S03.E01: That's Me Without You

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Rayna must choose between two men and two directions her life could take.

 

Promo:

[dcalley]

 

Rayna must choose between two men and two directions her life could take.

Choosing neither one is apparently not an option the show is even willing to entertain.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Nope, no Kelly Taylor "I choose me" option! You gots to have a man on this show!

[Sun-Bun]

Ugh...I'm so tired of all the romantic hogwash tossed at this entire cast throughout the series.

It's actually not helping the show come off nearly as progressively as it thinks it would.

How about we see some more career strategizing and other more interesting plotlines pop up instead of just who is sleeping with/dating whom?

Also, I'm secretly hoping Scarlett will grow a pair, quit acting like such a whiny little special snowflake, and actually prove that she's every bit as talented, beautiful and charismatic as the rest of the folks on the show claim, because I have as of yet to see it---I dunno if it's the actress playing her or the way she's written, but the character is such a dumbass that I almost find her oddly fascinating.

Layla's character started out oddly catty and competitive, so I dunno what happened to her in the writing department along the way.

And Gunnar's girlfriend is just...NO.

No more boring young 20-something chicks, show!!

Edited September 24, 2014 by Sun-Bun

[Sun-Bun]

Well that was just a bunch of stupidly overwrought, tepid bullshit.

ALL THE PLOTS were just ridiculous love triangles and romantic woes. And forgettable country music coupled with melodramatic cryface scene-chewing, plus a laughably implausible flashback scene to wash this mess all the way down.

Seriously, show?! I think I can quit you now.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Sun-Bun

[bettername2come]

I liked Avery calling Scarlet his girl bro. I thought their little road trip was cute. Didn't watch most of season 2, so not exactly sure what's going on. Although watching doesn't guarantee it will make sense.

[Ellaria]

Well, this show took no risks from last season to now.

Not the least bit interested in the Scarlett/Avery/Gunnar road trip and bar brawl.

Will's story line could be so much more than "reality show blackmail." Are he and Layla really going to continue the pretense?

I don't understand the show's insistence on pushing Rayna and Luke together. I would enjoy seeing Rayna and Deacon reconcile and try to work I through their issues and build a healthy life with one another. It's going to happen eventually...stop teasing us. If we are stuck with Luke, can he at least be likeable and charming rather than a jealous jerk?

I guess it will never be mentioned that Teddy watched Lamar die. In fact, Lamar, his money and his evil deeds have been completely forgotten.

Of course, Juliette is pregnant and isn't certain who the father is...because she can never catch a break.

Why is everything a romance? What happened to the business of country music? At least the music was wonderful!

Edited September 25, 2014 by Ellaria Sand

[againstthewind]

Well, I'll give the a pass on the pregnancy storyline because Hayden is about 5' tall and was so obviously pregnant I'm not sure how they'd hide it all season.

The music was good - love FGL.

The whole Rayna/Luke/Deacon storyline is so dumb I am not even gonna comment.

[damalanop]

Tried my best to find something good to say about this episode, and all I can come up with is the live performances.  Oh, and I liked what Teddy said about Deacon giving him Maddie so he (Teddy) can longer really hate Deacon.  Other than that...this was a very forgettable episode.  That makes me sad because I was so excited for the new season.  Will muddle through, and hope for the best!

 

Choosing neither one is apparently not an option the show is even willing to entertain.

 

 

This is really what I was hoping would happen.  Would have really been novel, especially for this show.  I also would have liked something novel to happen with Layla and Will, but then again, I don't really like her, so if she left him (and the show) that would be a-ok with me.  We still might have a chance that the Will story line ends up being the most interesting this season if the writers decide to take a chance.  But do we trust them with that after this disaster of a premiere? 

Edited September 25, 2014 by damalanop

[Madding crowd]

I liked the road trip scenes and the live music was fun too. I never know if we are supposed to dislike Luke or not, but there is something shady about him that I can't put my finger on. I do wonder why they are going down this road instead of seeing how Rayna and Deacon plus Teddy could raise their family.

