BH90210 7.17, Face-Off: The Cold Never Bothered Brandon Anyway

March 23, 2014

BH90210 7.17, Face-Off: The Cold Never Bothered Brandon Anyway

I don’t think David could take this guy anyway

Summary: As he’s leaving the After Dark one night, David meets Chloe, a backup singer who wants to become a star. He agrees to listen to her demo tape. Valerie has convinced Tom to play in a charity hockey game with Brandon so they can try to connect. Tom and Val’s relationship is still weird; they’re sleeping together but she doesn’t want to say they’re anything beyond friends. Donna’s nervous about staying at the beach apartment with Garrett out of jail. Kelly reminds her that she has a restraining order against him, but I don’t think paper is going to stop him.

Brandon has to get up at 5 in the morning to go practice for the charity hockey game. It’s Tracy’s first night staying over at the house, and she’s a little nervous about having to see Steve and Valerie in the morning. Brandon assures her that they like her. Later, Steve stops by the practice and Brandon asks about Tracy, who Steve says was shy. He notices Tom, and Brandon says he’s not sure the two of them will be able to play nice.

Donna talks to her parents on the phone, telling them that she’s going to court to get a permanent restraining order against Garrett. What she doesn’t tell them is that it’s not a sure thing, and the temporary one runs out today. David doesn’t think that Garrett will do anything that could send him back to jail. At the Walshes’ house, Valerie teases Tracy that she could hear her and Brandon through the wall. She notes that Tracy and Brandon are getting serious, and warns her not to say “I love you” first.

Steve meets up with Kelly and Clare at the Peach Pit, and Kelly expresses an interest in information about Tom. Apparently she has a little crush on him. Clare tells Steve that a professor asked her to house-sit for a few days; she wants him to tag along. Nat mentions that he has demo tape Chloe left for David, and Kelly jumps at the chance to deliver it, since she’ll get to see Tom. But on her way out, she runs into Valerie, who taunts her for being single. She adds that Brandon and Tracy are no longer just having a casual relationship.

Donna, David, Garrett, and their lawyers meet with a judge, who’s sympathetic to Donna’s situation but doesn’t have proof that Garrett’s been stalking her. He won’t grant another restraining order. But he does warn Garrett not to harass Donna in any way or he’ll be in a lot of trouble. Kelly goes to David and Tom’s house, where Tom invites her to go for a swim. She confirms that they’re both single; Tom says he and Valerie haven’t dated for a long time. Kelly invites him to a movie.

Steve and Clare have hit the jackpot with the house they’re house-sitting. They plan to take advantage of being away from the rest of the gang for a little while. Kelly and Tom head to the Peach Pit after the movie, agreeing to see another one together. Valerie spots them and makes up an excuse for Tom to come to the After Dark with her. She yells at him for going out with Kelly, even as she lies that she doesn’t see Kelly as a threat. She thinks Kelly’s using him. Tom’s mad that Val doesn’t consider him good enough for her or someone she hates.

Donna quits her weather segment to take herself out of the public eye. David admires her efforts to protect herself (like not walking anywhere alone). But after he takes her to her next class, Garrett ambushes her and tries to tell her that she has the wrong idea about him. Donna panics and runs off, finding David and telling him how upsetting it is that she can’t make Garrett stay away from her. Meanwhile, Tracy chats with Evan and vile Rusty, then does exactly what Valerie told her not to: She tells Brandon she loves him. He says he doesn’t know how to respond.

David and Tom go to Garrett’s house so David can warn him to stay away from Donna. Garrett tells him that he’s not the one stalking Donna, and he only approached her to warn her that she’s in danger. “A guy can get anybody he wants if he’s willing to risk anything to do it,” he tells David. “Willing to risk anything for her?” David attacks him but gets pulled off by a cop – the police have been keeping an eye on Garrett.

Steve and Clare enjoy playing house, and she announces that since the professor who owns it is leaving the country for a six-month sabbatical, they could turn the house-sitting gig into something long-term. Steve’s up for that. Brandon and Valerie talk hockey at the house; he and Tom have been placed on opposite teams, so they’ll be playing against each other. Valerie complains about Tom and Kelly’s date, which Brandon doesn’t think is a big deal – they’re just friends. Val says that Tom never stays “just friends” with a girl for long.

The power’s out at the beach apartment in the middle of the night, and Donna thinks someone’s there to hurt her. It’s just the landlord coming by to tell them that an electrician has been called. Kelly sees that Donna picked up a knife to defend herself with, and she promises to stay by Donna’s side until she feels calm. Brandon calls Tracy to say good night, and also because he was apparently looking for some awkward conversation before bed. Back at the beach apartment, Donna gets another scare: a dead rat in her bed. (Ewwwwwww.)

It’s hockey time! Yay? Valerie and Tracy arrive for the game and talk about their relationship issues. Brandon and Tom have some good-natured banter, so it’s possible they’ll both leave the game with all their teeth. When Tom waves to Kelly, Brandon decides to do that guy thing where he tells him not to hurt her because she’s vulnerable. I’m sure Kelly would love hearing him say that about her. Tom basically ignores him, then goes over to flirt with Kelly and get a good-luck kiss from her.

Hockey is played. Brandon and Tom are jerks to each other. Way to behave yourselves for charity, guys. Clare’s not sure anymore that living with Steve is such a good idea. Steve admits that he’s hesitant, too. Clare also isn’t sure if they should keep dating if they’re not going to stay together. Steve tells her that they should slow things down a little; they don’t have to rush into a lifelong commitment just because someone offered them a place to live together.

Brandon lands in the penalty box for being a jerk to Tom, and Valerie blames Kelly’s kiss with Tom for his behavior. Kelly blasts Val for saying that in front of Tracy. Val tells her to leave Tom alone because he’s not available, but Kelly shoots back that he never gave her that he’s been very available to her. Brandon gets back in the game and scores a goal, because Brandon is awesome at everything.

David and Donna stop by the After Dark, where they hear part of Chloe’s demo tape. After David leaves the room, Garrett shows up, mentioning that this is where he and Donna first met. He’s mad that David got the cops on his case. He punches David, which is enough to allow Donna to get a restraining order against him.

After the game, Brandon and Tom make up, and Brandon promises to stay out of Tom and Kelly’s business. He also tells Tracy that the fight with Tom had nothing to do with Kelly. Brandon’s decided to stop being careful and worrying about people getting hurt. I guess that means he loves Tracy? I don’t really care.

Donna, David, and Garrett go back to the judge, and this time Donna gets a three-year restraining order keeping Garrett 100 yards away from her. Garrett says it doesn’t matter anyway, since he’s leaving town. “My problems are over – yours are just starting,” he warns Donna. At the beach apartment, the real stalker leaves Donna a message while he watches one of her weather segments. He promises that one day, she’ll be his.

Thoughts: No way did they do the hocket plot for any reason other than for Jason Priestley to show off.

Why didn’t any of my college professors invite me to live in their empty houses rent-free? Oh, right, because that never happens to anyone.

There are real NHL players in this episode, but I have no idea who they are.

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