Review of One Tree Hill's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" -- Forgiveness, Proposal, & Second Chances
This is an episode that emphaized the primary reason I'm not involved in the OTH fandom lol. I have seen people kinda go spazzy when it comes to a series ending. Whether it be from how it's not ending they want to what they feel isn't the right move. Anyone that knows me knows I'm an avid viewer of tv and movie watcher. I seen things come and go. I'm not stating what I feel is fact or anything like that. It's just seems there is a lot of overreaction to this episode.
I felt this episode was necessary, and it enabled Brooke Davis' story to have full circle closure. How I see it is that they wrote a three part series finale. "Danny Boy" gave the perfect closure and ending to Dan and Keith Scott's stories. This episode was the perfect ending (or beginning) not only for Brooke Davis, but also for Julian, Clay, Quinn, Chase, Mouth, and Logan. What I saw wasn't the One Brooke Hill show. I saw a show that was able to give proper closure to characters long before the series finale even aired. I mean wouldn't you want these characters to have closure prior to the final curtain call rather than squeezing everyone's endings in the last episode.
Don't get me wrong Mark Scwahn can definitely do that because he did it in season four, six, and eight. All the seasons OTH was on the bubble, however; knowing this is the final season I'm glad Mark decided to lengthen the ending by giving the show an unofficial three parter ending. I really enjoyed this episode because it brought such a great payoff for many characters, and it brought happy tears to my eyes.
From Bar "Manager" to Tric Bar Owner: Chase Adams - I'm still glad they went through Chase not being able to fly for the airforce, but they left it open for Chase to fly commerical planes. I was wondering how they will transition Chase so close to the series finale. He is basically broke, so there is no money for classes. So it's to no surprise that I really loved Haley's thoughtful planning with Karen. Chase is able to become Tric's new owner allowing him extra cash in his wallet to get the extra classes to fly commerical planes to fulfill his dreams of flight. Plus it allows us as viewers to say goodbye to Tric in a new concert *fansqueels*. Though I think it's more than ten years for Tric's anniversary lol. I was happy to see some more interaction between Chuck and Chase. I like that Chase didn't badmouth Chuck's dad or anything like that, but completely understood and supported his "little brother". I just kept looking at their scenes and seeing how big Chuck got. He's not a little boy nor bully any longer. Speaking of Chuck I loved how proud Haley was of Chase for what he did for him. It was nice to hear Chase get praise from other than Chris Keller.
The Davis Family - If you asked me if Victoria would be reunited with Ted I would have been laughing quite loudly. I loved how the episode started with Brooke's high school diary. I know many say it's a discontinuity or rewrite. Which it most definitely is, but this discontinuity didn't bug me. It didn't harm the history of Brooke Davis. It fit perfectly with the episode, and the history of the Davis Family. I loved that it was Victoria and Julian that helped complete this once broken family once again. Victoria was able to convince her daughter and ex-husband to use Baker Man as a way to work a business as a family. It's very fitting considering the Davis family have a knack for business mistakes and all lol. I loved how Julian told off Ted with a Dirty Dancing reference to boot!! Ted totally deserved it. So it was nice to finally see the Davis Family hang out together laughing, smiling, and truly enjoying each other's company. Something that high school Brooke always wanted. Sure, it took forever to get to here, but perhaps the Davis family needed to wake up in more ways than one. It's one of the reasons I was glad to see this series continue for nine seasons just to see the Davis family enjoying the Burning Boat Festival. Btw, I loved how they gave high school Brooke the same signature cheerleading clothes and pink backpack.
Mrs. Fix-It: Haley James Scott - Granted we didn't see a whole lot of her in this episode, but what we did see of it was classic Haley!! From getting stuck with Skillz lame cd collection to being there for Chase and Brooke. I loved that they referenced Lucas and Haley's S1 Burning Boat Festival. Man, have times and things changed since then. For an example, seeing adoreable toddler Lydia giving her mama a high five lol. I really think it was fitting seeing Haley giving the Burning Boat Festival speech:
"Well, we all have things that we regret, and we all have things for which we are remorseful. The burning boat festival is our city's time-honored tradition of letting go and giving yourself a second chance. I think we all need those from time to time, right? So I say we take all those failures and let-downs and burdens, and let's torch them!"
I couldn't help, but cheer inside when I heard it. Plus it was great to see majority of the cast in the same place. We haven't seen much of that this season.
Mouth's Dream Jump Started, Skillz Gets a Job, & Return of Junk, Fergie, & Kylie - I was so happy to hear Mouth going back to sports. Mouth without sports isn't the same. It has been his dream since he used to podcast with Jimmy Edwards on the Rivercourt. I can't wait to see Mouth finally in a sport broadcaster job on his terms and not yellow journalism. Plus that was one heck of a transformation of Mouth's weight....d'oh lol. So I guess it's the implied reason for Mouth's weight gain. He missed the sport broadcasting. I love that it was Millie that pointed Mouth the direction he definitely needed. Plus it was great to see Junk, Fergie, Skillz, and Mouth playing basketball on the Rivercourt once again. Speaking of Skillz I'm glad they finally put him somewhere where his mouth could do the work lol. Skillz as a talk show host, on some odd level, totally works hehe. It was great to see Kylie again. I always wondered what happened to her.