 

I assume Juliette is pregnant because Hayden is in real life but it seems like the timing is really dumb since of course she won't know who the father is, but it will no doubt be Avery.

[dirtydi]

That was not good.  I think many were off their game.  I thought the road trip was corny and more for a sitcom.  I  FF Rayna and Luke scenes, even Connie can't sell it. When I like Teddy better than you (Luke) that's a problem. I want Deacon to be happy.  I hope they find a viable lady for him.  The only characters that I really root for are Avery, Juliette, and Deacon. 

[KaveDweller]

I don't understand the show's insistence on pushing Rayna and Luke together. I would enjoy seeing Rayna and Deacon reconcile and try to work I through their issues and build a healthy life with one another. It's going to happen eventually...stop teasing us.

 

This way they can have more breakup drama when Rayna and Deacon finally get back together.  The only question is whether it will be before or after a wedding. Rayna seems to be not that into Luke at all, I think she's just in denial about Deacon.

 

Isn't her album supposed to be releasing? Shouldn't we find out about that, considering how much they talked about it last season? I am more interested in that than in which guy she chose.

[madam magpie]

I still can't believe that "which man will Rayna choose" was actually the cliffhanger and the A plot on a show about a woman who is supposed to be some kind of bad ass/musical genius/mogul on the rise. Clearly no one has informed Callie Khouri that it's no longer 1952.

"I've loved that man for a really long time"...so obviously I'm in a super-healthy place to marry someone else. F-you, Rayna.

Whatever. Call me, Deacon!

The road trip was cute. I do love a road trip. And as always, the music was great. But a lot of this came off like the daytime soaps I watched as a teenager, and if even Connie Britton and music this good can't keep you from being lame, you're in a bad spot.

Edited September 25, 2014 by madam magpie

[Cranberry]

The episode felt disjointed to me. I agree that everyone seemed a little "off." There was a lot of exposition, and the whole episode basically just took us back to the status quo (Will's still secretly gay, Rayna's with Luke, Scarlett is back in Nashville, etc.). The live performances were short enough that I didn't see the point of doing them live, and it was jarring when they'd switch back and forth from the filmed stuff because the HD was a lot crisper.

 

I won't complain about the pregnancy storyline because (as againstthewind mentioned) it would have been awfully difficult for the show to hide Hayden's real-life pregnancy all season, but I just can't with Rayna and Luke. I'm not even a Rayna/Deacon shipper, really (I would have been happy if she'd chosen him, but I also would have been happy if she'd decided to be alone for a while). I just find Luke whiny and shady.

[Bubbles]

Isn't her album supposed to be releasing? Shouldn't we find out about that, considering how much they talked about it last season? I am more interested in that than in which guy she chose.

Seriously. You'd think that either Rayna or Will would mention their competing album releases at least once, considering how much each of them has riding on it.

Really, Rayna? Luke? He's so bland and safe, except when he gets punchy, and she barely seems into him. I assume they're just building up to some wedding drama involving Deacon.

I kind of liked the road trip, if mostly for Drunk Avery. I never would have predicted at the start of the series that Avery would become one of the best characters on the show.

[AnnaRose]

I hated the live performances because they screwed up the closed captioning, making it lag way behind the dialogue.   Plus, they ended up looking fake compared to the rest of the show, ironically.

[bilgistic]

OF COURSE Scarlett keeps a parasol at the ready for sunny days on Tennessee roadsides.

[Fisher King]

I'm really only watching any more just to laugh at the ridiculousness that is this show.  Tonight's premiere did not disappoint.  Juliette looked and sounded different, acting completely OTTop.  I'd forgotten that HP is pregnant. 

Rayna's just boring.  Luke sucks.  Teddy was nice for a change.

And OF COURSE the reality show/gay scandal was expected.

 

I thought the road trip was actually quite fun. At least that was intentionally meant to be funny.

[Temperance]

I did miss a lot of the second season, but here are my thoughts.

