One Tree Hill Series Finale Review- There Is Only One...

Even after the 45 minutes of interviews and clips highlighting the best moments of all nine seasons, the aptly titled "One Tree Hill" took us all down memory lane once again with callbacks to moments, locations, and characters of the past in last-ever episode of this classic drama.

Everything wrapped up in a tight little bow in the series finale of One Tree Hill, and I'm perfectly fine with that. It is certainly better than the adverse, where the audience is left in the balance, not having any idea what is going to happen to the characters it fell in love with.

That definitely wasn't the case with this ending, as we know exactly what Brooke, Nathan, Haley, Mouth, and the rest of the gang will be up to for the rest of their adult lives.  They will be living out the happy and the sad moments in this town... this place that they still look at ever so fondly.

Things have come full circle on One Tree Hill. It all began with a majority of these characters living in this town as kids. Those that have stuck around are now grown, and have kids of their own. The difference – and one of the best takeaways from the series in general – is that they have all learned from not only their own mistakes, but the mistakes of their parents.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill series finale, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 913 - "One Tree Hill"
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One Tree Hill- Most Memorable Moments (Part 3)

With the One Tree Hill series finale just around the corner, we're looking back at some of our favorite moments from the teen drama that bridged the gap between iconic hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and modern day winners, such as The Vampire Diaries.

Leading up to this evening emotional farewell, TV Fanatic has been counting down the nine moments from nine seasons of One Tree Hill that will stay with us for as long as Naley stays together.

Read the three entries below, add your favorites in the Comments, watch this evening's two-hour event and then return to TV Fanatic for a full review. Bring a Kleenex or two dozen.

3. Dan Scott's redemption and death.

It all went down only a couple of weeks ago, but Dan Scott's redemption and final goodbye was one of the most emotional moments in the history of the series. The man that was responsible for so much pain and heartache for the characters on One Tree Hill was finally able to make up for all of that by going on an action movie-like rampage in order to save Nathan from the clutches of crazy European mobsters. Dan Scott might have been the biggest stud of all time in that moment, and it led to an extremely sad goodbye in the very next episode. His friends and family were able to forgive him for all the terrible things he did, and Dan went to heaven as Keith's plus one.

To read the rest of my final stroll down One Tree Hill memory lane, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill- Most Memorable Moments (Part 2)

With the One Tree Hill series finale just around the corner, it is time to remember some of our favorite moments from the teen drama that bridged the gap between iconic hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and current winners, such as The Vampire Diaries.

In the three days before Nathan, Brooke, Haley and company say goodbye to America for good, TV Fanatic will be counting down the nine moments from nine seasons of One Tree Hill that will stay will with us for as long as Naley stays together.

Read the entries seven through four below, and then add your favorite One Tree Hill moments in the comments!

6. Quentin and Jamie’s bromance.

Quentin Fields recurred on One Tree Hill over the course of seasons five and six. He was a fun character, but might not have been better than when bonding with James Lucas Scott. Whether it was dancing at basketball practice in the sixth season premiere, wearing those capes around town, or how deeply saddened young Jamie was after Q’s death, this was an extremely entertaining relationship to watch.

To read the rest of part two in this trip down One Tree Hill memory lane, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill- Most Memorable Moments (Part 1)

With the One Tree Hill series finale just around the corner, it is time to remember some of our favorite moments from the teen drama that bridged the gap between iconic hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and current winners, such as The Vampire Diaries.

In the three days remaining before Nathan, Brooke, Haley and company say goodbye to America for good, TV Fanatic will be counting down the nine moments from nine seasons of One Tree Hill that will stay will with us for as long as Naley stays together.

Read the first three entries below, and then add your favorite One Tree Hill moments in the comments!

9. Lindsey leaves Lucas at the altar.

It was the 100th episode of One Tree Hill, and the 12th of season five. In “Hundred,” every Leyton and Brucas fan on Earth was on the edge of his or her respective seat as Luke got closer and closer to marrying Lindsey. Luckily for everyone involved, the bride put a stop to the entire thing when she realized Lucas’s true feelings for Peyton. As we know now, Leyton did end up together, got married, had a baby, and so selfishly left us a little more than a year later.

To read the rest of part one of this trip down One Tree Hill memory lane, and to vote in the poll, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 912 Review- If You're Happy And You Know It

Brooke- "Isn't that a lot like The Creek?"

Well, that was certainly a change of pace. After an episode that went into all out action mode with Dan yielding a shotgun, and one that tugged on our heart strings like they were trying to defeat John Cena in a game of tug o' war as Dan sadly left this world, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" was a much less strenuous hour.

