Tracie76

He most definitely is. For someone to come in without most people knowing who he was and to make people stand up and take notice is huge. Now everyone knows who he is. And honestly without him or Wade the show wouldn't be the same and couldn't survive. At this point the show most definitely needs him more than he needs it.

I think going in most people knew who SP and RB were so that may have been why they initially tuned in. Most stayed because of WB though. I know I was a bit bored by the pilot but stuck around.

Nina82

I also had never heard of Rachel Bilson or Scott Porter before, and only came across this show by accident I too wasn't thrilled by the pilot but as I had nothing better to do that day, I watched the second episode right afterwards, and I'm so glad I did because then I was hooked and spent the next three days watching all 15 episodes that had aired till then. And the 16. a few days later. I guess you can imagine how shocked I was when I discovered that the show was having a hiatus after that and wouldn't return for weeks!!! I hate hiatuses!!! They should be forbidden!

starryeyesxx

I liked Rachel from her OC days, so that's how I knew about HoD & knew that I'd give it a shot, even though it didn't really look like my kind of show, after the first two eps I wasn't really sure if I was going to stick with the show, but after the 3rd & 4th I was hooked! I was so excited for ZW & knew that I had no choice but to ship them after that

Cosmic Love

It kind of happened like that to me too. I loved Rachel on the OC (the first show I was absolutley OBSESSED about) and I had to watch it. And then there was this gorgeous cast and the music and the settings and I was hooked. The show makes me happy

sommerregen

^ That's how it was for me as well. and like most of you, I also wasnt that keen on Wade in the first episode, nor did I like the car scene much. (Looking back it's so different though..their banter before she got in the car, and the little details really make it great. ) I think only really rooted for Lavon and Zoe (not as a couple, but as characters) but as it went on, it just got better and better, also because of WZ. But I'm glad to say I enjoy almost everything about this show (ya'll know what I have huge problems with).

Tracie76

Once again Lisa we are in total agreement. Looking back I do like the car scene now. At the time it just seemed like a hook up to me. Which now we clearly see it lead to something more.

sommerregen

Yeah, looking back it makes sense for them/their story to have hooked up there (almost). The chemistry and attraction was there from the beginning..and they are still working towards more in season 2. damn, atm I dont know how to phrase it to have it make sense, so I'll leave it at that.

But what I did like a lot even the first time around was Zoe walking down that road and Wade winking at her. That was cool.

Tracie76

I liked that scene too. I love the progression of their relationship. It came out of nowhere and has become something special. Really like Bluebell. She never expected to end up there and now is happy there.

sommerregen

Exactly. which again just undermines that her journey, living in Bluebell, changing and growing and WZ are so closely linked together.

Hope137

I tend to go with who the show seems to want together, too. At the very beginning, I thought that was GZ. Plus, I'm super stubborn about my ships. Usually when I pick a ship, I don't change. That was very different with this show. I rooted for GZ at the beginning because I thought that was the only option. I didn't like Wade in the first episode either. I didn't think Wade would become more than the bratty neighbour. I'm so glad I was wrong because I don't know how much longer I could've stayed aboard the GZ ship. I was bored, and we were getting so few scenes to make me continue to root for them.

Yep. I love that about their story.

sommerregen

It varies from show to show with me..but when a show has to tell me who I should ship, I refuse to. I dont like that. Cut the viewers some slack and let them figure out on their own/SHOW a connection.

amoRBD

Exactly my story. Although, I stopped paying attention after the pilot but would see zade gifs on my dash and I'm like "i ship them" I just do. And then I caught up with all their scenes that I had seen but wasn't paying attention to cause I was studying and from then on I was like "these two are amazing together"

Nina82

I always ship for the couple that I feel belong together (and so far I was really lucky with that!). With Zoe & George I felt absolute nothing so I wouldn't have shipped them even if they would have been the only two people on the show.

amoRBD

I know sometimes you just know who belongs with who and there will be on occasion a ship were I'm torn between the two because they both fit but with HoD it's just so obvious who she belongs with.

meraki

Agreed