I think it's consistent from what I have seen of Rayna that she can't be without a man. She always has at least one if not two to chose from. It's consistent for her in my mind to not really think maybe I should be alone. I'm hoping at some point she realizes this and  maybe starts exploring where it comes from. 

Two I like Scarlett and I enjoy her music, but I kept thinking eyebrows. They seemed really noticeable. I liked the road trip.

Third I agree with everyone's thoughts about Juliette and Hayden. I like her and Avery, so I'm hoping good thoughts.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Temperance

[TVFAN]

Can they please just let Juliette be pregnant without a "Who's the Daddy?" arc?  Make it Avery's and be done with it.  Let the focus be on whether the two of them can repair their relationship or at least find a way to co-parent.  Let Juliette deal with the realities of impending motherhood and with jump-starting her career.  And please let her stop apologizing for everything!  

 

Rayna needs to go five minutes without a man.  It would do her and her girls a world of good!  

 

And here is a horrible confession.  I like Teddy.  I always have.  He has been a great father to both girls.  And he actually gave Rayna the stability at home that she needed to make a go of her career.  She had a stronger partner in him than she has in Luke or Deacon.   Is he perfect?  No.  But his flaws have not bugged me the way they have some others. 

 

Love, love, love Deacon, but he and Rayna are just poison together.  

[Emily Thrace]

Seriously. You'd think that either Rayna or Will would mention their competing album releases at least once, considering how much each of them has riding on it.

Really, Rayna? Luke? He's so bland and safe, except when he gets punchy, and she barely seems into him. I assume they're just building up to some wedding drama involving Deacon.

I kind of liked the road trip, if mostly for Drunk Avery. I never would have predicted at the start of the series that Avery would become one of the best characters on the show.

I kinda love this show for its soapiness so I really don't mind the whole epsiode revolving around people's love lives.  I did feel like whole roadtrip plot could have waited until next episode. I think the show itself is a little mixed up on what they want Luke to be. Although I Ironically I think Luke's multiple personality disorder is very realistic for a preformer of his rank. I think Luke probably was a sweet shy kid once upon a time he's just gotten used to putting on this charming persona that even he's not sure which is really him anymore. I also think the darker side is fairly realistic result of him reppressing and being as driven as one needs to be to as successful as Luke is. Especially since I get the impression that Luke is less musically talented than Deacon or even Rayna so I think Luke is always worried someone will see he's just a pretty face in a hat. (Which basically how every tell-all and gossip peice has described Tim McGraw)

[Artsda]

The road trip was the best part. The entire show should have been the road trip. Loved drunk Avery.

 

I hate Rayna and her never ending triangle of Deacon vs her husband and now Deacon vs her fiancee. Deacon begging her to marry him after it's been minutes of him finding out she hid a child for 13 YEARS from him I find ridiculous. 

 

Maddie's still a brat. She doesn't deserve a good father like Teddy. 

 

Will's stupid still. 

 

Juliette's singing Crazy was really good, but not the WTD looming our way. At least had they made it her sleeping with Charlie Wentworth it would have made more sense to me, especially since they had brought him back the previous episode. But this Jeff nonsense is stupid. 

[madam magpie]

"Rayna needs to go five minutes without a man. It would do her and her girls a world of good!"

Right? Right?! Who knew that 15-ish later, Kelly Taylor would be a life lesson for anyone. Choose you, Rayna! #WWKTD

Oh, and I forgot to say...way to pick a winner, Ray. The woman is 40-something years old and she picks the guy who walks up to a dude on the street and punches him in the face, rather than the guy who has been trying to overcome being that angry, punchy loser. Go big or go home, I guess, and fully embrace the trashy country music cliches.

Edited September 25, 2014 by madam magpie

[Lillybee]

I thought that Hayden really rocked "Crazy" especially since she was singing it in character.

[thuganomics85]

Oh, Nashville.  I would ask why I can't quit you, but I know damn well it's because I think Hayden Panettiere and Jonathan Jackson are the best, and I continue to hold onto the hope that Juliette will one day get her shit together, and Juliette/Avery can happen properly. Followed by Charles Esten's wonderful performance as Deacon.  The rest... oh, Nashville!