The penultimate episode of One Tree Hill was just plain happy. All of the characters were happy, I assume it made all of the viewers happy and the fact that Sophia Bush was able to direct one of the final episodes of the series - one that focused a lot on how important her Brooke Davis was to the show - definitely made me happy.

Maybe nobody was happier than Julian Baker, who was inspired to turn Lucas's "Ravens" book into a television series. Not only did the studio buy his idea, thanks to Brooke's high school diary and her hot tub idea, but Julian even got to put himself into the story!

I love Julian, but seriously? You're going take this story written by Lucas, and then throw yourself into Tree Hill High School and steal a major event from the author himself? Not cool, bro.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 912 - "Anyone Who Had a Heart"
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One Tree Hill 911 Review- I Can See Daniel Waving Goodbye

Dan- "I know where you're going, but what about me?"

Keith- "Don't worry little brother, you're my plus one."

Dan. Effing. Scott. Whether you loved him, hated him, or loved to hate him, it is nearly impossible to argue that he didn't have one of the most intriguing and divisive character arcs of all-time.

He tormented his sons, his wife and everyone else in town for that matter. He was hit by a speeding car, poisoned, lost out on a number of heart transplants and attempted to hang himself.  Dan Scott even murdered his own brother.

He also treated his grandchildren - we mostly witnessed this through his joyous moments with Jamie - wonderfully.  When it came down to it, and someone he loved was in extreme danger, he put everything (including his life on the line), saving Nathan Scott for his family.

We got to relive so much of his journey over the course of these nine seasons of One Tree Hill in "Danny Boy," whether through spoken word or visual flashback, and it created for one Hell of an emotional rollercoaster.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 911 - "Danny Boy"
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One Tree Hill 910 Review- I'll Take Shotgun

Nathan- "Dad...it's good to see you."

It might have been annoying at certain points in this final season of One Tree Hill, but Nathan getting kidnapped and the subsequent events it caused over the first nine episodes were all worth it for what was maybe the most heroic rescue mission in television history.

I would be extremely surprised if I needed to convince anyone else of the greatness of Dan Scott - and Paul Johansson's portrayal of the character - after his performance during "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will."

This was what we have all been waiting for, and what I've been writing about since "Catastrophe and the Cure" back in February: Dan Scott's redemption. I knew he would save Nathan, I just didn't know how. I knew it would be uber cool and super studly, but I couldn't have ever imagined how awesome it would be to watch him slowly walk through the building going through bad guys one by one with his shotgun.

Dan Scott is the man, and so is Johansson.

The journey we all took, watching Dan get to that point, was just as fantastic. Whether it was teaching Julian and Chris Keller how to shoot, using the third person after realizing neither knew what he was doing, or locking Julian out of the car and telling him to go home to his family, this was a great episode before we even got to the rescue mission.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 910 - "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
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One Tree Hill 909 Review- Thanks But No Thanks, Dad

Chuck- "All he ever wanted to do was fly. Please don't take that away from him."

There were sexy boots, incorrect dates of death, fatherhood offers turned down, an Air Force discharge, and a possible stolen baby. Yeah, every breath did in fact seemed like a bomb during the hour of One Tree Hill that was "Every Breath Is A Bomb."

Sexy Boots
As I mentioned last week, it's completely awesome that Haley and Dan Scott are teaming up to find Nathan. I only wish that a single other person would care about Nathan at this point. He has been missing for quite a while. If the rest of these characters just don't care about him, that's fine, but at least make note of that. I understand they all have chaotic things going on in their lives as well, but your good friend is either kidnapped or dead. You should care.

Let’s get back to the sexy boots. I love that Haley came up with this plan, and am just glad for her sake that she figured out a way to get it done without touching that disgusting drug dealer.  Well, until she punched him the face.  Team Scott is getting somewhere with this, but I still wish Lucas was here to help them with this.

Leave it to Dan Scott to take a shot at Deb for being slutty in between somber moments about Nathan being captured and aggressive threats to a drug dealer.  You have to get your shots in when you can, even if nobody is there to hear them.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 909 - "Every Breath Is a Bomb"
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Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

I am so sick right now that I can't move, but the Quiet Pool Bi-Monthly Power Rankings wait for no man's health.  So without further ado, here are March's Honorable Mentions.

Show (Last Time) red=moving down, green=moving up

Alcatraz (-) Mondays on FOX
I'm a few episodes behind on Alcatraz, which probably isn't a good sign.  They have yet to really grab me, but I'm hoping things pick up before the end of season one.

