"Crying’ Won’t Help You Now" is the sixteenth episode of Season 5 of One Tree Hill and originally aired May 5th, 2008. The episode was written by Bill Brown and directed by Greg Prange.
Lucas looks into Dan’s claims about his heart condition, whilst Haley struggles with the idea of letting Dan have a relationship with Jamie. Nathan works with Quentin to rework his game and try to save the Ravens’ season, whilst Mouth gets an opportunity at an on-air position. Meanwhile, Peyton attempts to assuage her guilt by making a plea to Lindsey.
Contains examples of following tropes:
- Brick Joke: Brooke tries, and fails, to get baby Angie to smile for her; when Brooke’s putting the infant to bed at the end of the episode, she finally smiles at Brooke.
- Call-Back: When Q complains that Skills, Nathan and Lucas don’t know anything about playing hurt, Nathan responds by telling him that Lucas played hurt throughout their senior year; Lucas played whilst struggling with HCM across Seasons 3 and 4.
- Cassandra Truth: Dan’s claims that he only has 6 months to live because of his HCM. Lucas, Haley and Nathan are all sceptical that he’s lying, and Lucas winds up tracking down Dan’s cardiologist to confirm if he’s lying.
- Death of a Child: Discussed by Lucas and Brooke in regards to Angie, after Brooke finds out that Angie only has a year to live without surgery.
- Easily Forgiven: Q, after he apologises for taking his anger out on Skills two episodes earlier.
- Eating the Eye Candy: When Peyton leaves her bedroom in a tiny pair of shorts, Lucas can be blatantly seen checking out her legs.
- Failed a Spot Check: Lucas arrives at Brooke and Peyton’s to accompany Brooke to Angie’s pre-op appointment… 12 hours early.
- I Know Mortal Kombat: The Ravens adopt a strategy dependent on 3 point shooting, inspired by Jamie using a similar strategy playing a basketball video game.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Peyton heads to New York to appeal to Lindsey to take Lucas back.
- In Love with Love: Haley asks Peyton if she’s genuinely in love with Lucas or just in love with the idea of Lucas; Peyton admits that it might be a little of both.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Lucas and Nathan both take this view of Dan’s claims that he only has six months to live.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Jamie in regards to Dan’s crimes, once again. The five year old, not understanding that his parents don’t want Dan around, asks multiple times if he can see his grandfather.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Nathan has to make it clear to Dan that he’s not welcome around Jamie specifically because of Keith’s murder.
- Shout-Out: Peyton is seen wearing an Angels & Airwaves t-shirt at the start of the episode.
- Something Only They Would Say: The way The Comet is described by Lindsey to Peyton suggests that the book is clearly a love letter to Peyton and simply reading it is enough to realise who Lucas truly loves.
- Stage Fright: Mouth completely freezes up during his first live broadcast, stumbling over the words on the teleprompter on finishing off by spilling water over himself.
- Stating the Simple Solution: Whilst playing a basketball video game with Skills, Jamie just keeps shooting 3 point shots. When Skills gets frustrated, Jamie just points out that 3 is more than 2.
- 10-Minute Retirement: Q quits the Ravens, reasoning that with his shooting hand in a cast, the Ravens season is effectively over and even if it isn’t, his hand won’t be in any condition for the scouts. He’s convinced to return to the team within a day, in part because the Ravens intend to utilise him as a point guard feeding the ball to the rest of the team.
- Titled After the Song: The episode title is taken from the song "Cryin' Won't Help You Now" by Ben Harper.
