S1 • E1
The life of the McKaye family takes two extreme turns first when Beck wins an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding at the Torino games, and second, approximately two weeks later, when he is found dead at the bottom of a hill back home at Whistler, his death seemingly from an unfortunate fall. At the time, Ethan, who was managing his career, was evaluating which of the many sponsorship options Beck should take. The sponsorship option from Varland Gear Ethan wanted nothing to do with as he blames the Varlands for many of his life issues. Ethan still holds a grudge against anyone named Varland, despite Beck being friends with Adrien's son, AJ. Little did Ethan know that Beck was trying to make his own deals on the advice and help of his Uncle Ryan, who was using Beck to further his own career in impressing VIP clients at the Varland Resort, such as visiting Steve Newman. Beck was also letting his gold medal go to his head in many ways including living a fast life and cheating on Carrie, who caught him in the act with another woman. Quinn felt torn in his love for his brother but also in his long held crush on Carrie himself. But a discovery by Quinn in Beck's closet may change everything. Meanwhile, Nicole is having problems making ends meet, a fact she is hiding from Carrie. Nicole will discover within herself how far she will go to pay the bills.
S1 • E2
Quinn attempts to learn more about his brother's life by befriending A.J.
S1 • E3
As Quinn and Ryan delve deeper into Beck's past, they discover a shocking secret.
S1 • E4
Quinn suspects his uncle knows more than he's saying about Beck's involvement in the blackmail scheme.
S1 • E5
The McKayes know that Varland's ad campaign using Beck's image is not going away, so Ethan decides to take some action to combat his feelings toward Adrien. Jen, who doesn't totally agree with Ethan's course of action, is nonetheless eased somewhat by a visit from an old friend, Adam Lawson. However, that feeling of ease may be short lived. One forgotten person who has been negatively affected by Beck's death and Varland's ad campaign is AJ, only one person who can see that affect and can and does offer some sympathy. With Feeney's help, Quinn discovers who the recipient of the $50,000 blackmail money was. Quinn does question Ryan's action in deleting any of that direct information from Beck's computer. But in finding out the whole story, Quinn may get himself into some trouble. And Ryan and Nicole's relationship hits a bump with the return of VIP guest Melina Sarris, who Ryan has had a sexual relationship with in the past on her visits and who gets whatever she wants.
S1 • E6
Ethan being preoccupied with a work issue - someone seemingly trying to buy out all their distributors - leaves Jen feeling increasingly isolated. She turns to Adam, unaware that he may not turn off the reporter side of himself, especially as he is asking questions of others which may lead to a sensational story about Beck. Quinn, conversely, doesn't want to talk to Adam at all, especially with the increasing knowledge he has of some unsavory aspects to Beck's life. Carrie has offered AJ a place to crash temporarily as he seems to be grasping at straws to make ends meet while he sleeps in his car. Quinn tries to be all right with Carrie's decision, while Carrie struggles with her growing attraction to AJ. The misunderstanding about his current relationship with Melina Sarris was just the first issue making Nicole feel uncomfortable with her relationship with Ryan. She begins to see his job as the resort's "cleaner", she getting caught up in the lies he tells guests for their comfort, with which she struggles, especially as it relates to Ryan as a human being in her personal life.
S1 • E7
Jen and Ethan are drifting farther apart, which is not helped by some news from Adam. While Jen turns to Adam, Lisa is there for Ethan. Beck's ghost counsels Quinn about moving on with his life in pursuing the opposite sex. Excluding Carrie who seems to be hanging out more and more with AJ, the options include Kristina Brody, who was always after Beck and may only want Quinn because he is Beck's "silver medalist", and Isabelle, a waitress at a coffee shop he has been frequenting. What Quinn decides to do is based partly on his belief that Beck committed suicide. With his own executive assistant away, Adrien asks Nicole to accompany him on a several day business trip to West Virginia, a move which Ryan believes is solely for Adrien to get closer to her. However, several people take advantage of both Adrien and Nicole's absence. AJ continues to have problems, the biggest being that he owes several thousand dollars to his drug dealers, who are a little less accommodating now that he has been cut off by Adrien. Carrie has to decide whether to trust AJ in this matter of money. And Shelby, who has been cut off by Adrien while he is away, has to figure out a way to continue to lead the life to which she is accustomed in light of her belief that Adrien knew about her and Beck's affair.