Hart of Dixie (-) Mondays on The CW
Summer Roberts and company have me enjoying myself every Monday in Bluebell.  It's really not all that exciting, but it's fun.

House of Lies (-) Sundays on Showtime
I still don't know what to think about the Don Cheadle dramedy.  It's really not all that funny, and the drama is not anything special.

Luck (-) Sundays on HBO
I am really enjoying Luck thus far. Nothing has been as good as the premiere, but it's all solid.

The Office (19) Thursdays on NBC
It hasn't been as bad as of late, thanks to the super group down in Tallahassee, but it's still a shell of its former self with Andy Bernard at the helm.

One Tree Hill (-) Wednesdays on The CW
They were having the best season since the fourth before the past few episodes basically stood still.  The return of Chad Michael Murray could have been so much more than it was.

Revenge (18) Wednesdays on ABC
These guys really lost me with that complete fake out with Daniel a couple weeks ago.  It's one thing to surprise the audience, and it is a whole other to do it the way they did.

The River (-) Tuesdays on ABC
I'm digging The River so far, and Joe Alexander is getting way too criticized, but it's not a blockbuster.  I like that they're only doing an eight-episode first season, because it won't allow them to get boring with their stories.

Smash (-) Mondays on NBC
Bringing Little Nicky Jonas on your show is only going to make it better.  For them it's just a shame he isn't a main character.  I've been liking Smash so far, but some of the dialogue is on a level with Terra Nova.

The Walking Dead (20) Sundays on AMC
While things have gotten a bit better over the past couple weeks, this has still been an extremely boring second season.

One Tree Hill 908 Review- Planes, Maimed and What She Must Feel

Logan- "I like him...and those suckers he gives out."

Clay- "Oh, those suckers are clutch."

"A Rush of Blood to the Head," while not perfect, and certainly not at the pace seemingly necessary with only five episodes remaining in the series, was filled with a number of epic moments that pushed One Tree Hill forward on a number of levels.

Clay's revelation, Chase's decision and everything that happened with Haley were some of the most entertaining and emotional moments of the season so far. These characters took some big steps - either backward or forward - and they really have me looking forward to the home stretch.

Let's begin with Mr. Evans, who I have been extremely critical of as a character in these reviews over the past two seasons. His monumental revelation coincided perfectly with the monumental fact that I really enjoyed his story this week. What? I enjoyed Clay?

Yup. For the first time since Robert Buckley joined the cast, the writers were able to write a story for him that got the audience involved emotionally. Maybe it was because Logan was so darn cute, or maybe it was because it was a deep-seeded trouble that began before we even met the character, but I felt for him when he found out that Logan was his kid.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 908 - "A Rush of Blood to the Head"
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One Tree Hill 907 Review- Was Lucas Scott Here?

Julian- "I gotta go to prison with Brooke."

Dan- "Prison huh? They're gonna love you there."

I imagine creator Mark Schwahn's pitch to Chad Michael Murray, attempting to get him to come back to One Tree Hill for "Last Known Surroundings," sounded something like this:

"Hey Chad, we have this episode about halfway through our final season in which absolutely nothing happens. We would love to get Lucas to come back so that the audience won't be completely bored out of their mind. Let me know what you think!"

Of course, I'm speaking hyperbolically, but without the first appearance from Murray since the season six finale, this episode would have gone nowhere.

With Murray, "Last Known Surroundings" was a nice trip down memory lane. It was not only a reminder of the old days, but of how great Chad Michael Murray was as a leading man for six years, and how lovable of a character Lucas Scott can be.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tre Hill 907 - "Last Known Surroundings"
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One Tree Hill 906 Review- Road To Redemption

Julian- "Great pep talk Dan. No wonder your sons love you so much."

Dan Scott's road to redemption may have started a while ago, but it became much more obvious during "Catastrophe and the Cure" that it may indeed be the main overarching theme to One Tree Hill.

Sometimes it's thought provoking to take a step back and look at an entire series, figuring out what it really was all about. The events that occur - whether it be pointlessly written storylines, or actors leaving the show - can change the path of the show, but at the end of the day a story is being told.

Over the course of nine seasons of One Tree Hill, that story may end up being about a man making a number of awful decisions on his way to rock bottom, and then finally finding redemption. Whether his family - and the audience, for that matter - accepts said redemption, after all of the heinous crimes he committed, is exactly the kind of grey area that would make the ending to this story so interesting.

