ChrisK

Frankie doesn't care about Maddie at all. He is indulging in payback becuase his ego was injured. Remember his drinking binge? I anticipate Frankie's real objective is to force deacon out of his club. The restraining order is the first step to achieving goal. Daphne deserves to triumph. I have enjoyed her growing close bond with Deacon.

I feel the same. So disappointing the writers have taken this direction with her storyline.

Yes, I feel the same. I also dislike the emancipation direction of the Maddie plot. Writers are missing the real issues confronting teens today that could be explored.

I was seriously disappointed with the direction writers have taken for Maddie, an increasingly unsympathetic character. Her current story line may add conflict but it is melodramatic in nature and does not value add to your story line. Writers, you have an opportunity with the Maddie character to explore some authentic issues relevant to teens and parents. Those issues will resonate with the audience unlike the direction you're currently following. I recommend you honestly delve into things hinted at in the writing but being skimmed over. What? you ask. There seems to be an inference in the story that Maddie's angst about the breakup with Colt after she had sex with him underscores her songwriting and her need to be heard. You've never really explored or shown how such an experience truly affects a girl. When writers introduced Maddie and Colt having sex into the story line, they perpetuated the myth that teenagers do it and can handle the aftermath. It was presented as a type of meal, a fast food experience, digested and with only mild reflux. Such myths add to teen confusion as well as contribute to compromising them. Similarly, you have a great opportunity to explore the significant issues around rebellious teens and waywardness. So far writers have skimmed over the issue with both Maddie and Colt. There are lots of parents out there - caring and supportive one - who'd love their perspectives explored. There are lots of social agencies out there who'd appreciate honest representation of the issue rather than this sugared coated, under cooked donut approach. On a positive note, I think writers are showing reasonably well the way well-meaning third parties can exacerbate issues with teens and place them at risk. Cash's super-objective and agenda need to be better explored though. By that I mean the underlying motivation that explains her actions. At the moment, the scenes with her and Maddie lack dimension as does the whole Maddie story. The music and the artistry of musicians and song writers songs in Nashville are great. Please make the writing as good. Please put a brake on the soap opera melodrama that writers a sliding toward. If you can't explore the significant issues potentially embedded within the Maddie story line, then ditch it. Your audience will applaud.

Although I look forward to each week's episode and don't like the fact that we have to wait until March 2016 for more episodes, the writers need the break so they can better think through the narrative issues for all character story lines before any more scripting and filming takes place. The writers also need to research their subject matter a lot more to avoid looping a story line or going for predicable over-the-top melodrama. e.g Deaon's insecurity and petulant outbreaks. Ditto with illogical plot events. e.g Markus' departure without penalty. There is a wealth of authentic material to mine from real life for the Nashville writers. There are also significant gender and sexuality issues to explore. The ramifications of Maddie’s first sexual experience have been overlooked, making the story line very unreaslitic. Any readers out there who have worked with teens will understand what I mean and allude to. The Daphne and Maddie storyline has potential as all the seeds have been sown just as the seeds dealings with Juliette's promiscuity before Avery were sown. The confusion of sex with love needs to be explored. Yes I know Juliette had it off with Jeff after she committed to Avery. Finally, I love the music and want to see substance added to the plotlines.

I have come to enjoy 'Nashville' for its complex characteriation so I am really disappointed that writers have narrowed their portrayal of Maddie to the stereotype of 'temptuous headstrong teen'. She is becoming an unsympathic character and by episode 8 is downright unikeable. Writers need to show some postive aspects to Maddie's character otherwise the points they want to make about the industry and its pitfalls (explored in Markus and Rayna's chats and shown in Juliet's backstory etc ) are diminshed. It is a complex issue and needs to be explored properly. It would also be good for writers to provide the actress playing Maddie with more emotional scope so that she can demonstrate her acting ability. The writers created Juliet's complexity so, c'mon, do it for Maddie as well.