like, oh my god. It just felt so cool because it was such a familiar place but it looked completely different.
Wow. How cool must that have been for the fans of the show who came in to work as extras, to be standing on the river cord and they get to play in that way, and we were all there, so they probably got to hang with all of us at some point. We got to sit in like chit chat, and that was one of the things that was really fun, Like there was so much there's so much connection with the fans at the time because people would calm down to Wilmington and they would hang out by the stages and we'd run into them at Port City Java. And then when we had big outdoor shoots like this, a lot of people were just around, so we really got to interact with the fans a lot on a personal basis, and I remember that from this. But this this was a massive, massive production. We shot this for like four or five days. I think it was a huge production.
You you as a performer, had to i mean do a full concert like with Pyro. There were technics like it's such a big deal, and it's funny because when they start, I went, oh my god. I remember this because I remember the silhouette of the Clay and Quinn kiss and what a big deal that was with that wall of like you know, White dropped down Pyro, and I remember how insane it was to do on the night because there was just fire everywhere.
Yeah, and they're just banking that it's not going to rain. Yeah. I mean we shot this in in what annually the air January, but we must have shot it in November before our break, which is not necessarily a dry season. I mean, that's such a huge gamble to take, but they figured it out, didn't It didn't rain.
And before we get into the nuts and bolts of all of it, I just got to make a general observation. You are a rock star.
Joy.
Yes, when you take the stage, you strut out to the microphone.
I had an audible okay, Joy yep, Like I was watched Jing a rock star like you had such stage presence.
I mean you always do, but on this one, like you were. You were given the tour vibes, you know, and it was so much fun to watch. You killed it, thank you.
Yeah, you were like feeling it and I was like, Okay, I had.
So much fun. I mean there were a few cringe moments for me watching it back, but I think some of it's that when they're that up close, the cameras that close, and you're being super dramatic. You're being very big and dramatic for a huge crowd, but the camera's right in your face, so it's like a little over time.
You're like, no, no, please stay wide for this. You I you're far away. That's so funny.
But yeah, it really was a lot of fun. I hadn't hadn't been on stage in a long time, you know, I grew up doing theater, but being on a stage that size, well, I had gone on the tour for One Tree Hill, but it felt more it was my set wasn't like that. I wasn't playing rock star. I was just like singing, singer, songwriter, guitari stuff. So this was fun to step into that character and just be like, Okay, I guess she's a super famous rock star.
Now all right, that's a pretty nice time jump perk.
Yeah, right, No, it was good. I remember working with Carol Cutshawl on the costumes for that, like we worked through we went through so many different dresses the age of Steampunk, when we were just leaning into the whole steampunk vibe that was kind of new at that time.
I don't normally notice fashion, but I will say I had a couple moments in this episode where I was acutely aware of the fashion of the time, like Victoria's remember how zippers used to be so popular, zippers on everything, and Victoria, I think it's wearing like a dress or something, but there's zippers on the shoulders.
Yeah, your shirt, Sophia too, you had this like a zipper. I don't know what that was. Was it like a It was almost like an eighteen hundred soldier like Napoleon ish kind.
Yeah, and it was a knit. It was a killing knit with that kind of military front and big metal buttons. And then even even Quinn when you guys are on your date, like the side of her tank top is a giant silver zipper. That's like everything was just metal and and yeah, that that steampunk energy of like I'm just gonna make a necklace out of a bunch of spare nuts and bolts from the Ikea furniture I built last week.
Like what, Yeah, hey, I have an old bike chain. I'm not using all attach it to my wallet. Y.
Yeah.
It was pretty Speaking speaking of extras in that concert, though, there was a wonderful moment.
It's when I know what you're gonna say.
It's a it's a single on Quinn right before Clay walks up Bless his heart. There is a background performer, a young guy right behind her who is yep, Sophia's got.
It crush, the clapping panamime clapping.
And absolutely no one at video village had his back. It is so clear. It's two things. First of all, go back and watch his audience. He's so clearly not clapping, he's not selling it at all. And then it's as if someone said, hey, your crush is over there, don't look like he truly looks everywhere except at the camera, but he's doing it so aggressively that you're like, is he okay?
And and dead giveaway that there's never actually music playing when people are talking in concert scenes. This poor sweet boy who wasn't told like, hey, it's pretty close on you. You should clap for this one until the actors start talking, also was given no like, here's where the beat is que, So he's like beat to the Haley James song, trying so hard. He's like, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look over there, don't look aware. Nobody had his back, and on behalf of our entire cast and crew. I would like to say, I'm very sorry, sir.
He's been listening to this podcast since its inception, waiting for this moment, and we're here to validate you. Buddy. Wasn't your fault?
No, not your fault, man, that's on us.
Sorry, But could you imagine being at a concert and looking everywhere except the stage? No, is he working security? What's going on?
Yeah? He looks like a bad CIA plant.
Yeah no, I never I missed it. I didn't notice it at all.
I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Yeah, that's the sort of thing like my little neurospicy I'm like, something doesn't fit, the pattern is off, Oh dear God, and then I can't stop looking. I literally had to like shake my own head and remind myself to pay attention to the unbelievably sweet moment that you guys were having in your scene, Rob, because I was like, my job is to take notes on the show, not to focus on this person in his green shirt.
Yeah, I'm very similar, Like, God forbid, there's a continuity issue with someone's drink in their hand, because my brain is like, oh, really, we'd half the iced tea go in that moment, Like I just I'm like, watch the movie, but just watch the movie.
Just suspend your disbelief. None of it's real.