 

Actually, I did find the road-trip amusing (if jarring); mainly thanks to Drunk Avery.  But, I continue to enjoy Gunnar more now, because he gets to be goofy and fun, instead of angsty, and this even allowed Scarlett to provide amusing reaction shots, which I will certainly take over the various drama she goes through.

 

The rest: heh, what is there to say?  I knew Rayna would pick Luke, because it's obvious (IMO) that Rayna/Deacon is the endgame, but TPTB are too afraid to already go there, so they have Luke as a placeholder for now.  But, I'm sure eventually the real Luke that we see hints off will come out in full force sometime in the future.  Meanwhile, in the Adventures of Juliette and her Fucked-up Life, of course she aces the audition because of still be raw over the Avery break-up, only to find out she's pregnant.  Which, I do understand since I'd rather they not try and hide Hayden's pregnancy, but they're probably going to do the whole "Whose the daddy?!" drama between Avery and Jeff, which.... yeah, not looking forward to that.

 

Will and Layla are slowly becoming the biggest disaster ever, of course.  You could have not screwed this up any bigger, Will.

 

I swear, my eyes pretty much glaze over any time Teddy is on screen.  Nothing against Eric Close, but I really find this character to be worthless now.  It's just another "Oh, look: he and Maddie are at each others' throats again" scene, followed by one of them kind of making up, and then maybe an awkward scene with Deacon.

 

The music continues to be awesome though.  Both, the new stuff and cover tracks.

Edited September 25, 2014 by thuganomics85

[airwair]

I don't think Maddie was a brat at all in this episode. I think it's been made clear why she would assume that Teddy hates Deacon, and I can also get behind why that would make her feel uncomfortable talking to him about matters concerning Deacon.

That said, no matter how bratty any child may be, they all deserve a good father.

(Oh, and the episode was trash. The only scene that got me was Chip and Connie ugly crying because those two on screen together are ridiculous chemistry.)

[jjj]

Well, at least we don't need to see Juliette standing behind a refrigerator door or holding a suitcase in front of her for the next half-season.

 

In fact, Lamar, his money and his evil deeds have been completely forgotten.

This makes me so crazy!  He was so, so rich "sure I'll write you a check for $20 million" rich, and not a word about the inheritance!  What happened to the huge Rayna plotline of "it this album fails, I lose my house"?  She should be able to by fifty houses with that wealth! 

[madam magpie]

Airwair: Yeah, I liked the whole exchange with Maddie and Teddy too. I suppose she's allowed only one decent parent at a time? So now that Rayna has completely lost her mind and Deacon's drowning in misery and begging, Teddy stepped up? It was nice to see Maddie say something reasonable (in the best way a kid can) and then to have Teddy hear her and respond like a decent human being. It's totally weird that we're just going to pretend Teddy didn't watch Lamar die and treat Maddie cruelly, but whatever. So much is ridiculous about this show.

I have no issues with Maddie. The kid is 15 years old and she basically has one of the worst collections of parents out there: a liar, a drunk, and a grandpa killer/embezzeler. I'm mostly surprised that Maddie hasn't dyed her hair black and gone to live with the drug addicts and homeless people down by the river.

And the ugly crying? Good God. OK, I was watching that being incredibly annoyed that Deacon was now begging, but then he started kissing her arm and she was crying and suddenly I was crying, and I thought, "WTF? I can't believe I'm crying at this trash." But those two will get you every time.

I also liked Deacon's just...I don't know...being completely bewildered by her when he said something like, "We are in love...with each other...you can't marry someone else." Yeah, no shit.

