Before everyone's favorite theme song hits the air, a Sandy-imposed family dinner is interrupted by a phone call for Ryan. It's his brother, Trey, who is being released from jail the next day and asks Ryan to pick him up. When the beloved brooder and Sandy leave the next morning for Chino, the rest of the kids hang out in school. Once there, Marissa and Summer are greeted by an overly-enthusiastic Zach, one who later reveals to Seth that he met a tall blonde female in Italy.
Meanwhile, in far more sordid news, Julie tells Kirsten about the porn she is being blackmailed with and realizes that her only option remaining is to ask Caleb for the money. Speaking of money - or lackthere of - Sandy feels guilty about dropping Trey off in some stranger's house in Chino. Therefore, despite Ryan's concerns, both Atwood boys return to Newport.
Amazingly enough, Seth shares Zach's secret with Summer and she is jealous of this supposed new love. She later learns, via Mother Zach, that the girlfriend was made up and her and Zach share mutual apologies. Kirsten, possibly, can relate to this sort of awkwardness as she is visibly uncomfortable when Sandy asks to meet Carter. She even tells a fib, stating that her editor (and crush?) is busy. Sandy's money, at least, is being put to better use than his feelings for his wife. Trey is using it to buy clothes from a fancy department store, but starts a fight when the manager asks to look in his bag for stolen items. The next day, when Ryan sees an expensive watch and assumes that Trey did, in fact, steal it, he throws his brother out. Before leaving, though, Trey produces the receipt and says that he bought the watch as a gift for Ryan.
In a seedy hotel room, meanwhile, Caleb has a gift for Lance. He delivers the $500,000 and gets the tape in return. But then two large gentlemen confront the blackmailer and Caleb takes his suitcase of cash back before they cash in ... on Lance's immoral face! That night is the launch party for Newport Living, but Marissa and Ryan miss the festivites to go to Chino and find Trey. Once there, they find a world of trouble in a bar, but Trey rescues his little brother and is taken back to Newport, a brotherhood saved. At the party, Lance has snuck in as a waiter and has a surprise for everyone: the porn is shown in place of the launch video, much to Julie's embarassment. To comfort her, Caleb offers to take her to Paris in order to avoid the scandal. Seth and Summer also missed the part, busy doing something or other in his room. As the show ends, the usual clan - including Trey now - is eating the previously desired family dinner.
"The Brothers Grim" File: