"You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side" is the eleventh episode of Season 5 of One Tree Hill and originally aired March 11th, 2008. The episode was written by Zachary Haynes and directed by Michael J Leone.
In an attempt to save Nathan and Haley’s marriage, Lucas and Lindsey conspire to hold a joint bachelor/bachelorette party. Brooke has Owen set Peyton up on a blind date, and Mouth reunites with Rachel. Meanwhile, the newly paroled Dan tries to make a fresh start.
Contains examples of the following tropes:
- Arc Welding: Bevin shows off a picture of her son, Nathan… the exact same picture Tim had shown off to the girls.
- Arc Words: "What’s under the clothes, Brooke Davis?" is brought up by Owen as he talks to Jamie.
- The Cameo: Bevin appears, working at the mall as Lucas, Lindsey, Brooke and Owen walk through it.
- Commuting on a Bus: Chase returns, unwittingly recruited to be Peyton’s blind date by Owen.
- Continuity Porn: A number of the unnamed guests at the party are actually the recurring extras who played other members of the Tree Hill Ravens in the previous 4 seasons.
- Continuity Snarl: Despite the Season 4 episode "Pictures of You" establishing Bevin is actually more intelligent than she lets on, her cameo instead has her behaving like a Dumb Blonde again.
- Failed a Spot Check: When Owen is finally let in on Brooke and Chase’s dating history, Owen admits that he probably should have realised that they were talking about the same Brooke.Owen: Man, I don't know how I never put it together. Sobriety must be going to my head.
Chase: I never put it together either. You said, "Brooke." I said, "Brooke."
Owen: Yeah, but you said, "Brooke that started a fashion line."
Chase: Yeah, yeah, you probably should have figured that one out. - Green-Eyed Monster: Chase kisses Peyton, and when she tries to let him down, he tells her that he only did it because Lucas was watching - sure enough, Lucas is immediately seen jealously watching on before trying to act like he wasn’t.
- Idiot Ball:
- Peyton repays Brooke’s investment in Red Bedroom Records with cash, rather than a bank transfer or a check. The impracticality is lampshaded, however, with Peyton noting that the big envelope of cash is more fun.
- Brooke leaves the money Peyton repaid for her initial investment in the label on the side in an open envelope, with a recovering addict in the house.
- Mama Bear: When Haley catches Skills, Junk and Fergie roughhousing with Jamie on the moonbounce, she tries to remind Skills that Jamie is only 4 and not actually one of the guys.
- Never My Fault: After Rachel takes off with the money, Victoria tries to act like it was a foregone conclusion that something like that would happen - except a large part of the reason Rachel left was Victoria’s verbal abuse of her whilst everyone else was at the party.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Rachel repays Brooke’s charity by stealing the money that Peyton had repaid for her initial investment in the label.
- Pet the Dog:
- Skills, Junk and Fergie go out of their way to cheer up Jamie at the party.
- After Chase kisses her to make Lucas jealous, Peyton returns the favor to make Brooke jealous.
- Product Placement: A minor subplot in the episode is Jamie trying to get his parents to play Rock Band with him as a family.
- Put on a Bus: Rachel takes off whilst Brooke and Peyton are at the party, taking all of the money that Peyton had paid Brooke back for the label in the process.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Bevin exclaims her surprise that Lucas isn’t marrying Peyton.
- Chase kisses Peyton with the intent of making Lucas jealous.
- Titled After the Song: The episode title is taken from the song "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side" by Morrissey.
- Wham Line: Haley phoning Lucas at the end of the episode.Haley: I need to talk to you... you can’t marry Lindsey.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Skills has to point out to Haley that she’s been so intent on avoiding Nathan that she doesn’t realise how much she upset Jamie, who just wanted to play Rock Band with his parents.