Anyway, it was sweet between Clank Whin. Though. I really loved what you guys were up to in this episode. It was fun to watch you kind of stumbling your way through a new version of a relationship. This is what was fun.
Yeah, yes, stumble is a good word for it, because I initially found myself being a little confused. At the James residence. There's the awkward moment with Nathan, which I get when Clay shows up and he's awkward towards Quinn when Nathan's there, But after he closes the door and Nathan's not there and they're alone, I found it really odd that all he did was give Quinn a sideways hug, because, yes, you've been through a lot with this person. You've been missing each other and texting and flirting. You said you're gonna fall in love with her. You've been making out in the ocean, You've been making out. Are you telling me the first moment that you get together in private, you're not going to You're going to give her the this is my first cousin hug.
Why did you do that? Do you remember why you made that choice or were you directed to do that.
I'm a big fan of making bad choices that don't make sense. Joy, No, I have no idea why that happened, truthfully, but as a viewer, I was going, why why are we My only guess is that they just wanted to build to that last kiss at the end of the episode, you know, because they really obviously they made a huge meal of that, including the stylistic shot, which was a little confusing.
Yeah, suddenly we were in Titanic.
Yeah.
Yeah, Like I get what we're going for, but also it's awkward for my again, for that part of my brain goes, where's the rest of the audience, where's the stage? This geography doesn't make sense, and had you go, it's a it's a it's a kiss, it's a special moment. Let it go. The audience probably doesn't care. Yeah, but I just found it odd that it was like, hey friend, hi friend.
And this is after this is when you guys were alone. This is Nathan and I thought we shut the door and we were all still in the house.
No, because I think when I show up, when Clay shows up, Nathan and Quinn are there, I'm incredibly awkward and Nathan goes, okay, bye and he leaves and we shut the door. I don't think Hayley's there.
Yeah, you're alone with her.
It's just the two of us, which is why I just felt weird that it's not like, hey, babe, kiss.
Or turn around and pick her up and like I've been waiting so to see you.
It shows that we're texting, like miss you, thinking of you, so we are obviously vibing.
Yeah, maybe it was. Maybe it was one of those where it was like, shoot the rehearsal and you didn't know that that was the take they were going to use. Yeah, I wonder if maybe, like every other take, you guys did something else, and then when they got in the editing room, for whatever reason, they were just like, uh, we use the first one.
They're like, every take we have Buckley has peanut butter on his face. Why did they one? All right? We got to use the rehearsal, classic Buckley problem. I had a question. At the opening, We're seeing vignettes of people, and all of it was great, except on one I bumped on real hard, which was Millie appeared to be alone in an abandoned where house watching a video of ballerina? What was what's scene from requem for a Dream that got left on the editing floor.
I did a double take at that, saying, like, what what scene from Requiem for a Dream?
By the way for a Dream perhaps taken? I was like, has she been kidnapped?
Like bialy?
She said drug dealer? Where is she?
That was and we never addressed it right.
Never Also like why balance? There's so many ways that she could be looking at at women who are very thin. It was just so odd that she's just alone in darkness watching ballerinas.
Why wouldn't she be watching models on a runway.
Exactly exactly her competition, her peers. That was the only thing. I was like, wait what It.
Was very weird.
Yeah, it happened so fast though that by the time I because I was writing a note, I looked up just as that was that moment was happening, and then it went away into I think it cut into Quinn maybe, and I was like, I don't know what I just saw, but I to just keep rolling with this episode because I can still explain it later. And then they never explained it. They never I'm glad you brought that up, because yeah, I would have repaused and rewound.
It at least, though I will say this, I am so happy that we get our Lisa Goldstein back. And this episode seems to have tied a bow on this after school special. God I hope so I am just and everyone's probably tired of from I'm just so bored by this storyline. And I'm also frustrated because she's so talented and so good and I feel like she's just being wasted on it. And I was so immensely grateful that jumping forward a bit, the fever seems to break in a beautiful scene between and Alex where she is so honest and raw and great. She earned the turn so well, and you know, cut to the end where it's like, I love that Victoria is going to be the one to tough love her back to help. Yeah. Perfect, But I was just so grateful because it was like, there, there's the actress that should be getting this kind of material. She's crushing it. Let's use her. It was. I was so grateful for that.
It was really beautiful then. And the nice thing about that scene between Lisa and Jana is everything they've been forcing Millie to do this kind of intense attitude. This like bitchy Alex on steroids or your rugs. You see why, Like you see, all the pain gets to come out and that immense guilt of I've been horrible and I said these horrible things to you and then you did the most horrible thing imaginable, like the green and this shame. She just played it so beautifully and it made all of this stuff feel really really human.
Yeah yeah, where as opposed to there's so much stuff prior to this, before she said those awful things to Alex, it was just sort of like why are we doing this? Like the motivation is kind of loose and shaky, whereas you're exactly right. And this scene it was so well written because that's exactly It's like, I hate myself most of all, so I'm just going to continue treating myself terribly, you know. And she played it so so so well, and it was a wonderfully sweet, kind of rewarding experience for Alex, you know, where she's being selfless and she's showing up for someone. They have that great line at the party, which was so hilarious. That party with was like red lights, pretty people. It's obviously a model party, but Janice. I think Millie has a line where she's like why are you here? Like what are you doing? And Alex says, I'm getting you out of here because no one showed up for me, or something to that effect. It was like, oh, nice redemption, Okay, because again, yeah, another awesome actress. Like let's give her cool, meaty stuff.
Yeah, it was really enjoyable. Like, I loved watching the two of them in this episode. And I think it's because some of what we've been talking about, particularly with their characters, is that for a while they've been written like stereotypes and in this episode they get back to being these really interesting, dynamic humans.
