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Chekhov's Gun fires blanks on 'One Tree Hill'
That, pre-literary One Tree Hill fans, is what we call Chekhov's Gun, as textbook and border-line infantile an example of that particular device as you're likely to see in your lifetime. So kudos OTH scribes. You just earned a gentleman's C in freshman comp!
[Spoilers to follow, duh.]
After Wednesday (May 30) night's original CW line-up, I'm inclined to offer up a new tagline for the network's 9 p.m. drama: One Tree Hill: At Least It's Better Than Hairy Palms.
Quality of OTH aside, the specific articulations of the rules of Chekhov's Gun vary based on translation or specific source, but the long and short of it is that Chekhov (he's a Russian playwright and short story writer, kids) observed that you don't introduce a gun in the first act unless somebody's going to use the darned thing by the end. We like using Uncle Vanya (one of my five favorite plays) as an example, as a casually noted pistol becomes a vehicle for potential homicide by the drama's conclusion.
Thus, when Barbara Alyn Woods' Deb, a character marginalized into nothingness this season, suddenly popped up in one of the episode's earliest scenes wildly waving a gun and talking of her new-found love for firearms (had this ever been a character detail mentioned previously? [Retroactive note: a reader reminds me that yes, indeed, Deb's appreciation for guns had been established before, if unmentioned for a long time]), you knew that pesky gun was coming back later. That's why, as the episode concluded, we had Lucas, suddenly out-of-his-gourd insane, waving his gun at his dad in front of his pregnant mother and eventually discharging the weapon as the episode faded to black.
OMG! Will Dan die?
WTF? Will Karen lose Keith's baby?
LOL! Will Lucas be thrown in jail and have to share a cell with Peyton's Crazy Fake Brother Derek?
Is it just me or has the promise that One Tree Hill is jumping forward by four years for next season taken away some of this season's suspense? Guess what: Next season is not going to begin with Lucas Scott sitting in jail after having killed his father, nor is it going to start with him finally being released, Norman Bates-style, from the mental hospital. That, to me, pretty much means that not only did Lucas not kill Dan, but he probably didn't hit him. Would Lucas know a blank from live ammo? I'm doubtful. And I'd have to guess that Lucas' perpetual squint would mess up his ability to aim.
I've already made the proposal that if Veronica Mars can't come back next season already inducted into the FBI (a plot that was going to force Rob Thomas and company to ignore that the FBI basically doesn't accept people straight out of college, sorry Veronica), can all of the characters from One Tree Hill be federal agents next season? Pretty please? Peyton, Brooke, Lucas, Haley and Nathan can be like The Mod Squad, going undercover and busting the country's most feared criminals. Skills and Mouth are welcome to come along too. Anybody with me? That would be far more interesting than Peyton working in A&R for some fake indie label, Brooke designing clothing, Lucas toiling over a screenplay, Nathan sitting on the bench for the Los Angeles Ponders of the American Basketball Organization and Haley working for Sunkist (somebody's gotta take a bullet for the sponsor).
Other quick thoughts from this week's episode:
Did Brooke actually let Chase get away with a "Ditto" expression of love? She poured out her heart, he was all "Yeah, those things you said? I was totally thinking them too." And she bought it. I expect better. So what'd you think of this week's episode? And what do you think of my OTH: FBI idea?
I think when the next season starts, we should find out that Lucas shot himself. But after four years, he has risen from the dead as a zombie and is now terrorizing everyone else. Just think of the crossover potential with Supernatural!
David | May 31, 2007 8:01:26 AM | #Did someone forget to mention that One Tree Hill is new yet for the next two weeks?
Jason | May 31, 2007 8:07:57 AM | #What a terrible, terrible show.
Jason | May 31, 2007 8:27:22 AM | #Didn't Deb's gun once go off at Karen's cafe? Isn't that part of the reason their partnership fell apart? Or am I making that up?
Joe | May 31, 2007 8:28:07 AM | #The first Jason is right - the season finale of One Tree Hill isn't until June 13th. Maybe somebody should have done their research before shooting off at the mouth.
ER | May 31, 2007 8:31:24 AM | #I know I wrote things out ambiguously, but indeed the finale of One Tree Hill is a couple weeks hence.
Nobody actually "shot their mouth off," ER. I didn't call it the finale anywhere in the story.
And you're right about Deb and the gun, Joe. Oh the things I forget...
