S03.E01: That's Me Without You

[Emily Thrace]

I would too. But would you agree to marry someone, even a nice guy (let's assume Luke is a nice guy for the moment...though I don't think he is), you'd been dating for only six months or so after ending a decade-plus marriage that was built on lies, nearly dying in a car accident with the father of your secret baby whom you seem to love more than your own life sometimes, and having these incredibly intimate moments/conversations with said secret baby daddy? Even if Luke were nice, that makes no sense. In fact, if he is nice, it's even worse because then Rayna is basically lying to and stringing along a nice, cool guy who just loves her while she sorts out her own emotional crap.

 

I'd be surprised if Luke hit Rayna. Hitting women on TV is a really walking a fine line; only a few can get away with it under careful circumstances. Deacon can because it was a long time ago and we know he struggled as an alcoholic and we already like him. Luke may do/say something mean to Maddie...or Rayna may find out that he hit Deacon and care...or Luke may do something even meaner to Deacon out of jealousy...or she may find that she and Luke have really different parenting styles...or she may just come to her senses, realize how incredibly fragile and damaged she is emotionally, start going to Al-Anon meetings, and sort out her life. I hope it's that, but I don't expect it. That's way too sane and normal for this show. My guess is we're going to get all the way to the wedding either mid-season or in the finale and the cliff hanger will be whether or not Rayna jilts Luke at the alter, which she will do and end up in bed with Deacon or something because she won't sort out that relationship either.

 

Airwair: She's seen it. He's snapped at her at least three times now and stormed off, but then come back apologetic. She doesn't seem to care. I will say too that Luke makes Teddy look like a prince. Maybe that's the point of him?

I don't think Luke would hit Rayna either, I think he has an nasty temper but he doesn't seem controlling the way an abuser is. Being angry and douchey is not the same thing as being abusive.  He's insecure about Deacon certianly but really that not unreasonable. Deacon is a threat to Luke's relationship with Rayna and while Luke is not dealing with that well his feelings are certainly valid. Luke might be manipulative but he has always been very impressed with who Rayna is and actually seems to enjoy that shes his equal. That's not someone who is looking to control and dominate. I also think in a very old sourthern boy way Luke thinks hitting Deacon is a perfectly valid way to deal with him(coming from a background thats fairly backwoods myself I am sometimes amused about how riled up city-folk get about a little punch-up) but he would never hit a woman on general principle. Wow I have put way more thought into this character than I realized. I do think its interesting how Luke represents the business side of Nashville and who that works sine a lot of the other character exist outside of that.

[Sutton]

Reading all of your posts I want to say Thank you for all your comments. Like I've said before emotion is me because I guess I think they're not giving Deacon credit for staying sober. He has more to prove that he won't start drinking again because he has a daughter and wants her to be proud of him. Why Callie and Co. chose to go down the path of two people, age 40 plus still dysfunctional in their relationship after all these years, still not being able to work things out, but rather go down a path that takes both Deacon and Rayna into some kind of theraphy separately.  I don't know an alcoholic (at least I don't think I do) so Deacon being sober for 13 yrs isn't that great. I don't know how he can prove to anyone that this time is different.

 

LW might not hit or be abusive to Rayna but he will snap at her with hurtful comments when things aren't going his way or when she challenges him on a decision he's made when she doesn't agree with it. Nice guy or jealous type can't wait to see that episode...

[SunnyBeBe]

I really do adore Deacon, but he does have a very unpredictable past.  Rayna seems to be addicted to him and no matter what she does, she can't shake the addiction.  It's unfortunate, but when you are a mother of minor children, you shouldn't risk your children's safety and emotional well being with a man like Deacon.  If kids weren't involved, then that's a different story.  Yes, I realize that Maddie is his daughter.  She is likely to get hurt when Deacon has a relapse, because relapse is a part of the disease of alcoholism.  It's not a moral issue, it's just the pathology of the illness.  I don't dislike Deacon. I really like him and find him super sexy, but his condition is a huge factor.  It's not about trusting the guy.  Alcoholics cannot promise you that they will stay sober. IF they do, they are fooling themselves.  All he can do is continue going to support meetings and not get overly confident.  

 

Love does not conquer alcoholism.  For those who have been in relationships with those who have it, know what I'm talking about.  It doesn't even make me think one minute of committing to Deacon and he's pretty hot.  That's how bad it is.  

 

I was really hoping that Scarlet, Avery and even Gunnar would keep driving and not come back.  I'm over them.  Their story is old and I wish they could lose at least two of those characters.  

 

I would much rather see Juliette filming the Patsy Cline movie than chasing over Avery.  He has become quite the disappointment.  His acting drunk, hung over or whatever that was what pathetic.  

[romantic idiot]

FWIW I don't think the kids would have had unsupervised time with Deacon simply because - why?

 

MM where are you you are so good at responding to these comments, me emotions get in my way.

Sutton I'm sorry I did not mean to hurt your feelings. I will say clarify that when I said Rayna doesn't trust Deacon with her heart, I should have added, enough to commit to him fully. That was what I thought was the point of the flashbacks. She acknowledged both the pros and cons of being with Deacon. I'd say in the years of her marriage, she loved Deacon the same way I love Jonathan Groff, someone safe to pine for and to fantasise about safely. The reality of them happening is unlikely, me because he's gay and a celebrity and half the world away from me, and her because through his actions he's proven himself unworthy of her trust. She can depend on him for minor things, sure - to be her backup singer, to be a decent uncle to her children, to be good sounding board and a friend. But to be her partner in life, her rock, even when things are shaky? I don't think she's there yet. Deacon's fine for emotional sounding board, but I don't blame her if she doesn't think he's stable enough for her to lean on completely. And even if Luke does prove to not be the ideal person and be (rightly) jealous of their relationship - that doesn't mean Deacon is the right choice either, immediately. And Deacon hasn't been sober for 13 years - he's been sober for a year or so (?) I think? 

Edited September 28, 2014 by romantic idiot

[madam magpie]

"Alcoholics cannot promise you that they will stay sober. IF they do, they are fooling themselves. All he can do is continue going to support meetings and not get overly confident."

That's exactly right. I do think you can have a successful relationship with a sober alcoholic, though, and he very well may go the rest of his life without ever drinking again. But Deacon has to stop promising himself and Rayna that he's healed, and Rayna has to accept his alcoholism as a part of her life and learn the skills to cope with it. Trusting Deacon or his sobriety doesn't mean she believes he'll never relapse; it means she believes he'll do everything he can not to drink again, that he'll work hard to pull himself out of it quickly if he does, and that she'll survive it if he does because his addiction has nothing to do with her. Neither of them gets that distinction yet. I think Rayna knows now that she can't love it out of him but that she still very much wants to and maybe even believes that Maddie can. Deacon still seems to think that if he can keep it together for her and the kids and she'll come back to him, they'll be fine. In real life, that would never work.

Sutton: I actually think the show gives Deacon a lot of credit for being sober. He's basically the hero of this story (or among the main ones at least), and the show's made it clear that he's struggled and overcome. That's why we all like him so much even though he's done some really awful things. What the show isn't doing (yet? I hope never) is saying that Deacon being sober makes him just like someone who's not an alcoholic. He'll always be a dangerous choice (for anyone, not just Rayna), but eventually I do think Rayna will come around to seeing him as worth the risk. She's just too scared right now.

Edited September 28, 2014 by madam magpie

[Sutton]

Romantic idiot - You didn't hurt my feelings I look forward reading the different comments from posters that see these characters differently then I do. I love Deacon I will be the fan to give him the credit he deserves working real hard to stay sober. He was sober for 13 yrs fell off the wagon when Maddie went to him telling him "I think you might be my father". He then asked the one person who he trusted Rayna if it was true and she said yes. I don't know what someone else would have done but finding out you have a daughter and for 13 yrs you were kept in the dark all that time, me, I would have punched someone really hard. He never ever thought that the woman he's loved all his life could have kept something that precious from him knowing he has always wanted to have a child with her.