Yeah, multidimensional women.
Yeah, it's because of the women that they are, and they get this great material that lets them show it off, just like you're saying, Rob, they get to really dig their teeth into it. And yeah, I just loved. I loved seeing it, and as a viewer, I loved the relief of you know, the panic I felt when Julian left that hotel room and Alex immediately took out her phone yes asked where the party was.
I was like no, no.
And then when I realized what was happening.
I was like hero and.
I was having such a good time as an audience member. And I love that kind of misdirect when it's done well.
It's just interesting with Alex, Like I, I'm finding it a little unbelievable, like I want to I want to go with it. But also she showed so many sides of her personality when she first showed up, that this this instinct for manipulation and the constant flip flopping to just get whatever was serving her. I don't know that that goes away so quickly. And I appreciate the the place that she's living from right now, but I don't know, I don't I'm like, where, where's all the other?
What?
You're just suddenly a different person. You just don't have all those tendencies anymore.
I hear what you're saying, because she's been largely manic to this point.
Yeah.
And and they only showed for about a split second that she even went to treatment after you know, her trying to unlive herself. So yeah, I hear what you're saying. I will say one thing that was cool was how about for a rare change of pace? Uh, A woman saved a woman or well done.
Yeah, all three of.
Them and again perfect the perfect person to do it. That all of that was just that made so much sense. It folds in perfectly with this Bittoria is getting soft, you know, which I love to see. And yeah, I just thought it all worked so so well.
It's the tree hell magic. That effect, like the small community people wanting to take care of each other is starting to rub off. It's rubbing off on Alex, it's starting to rub off on Victoria. You can't help it. You just it's in the water there. People start to really care about those in their community and they invest. I feel like that's something we've seen consistently happen on the show for the characters.
And I think when you have characters like the ones in this show, I've certainly experienced this. I just had dinner with Kenny last night and we were talking about this. You know, in the almost twenty years we've all been friends. Like, when people get to be part of a friend group that really shows up for each other, especially if they're newer to it, they do the same. You go, oh, that's possible, and so what a cool thing that when you think about the length of these friendships like for Brooke and Haley and Peyton and Nathan and Lucas and you know, yes, they're gone, but even the fact that you know Quinn would have even though we didn't get to see it grown up in the same house as you like, Yeah, these are people who show up. And you're right, everybody who winds up spending time with him becomes the kind of person who shows up.
Even Dan shows up uninvited. He shows up everywhere, he sure does, except in this episode.
But it's like, it's this amazing mark of community and particularly I think longevity.
Yeah.
And one of the things I will say I really love too is that Victoria is softening. You know, she can be flipping about it and say, oh, I know it's tragic, but the way she softens is to become more gentle. But she's still just as sharp and I loved that we got to see that in her conversation with Julian, because he's like, don't bring this other guy around, like, you know, don't mess this up for me in Brooke Da Da Da Da, and she's just like, oh, honey, she might have problems. She might not let you in as fast as you think she should. But I see that you like that Alex likes you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And what I loved I loved that she called him out on it and still said I adore you and I think you're good for my daughter, because it allowed me to see that Victoria could vocalize what Brooke then couldn't, Like when me and Julian get in the fight at the concert and it's like, I didn't want to fight, I just wanted Brooke doesn't have the wherewithal to get past I saw it. I saw it. I'm not making it up. And he's like, you're not listening to me. I'm telling you, I choose you. But we know that what she can't get over is true. She sees that he likes that attention and he might say, but I'm not gonna go there, and it's like, but but you still want the attention, and so there is actually a problem. Yes, Brook's heart is broken and she has trauma and it's gonna take her a while longer to open up. Je shocker. That feels familiar.
Also, she's not wrong, she's not crazy. Julia's living in fantasyland.
But I loved that the they both had their convictions and interestingly, enough. The person who showed me like, well, you're both kind of right and you're both kind of wrong was Victoria. I was like, this is sick. This is great writing, so great.
Which was validating as a viewer because I found myself like this episode, every scene with Alex and Julian going, she's so clearly still in love with this guy. Every scene she is making heart eyes at him, and again, guy, you got to take some accountability, Like you got to see that and go, hey, I think I'm picking up on the fact that, like you're still hoping this is available. It's again he has he has no idea what a healthy boundary is. So when Victoria said, I was like, yes, yes, because every scene and then it's like he's also doing things which again like that we find out that he and his dad are the ones that put up the money for the film, and he's like, because I believe in you. You if someone has feelings for you, you have to be very careful with the way you deliver that in for because they are going to be looking for evidence that what they're feeling is real, you know. And I just feel like he's like Julie, like Troya said, he I think he enjoys it to an extent.
At least he's being honest about it. Now it seems like he's embracing the fact. He's like, I want to save her. I'm going to do all these things in order to try and save her. I mean, it's better to make a mistake and at least be honest about the way you're going about it and be like, this is what I think is the right thing to do, and I'm going to do it. And we're all watching cringing, But at least you're not trying to convince yourself. At least he's not trying to convince himself that he's doing something else. So I appreciate that, and I think that's the healthiest way to go about any decision that we're making in life. There was a lot I mean to have this note like he's in fantasy world about all of this, But that last conversation they had was compelling, Like some of the stuff that he was saying, I guess because he is being honest about where he's at. Then you have to think about in the context of a relationship. Sometimes you just watch your partner make a mistake and like if the mistake is something that's going to push on your boundaries to a point that's a deal breaker, then that's a deal breaker. But if it's not, then maybe you can hold space for that. It just doesn't seem like either of them can hold space for the other person's stuff right now.