S1 • E8
Jen's full disclosure about her evening with Adam and not doing anything with him because she understands how her past indiscretion has made Ethan feel leads to Ethan feeling even guiltier about cheating with Lisa, which he does not mention in return to Jen. Ethan eventually takes what he hopes is decisive action about the matter, although an action he still does not feel good about. Carrie is having problems getting the $500 back from AJ, which places their friendship on the line. As such, Carrie seeks out Quinn, who struggles with his continued feelings for her while he begins a new relationship with Isabelle. Ryan is increasingly concerned about Nicole spending time with Adrien, even if it is still in the guise of "work". In that time, Nicole sees yet another facet of Adrien's excessive life. And Ryan contemplates pulling an expensive fast one for his own benefit.
S1 • E9
Ethan firing Lisa to cover up their indiscretion backfires on him when Jen rehires her due to a short term staff shortage. Ethan has to decide how to handle the situation for his, Jen and Lisa's benefit. With his newfound bliss with Jen, Ethan has allowed Jen to offer their home to AJ as a place to stay for as long as he needs, which quietly irks Quinn. A move by AJ while the McKayes are away only solidifies Quinn's feelings. Initially a team of two with regular partner Feeney, Quinn assembles a team of four - adding Isabelle then Carrie - for Murphy's annual unofficial scavenger hunt. Quinn gets to see Isabelle in a different light, while Carrie finally comes to the realization that she has feelings for Quinn in seeing him together with Isabelle. Following their night together, Ryan and Nicole have different views of their personal relationship. Nicole's perspective is affected partly by Adrien involving her more and more into exciting aspects of his business life, which she does not recognize as his effort to get her into his personal life. And Adrien asks Ryan to have some difficult discussions in Adrien's land acquisition, namely with Ryan's old boss Justin Talbert who got Ryan his professional start in life in Whistler, and with Ethan.
S1 • E10
Adrien tests Nicole's ability to keep some demanding clients happy. Jen and Ryan learn that the Tavern property is being rezoned to force them out. Ryan begins looking into Shelby's whereabouts. In a vulnerable moment Carrie admits to Quinn that she has feelings for him. Quinn tries to remain unaffected and stay committed to his relationship with Isabelle. AJ encounters a setback with his new business.
S1 • E11
After Carrie confesses she has feelings for him Quinn struggle with his feelings for both Isabelle and Carrie. Sensing his uncertainty, Isabelle ends things with him. Meanwhile AJ gets deeper into trouble, Adrien continues to pursue Nicole and Ryan continues to dig into Adrien's affairs.
S1 • E12
Ethan and Jen seriously consider Adrien's latest offer for their property, unaware that he may need them more than they need him. Because of what she learns about Adrien's past love life, Nicole takes a trip to Bellingham to deal with someone from her own past. After being knocked unconscious at the coroner's office, Ryan awakens in the office to find that the coroner has been murdered, unaware that Feeney saw him leave the office. After Quinn confronts him because of Feeney, Ryan has to decide what to do not only about the coroner's murder and being at the crime scene when it happened, but also about the coroner telling him that Beck's toxicology screen, in reality, showed high levels of drugs in his system at the time of death, which is contrary to the coroner's official report. With Quinn preoccupied with Ryan and Nicole away, Carrie is feeling alone in dealing with her pregnancy, about which only Quinn knows so far. And AJ saves a junkie named Kate from Dante. In spending time with Kate, AJ may get a more realistic picture about how far his life has descended.
S1 • E13
The shooting incident at the assistant coroner's house leads to the police releasing Ryan and reopening the case into Beck's death, including a move which may be painful for Ethan and Jen. Ryan's release still does not deal with what Adrien sees as Ryan's betrayal against him. Nicole learns about Carrie's pregnancy, which gives Carrie another shoulder on which to lean as she contemplates what to do about the baby. Nicole also confronts Adrien about what she found out in Bellingham. AJ is pursued by a couple of thugs, which leads to him being in a prison of a different kind. As he goes through his withdrawal, AJ has time to think about how to make what he believes the world right again. Shelby believes she has some leverage in dealing with Adrien concerning their divorce. All of these issues combined lead to the revelation of how Beck died, as well as the incorrect belief by some involved about how he died. But the revelation does not come without tragic consequences.
Quinn McKaye
Carrie Miller
Ryan McKaye
Nicole Miller
Jen McKaye
Adrien Varland
Beck McKaye
Ethan McKaye
Leah Hutton
John Griffin