 

MM - I know that the series has shown Deacon struggling and he has overcome a lot of the problems that were thrown his way and yes, I know Rayna can't trust him yet but she doesn't have a problem with Maddie staying over at his house on the weekend. Yes, she'll probably come to realize her love for Deacon is so strong that she will take a chance because he's worth the risk. Me, personally don't want to wait for season 5, if they even get a season 4. Season 3 is going to be all about Rayna and LW and I will tape it FF all those scenes and just watch Juliette coping with her pregnancy.

 

What happens to a series when it makes the viewers, fans (dislike, hate) the main character Rayna. I loved her in season 1, season 2 not so much, season 3 not at all and it will take me a long time to like her again if ever. Me, right now I would love for Deacon to find someone who loves him completely and surprise she gets pregnant. I would like to know what Rayna would do with that news especially if Maddie tells her. (See, me again emotion rather than common sense.)

[madam magpie]

I still like Rayna, Sutton, though I'm angry with her for continuing to make such poor decisions, ignoring her kids, and having made no progress in the lying/self-awareness department last season. She was definitely a ton more likeable in season one when she was so open and bare and human, but I can accept (for now) that the car accident turned her into a shell of herself. That's actually interesting storytelling because you wonder how she'll find herself again. But Luke Wheeler is a terrible addition because he's painfully boring and he makes Rayna seem shallow. I really have no idea if that's purposeful on the part of the writers or if they're just so wrapped up in loving the character of Luke that they're blinded to how it's like watching paint dry when he's onscreen. I mean, he makes Connie Britton boring in the scenes she has with him...even when she's rocking some amazing Tami Taylor aviators...and my love for Connie Britton has before known no bounds. So until the show is over and I can judge as a whole, I really feel like I have no idea what they're thinking or what the point of all this is. If Rayna ends the show as closed and shallow and lame as she is now, though, or even if she doesn't have her turnaround until the very last episode, I'm with you. I want to see Rayna claw her way back to coolness, not have some miraculous change of heart at the eleventh hour.

 

I also agree that Maddie will likely be what brings Rayna and Deacon back to each other. If it doesn't take ages and ages, that should be fun to watch.

Edited September 28, 2014 by madam magpie

[airwair]

. It's unfortunate, but when you are a mother of minor children, you shouldn't risk your children's safety and emotional well being with a man like Deacon. If kids weren't involved, then that's a different story. Yes, I realize that Maddie is his daughter. She is likely to get hurt when Deacon has a relapse, because relapse is a part of the disease of alcoholism.

I've seen a lot of this sentiment lately and I have to ask... so an addict, no matter how long they've been sober or how dedicated they've been to their recovery should just always be a leper and never have a shot at their family because they can't be trusted?

That seems pretty cruel.

It's obviously not going to be rainbows and butterflies and like madam magpie has said, Rayna could benefit a lot more from Al Anon than she could from just running away and hiding behind shallow lies.

I guess I'm just questioning how any recovering addict, anywhere, has a loving support system and a family to give him meaning if we dismiss them all because we can't trust then around their children.

[Sutton]

 Airwair --  THANKS couldn't of said it better.

[TeeVee329]

I haven't had a chance to watch yet, but am I to believe in the Will/Layla fallout, there was no mention of Brent?  That's ridiculous.

[SunnyBeBe]

The decision to enter or continue in a relationship with an alcoholic is very personal.  Not all alcoholics behave the same way when they are relapsing, but most that I know or have known, exhibit unhealthy behavior, such as cursing, verbal abuse of those around them, attempting to cook or drive while drunk, not attending important events, ruining family holidays and vacations and property damage.  Deacon's character has done most of these things.  When you have kids around, it's a very risky thing to expose them to that kind of behavior.  You live like walking on egg shells, because you never know when the flood gates will open.  Regardless of how strong your love is for someone who has shown these traits, it won't stop it from happening.  