Edited September 25, 2014 by madam magpie

[hqtextbook]

On the topic of Juliette's paternity issues:

there's a sneak peek on abc.com where Juliette is on the phone with someone saying she and Avery were really careful and Jeff was the only unprotected sex she's had. So barring a freak accident I think it's Jeff's for sure, which UGH WHY. Here's the link to the sneak peek:

http://abc.go.com/shows/nashville/video/PL55199661/VDKA0_kdrjl5ef

[airwair]

I'm preferring to look at it from a perspective of Deacon's begging would ultimately do her a favor because she is seriously effed in the head if she thinks she's doing the right thing. At all.

The two of them could turn a scene eating cheese into pure electricity.

The two of them together bring me back to what intrigued me from the beginning (their insane chemistry) and now keeps me harping on why the writers are choosing to so stupidly waste it.

[auntiemel]

Hell, I was just happy that they finally...FINALLY...mentioned that Scarlett and Maddie are cousins. I was screaming that at my TV set for most of last season! :D

[GaT]

I have to start with what is always obvious about this show, Scarlett's hair. This is season 3, why can't they figure out what to do with her hair? It's still the same ugly rat's nest it's been, tying it back isn't going to change that. 

 

OF COURSE Scarlett keeps a parasol at the ready for sunny days on Tennessee roadsides.

She probably keeps it with the vintage shabby chic suitcase she uses. 

 

I wish someone on this show would remember this is supposed to be about the music industry in Nashville, not a friggn' soap opera. I hate the whole Layla/Will storyline, now we have to put up with them being blackmailed? So not interested. Also sick of Rayna/Deacon/Luke. Show needs to stop with all the crap relationaship plots.

[madam magpie]

Yeah, airwair, I hear you. It was a nice moment too because, yet again, we see that at their core they're best friends. Even though I hate most of where the writers have taken us, I do like that they consistently have Rayna and Deacon speak to each other like two people who deeply respect and love one another and know it. They just talk, and there's rarely any polite filter or pretense. The fact that they can say the things they do without the usual "OMG, what if he doesn't love me anymore" or "I have to be careful how to phrase this" is lovely to watch. It's also in obvious contrast to how Rayna talks to everyone else on the show.

I also found it interesting that Deacon did hit Rayna. I was wrong about that. Granted, he more just backhanded the air and caught her in the jaw, but still.

Edited September 25, 2014 by madam magpie

[airwair]

I always assumed stuff like that happened (like maybe she got hurt by accident when he was throwing bottles and furniture and stuff) but seeing it really enraged me. Not so much at him, even, but the writers-- WE GET IT. Deacon was a terrible, abusive, raging, loser drunk and Luke is a hero, God sent white knight who is always readily available to save the day. I had wanted to hear their Postcard from Mexico since she sang it with Liam and this is how that happens? No thanks.

I'm going to add that I do not believe that he was ever intentionally abusive to her-- I do not think for one second he would ever choose to physically harm her.

They definitely speak to each other differently. Not sure if it's on purpose or not, but Connie's acting is even better when she's with him. She doesn't even try to hide how bored she is with Luke and that showed ten fold all through this episode.

[madam magpie]

Oh, most definitely. My guess is that if he were asked, Deacon wouldn't even remember that he hit her, which is a frakkin gold mine in the storytelling/drama department. But Rayna does know, and as a viewer I think it's important that I learn what Rayna knows, not because it makes me dislike Deacon more or see him as a bad guy. I don't. I love Deacon and think he's probably the most interesting, complex, and sympathetic character on the show right now. But knowing what Rayna knows is one more step toward understanding her. The fact that we now know he hit her helps me even better understand why she's so scared of his drinking. The thing is that Deacon needs to know too. And so does Maddie. That's the part I don't get. There's your story right there, set up perfectly from the beginning. How are these people going to work their way back to one another? What will Maddie do with the truth about her parents? Why show us but not him? It doesn't devalue their relationship at all, I don't think. It just shows it as even messier. I don't think Deacon would intentionally hurt any of them, and I think Rayna knows that. But he nearly clocked Scarlett in the season one finale too. If Rayna lived with that day in and day out for years, seeing it makes me get her more, especially once she had children to consider.

However, Luke as a savior is bullshit. That's Callie and Co. throwing crap and hoping it sticks so that we get their hard on for him and forget that Luke goes around hitting people while completely sober.