Well, and what I think is really interesting too, is particularly what it made me think a lot about is that, particularly as women, we get told like, well, you have to forgive people, You have to make space for people. That's part of your job. And what I appreciate about at least this as you're saying, it's like a thing everybody goes through. Can I make space for your? Will you make space for mine? But what I love that the writers gave the storyline between Brooke and Julian in this episode is that it's not just you like attention from another person. It's not just something we've heard before. Brooke gets to look at this guy and go, how am I supposed to compete with? It's the love you carrie for your dead mother? Uh huh, Like you are putting this girl in that empty cutout of a human who you miss every day?
Yeah, Like, how am I supposed to compete? With that, and Brooks biggest trigger is being chosen choose me, like yes, once someone choose me.
Yes, don't use me and then and then move on. And it's this wild thing because I get where he's coming from, where he's saying, you know, I'm choosing you, and I'm going to maintain this other relationship and you need to.
Figure that out.
And I absolutely get why she's looking back at him and going, you're telling me you're going to maintain a relationship that is a replacement for your dead parent, and you think I'm going to feel safe competing with that for your attention.
Yeah, this is wild and it is yeah, and.
It's a I love that it's a juicy storyline that's real and that it isn't it's not the obvious, and because it's not the obvious, it feels refreshing.
Yeah, I think there are. This is one of those things that I think about when I'm in relationships too, and I bump up against a partner's stuff and it's you. There are times when I think there are I have to be objective about this, even though I feel emotional. There are other women in the world who would be okay with this. I'm just not because of my own A, B and C. But does that mean that I should be working on my A, B and C? Or is this just a bad fit because it's not necessarily that I'm wrong or you're wrong, It's just there's a there's a woman out there who probably would be fine with Julian. I mean, I think she'd be annoyed. But it's like, Okay, honey, you go on your journey like this is this is irritating, but I'll see you when you on the other side. I'm still here. I'm going to walk through it with you, but not brooke it. She can't. Yeah, it's not right for her.
But I think that's what's interesting, And what you're referencing is what I was sort of beginning to talk about earlier. It's that we get encouraged to just accept and it's like, so is the acceptance that I have to work on the A, B and C? Or is the acceptance me violating boundaries that make me feel respected, healthy and safe?
But could it be couldn't it be that you just that's part of sacrificial love, that you're like, I love you and that's partnership and I'm here for you, and I don't agree with this choice you're making. It hurts me, but I'm in this with you, and I realize you're going to realize it one day and we'll I'll walk through it with you.
But I think that's the case by case basis, right for sure. Yeah, And I think it's interesting that we're talking about the lessons we've learned in relationships because I can certainly look back and go, oh, I know where I was encouraged to make more space or sacrifice a bit or whatever, and then when I've gotten to the other side of it and shared with some people like, well, this is what I was trying to work through, people are like, are you freaking nuts? Why that's crazy? You know, how could you like someone treated you that way or did this or tried to normalize that.
Yeah, when your threshold for pain is so high, you know, it's hard to tell the difference.
When you have a very high threshold for suffering. Yeah, you don't always realize how mistreated your being in the moment.
Yeah.
Yeah, that was one thing I realized in therapy. It was like I got really good at making a meal out of a crumb. And if you've done that for long enough, then crumbs start to look like meals. Yes, so it's like, but I they're good people. Remember they sent me a Hallmark card on my birthday, And it's like that's it, that's the whole meal, you know. Like, but I love this that scene at the at the concert between Brooke and Julian because I just found it so relatable. There were so many times, you know, because Jane and I have we've done we did couples therapy, we've done we've done couples therapy a lot, and so many times we'd be bringing something to them and our therapists would say, hey, you guys are getting lost in the content. You're not actually you're not actually talking about what's really going on. And it was perfect because you know, when Brooke is like, I saw you holding her hand, this was a perfect example because it's like completely fair he did that. If someone is alone in a hospital room after trying to end their life, it is just a compassionate human being thing to do to hold their handy. But it's like, it's not it's not really about that moment. It's about this much deeper, bigger, underlying issue. But that happens, right because it's like I'm activated, you're activated. We were both sort of like afraid and defensive and combative, you know, and so you start you stop talking about the root cause, and you start just like, but then you did this thing. Well then you did this thing, you know, and it's like, yeah, we're not having the same conversation anymore.
And that's what it is, is they're in the minutia. And that's why I think the Victoria choices from the writers were so good, because Victoria is like, oh, you're in the minutia and here's the issue. This is her issue, and this is your issue, sir, figure it out. And I just thought, oh, that's so great to be able to see both of these people and yeah, and both of their you know, their wounds, their flaws, and go, of course you're having a nightmare situation right now. You're literally you're you're like sticking a thumb in each other's bruises.
Yeah, this is why therapy is so great, to be able to take it to someone and an objective third party who can go huh okay, because you know, like we all have our own stories that we hang on our experiences and what other people's behavior meant and how it felt. And it's so nice to be able to go to someone and have them go okay, it actually seems like this is a pattern of yours. It seems, you know, like it's it's so helpful, at least for myself. It's been so helpful to have a an experienced, professional set of eyes to look at my stuff and help me untangle the mess, because if I try to do it on myself, it's like, oh, we're not going to get anywhere. I have so much baggage. I'm caring how much?
How how can I see through it?
I can't through it well.
And particularly from inside. You know, the book of your own life, you can. You can find proof for any story you're trying to tell yourself.
A man, sister, you know you can.
Really You're like, well, this is obviously why I'm a failure at this, or this is why this person just can't be kind, or this is why. And it's like sometimes you need somebody to go. I don't know if that's the whole the whole thing. Try to look at it this way and it and it just it gives you permission to see differently, and everybody needs.
