"Searching For a Former Clarity" is the eighteenth episode of Season 6 of One Tree Hill and originally aired March 23rd, 2009. The episode was written by Mark Schwahn and directed by Joe Davola.
Lucas and Julian face a setback on production of An Unkindness of Ravens, whilst Peyton and Mia are forced to make concessions on her new album. Haley reaches an impasse with Principal Rimkus. A shocking turn of events change Dan's plans for the future.
Contains examples of the following tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Lucas starts laughing as he recounts the story of the stoned dog eating Dan’s heart to Nathan.
- Awful Truth: Dan admits to Jamie that he was the one who killed Keith.
- Broken Pedestal: Jamie is clearly heartbroken when Dan admits that he killed Keith.
- Double Entendre:
- Played straight with Lucas and Dan's brief conversation when they run into one another at the hospital, with Lucas' response being seemingly cordial but leaning on the metaphorical meaning in order to take a shot at Dan.Dan: I'm getting a heart.
Lucas: It's about time. - Lampshaded when Julian visits Lucas and Peyton to inform them that the production of the movie isn't moving forward.Peyton: What about Brooke, did you talk to her yet?
Julian: I tried calling her, but... I'm not really worried about Brooke Davis, something tells me that she's going to be just fine.
Peyton: I didn't mean the job part.
Julian: Yeah, I didn't either.
- Played straight with Lucas and Dan's brief conversation when they run into one another at the hospital, with Lucas' response being seemingly cordial but leaning on the metaphorical meaning in order to take a shot at Dan.
- Executive Meddling: In-Universe.
- The film adaptation of An Unkindness of Ravens is left dead in the water following an upheaval of the studio heads.
- Mia is told by Peyton that Sire Records want her to rerecord one of her songs - currently a piano ballad - on guitar.
- Fix Fic: Jamie's version of Tree Hill in The Sims 3 features Keith, not only alive and well, but having reconciled with Dan.
- Jerkass Has a Point: When Lucas and Julian are moping at the River Court over the movie falling apart, Reese makes the point that they can still be proud of the attempt as it was ultimately matters out of their control that ended the project.
- Loophole Abuse: Reese is able to get Lucas and Julian their production bonuses by filming a sunset and claiming it was for the purpose of Stock Footage for the movie.
- "Not Making This Up" Disclaimer: Lucas invokes this trope when he tells Nathan what happened to Dan's donor heart.
- Pet the Dog: Reese filming some stock footage of Tree Hill secures Julian and Lucas their $300,000 production bonuses. It’s implied that he specifically went out of his way and did this after the production was cancelled.
- Product Placement: Jamie is shown playing The Sims 3 throughout the episode, with the episode being book ended by segments showing Jamie’s alternate Tree Hill.
- Titled After the Song: The episode title is taken from the song "Searching for a Former Clarity" by Against Me!