If viewers still can't stand Dan Scott - as I know many cannot - and aren't willing to forgive the man for the many awful things he has done over the years, then this might be a more difficult pill to swallow. I, on the other hand, believe this character has paid his dues and is ready to redeem himself for many of his wrong doings.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 906 - "Catastrophe and the Cure"
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One Tree Hill 905 Review- Dan Scott Started The Fire

Chuck- "Chuck Scolnik has never been more disappointed in you."

We came into "The Killing Moon" wondering what had happened to Nathan Scott. By the end of the hour, though, I had no better explanation of who took him, or for what reason, than when we started. Did you?

Dan did set his diner on fire on purpose. We know that. The question remains whether or not we should believe him when told Haley that all of his intentions were good. If so, he's just an old man that is trying to get closer to his family, and I can respect that. If he's lying, that would be a horrific character arc for Dan Scott.

Apparently Haley thinks he's lying, as she ended the episode with a call to 911. Not enough credit is given to Bethany Joy for her wonderful work on One Tree Hill, so I will take this time to shower her with praise for the fantastic job she did of portraying the worried wife.

Haley started out in a bit of denial, then began to worry, then seriously freaked out. At each point, Galeotti made the necessary changes in her demeanor, and had me believing every step of the way that she was seriously worried about her husband.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 905 - "The Killing Moon"
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One Tree Hill 904 Review- Drug Dealers Beware

Dan- "If I catch you near my family again, I'll kill you."

Julian left Baby Davis in the hot car last week. Nathan didn't make it home on "Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?." Indeed, One Tree Hill is not slowing down at all in season nine.

Seriously, how many more of these cliff hangers can we take before we start to black out on the regular like Clay?

I'll get to the latest in a long line of twists and turns for Clay (that I could care less about) later on. First, this Nathan issue needs to be addressed. The stuffed animal he had for Lydia was lying by the curb at the airport, so the most logical conclusion is that harm was done to him after landing in Tree Hill.

Who would want to hurt Nathan? The only person that we are familiar with that has the means, the history, and the motive is... Dan Scott, the father. We know he can do harm. He has killed in the past, his own brother in fact. Most importantly, if Nathan doesn't make it home, Dan gets to continue to spend time with Jamie and Lydia, the one thing that seems to make Dan Scott happier than we've ever seen him.

The only thing that makes me question this hypothesis is the timing. Haley and Dan had a conversation in the house around the time Nathan was supposed to be arriving home. It is definitely possible that he slipped out and kidnapped his own son in a matter of minutes, but it still would have been tricky to maneuver. I wouldn't put it past him, though.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 904 - "Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?"
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One Tree Hill 903 Review- Hey You Lies!

Mouth- "The stupid dry cleaners shrunk another shirt. What is that, three now?"

If the opening moments of the One Tree Hill season 9 premiere didn't make it clear that these characters were going to face severe consequences over the next few weeks, then the final minutes of "Love the Way You Lie" certainly did.

Julian Baker, one of the few people in Tree Hill that we have been able to count on for stability over the past couple years, got a bit too excited about the prospect of producing a television show at his way too empty sound stage, and might be paying the ultimate price for it.

What, exactly, happened at the end there? Baby Davis was gone. Julian's car windows were smashed. There was a stretcher, cops and an ambulance at the scene. So was the baby stolen? Hurt? Worse? Whatever the case may be, this is the worst thing that Julian has ever done, and that is taking into account the embarrassing Goonies monologue he performed in front of Jamie's class hours earlier.

At this point, though, not many people that we know in Tree Hill are in good places...well, except maybe Chris Keller, who is having himself a jolly good time interviewing coeds for intern positions and taking Chase out to strip joints.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 903 - "Love the Way You Lie"
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One Tree Hill 902 Review- Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Alex- "Don't you need some actors or maybe a writer?"

Julian- "Uh, I had both of those things and she wanted to be a musician."

One Tree Hill continued its stellar start to season nine with an episode not as epic in nature as the premiere, but just as emotional, and - thanks to the appearance of Chuck Scolnik - maybe more hilarious.

Because they use song titles for episode titles on One Tree Hill, sometimes it's a stretch to connect the dots between the single and the content. That wasn't the case with "In The Room Where You Sleep," as it became clear early on that the location of where a number of characters would be laying their heads in the near future would be a theme of the hour.

Alex and Chase, who I have loved separately and together since each arrived in Tree Hill, took some major steps forward and then, just maybe, a giant step back.