That and It's also so helpful to have someone go, yeah, that's not normal. That sounds really painful, that that's not actually how that should go. That's not a loving dynamic, you know, And all of a sudden you're like, oh my gosh, so I'm not crazy. I'm allowed to feel this way because I know, at least for myself, I oftentimes, especially early on, like I needed someone else to give me permission to have the feeling I was having. Like I would be feeling like someone was not being kind or loving to me, but I would talk myself out of it. Maybe they're having a bet, maybe they may.
That you want to get people the benefit of the dob yes.
And I would do that to a fault kind of like Julian. And it was so nice to have someone go, hey, just so you know, that's that's not a reciprocal loving relationship. Yeah, just because someone's saying this, if these are their actions behind it, those words don't match those actions.
And that is exactly the thing I think that can like save you in a way, Like from what we were discussing a little earlier, Joy, like I needed someone to have that conversation with me and say, no, these are not sacrifices you or anyone else should be making. Yeah, these these things are dangerous. You are absolutely allowed to say this is a violation and it's a deal breaker for me. You don't have to deny your deal breakers to be good or to be nice. And it's really revelatory when somebody helps you readjust your threshold.
Yeah, you don't have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.
One of my favorite phrases.
Honey, I love that one.
And you know what's really interesting. I mean, we're obviously coming at this from our grown self perspectives, but it's not lost on me that, you know, healthy emotional communication is something that our generation of parents is talking about in ways that you know, our parents just didn't have the tools for. And I saw Nathan differently in this episode, in particular with Jamie because of exactly what we're talking about. I literally wrote down when he started to say, did you ask your friends how they's? Some was yeah, And he started giving this little boy tools, and I wrote down I go, oh, my god, what a signifier that Jamie Scott will grow up to be an emotionally communicative man because he's learning it from this generation of parenting.
Yep, and Nathan stepping in and setting up the behind the scenes tour, just giving Jamie that little extra help that he needed. Yeah, it was really healthy, so good.
It was so sweet, and it's like Nathan has been through what the three of us are talking about. He's had to learn to be his best self and learn communication and learn all these things that you know clearly you watch Nathan Scott episode one, season one, he didn't have and we see it in practice with his kid, and I was like, Oh, this is a dynamic I definitely didn't get when we were shooting this series, but I get it now and it's so cool.
Yeah, And what's great is that because I think like no one's ever going to get parenting right, like you're the best you can do is to just to just show up and try your best, and when you make mistakes, you learn from it. And it's I kind of see that when the camping trip he has that moment with Julian where Julian saw something in his son that he didn't see, and it's almost kind of like a small ocean moment of like, oh, I'm not paying as close attention to this as I could be and then two episodes later we see this where he's really in tune with his son and he gives him some great feedback did you ask them? And then he sees what's going on and he shows up. He brings these backstayed passes to set Jamie to look up like a hero. So it was a real nice like look at you go. You saw you were slacking a bit, and you stepped up.
I loved seeing them all the montage of the tour bus and watching them together on the tour, the fact that he goes with them, it's it's just I think it's really what what everybody needed. And watching watching Nathan's just totally dive in one hundred percent on being the sort of stay at home dad on this tour bus and taking care of Jamie and investing in him while his wife goes off and does her rockstar thing. It was just such a great There was no threat to anybody, There was no weird hierarchy or struggles within the marriage about that. It was just love and support and it was inspirational to me. I loved it.
And Jamie saying road Dogs, I mean that was so damn funny to me.
So good, so good.
Speaking of funny, I thought it was pretty funny when Millie was at the court for her DUI and the judge who has only one case in tree Hill, apparently Arty was privy to the fact that she had recently lost her job. Ye, this judge has a lot of free time if she's if she's that hip to the four one one on Millie's employees.
Don't you have to fill out paperwork?
I don't know.
Would Milly have had to disclose that or didn't it Victoria fired her like the day before, so maybe she Yeah, that was it was intense.
I'm saying it was just it was so recent that I thought this was a small town.
I love the way that woman can committed to her material.
Though.
She was like, I am going to teach you a lesson right now, and I am in charge, and you are going down a dangerous path. I was like, yes, ma'am, I am listening.
Yeah.
I was like, I'm seated. She gave big principal energy.
Yes, yes, yeah. Where was she? I need her at the principles the school? Yes?
Please?
Can we talk about Alexander? Yeah, the random random man who showed up at the end of the anti climactically showed up at the end of the last episode, and now suddenly I wanted more time getting to know you too, together just in the in a work context or front. It just felt like suddenly we were thrust in the middle of Yeah, you know when you just turn on a movie and it's halfway through and you're just trying to catch up with the relationship. That's what I felt like, from the moment that we've met him. Now, it's like, I'm just supposed to believe that you guys are working together all the time. Everything's great. It was hard for me, well, but I like him.
Yeah. It's one of those things that I think when you do the it's been six weeks with a brand new character, you really do them a disservice because I can buy thanks to the montage, the six weeks of Hailey, Nathan and Jamie on tour, where.
Was the Brooke and Alexander montage exactly?
There were little It's like there just wasn't enough. And what I will say is I think watching it back, I was like, Oh, the energy between us really is so sweet. He's not flirting, it's not like very professional trying to get in there seeing if she's it's none of that. The conversations that close over bros when they're working feel really nice and grounded. I can buy that these two are building a friendship. But yeah, I wish I'd gotten to see something that would have shown it to me more than I was told to believe it.
