a beautiful disaster

The friendships that we get to examine in this episode are great. -Hilarie 

You come back to something that feels really like I don’t want to be cheesy and say pure but kind of you know what I mean? Like it’s a little sparkly. And It’s really fun to watch. -Sophia

The Peyton and Lucas scenes in the comet like between you two sitting out in front of the mall and then back in the car after you went in to the mall. Like it is so sweet. And you see the friendship, and the lightness, and the silliness, and the chemistry. And it really does at least as a viewer for me…Watching it I go yeah that’s what was brewing even in the first season as those two became friends. -Sophia

I remember shooting those scenes with Chad. And you know it’s all night work. So that was probably what 2:00/3:00 in the morning. And maybe that’s why we were so giggly cause you get punchy at that time. But I remember the feeling of oh my God this might be something. Like the scenes between Peyton and Lucas. Cause I’d never really gotten it before. Like it was always just like broody kids being broody right?…And I remember like legitimately laughing in the car with chad while we were shooting those scenes. Being like well this feels different. Like I was just clocking a different energy. And we legitimately had a nice time together in that car. Cause it was kids being kids. -Hilarie 

As an actor, as a viewer, as a Peyton enthusiast, really liked how hard Peyton was working for Brooke on this episode. -Hilarie

There was a lot going on around you two in this episode that was intense or that did feel a little not grounded in reality. -Sophia

And Peyton’s like you know what? I’m gonna burn this shit, and then I’m gonna go to the hospital and I’m gonna hug your boyfriend. And then I’m gonna go sit on his bed and talk about bands. The turn is so strong. Good for her. Good for her man. Just take what you want kid. Take it. -Hilarie 

Peyton finds out she has a long lost sibling. -Hilarie 

You choose her every time. Like you say you want to be with me but you actually choose her. -Sophia 

Somebody being in love with their best friends partner is a shitty situation. You don’t have a good option and a bad option. You have a bad option and a worse option….-Sophia 

The make-out montage between Peyton and Lucas. But by the way I will say that it did exactly what it was supposed to do….And then I see like all the Peyton and Lucas stuff and I’m like I mean that works too. I’m open minded.  -Hilarie 

[Dramatically Reads Summary]  One line from Peyton reveals her true feelings for Lucas. -Hilarie 

It was really fun to go to the woods and be out at that house together. -Sophia 

It felt really real though. -Hilarie   It did that’s what I loved about it -Bethany

And I liked that we got to resolve that this episode by Lucas giving Peyton shit in the library. That was helpful. For me… Can we make fun of this now? We’re gonna make fun of this? Thank you. -Hilarie

We had a member of our crew who had been shot. And he came and sat with me and kind of talked me through the wave that you feel. Not just because you’re in physical pain um but because you don’t know what’s gonna happen next. You know? And you know that you’re so vulnerable. You know? -Hilarie Burton 

I listened on my ipod on repeat the song from Les Mis Empty Chairs At Empty Tables. And just like feeling the loss of not just the kids who had been shot, not just the kids who perpetuated these things, but also the loss of like the kids who no one trusts anymore. -Hilarie Burton 

It’s definitely in the top 5 most iconic episodes of our show. I would say in the top 2 or 3. it’s such a game-changer. -Hilarie Burton