First of all, it was a ballsy move by Chase to just go ahead and move all of her stuff into his place. On the one hand, if she's down for it, it could be seen as completely romantic. On the other, if she's unsure of herself like Alex seemed to be, it could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 902 - "In The Room Where You Sleep"
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One Tree Hill 901 Review- Hell Is Empty

Brooke- "Sometimes my heart aches at how my life turned out...in a good way."

One Tree Hill, due to its flare for the dramatic, has always been a series that gives that extra bit of effort for a finale. Showrunner Mark Schwahn and company hold nothing back at the end of the year, presumably in an effort to leave the audience blown away.

If "Know This, We've Noticed" is any indication of what's to come, we may be in for a final season of One Tree Hill that feels like the combination of each and every past finale. That is, 13 episodes of heart pounding, gut wrenching, big laughing, scary, silly, romantic, drama-filled action.

It's difficult not to think that way when the season begins with a burning building and Dan Scott cocking a loaded gun. I will leave the prognosticating of when that flash forward will take place for the end, but seeing Chase in the back of a cop car, Brooke destroying the cafe, Julian getting beaten to a pulp and Haley lifting up a sheet to reveal a dead body was certainly a great way to get our blood pumping.

"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here."

Nathan recited those words to open the episode, and again to close it. Both times Dan Scott was on screen. Both times it was absolutely haunting. Paul Johansson is an extremely talented actor, and it's a shame that the show hasn't found a way to keep him on as a regular cast member the past couple of years.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill season premiere, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 901 - "Know This, We've Noticed"
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One Tree Hill 822 Review- Air Force Done

Julian- "Your mom is Brooke Davis, and she has enough strength for all of us."

There have been many times over the course of One Tree Hill's eight seasons when they have unnecessarily made every second on screen seem not only important, but epic in nature. "This Is My House, This Is My Home" certainly straddled that line, but was effective for two reasons.

First of all, unlike some episodes that came before it, much of what happened in this season finale was very important. And secondly, when this was being created it could have been their series finale. The constant dramatic music combined with powerful stories was a necessity for the last ever episode of One Tree Hill.

Fortunately for us fans, word has been received from The CW that we will be getting a ninth and final season next year. That should give them plenty of time to wrap up the stories that were either teased or wrapped up poorly in "This Is My House."

Between Brooke having twin boys, the re-opening of Karen's Cafe, and everything dealing with Chase Adams, most of what went on worked well. The time jumping plot device was a great move - especially if this ended up being the series finale - in order to have the happy ending of Brooke with her baby boys.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill season finale, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 822 - "This Is My House, This Is My Home"
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One Tree Hill 821 Review- Bird of Mouth

Clay- "I don't understand camping. We have houses, bed, showers, flat irons."

I commend One Tree Hill for how it handled the River Court story in "Flightless Bird, American Mouth." On a show that is quite melodramatic to begin with, it easily could have taken a plot about the memorable historic landmark of the town and gone way over the top with it.

Instead the series used a camping session, Clay's out of left field quirkiness, and the continued evolution of the Chase and Chuck relationship, to lay the ground work for what ended up being a really sweet moment for the court, the show, and Marvin McFadden.

I was glad that the one person still on the program regularly who actually grew up on the River Court was able to shine in that moment. Sure, Nathan trained with Q for about a fraction of a second on that court, but he spent his entire life in the gym or in his driveway. This was Lucas's court, and it's just a shame that he wasn't there to help save it.

As we segued back to the camping and Clay's third new personality in as many episodes, I enjoyed this one. His hatred of camping worked perfectly... and only slightly because I share his sentiment. It's just always funny to have someone hating on what everyone else is doing, and it helped that he was wearing that Boitano shirt and sitting in a recliner.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 821 - "Flightless Bird, American Mouth"
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One Tree Hill 820 Review- Jamie At The Bat

Chuck- "Wow Jamie, you bat like my mom."

Much of the material near the end of "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" left a really pleasant taste in my mouth, and it wasn't only because I was drinking Phidian's during most of the episode.

Any story that deals with Chase is going to work like gang busters, but add the switching of a urine test and a pregnancy switcheroo, and you pretty much nail it.

The relationship between Chase and Chuck has been one of my favorites as of late, so seeing Chuckles disappointed after Chase failed to show up for the baseball game was originally tough to swallow.

When the big brother showed up though, it made the reunion that much more rewarding.

I am not entirely sold on how quickly Chase was ready to settle down with Alex, especially with everything that went down not too long ago between the two of them and Mia, but Stephen Colletti and Jana Kramer have such great chemistry that they can sell anything.

To read the rest of my review of last night's One Tree Hill, head over to TV Fanatic.

One Tree Hill 820 - "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul"
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