Yes, like if there had been two quick shots of like you guys laid at night with Chinese takeout on the table, talking and drawing, and then like something else, because I thought the same thing the first scene we see with you two, when you're introducing some stuff with Julian and it ends with him saying, no one should treat Brooke Davis like that. Oh that yeah, And I just thought, you, that's such an awkward thing to say, because we don't know you.
You haven't earned that with us as an audience.
Yeah, you have it. It was unearned. That's exactly right where I felt like it was one of those ones going okay, here's the potential love threat, and look how sweety. It just felt very heavy handed because it was so quick.
I was so confused because when Brooke is in reducing him to that boardroom of people, it seemed like she was not too happy about it. It seemed like you were not upset, but there was just this kind of like malaise. I think that I was confused as to what the relationship is like. Is she happy that they're working together? Is she wishing that she was doing this on her own and Victoria sort of thrust him into this, and she's just doing it because she's got too many other things to worry about. I just didn't get to see, and they didn't give you a chance. There was no I mean, what are you supposed to do? You're just saying these lines and passing it off. But if we had gotten the montage, if we'd gotten the eating Chinese food, if we'd been able to see a camaraderie building, I would have felt more clear about it.
Well, and especially because that's the top of the episode, and when Victoria hires this man, Brooke is like, what are.
You doing exactly? So the next thing I see is yeah, okay, so Brook doesn't like it.
Yeah, it's like okay, well he's here. But if they'd given us the opportunity to more clearly show that we'd build a friendship, then that scene wouldn't have had to be so so professional. That it feels neutral.
That's what I was going to say. It felt like you were just trying to show this is a very professional relationship and Brooke is still heartbroken about Julian, and I feel like you were playing a lot of complex layers that in context would have made a lot of sense, but on their own, I was just like, well, well, what is going on? Who is he? Who is this guy?
Yeah, like a shot of him bringing in your coffee and he got your order exact like you looking at the cup and going, oh my god, he got my order right, you know, and then like you eating Chinese food late, you know what I mean. You could have set it up so much, yeah, just more effectively. Because it did. It just felt like whoa like breakneck speed of how quickly or.
Even if you weren't really that close friends and they wanted to build it so that now we get to see him starting that. You could have done plenty of things of coming in and out of doors and waving and not having a lot of interaction and just passing PaperWorks and keeping it very professional. I just it wouldn't have taken that long. I wish we could have done that, But I'll imagine it in my mind.
And the way they I mean, there could have been such an easy way to do it too, Like when Haley and the family are on tour, if she'd like, you know, turned on her cell phone and then it cut to me on my phone and then we hang up, and I turned to Alex and that, like, there would have been ways to show like while you guys were gone, the rest of us were homeworking and yep, all of these things, but we didn't. We didn't take like the extra half a day to do the things that would have gone so much harder.
I wonder if it was in the script, but because the concert stuff was so massive, I wonder if they just cut a bunch of stuff down.
Let's say that, let's give them that they totally wrote all of these scenes in but they just got cut for time.
Yeah.
Going back to the Victoria thing, one thing I really liked, because they are showing the softer side of Victoria, is that they still made maintained vintage Victoria and with the Calliope riffs Calliope my gosh, where.
She calls her catastrophe, Calliope bless you, Yeah, Calliope bless you, and then later she calls her catastrophe catastrophe. It was so nice to see the softer side of her but still completely maintaining her bitchy edge.
That is so funny. Also, Joy, did you notice at the at the top of the episode, there's the scene in the kitchen between Haley and Quinn and you hander the envelope containing the divorce paper, and the envelope is clearly opened, and you are smiling when you hand it to her, And then later you go in the room because I thought, is that just a mistake the thing to see you? But then you go into the bedroom and you know, you go, how about that paper? Which made me go, why the hell is she smiling when she hands her sister the surprise divorce paper?
Oh, oh my gosh, I don't know. That must have been just a bad choice on my on my part, not Payton not knowing what I was doing.
By the way, the envelope had clearly never been closed. It wasn't like an envelope that had been ripped open. True, it was a pristine envelope that you hand her out of the stack of junk mail. And then why also was it stamped with like the final notice stamp that people get on bills, except it said divorce final. I was like, who did this? Oh no, what is this?
The whole thing was so oh yeah, because I was dumping out mail and then I just turned around and hand it to her. But I wouldn't have had time to read it because I just handed it to her from the mail.
But which is right. That's why I told myself during the scene was she's just unaware of what it is and maybe it just came open on its own. The problem is when you go to the bedroom to consult when you are already aware of what it was or what it is.
Maybe I thought it was happy, like you've been waiting for this moment. Now that's weird. I don't know why.
She's obviously filed and maybe you saw it was from a courthouse or something, you know, who knows.
We shot the rehearse that's it. I was not paying attention. We shot the rehearsal and that's what they used.
Well.
And by the way, maybe no, maybe you're doing the thing.
And because of the giant red divorce final stamp, when she opens the letter and reads to the bottom of it, you see it and go oh, but you see it off camera because it cuts from her reading it to the insert. Her she opens it, it goes to the insert, and then it goes to her face, and then the scene is over. So we never see you react to it. So in your defense, you may have reacted to it, is what I'm saying.
I don't know. I also could have just not been paying attention and funded in that day.
No, I think you reacted to it perfectly, but we had to cut it for time, just like the montage scenes with that. Another thing that didn't quite make sense to me was, or at least I laughed at. I think people maybe who don't work in the industry maybe didn't bump on this, but that Julian and Alex's film is already uh about to go into production. Uh huh. They just got financing, and yet they have already locked up their cast, their locations, their crew. It's a go. Just for our listeners, it doesn't happen that fast unless you're shooting a short film in your home with your own friends, with your own equipment. It doesn't happen that fast.