Chip and Connie are both more real together than with anyone else on the show. They play off of each other so well and are so strong. I hope they interact more this year than last because it's fascinating to watch them.

Edited September 25, 2014 by madam magpie

[Lillybee]

Wasn't Lamar's assets frozen when he was arrested?

[Big Bad Wolf]

Damn, I'd really thought at the end of last season that we might get rid of Scarlett. But no such luck.

 

I agree that so much of this show could be better, but it's like comfort food to me.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

OF COURSE Scarlett keeps a parasol at the ready for sunny days on Tennessee roadsides.

She probably keeps it with the vintage shabby chic suitcase she uses.

I thought the exact same thing! I was surprised they didn't show her olde tyme suitcase when she was packing the car or during the road trip. I know I should have hated the road trip but from the second that Gunnar popped up in the backseat, I was all for it. Honestly, no one can top the road trip comedy duo of Arya Stark and the Hound though.

 

Part of me wants to see Rayna's decision not to marry Deacon as mature because she is trying to stop repeating their patterns and break the endless cycle, but the rest of me is so annoyed that she chose Luke who she clearly is bored to tears with.

 

I feel bad for Maddie but I feel even worse for Daphne. She is always being told to go away.

[Ellaria]

Wasn't it stated that Will and Layla's agreement with the reality show specifically included that they couldn't record them in the bedroom?

 

If so, seems producer lady's threat was pretty empty.  Surely that requirement would have been put in any contract they signed.  And surely the record label's attorneys reviewed said contract very carefully.  Seems if she went public with the tape, her show would be facing a very large lawsuit of their own. 

 

True but we have the basic problem that Will doesn't want that tape to go public...with or without a lawsuit. In Will's eyes, it is a very real threat. If Will was savvy he would have called his agent immediately after the threat was made rather than just stare at Layla with tears in his eyes. Where is his agent and publicist? Shouldn't the label have representatives around to observe and check-in? The record label seems to be represented by Jeff who pops in at events and makes nasty accusations. We need Brent to step in.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Ellaria Sand

[mjc570]

My projection (totally unspoiled): Jeff's the daddy, which changes him into a "good" person, so he and Juliette end up together. This leaves Avery for Scarlett, Gunther stays with Zoe. Luke hits Rayna, so she ends up with Deacon, as it always was meant to be. That leaves Will - and Teddy?

My point being: if the show wants to be soap-operish, then really go for it!

Edited September 25, 2014 by mjc570

[Alison]

Hell, I was just happy that they finally...FINALLY...mentioned that Scarlett and Maddie are cousins. I was screaming that at my TV set for most of last season! :D

Right?!? I have to keep reminding myself that Deacon is Scarlett's uncle because it's rarely mentioned.

[izabella]

Damn, I'd really thought at the end of last season that we might get rid of Scarlett. But no such luck.

 

I was hoping for that, too, and am terribly disappointed. 

 

I also see that Scarlett's marble-mouth accent hasn't improved, either.  There were a couple of times while she was talking with Deacon that I could barely understand what she was saying.

[Alison]

I don't completely begrudge the show for going full-on soap opera, but I want more plot lines about the country music industry. I think there's a way to still keep those elements while having love triangles/pregnancy drama/all the other rote soap elements, but they're doing a poor job of it right now.

[Cranky One]

 

Two I like Scarlett and I enjoy her music, but I kept thinking eyebrows. They seemed really noticeable.

 

I noticed that also! Are her eyebrows darker or bushier? Or both. And her hair almost looked gray. I think they went more plantimum on her. Must be a bitch to keep up with the roots.

 

The rest of the show was meh

[Midru]

Too much soap, not enough music!

 

I am okay mixing them up, but the show just seems to be less and less about music. Does anybody ever practice, rehearse, or write songs anymore? It seems to me they could still have plenty of soap while focusing more on the fact that these people are artists trying to create music. 