Logan's First Visit & Clay Finally Proposes to Quinn - I loved all of the scenes with Clay, Logan, and Quinn. I mean all of them lol. I loved how scared and uncomfortable Logan was at Clay's beach house because I wouldn't buy if Logan was okay with his new room and etc. Oh, speaking of Logan's room I loved how perfect Clay made it from the airplanes, Logan's name in big words just like his nursery, and a reading corner with new comic books for Logan to read. It was all very thoughtful for Clay to do. I loved the referenced parallel of Logan's fear of the ocean to Quinn's fear of the ocean. Quinn's was a metaphor for life while Logan's was a simplistic child fear of sharks and jellyfish lol. It was too adoreable to see Clay and Quinn help Logan into the ocean. To think all it took was Quinn offering Clay some ice cream afterwords lol. Logan was just too adoreable with Quinn and Clay. I loved how Quinn took pictures of Clay and Logan, and Clay took pictures of Quinn and Logan. It was such an adoreable family moment. You can totally see Logan being a pro surfer or swimmer who loves his comic books hehe. I don't know if that would happen in the future, but I can envision it. Plus it was great to hear Logan call Clay "dad" for the first time with all smiles with Quinn. It was so sweet to see Quinn put a picture of Sarah in Logan's room. It was so fitting, and something Quinn James would do to help a young child in his transition.
Way back in season seven I remember people already loathing Clay and Quinn's arrival because of the departure of Peyton and Lucas. While I love Clay and Quinn it doesn't ruin or diminish my enjoyment of Peyton and Lucas. Over the passed three seasons I have grown attached to Quinn and Clay from their struggles to their humor. So to hear Clay propose to Quinn....finally...I literally yelled out loud 'YES! YES!" It was the perfect moment because Logan feel asleep on Quinn in the tent, and Quinn said they were a family. Clay's proposal was perfect from what he said to Logan getting into the act by giving his dad his Green Lantern ring (repeat mode: I love all the DC and Marvel references in this show lol):
Clay: Thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for sleeping in a tent and for going in the ocean. Whatever happened to immensity?Quinn: Immensity's not so scary when I have our family to help me face it.Clay: "Our family." I like the way that sounds. I love you so much, Quinn.Quinn: And I love you.Clay: We should get married. Want to?Quinn: What?Clay: I haven't gotten you a ring yet.I'm sorry, but I want to marry you. I love you.[Logan pops up his Green Lantern ring]Clay: Clutch move, kid...Marry me, Quinn James.Quinn: Yes, of course I will.
The whole moment was perfect!! This moment has been referenced since season eight. I was fansqueeling and was in happy tear mode seeing them. I loved that Logan gave his father his approval for Quinn to be his stepmom, and Quinn mess with Logan's hair as a thank you. I don't know if we will be able to see Quinn and Clay's wedding, but this fan would totally enjoy it. If we don't, then I totally understand considering the running time limit.
Julian's TV Show Greenlighted - This has to be one of the most polarizing moves that Mark has done. I know many people hate it. I haven't made my mind up about it. I totally don't hate the idea of what Julian is doing to Brooke's past. In fact, I don't even know if the show is solely on Brooke's history. If it was, then why would Julian need Whitey's coach room? I guess I'm perplexed if Julian is adaptating Lucas' book into a Brooke Davis point of view (which one is allowed to do with the rights), or if he is altering only a few things with the Unkindness of Ravens novel. So it's kinda hard for me to be mad if I don't exactly understand what aspects Julian is adapting. I know and completely understand people being annoyed with the fact that Julian is rewriting history, but that's something even Brooke stated in this episode. She fully knows that Julian is altering her history. There are a ton of tv shows based on book series, but have a completely different mythology and characters *cough*The Vampire Diaries*cough* for an example. I guess my point is for me to give a full opinion I need to see the series finale to make up my mind.
Other than that I loved how Julian describe his show because that is exactly how One Tree Hill to me. Sometimes to like a show you don't need to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is. Sometimes you enjoy a show that means something to you whether because you relate to the characters or the music and book quotes give you something to think about. I'm really looking forward to seeing the show recreated on the show itself. Plus I loved the Dawson's Creek reference because everyone was calling parallels to that series finale lol.
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. It felt like Part 2 of 3 to OTH series finale *sniff*. Last week I cried happy and sad tears, and this week I just cried sad tears. I think I will need a box of tissues this upcoming Wednesday lol. I needed for Friday Night Lights, Lost, Buffy, Angel, and Smallville. So why would One Tree Hill's series finale be any different? Next week is going to be bittersweet. However, I'm glad it will air during my Spring Break so I won't be too tired for work on Thursday lol.