Rayna Jaymes: The Reigning Queen of Country

[Cranberry]

I didn't know that there was a "y" in her last name until a couple of weeks ago.

[aradia22]

I really hate Rayna. I know a lot of people like her character but for me, Connie Britton and Callie Khouri failed with her. I find her incredibly unlikable and self-righteous. In their attempt to write this strong female character they've made the mistake of writing this judgmental hypocrite who doesn't behave like a normal person. In season 1 she made all these sassy demands and then stormed out of rooms. That is not what a mature businesswoman does. I thought she was alright at the beginning of season 2

as she was recovering from the car crash

but the Rayna I hate has been slowly creeping back in and now she's back to infuriating me more often than not. 

[madam magpie]

I love Rayna, she's my favorite character, I get her and empathize with her, but I agree that she needs to have a collapse about her decision regarding Maddie. I don't hate her for it and don't think Deacon does either, but it's just totally unrealistic that she wouldn't give him a sobbing apology, even if she believes she had no choice. She just loves him to much to feel completely justified, and what they lost together is too huge. I'm hoping that's coming soon.

[sinnerforhire]

There's something that's been bugging me for a while now, and that's Rayna's dad's money. In the pilot they talk about how loaded he is, then they kill him off and there's absolutely nothing to indicate what's happening to all that money. With the way Rayna repaired her relationship with him before he died, it seems like he would have written her back into the will. Even if he wrote both daughters out and just left the money to the granddaughters in a trust, Rayna would be able to use that money to buy her house back, since that would directly benefit the girls. It just seems like a huge loose end that needs to be tied up.

[aradia22]

sinnerforhire, that's a good point. Well, he was under investigation and then arrested and about to be put on trial so I would guess that his assets were frozen. But then with Tandy

backing out as the star witness

, I would assume that all charges were dropped and his assets were unfrozen. As far as I remember, he didn't lose money at any point. So yes, when he died I assume he was still wealthy and that money should have gone somewhere. Maybe the writers forgot?

[vera charles]

Am I the only one who is so tired of everybody just giving Rayna a pass for every crappy thing she has ever done? Teddy and Deacon give her a pass for all the lies she told about Maddie. Deacon and everybody else give her a pass for all this drama with Scarlett. Tandy gives her a pass for all the drama with their father and their business. Luke actually has nerve enough to blame Deacon, not Rayna, that he wasn't told about Maddie. (Which is another beef - why does he need to know anything? But I digress....) The only person who has the gall to hold Rayna accountable if Scarlett's mother, but she's a horrible villain, so again Rayna is a victim and someone else is the bad guy. I would love for someone credible to slap Rayna down over something...anything. I am so, so tired of Saint Rayna and all of her protectors who want to tell her that she's right and whoever is against her is wrong. It is just infuriating!

[Quiche]

I really hate Rayna. I know a lot of people like her character but for me, Connie Britton and Callie Khouri failed with her. I find her incredibly unlikable and self-righteous. In their attempt to write this strong female character they've made the mistake of writing this judgmental hypocrite who doesn't behave like a normal person. In season 1 she made all these sassy demands and then stormed out of rooms. That is not what a mature businesswoman does. I thought she was alright at the beginning of season 2

as she was recovering from the car crash

but the Rayna I hate has been slowly creeping back in and now she's back to infuriating me more often than not. 

 

Half the time I dislike Rayna.  

 

For instance, I realized that Rayna and Scarlett have not had a single scene this season.  Was Scarlett just dropped from Rayna's label?  Don't they have a contract?  What about Rayna's claim that she is there for her artists and intends to nurture their talent?  She hasn't been there for Scarlett?

 

Yes, she did drop her hot pursuit of Sadie, momentarily, to go tend after Juliette.  But also this gave Rayna the opportunity to gauge how much use Juliette was going to be to her and her label in the foreseeable future.  Otherwise, she hasn't been there for Juliette either.  

 

Rayna is dead cold around Teddy.  However, he seems to have been and will continue to be the main care-giver and custodial parent.  I tend to think she initially married him for that purpose alone.  She couldn't leave her baby with the drunk Deacon while she toured on concert, so she chose Teddy.

