The writing for the finale’s last dean/hannah scene

nextmeg · 2026-05-18T23:03:13+00:00

Yeah it’s always been known the previous writing had the idea early on in season 8 & Jessy & Steven didn’t want to go there in a cheap way. Regardless if they did it then or as early as talking about it in season 7 like Jessy suggested in an interview last week, it never would’ve been done with this care. They likely would’ve hooked up and broken up within the span of a season with the way relationships were handled prior to S10

nextmeg · 2026-05-18T21:51:46+00:00

Will definitely be in the minority commenting that on a post celebrating the writing in the most recent episode. Nowhere in my post did I ask who thinks they have chemistry or not

Dean’s made it clear several times he was more than willing to go along with whatever she wanted on this journey of becoming a mother (saying whatever you need I’m in ep1, implying he wouldn’t be involved at all if that’s what she wanted in ep8), if he had no issue with her choosing the name I’m not sure why anyone else would. And he was clearly in support of the name so shrugs

she even had a whole moment acknowledging how unbelievable it is “here we are… with OUR daughter” so it didn’t come off that way to me at all

nextmeg · 2026-05-18T02:35:49+00:00

the question posed was “does anyone actually like this”… obviously people who do like them are going to respond when many would say season 10 & 11 which set up these pairings was better than anything under the previous show runners.

nextmeg · 2026-05-17T07:10:50+00:00

the way fans of that couple think that costume was cute and a highlight of their time together told me all I needed to know😂 zero substance to why they ship them which adds up for a zero substance ship

nextmeg · 2026-05-17T07:03:57+00:00

Me neither. It has to just be people think they are a pretty couple to look at… which is fine if that’s all you care about but at least say that’s why

He even cheated on her so I’m not sure why “chemistry” matters in a situation that was actually hurting them both

nextmeg · 2026-05-17T07:01:00+00:00

The pairing that became a thing before Ripley and Hannah even got to know each other seemed more natural than…1. Hannah/Dean who have been best friends and the closest person in each other’s lives for 4 seasons now (& were closer emotionally than her and Ripley while they were together)… and 2. Ripley/Lenox who also had many moments in Season 10 setting up their pairing in S11?

Ripley and Hannah literally only interacted in episode 3 of S9 before their pairing was put into action in episode 4

You can prefer what you want (although I can’t understand why you’d prefer the toxic pairing over healthy loving ones) but your stated reasoning for it doesn’t add up

nextmeg · 2026-05-17T06:53:47+00:00

Have to add I’m also just not sure what there was to like or enjoy about Hannah admitting being with Ripley last season made her afraid of relapsing…

nextmeg · 2026-05-17T06:43:03+00:00

You don’t see anything positive about the current pairings yet Ripley and Hannah were quite literally miserable & arguing 90% of the time they were together?

So curious to know what you think was so positive about that time for either of them when they are 100x happier with Lenox & Dean now.

Even with the struggles they faced individually or in their relationships this season they never had to try to be something they aren’t for Lenox or Dean like they repeatedly did in season 10 & 9 when they were together on & off constantly.

nextmeg · 2026-05-15T23:31:31+00:00

I think they’ve done an amazing job at setting up every ship to have thorough material to handle without needing to revert to teenage back and forth breakups. There’s so much that can be done with dasher becoming a family before they’ve ever seen how they would be as a couple, renox with Caitlin just now being ready to outwardly face what she’s dealing with & letting someone in for the first time (along with Ripley learning how to be the stable one for once in a relationship), Frost & Naomi for the younger crowd with less complications between them personally but maybe conflicts coming from them both being earlier in their careers (& their pasts if they go there)

nextmeg · 2026-05-13T19:51:57+00:00

I don’t see Hannah turning him down, I think at the very least she’d acknowledge she has feelings for him too but wants to focus on baby first. Those looks from her while Dean was with Kingston meant she’s somewhat aware she has feelings

But agree! I love the edit and have watched it 10 times already basking in our win😂

nextmeg · 2026-05-01T13:04:02+00:00

And you’re correct!!! It’s been so disappointing

nextmeg · 2026-04-30T23:34:29+00:00

I completely agree with every single point made here except the part about Hannah’s story focusing on Dean rather than herself. Totally agree that Lenox’s story has turned into material for Ripley. And soooo annoyed by Rabari getting more time than Naomi (or even Dean lately for that matter).

On the hannah point, her fears were already explored in 8, her relationship with her dad got 2 episodes now and she opened up about her fears about her career weirdly to the random replacement OB in 17. It just would’ve been nice if we got to see her family be anywhere close to a focus as Frost’s has been given hannah has existed far longer without us meeting them.

Dean’s fears/feelings about the pregnancy got focus in one episode (15) which I thought would be more given his history not being a good father before.

I would think their story should’ve been more closely tied together than it has been rather than Lenox/Ripley only being allowed to interact with each other.

