Season eight of the hit teen drama, One Tree Hill, answered a lot of questions that were left hanging at the end of the previous season. This time around, viewers get to see that Clay and Quinn have survived after being shot by Clay's crazy stalker, Katie. Brooke and Julian are happily adjusting after taking a big step in their relationship and getting engaged, while Nathan makes a big career decision and Hayley reveals that she is pregnant again, this time with a girl.
Dan also appears in this season, still struggling between good and evil, while Chase finds himself struggling as well to choose between Alex and Mia. Needless to say, this season was jam-packed with lots of highs and lows that kept longtime fans at the edges of their seats. So without further delay, here are the 10 best episodes of One Tree Hill's eighth season, ranked according to IMDb scores.
The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get (8.3)
Hayley's due date is quickly approaching so she spend most of this episode testing all of her friends and family to see how prepared they are should she go into labor and they are the one who has to help her. Quinn fails the test miserably, misplacing her keys and panicking. Brooke doesn't do much better and tosses her keys down a sink drain.
By the time Hayley gets to Nathan and Clay, they've been warned and her tricks don't work on them, until she insists she is in labor and the guys jump up to help her, only to realize it was another test.
The Space In Between (8.4)
In the third episode of the season, Quinn finally wakes up from her coma after being shot by Clay's stalker, Katie. Hayley stays by her sister's bedside and tries to help her through her recovery, which is only made more difficult by the fact that Clay hasn't woken up yet, and most likely won't unless he gets a kidney transplant quickly. Nathan tries to donate his kidney, even though it would end his career, but it's not a match.
At the end of the episode, Clay gets his kidney and wakes up and Quinn is the first thing he sees.
Nobody Taught Us To Quit (8.4)
Clay is getting discharged from the hospital and has made the necessary arrangements for all of his clients to be repped by his former agency while he finishes his recovery at home.
As Clay tells Nathan the plan, Nathan stops him and reveals that he thinks it's time for him to step away from the game for good because his back is getting worse and if he keeps playing he could suffer more permanent damage to his body. Nathan is nervous to tell Clay, but he receives it well initially.
Flightless Bird, American Mouth (8.4)
When a development company threatens the river court in order to build a condominium complex, Jamie comes up with an idea that might save it.
Jamie, Nathan, Clay, Chase, Julian, and Chuck camp out on the river court for a night to look for a Snipey Plover, which is a rare bird and an endangered species that allegedly lives in the habitat surrounding the river court and if they can find the bird and prove it, then the land would be protected and the boys can keep their river court.
Asleep At Heaven's Gate (8.5)
In the first episode of the eighth season, Clay and Quinn are right where the story left them at the end of season seven, in Clay's beach house, both bleeding out from gun shot wounds. Clay's phone vibrates next to him as Nathan and Hayley are both trying to get a hold of them, not knowing what's actually going on.
While unconscious, Clay and Quinn share a dream-like state where they are both on the beach, talking and playing, it seems so real until viewers realize it's not and they're still very much in danger.
Between Raising Hell & Amazing Grace (8.5)
It's Thanksgiving day in Tree Hill and Hayley is preparing a feast. Initially, Nathan teases Hayley about making so much food, but she insists that you never know who could show up, and she turns out to be right. Brooke, Julian, and Sylvia, Julian's mother, arrive at Hayley's after burning their turkey.
Millie, Mouth, and Skills also have dinner at the Scott residence when the turkey they have delivered is still alive. A little drama ensues when Mia and Alex are both invited to dinner, but Chase is stuck working at Tric, leaving the girls to argue over him.
The Other Half Of Me (8.6)
It's the day of Brooke and Julian's wedding and love is definitely in the air, among other things. Julian's parents bicker tacking wedding photos, Alex struggles seeing Mia and Chase at the wedding together, and Brooke's dad is a no show.
Victoria walks Brooke down the aisle as viewers get a montage of their favorite Julian and Brooke moments in the series so far. Jamie gives his best man speech and Hayley gives her maid of honor speech and it seems like the perfect day for the happy couple.
This Is My House, This Is My Home (8.8)
In the season finale of season eight, Brooke and Hayley team up to re-open Karen's cafe. At the cafe's grand opening, Mouth and Millie interview a very pregnant Brooke, who introduces the cafe's first musical guest, Hayley.
Later, at the doctor's office, Brooke and Julian are getting a routine ultrasound, when the doctor tells them that he's getting two baby's heartbeats, meaning Brooke and Julian are having twins. After a scary delivery, Brooke and Julian's sons arrive.
The Drinks We Drank Last Night (8.9)
Brooke, Millie, Alex, Quinn, and Sylvia, Julian's mom, all go out for a wild night on the town to celebrate Brooke's bachelorette party. When the women all wake up the next morning, none of them can a thing that happened from the night before and they all spend the rest of the day trying to put the pieces of the night back together.
Brooke is particularly panicked when she realizes that her engagement ring is missing and she has no idea how that happened.
Darkness On The Edge Of Town (9.3)
A storm rolls through Tree Hill and a lot of lives are in danger. Miss Lauren's car, with her, Jamie, Chuck, and Madison in it, skids off the road and into the water below a bridge. Brooke finds them and dives in to free Jamie from the sinking vehicle.
Julian finds both Brooke and Jamie and is able to help Jamie, but Brooke is stuck in the submerged car. Meanwhile, Quinn finally confronts Katie and the two fight until Quinn is able to shoot Katie, taking back her power from the woman who previously left her for dead.