 

Rayna is often a hypocrite.  She acts as though mothering her daughters is the most important role in her life.  But it isn't.  I don't mind that her career is given the priority.  What I do mind is all the BS and pretending otherwise.  

 

Rayna always makes the self-serving decision.  Which is okay.  But then don't pretend otherwise.  When she chose Luke over Deacon, a lot of it had to with vanity and taking the easy way out.  Since then, she has not given two hoots about Deacon's well-being.  Like Teddy and Scarlett, he's just dropped.   

 

I think it is Rayna's hypocrisy and tendency for passive aggressive mannerisms that makes me dislike her quite a lot.  

 

But when she told off Jeff Fordham, I was totally with her.  Although she was acting the hypocrite there too.  She's been just as much as a whore as him - Teddy, Deacon, Liam, Luke - all within a year.  

[dcalley]

For instance, I realized that Rayna and Scarlett have not had a single scene this season.  Was Scarlett just dropped from Rayna's label?  Don't they have a contract?  What about Rayna's claim that she is there for her artists and intends to nurture their talent?  She hasn't been there for Scarlett?

Scarlett wanted out and Rayna released her, as I recall. They no longer have a professional relationship, and Scarlett was supposedly leaving town. I'm not even sure Rayna knows Scarlett's still in Nashville. Maddie's certainly not going to tell Rayna she saw her! They may yet still interact because of Deacon and Maddie, but Scarlett is no longer Rayna's artist.

[Quiche]

Scarlett wanted out and Rayna released her, as I recall. They no longer have a professional relationship, and Scarlett was supposedly leaving town. I'm not even sure Rayna knows Scarlett's still in Nashville. Maddie's certainly not going to tell Rayna she saw her! They may yet still interact because of Deacon and Maddie, but Scarlett is no longer Rayna's artist.

 

Okay, so Scarlett is no longer a country singer.  Did Rayna see that she get help?  Did Rayna do anything to encourage Scarlett to stay in the business?  

[madam magpie]

Okay, so Scarlett is no longer a country singer. Did Rayna see that she get help? Did Rayna do anything to encourage Scarlett to stay in the business?

No, and no. Rayna actually encouraged Scarlet to find her own path last season. I think Rayna's role with Scarlet is done, for now at least.

[Quiche]

No, and no. Rayna actually encouraged Scarlet to find her own path last season. I think Rayna's role with Scarlet is done, for now at least.

 

Scarlett is a song-writer.  If Rayna is so much into encouraging talent, she could encourage that.  

[jazzpno]

This show really throws around the word "whore" a lot. I don't know that I would characterize Jeff as a whore based on his personal life or his business dealings. He is a liar and a cheat. He is misogynistic and pompous, but Rayna kinda lost me with the whore comment.

 

As far as Rayna's sexual dalliances. All parties were consenting and willing participants so I don't see anything wrong.

Edited October 20, 2014 by jazzpno

[Quiche]

This show really throws around the word "whore" a lot. I don't know that I would characterize Jeff as a whore based on his personal life or his business dealings. He is a liar and a cheat. He is misogynistic and pompous, but Rayna kinda lost me with the whore comment.

 

As far as Rayna's sexual dalliances. All parties were consenting and willing participants so I don't see anything wrong.

 

For some reason, Rayna wanted to stick it to Jeff and make it hurt.  Even though she had won that round by signing Sadie to her label.  

 

Yet she had some kind of harsh deep feeling against Jeff, which suggests that for her that it was more than about business.  Maybe she has transferred her feelings for her father onto Jeff.  Maybe due to Luke, Rayna finds Jeff threatening.  Or maybe she is deflecting anger she actually feels towards Luke onto Jeff.  

Edited October 20, 2014 by Quiche

[shron17]

Yet she had some kind of harsh deep feeling against Jeff, which suggests that for her that it was more than about business.

 

Jeff signed Will to Edgehill soon after the initial meeting where Rayna brought her H65 artists to meet the new head of the label.   Pretty underhanded business, if you ask me.  He could have just supported Highway 65 as a label under Edgehill and they all could have profited.  Then if that wasn't enough Jeff made it personal by trying to force Rayna to release an album to take advantage public sympathy after her accident and coming up with that awful album cover.

Edited October 20, 2014 by shron17