Yeah. No, no.
And by the way, the things that can happen in between, like one thing goes wrong and the movie that you know you're supposed to start mid August is now going to be in January. Literally my life this summer. It's like you lose one location and it bumps all the things and everything changes, which is what happens in the world. And I'm like, in six weeks, he convinced his dad to put up their own money and they have a fully available crew, equipment, locations, trailers like actors.
What good luck ensuring the high profile actress who just went to rehab and just I had an attempt at taking her hand. Good luck getting that insurance, guys, No good luck for a low budget film.
Good luck Speaking of behind the scenes and how things get made, we have a listener question from Sarah. She's asking, we were just in Wilmington for the FWB Friends of Benefits weekend. Hi, thanks for joining us, and they did the location tour. As she said, thanks for the lunch suggestion. I can't remember which. Oh that's Power seven for sure. Oh okay, okay, that was.
I'm glad you guys loved it.
We were wondering how does location scouting work? How and why did they pick the houses that they did. Anybody else do you want to jump in.
I mean there is an entire department that handles locations.
It is called the Locations Department.
Yeah, it's a huge job.
Not an easy job either.
No, Like think about realtors in a city that have to deal with houses that are for sale and houses that are for rent, apartments that are for rent and furnishing. It's very similar. And they have to essentially houses in the area that are available for locations and other venues you know, coffee shops, businesses, all the things, and then each of those goes into like a thematic file, and then depending on what an episode needs, they get a list of locations and then they compare it to the locations they know are available. And then they also go out proactively and they'll you know, if we're looking for, say an all brick house on a corner like Peyton Sawyer's house, they will drive around town and put letters about if you're open to renting, please contact us in people's mailboxes. It is a huge job.
We want to film on your lawn. Can we see the inside of your house? I like the inside of your house? Can we film in here?
But can we paint this dining room?
Yeah?
I think we got to renovate sometimes. Also, a house may look really great from the outside and be perfect, but you know, you also need some interiors that go from outside to the inside. Can we shoot it inside your house? You walk in and the hallways are too small to get the cameras into, and so that throws ou out the window. Then you got to figure out if you can shoot the interior, if you can build the interior, or find a different house to shoot the interior in that's close enough to the exterior so that we're not driving all over town. It's a I mean, those are like detectives with the red string. Like everything has to coordinate perfectly.
And you have to find things that are going to be visually appealing on camera. You know, at the end of the day, we're making television. It's a bit of a fantasy. So of course Brook has this beautiful house on the water with a marina outside, and of course Clay's house is right on the beach, and these are you know, these really important locations that make a place look exceptionally beautiful, and they also all come with their own sort of sets of difficulty. It's why after the beginning of season seven, you don't see us out on Brooks Patio very much like it just was too heart to go down to Carolina Beach all the time, and that's where that house was.
Great question, Good.
Question, Sarah. Before we wrap things up, I got two things we need to touch on. Loved seeing mouth back from California. Yeah, was so lovely. Was I've been waiting for that? So I was like, yeah, all right, guys. And the other thing was and I need I need a little refresher on Taylor and her backstory.
Oh yeah, Lindsay McKeon shows back up.
Yeah, so Taylor is Haley and Quinn's other sister who took Nathan's.
Virginity, gathered that much, okay, and now.
She's dating Quinn's ex husband.
Oh god, I've blocked.
I was like, Taylor here, I I blocked it out too. I genuinely had no idea. I was like, oh, Lindsay's back.
I wonder why I used to feel a little bad for David, just because it's like it's heartbreaking when people can't figure it out, you know, like he's got his way of doing things, Quinn has her way just wasn't the right match. But that guy now over it.
Noah's sister by.
No, he tipped his petty hand with the whole I'm gonna drive home, get the rest of your clothes and throw them all over this random dude's long. Oh yeah, so we already got a glimpse that he had that.
You could give him a little, a little new way for just being really hurt and petty. And it's like, Okay, everybody does stupid shit when they're really hurt.
Yeah, we can give you the emotional mulligan on that one you were seeing red, you were heartbroken, fair enough, but then when he does this, you go, oh, no, it's a pattern. This is who you are, because that is wildly intentional.
The sister, the sister. It's insane, it really is. And it's not just like a one moment blow up. This is no pathological You have sought her out, You have decided to enter into this. It is clearly revenge. It's terrible. And you come to Nathan and Haley's house with you, Yeah, you show up just to walk around and put peacock around with her. It's so gross.
That that would be a great scene with the therapist. I would love to just unpack that with him, because he's a psychopath. Also she's a psychopath. Yeah, she knows who he is and for him, like, could you imagine how awkward and uncomfortable it would be, like just put yourself as a normal person in his shoes, like to show up to your ex partner's house with the family, with the Wisibly family what.
Oh absolutely insane. And I was really surprised that Quinn didn't when when the door shut, Who shut the door? Was it me? Was it Quinn? I thought it was Quinn who shut the door, And I couldn't believe she didn't walk out and shut the door, like she decided to stay and see what's all this about? Shut the door with all of us in the house.
I mean, oh my god, it's so awkward.
It's like, what are you going to do? I got that. It's like, well, I guess everyone's okay, what's happening? And then they kiss right in front of her. Oil.
You know what it is? He's he's the male version of Alex in the sense that this is just wildly manic behavior. We saw him being genuinely heartbroken and sincere five episodes ago, and now he is just a different person. Showing up with the sister at the family home. Yeah, that's bonkers. Makes for good TV, though, I want to see what happens.
It's gonna get weird.
It is.