 

Rayna might should wait until the kids are adults, then act on her love for Deacon, if he's still available.  She seems more addicted to the idea of what they should have had than what they really had.  What they really had was an abusive, dysfunctional relationship.  

Edited September 29, 2014 by SunnyBeBe

[madam magpie]

She seems more addicted to the idea of what they should have had than what they really had.  What they really had was an abusive, dysfunctional relationship.

 

I think this is true somewhat, though I wouldn't call it addicted. I think she desperately longs for what they both feel they should have had (and for what they did have in stolen moments), but at this point, she believes she cannot have it. But the thing is, Rayna has never done any real work to sort through the relationship they had or figure out how to have one with Deacon in a healthy way or understand and confront the things she did that contributed to the dysfunctional cycle they were in. (That doesn't mean his addiction was her fault, but how she handles his addiction is her responsiblity and she handles it poorly, though certainly as best she can without any help.) That's probably my biggest problem with this story. I root for them because I like them and believe they love each other and all that, but the reality is that they would never make it going at it the way they do on the show.

 

That said, I totally get your approach. But personally, and objectively, I more agree with airwair. I think that everyone needs a family (however that manifests); human beings are just not fit to live without a tribe. And even if they never do it right, one of the big things that many alcoholics grew up lacking is that sense of security and belonging. Plus, if you truly love someone and can't let it go (whether it's a spouse or parent or child or even friend), it can be detrimental to you (and the children you have together) to forgo a relationship just because it's hard to have a healthy one with an alcoholic. It can be done and you can get to a point where you no longer spend your life terrified of what's coming, but it takes a lot of work and commitment on the part of both people. Deacon does strike me as a better risk than many, so taking the risk makes sense to me. But I think you're right that Rayna isn't in that headspace at the moment. All she can see right now is the dark hole and she's very afraid of going into it again...because she has no idea how to cope or what to do if it happens. I feel like she's making an uninformed decision of sorts, and it's clearly causing her a lot of distress. If she seemed happier without Deacon than with him, I'd say leave him. But she's been pretty sad for almost the entire run of the show, and the only time the character has struck me as genuninely happy are the moments when she and Deacon forget their crap for a few seconds and can just be together. More than lovers or colleagues or whatever, they strike me as very good friends. That tells me she's going about making her decisions all the wrong way because if they could learn how to live in that space together (and I do think they can), they'd both be much better off.

Edited September 29, 2014 by madam magpie

[Clemgo3165]

But Deacon does not regularly exhibit this behavior. Until the time he found out about Maddie, he had been sober and mostly in control for 13 years. Every once in a while he punched a guy, but one could argue that they deserved it. I recall one time where he'd torn up the house before Juliette dragged him out on tour with her. But I've seen very few of the behaviors you describe above and he's relapsed just once in 15 years and then in reaction to discovering that he'd been lied to by the woman he loved, on a daily basis. He's been nothing but kind, gentle and supportive of both of Rayna's girls. I don't think they're in any danger from him.

 

Rayna may indeed be wary because of the relapse. She knows what he was like before he got sober and may very likely fear what would happen should he fall off the wagon again. But I think if she deals with him honestly, she'll find that he's able to handle things in a reasonable manner. Maybe I'll be proven wrong later this week, but from the previews he certainly seems to be in control when talking with Maddie about her Mom's engagement to Luke. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Clemgo3165]

Nicely put Madam Magpie. I have to question too the characterization of their relationship as entirely abusive and dysfunctional. We've seen a few flashbacks here and there of Rayna's memories of the relationship. We've seen Deacon drunk, we've seen him miss a performance due to his drinking, and we've seen him accidentally elbow her in the face because of the same. We know from the stories she's told that he can be mean when he's drunk and doesn't hesitate to break the furniture. Though we've seen nothing to indicate that he regularly takes that anger out on anything other than inanimate objects. Certainly the relationship was dysfunctional, but unless he was verbally abusive (which is a possibility), I've not seen a pattern to indicate that he's an abuser of anything other than alcohol and household furnishings.