 

Rayna I am sad to say seems stuck. Always between a rock and hard man! Can't ever make a decision, can't help but having every man in her orbit lining up to serve her. Since the premiere, it has always been Deacon and Some Other Guy. Whatever, I am over it. Let her and Deacon try to have a relationship or I don't care. Because we know Luke is just Some Other Guy who will be gone soon enough. 

 

Juliette. I kind of loved how she fell apart and then bawled at the audition. But you could see the pregnancy thing from a mile away. Whatever. 

 

Three younguns on a road trip I actually kind of liked. I knew Scarlett was coming back to Nashville, and glad they didn't milk the decision. 

 

Maddie is almost uncontrollable at this point. She went from being one of the cute sisters to this woman who glowers and freezes her dad out all the time. I want her to be a ninth grade doofus again.

[Linderhill]

I completely agree with all of TVFAN's posting.  I actually started watching the show because of Eric Close and Chip Estes.  Interestingly enough, this is the first time I've actually like Scarlett as a character doing her little road trip with both of her exes.

[airwair]

I'm still failing to see how Maddie was a brat and/or uncontrollable. She froze him out at first because of his prior reactions in the last bit of the last season, but she quickly opened up to him and told him her concerns and aired her frustration because she didn't feel she could talk to him.

Then, for the first time, he responded appropriately. He listened to her hurt and did a great job at trying to fix it. And voila-- she was a human again because he actually treated her like a human.

[panthergirl13]

UGH.... way to tease me, show. First I thought we were getting rid of Scarlett FOR REALS. Then I thought Juliette was gonna get a cute pixie. THEN I had to FF through those terrible live performances which made no sense. And finally, after reminding me why I liked the damned thing to begin with (Rayna/Deacon chemistry), you send her off with that wet noodle at the end. 

 

I am disappointed. (As are all of the houseplants and lamps that thought they were going to take centerstage this season.)

[SonofaBiscuit]

Why Rayna, why?  I get that Deacon has hurt her badly and she seems scared to go down that road with him again, but she's not going to fare any better if she keeps getting involved with other men while still being hung up on him.  She's been engaged to Luke for all of five minutes and she's already having doubts...she tried on Deacon's ring after saying yes to Luke, and then there was that moment at the end where Rayna was watching Luke from a distance, and her face faded from a smile to a look that seemed to suggest that she believes that she may have made the wrong decision.

 

I'm hoping that the Luke/Rayna engagement doesn't last very long before she calls it off.  He seems to be crazy jealous, and I just get the feeling that Luke is going to lose it and end up hitting Rayna.  He seems to be seething right under the surface, so I'm expecting a blow-up pretty soon here.

 

I really wish that the writers hadn't decided to have Juliette cheat on Avery.  Like others have mentioned, she is never allowed to get ahead.  I know that we're probably going to get a "Who's the Daddy?" storyline, so that's disappointing.  I imagine that either Juliette will lose the baby, or Avery will just decide that he doesn't care who the father is because he wants to raise the baby as his own.  Now if it's the latter situation, and Jeff is the father, will Juliette go the Rayna route and decide not to tell the bio dad that the child is his? 

 

I hope that we get some music this season featuring the trio of Scarlett, Avery, Gunnar.  Last year, some of my favorite songs were the ones performed by the Avery, Gunnar, and Gunnar's girlfriend.  I'm also hoping for some more Deacon/Maddie duets or Deacon/Maddie/Daphne trios.  They all just blend so well together. 

 

Forgot to mention...loved Deacon kissing Rayna's hand when he was trying to convince her to marry him.  Again, how could you say no, Rayna?!

[Temperance]

I noticed that also! Are her eyebrows darker or bushier? Or both. And her hair almost looked gray. I think they went more plantimum on her. Must be a bitch to keep up with the roots.

 

The rest of the show was meh

I thought the contrast was bigger. Her eyebrows seemed darker and her hair lighter and shorter. I don't think bushier, but I could be wrong.  The look reminded me of Hillary Clinton's yearbook photo. 

Edited September 25, 2014 by Temperance