She would have had no reason to be, but god, I wish Victoria had been in the room in that moment. Commentary would have been a chef's kiss.
That would have been great.
Next week, we'll.
See any honorable mentions.
Yes, you covering We Belong to the Night? Yeah, I thank you.
Was fun.
It with a lot of prep for that concert, so many was recording so many songs. We worked so hard on that. It was really cool to see it come to fruition.
You guys killed it. Yeah, you're all of your hard work paid off and showed. Yeah.
I loved it. That cover was great.
Soph you have an honorable mention.
Yeah, I second yours. I loved that. I literally wrote in all caps, I'm just scrolling down to my notes we Belong to the Night cover and like all caps lock because I forgot.
You know.
Yeah, it's like it's been so long. I remember shooting all of it, but I didn't remember like the particulars of every song, and I forgot that there was that that was the end of the day.
I know, And then we got to meet Pat Benattar at that art It was so full circle.
It was really cool.
I covered your song on TV, but I didn't because I'm but didn't want to embarrass myself.
No, I get it.
It's one of those moments where you're like, I want to say the thing, but I'm not going to say the thing because I know, I know how this interaction goes the other way.
Yeah, I know what am I gonna what's she gonna say? What's she gonna say? Great congratulation? Yeah?
Yeah.
Has there ever been a celebrity where you overrode that instinct and you just let yourself geek out and have a moment?
Yeah, all the time. I'm absolutely unhinged. What are you talking about? Like Jenny will come with me to things and be like, you cannot behave this way. You are also a famous person, and I'm like, that's.
Hand I got to be.
Oh, like I can't. I can't. I don't know. I don't know how to talk to people that I admire. It is so I don't either. I just don't know how to do it.
I love that you're just open about it, though, that you just like openly freak out because it actually is so much safer too, because you then the person knows that where exactly where they stand with you. I shut down and I just close up and then and then just like try to be cool, which it has the opposite effect because people can read they know when you're just trying to be cool, and then it's like, why are you being weird? And then it's yeah, I wish I could have had more of that, Like I need to let myself be free more.
We're both weird in different ways because it's also weird. Like sometimes I'm like, if I could have just rained that in a little bit, I might have mill And then I think about it for like the next seventy two hours.
Oh yeah, I can't sleep.
Oh yeah, I'm I am right there in the middle of you two where I will not hesitate to tell someone that they do great work and I love their stuff. However, I am weirdly clinical about it. I'm like a doctor, like seeing a patient for the first time. Well, I will just like be passing someone in an elevator and be like, excuse me, I just want to let you know you do tremendous work. I love your stuff and then I'll walk away like I'm awkwardly like efficient, I'm like very like Switzerland about it, where I'm like, here's the information. You are great, have a wonderful day.
Yeah, yeah, I don't want to take up your time.
Yes, exactly, I'm like overly concerned about that.
You're like a friendly robot. I love that.
Literally saw Jerry d this Canadian comedian at the Sutton last time I was there, and I saw him leaving the elevator, and I did exactly that. It went like, Hey, Joey, do great work. I love your stuff. Oh You're just like what just oh, thank you?
You know, because it's by a compliment.
Yeah, Like I want I want to let you know I love you, but also I'm also aware of how these are, so I want to let you know you owe me nothing. Friend, I'm already gone by the time you've heard it.
I did the same thing to Alan Cumming and Kristin Channa with at the Sutton Man Vancouver. Yes, they were standing outside and I was I was walking out with Maria. I was early in the morning. We were walking the dog, so I was rolled down in my pajamas. But I was like, I can't I can't just walk past them and pretend like I'm not a massive fan and have been for many, many, many many years. Yeah, but it was the same kind of like I walked the dog, hoped that they would still be in there, kind of walked with the elevator, and just like right before I got on, just kind of shouted over my shoulder, you guys are amazing. I'm so so impressed.
I love you.
Thank you for all your hard work.
Bye, I love a good drive.
By complimenting, my honorable mention goes to you, Rob say more game respect game you, Bobby Hobbs, that line off. I could not believe you had to say that out loud game in that context, Like it was so everything about it was so awkward, and you made it work. But I remember when I heard it, I was like, I looked looked up, like, did he have to say that line out loud? It's so corny, but you did it. It worked.
Go on, Bobby Hobbs. Yeah, I forgot about that thing.
Who was Bobby Hobbes.
It was the boy in first grade who asked Quinn if she would be his girlfriend.
Oh, oh, the name of the guy. That's why you say game respect game.
Yes, yeah, and that's why Clay circles back and hands her the note of will you be my girlfriend? And yeah, revisiting that.
Story, super super cute. Yeah, oh, I thought you meant like somebody named Bobby Hobbs came up with the quote game respect game.
Shall we spin ourselves a wheel?
Let's spin a wheel, folks, most likely.
Most likely to be a Radio City rocket. Well, clearly Millie is just watching Ballet for some reason in her little drug done good answer.
I think Millie is a great answer, especially because Lisa is such a good dnswer. And I also think like the person who came to my mind immediately was Barbara.
Yes, oh sure do you think seeing her in that cheerleading uniform this weekend at the convention and she was just hoppy with all the girls. Oh yes, Barbara Allan Woods.
I got pictures of her and I was like, that's it, Like an ageless beauty with those legs.
Yeah, a real tomato with great stems. Barbara Allan Woods. Put that woman on stage with the rackets.
Let's well, next week is clearly going to get juicy because this Tailor and David thing is nuts and and the title really does give it away. Our next episode Friends is season seven, episode fourteen, actually titled Family Affair.
We are family. Hey, oh boy, stick around kids. Hey, thanks for listening.
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