Daniel
Daniel Fienberg | May 31, 2007 8:39:33 AM | #Who cares about that OTH crap. HP is the best show on the CW now that VM is gone. You should do your research.
Steven | May 31, 2007 8:40:34 AM | #Remember if you can't say something nice you shouldn't say anything at all. At least their pretty.
jb | May 31, 2007 8:51:32 AM | #Love One Tree Hill and it's honestly the best show on that network as well as many others. At least it stays true to it's characters. Dan Scott stroking the gun in church was the best thing I have ever seen! You can't have a better villian then him.
Lucas needs to turn the gun on himself in the next episode. Seriously.
Jo | May 31, 2007 10:48:23 AM | #stupid show
| May 31, 2007 11:51:05 AM | #Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but if that is the case, Daniel, maybe you should let the season play out before you lament about how in the world they are going to jump ahead four years.
By the way, the CW will be publishing a series of diaries on its website that will keep viewers up on what happens to the characters in the four-year time lapse.
ER | May 31, 2007 1:51:12 PM | #LOL---a Bob "HuggieBear" Huggins reference. I love it.
(If you know college basketball, you get it.)
I don't know what people who criticize this who expect to see when they watch it. Its a teen soap not shakespeare. And still I can't think of a show on TV right now that has the character growth and complexity of this show. The whole good guy bad guy thing is out the window...they're all just people making mistakes as the now trigger happy Lucas shows us in this episode. A+
Antuan | May 31, 2007 9:13:41 PM | #This show is the best "teen show" on tv right now (and it has been for a really long time, it was always way better than The OC and other stupid Veronica Mars) and it can't even qualify as a teen show. It deals with both light and dark issues, they have RL-like complex characters with real character improvement over the seasons... And so many other things. It never pretends to be more than what it is, although it is so much more than what "critics" and "journalists" think it is. And yes, they mentionned Deb's attraction towards guns a lot time ago, especially when Dan started to threaten her when learning the truth about the dealership fire. It's easy to criticize when you don't watch all episode, or at least pay attention. Lucas is not out of his mind, he's just angry, disappointed, scared and especially feeling betrayed by the father he worked so hard on himself to try and trust. A short preview for next episode was shown and it showed that Lucas aimed for the wall on purpose to scare Dan and show him he wasn't kidding. Next season should be really, really interesting, for they will skip the boring High-School-like College stuff for which writers pretty much always screw up with (should I bring back Veronica Mars here?) and will have the opportunity to write more adult characters and storylines, as fans grew older with the show too.
Rebecca | Jun 1, 2007 7:09:15 AM | #God, I hope that the next season begins with Lucas shooting himself! Lord knows I could do without having to see his bleached hair, eyeliner and squint during his chessily delivered scenes. As for Dan, do not criticise the man...he's a legend! He is the untouchable man, fire or a heart attack (or Lucas' "scathing" stare) have failed to kill him. He is a genius.....love him! He he
Sophie | Jun 1, 2007 9:49:08 AM | #love one tree hill! sure lucas has gone a little crazy, and sure his hair looks really ugly, but i like his chararcter. i hate dan, hate hate hate hate hate him, he is so evil!
amy | Jun 5, 2007 8:35:43 PM | #i cannot believe they took away veronica mars and yet kept this crap. unbelievable
| Jun 6, 2007 11:01:41 AM | #Karen has to live! plz im gunna like cry if she doesn't live! o and haley MUST live!!!
Annie Gies | Jun 6, 2007 7:21:48 PM | #When is the season finale?
I heard it was June 13th.
Love the show!
CJ | Jun 7, 2007 7:22:42 AM | #I love this show! Have always loved it! As teen soaps go, it's the best! Can't wait for the next season!!!!!
becky | Aug 30, 2007 11:40:32 AM | #i think i agree to make lucas shoot himself..........n wake up 4 years later.....wahhhhhhhhh..itso going to be fantastic...when he wake up ..he realise that he need brooke.......n peyton already went somewhere else with jake......that the suitable ending cause if lucas with peyton how ab out brooke???she cannot be with chase....eventhough his cute..but it just not right..ithink it will be boring if she with chase..........pleaseeeeeeeee
intan | Sep 1, 2007 8:47:02 PM | #i love one tree hill i wonder if lucas will propose to peyton
jessica | Jan 8, 2008 8:31:11 AM | #
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