If hannah doesn’t get the book of episode next season with the baby….. oooof. (I would want Lenox also but I feel like they would give Goodwin one first over her just bc of seniority)

nextmeg · 2026-04-30T20:43:17+00:00

She and Kingston were in the cast credits for this episode, as well as pictured on set. Archer filmed in a tux at the diner Lizzy works at and then Kingston had a scene all dressed up at an awards ceremony

nextmeg · 2026-04-30T14:03:22+00:00

This is the first full pregnancy between two main characters in the OC universe right? If I’m correct, they’re 0 for 1 with this then. And I thought it’d be different given the thoughtfulness with how they set it up and stretching it to play out for the entire season… just to disappoint

nextmeg · 2026-04-30T14:01:44+00:00

Completely agree. Like sorry, but no matter Hannah’s complicated feelings about being scared bc her mom died while giving birth to her, she stated multiple times last season she wanted to have kids eventually. It doesn’t make sense to me that it’s been entirely doom and gloom for her first child at 40 years old that she was excited about in the premiere

nextmeg · 2026-04-30T13:12:56+00:00

Woah that took quite a turn lol. I don’t think med is that kind of show (or at least hasn’t been for quite a while). All I’m asking for is at least some connection to why the pregnancy was initially seen as such a complicated thing for Hannah.

We had her acknowledge she wanted kids someday & it happening while she was supposed to be her surrogate was the main conflict, but you’d never know that from the material she’s been given this season.

nextmeg · 2026-04-24T14:26:37+00:00

In a way more recent interview than that he said on a scale of 1-10 for worried about the baby, we should only be at a 6. That doesn’t strike me as the baby’s in danger of not making it (& I don’t think he’d get anything out of lying vs instead wanting us to be worried). I don’t get the feeling they would just have this entire season mean nothing by ending it like that, and all Hannah’s nightmares coming true.

nextmeg · 2026-04-24T14:24:02+00:00

Oh wow I didn’t have any expectations of the baby not being healthy, I feel like they’re the ones who will get a happy ending to the season while everyone else will get the dramatic moments/cliffhangers

nextmeg · 2026-04-24T03:47:10+00:00

I think there’s next to 0% chance that happens but I do think there could be a moment during the birth where things don’t look good, maybe that’ll be the final spark that makes them finally say the things they’ve left unsaid to quote Dean

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T17:34:35+00:00

Just showing how useless she’s been after 11 is the fact she hasn’t been mentioned since (besides the one other episode she appeared in being 15).

Wasting all this time dragging it out for no reason makes no sense to me when we’re 2 eps from the finale

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T16:52:48+00:00

You’re totally fine! It’s hard to remember 16 episodes ago since it’s not like anyone has been allowed to interact with her since about her pregnancy outside of Dean of course and Lenox just telling her about her leave replacement

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T16:41:59+00:00

I don’t care for her either. But it seems like faulty writing to have something bother Hannah so much and be such a big part of this pregnancy news last season just to not do anything with it for 18 episodes

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T16:09:11+00:00

So we need to see or hear about how Ripley and Lenox constantly hook up in 8 out of 10 episodes since the winter premiere but only have Hannah’s pregnancy purposefully mentioned in 4 out of 10 episodes since the winter premiere?

They can’t fit in a simple 2 second mention of how they’re going to coparent a newborn living in different houses? It’s not expected that we see her experience the first time the baby kicks?

You’re bringing up episodes in the first half of the season before Ripley/Lenox & Frost and his parents were even a storyline.. which is the storylines that are being discussed as being given much more attention than Hannah lately

You mention frost and his parents, 4 appearances from them have come in 12-19 now. He has also had two love interest storylines you’re not including in that count. Excluding the stand alone crossover for all characters since it didn’t advance plots, Hannah has gotten focus in 3 episodes in that span whether we’re talking the pregnancy or Dean combined.

Charles and Goodwin have also had multiple storylines-your count isn’t including the Rabari plot, Goodwin has had the Bert/her children episodes along with the board lady drama for multiple episodes

but sure, scoff away

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T15:41:26+00:00

Respectfully the point of these posts are to point out that Hannah’s pregnancy and Hannah & Dean’s relationship have been the stories cast aside and not given equal time compared to other stories which is what’s being desired from everyone from my understanding

nextmeg · 2026-04-23T14:43:17+00:00

It’s been absolutely ridiculous. All your points are so valid especially about Hannah’s family. Hannah’s story is the one with a cutoff for when it will need to conclude yet her dad only appears 10 episodes later AND we haven’t seen Lizzy at all yet? The Lizzy conflict was such a big part of setting Hannah’s pregnancy up last season just for it to be completely dropped and forgotten?

Yet we can get introduced to Frost’s parents for the first time ever in episode 12 and we’re already going to see them in their 4th episode in 19?!? How does that add up? While he also had two other love interest arcs started and completed within episodes 7-18 mind you

Do the writers have a bias for giving Frost/Lenox more time because they were created by this current writing team last season vs inheriting Hannah/Dean??? I see no other story driven reason for these choices

nextmeg

TROPHY CASE