"Every Night is Another Story" is the sixth episode of One Tree Hill and originally aired October 21st, 2003. The episode was written by Mike Kelley and directed by Jason Moore.
After a fight during a game, Whitey ejects Lucas and Nathan from the team bus and the half-brothers are forced to find their own way home. Injured during the brawl, Brooke needs Peyton to drive her home and, in an unlikely turn of events, Peyton asks Haley for help.
Contains examples of the following tropes:
- Artistic Licence – Law: In reality, it is illegal to abandon minors. As they were in his care, Whitey could have lost his job or even faced jail time for putting Lucas and Nathan in danger by kicking them off the bus in the middle of nowhere.
- Bigger Is Better in Bed: Lucas publicly humiliates Nathan when he takes the opportunity mid-game to (loudly) tell Peyton that after seeing Nathan in the shower, it’s no wonder she broke up with him.
- Cain and Abel:
- Lucas and Nathan wind up fighting on the court in the middle of the game, after Lucas insinuates that Peyton dumped Nathan because he wasn’t big enough.
- Dan and Keith spend the SBL Dinner taking shots at one another, before Keith finally has enough and walks away.
- Character Tic: When Haley and Peyton are discussing the possibility of Lucas asking Peyton out and her potential response, Peyton notes that one of things that could affect her response is if he’s smiling or doing that "goofy brooding thing".Haley: Oh, you know I think he’s definitely doing the broody thing.
Peyton: [Exasperatedly] He does that all the time! - Commonality Connection: Discussed as Peyton and Haley muse that most of Lucas and Nathan’s respective issues are ultimately because of Dan’s treatment of his sons.
- Contrived Coincidence: After all of the delays and hijinks that both groups endure after leaving Pickerington, the simple fact that Lucas and Nathan are still found by the girls, who were otherwise unaware that the boys weren’t on the school bus.
- Cool and Unusual Punishment: After fighting in the middle of an away game, Lucas and Nathan are kicked off the bus home by Whitey in the middle of nowhere and forced to find their own way home.
- Double Standard: Peyton points out that Lucas wouldn’t ask Haley for permission before asking her out, so Haley shouldn’t worry about getting permission from Lucas to date Nathan.
- Everyone Can See It: Peyton picks on Nathan and Haley's mutual attraction to one another, whilst Brooke notes Nathan's attraction to Haley.
- Failed a Spot Check:
- When Brooke details the "love rectangle plus one" she correctly notes Nathan's attraction to Haley, but incorrectly thinks Haley is into Lucas. She also claims to have no idea about who Peyton's interested in since her break-up with Nathan, but it's debatable as to whether she's telling the truth or just refusing to acknowledge Peyton's attraction to Lucas.
- The Pickerington students who torment Lucas and Nathan name themselves Thing, Thing One and Thing Three, claiming it’s because he’s the third even though the correct naming would be Thing Two. It says a lot that Nathan realises the error.
- Fanservice:
- The female audience get a look at the Scott brothers in their underwear, and Nathan spends a good portion of the episode shirtless.
- Brooke passes out in the back seat of her car whilst wearing her cheerleading uniform, ass in the air and not covered by her skirt.
- How We Got Here: The episode opens on Peyton, Haley and Brooke driving down a country road at night, and coming across Lucas and Nathan at the climax of the story.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Brooke points out that, despite Peyton and Haley acting like they’ve become friends over their impromptu road trip, that nothing has changed and they’ll be back in their normal social circles in the morning. Sure enough, Brooke turns out to be right, although Peyton looking over to Haley suggests that Peyton does consider her a friend now.
- Malicious Misnaming: Nathan refers to the Pickerington Pirates as the Pickerington Hicks whilst talking with Haley.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The situations that Lucas, Nathan, Peyton, Haley and Brooke find themselves in after the game are ultimately because Lucas and Nathan started fighting on the court in the middle of a game.
- Sentimental Drunk: A drunken Keith tells Karen that he loves her, and always has.
- Shameless Fanservice Girl: Brooke intentionally lifts her skirt and flashes her cheer bloomers on Peyton’s webcam before they leave.
- Ship Tease:
- Peyton gives Lucas a mix that she made for him as a thanks for his help in dealing with the anniversary of her mom’s death; Lucas teasingly asks if that means they’re dating, but Peyton doesn’t give him a straight answer.
- Peyton outright asks Haley if she likes Nathan; Haley just responds that it’d be too messy because of her friendship with Lucas, and never says if she actually likes Nathan or not.
- Haley asks Peyton what she’d say if Lucas just asked her out. Peyton doesn’t say yes or no, but rather that her response would be dependent on how Lucas asked her.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Despite the way her relationship with Nathan ended, Peyton encourages Haley to date Nathan by pointing out any issues Lucas would have with the relationship are Lucas’ to deal with and something Haley shouldn't concern herself with.
- Deb tells Keith that she thinks that Karen is good for him.
- Shout-Out: The Pickerington students who find Lucas and Nathan call themselves Thing, Thing One and Thing Three - the names being inspired by Thing One and Thing Two from The Cat in the Hat.
- The Stoner: The pain medication Brooke takes results in her acting in this manner, before she finally passes out.
- Titled After the Song: The episode title is taken from the song "Every Night Is Another Story" by The Early November.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Lucas and Nathan are forced to strip to their underwear by the three Things, and Nathan spends a good portion of the episode shirtless outside of that. Lucas eventually gives him his hoody.