 

What we don't know much of is the good parts of the decade or so they were together. We've seen only a couple of brief clips that show good times, and only head a couple of stories about them. I don't know if that means there was more bad than good, but I'd find it hard to believe she'd have stayed for so long if she didn't think the good outweighed the bad until it came down to bringing a child into the situation. 

[madam magpie]

I don't think Deacon is an abuser either, but he does really look like one when he's drinking. I think that's a big part of Rayna's problem in cutting the cord. She knows who he is but she also bears the brunt of what he looks like, and that's a super-confusing position to be in. For me, I've seen enough of Deacon sober to completely understand why Rayna fell in love with him. He's really troubled and violent and all of that when he's drinking, but when he's sober, he's incredibly kind, Ioving, talented, gentle, supportive, etc. Everyone who loves him has to weigh both of those sides with how committed they believe he is to his sobriety, and then decide what to do. That includes Scarlett, Juliette, and Maddie. But for Rayna, I think she really believes that he can't stay sober and be with her. I can't imagine she doesn't feel that way becasue it's how their entire life together has gone. She doesn't see the kids (or herself or anyone else) as in any danger as long as she and Deacon aren't together. So that's what she's doing. And because she knows how much she loves and wants him, she has to put herself in a situation that will dictate she doesn't just fall back into the hole with him. That's what Luke is for. I just think she's not seeing all of her options.

[Clemgo3165]

That may be it. I'm not sure that they've really brought that out too clearly though. I guess I can see it. She knows he couldn't get sober while he was with her initially, and then he came crashing off the wagon pretty spectacularly when they got back together. But the reasons behind that crash are largely due to her lying to him for so long, and then not coming clean until she was confronted with the issue. Deacon's crashing is solely his responsibility, but I can't help but understand why he took that drink at that point - doesn't mean it's responsible behavior though.

 

But that leads me back to the point where Rayna needs to take a good look in the mirror. She needs to own what she did in regards to Maddie, not just initially which I think most of us would understand, but for the rest of the intervening years and she needs to apologize to both Deacon and her daughter. We don't know how he would have reacted if she'd told him herself back when Maddie was 3 and Deacon's sobriety was fairly firmly in place, but it'd been nice for both of them to have had that chance.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Rayna needs to stop running away and deal with her issues head-on. Big rings and race cars are nice and all, but they aren't going to solve your problems Rayna.

[Sutton]

There is a story that someone wrote and it starts Deacon doesn't go out and get drunk but gets so mad and tells Rayna that he can never forgive her for what she did  by keeping from him for 13 yrs that Maddie was his daughter. Rayna needs to go to a therapist and admit her part in why Deacon went off the wagon and take responsibility for her actions. As someone suggested  go to some meetings at AA and maybe go when Deacon is there talking about what has kept him sober. We're all waiting for Rayna to do something maybe it will be LW to finally get her to realize that she's not happy because he's going to put pressure on her that she can't see Deacon and he wants limits on Maddie's visits with Deacon. Maybe LW is good for something and that will be his intense jealousy of Deacon.

[madam magpie]

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Rayna needs to stop running away and deal with her issues head-on. Big rings and race cars are nice and all, but they aren't going to solve your problems Rayna.

 

Amen to that! I really wish she'd turned down both proposals and realized that she needs to sort out her life. That would have finally been something different. And if Luke were really as awesomely great and in love with her as we're supposed to think he is, he would allow her the time and space to do that. I think Deacon would.

 

I almost feel like she needs to do it for herself more than anyone, though. It's really bad for Rayna to keep hiding and lying like she does, nearly as bad as for Deacon to go in an out of drinking, honestly, because both decisions leave wakes of destruction. Deacon gets it, though, I think, why she couldn't tell him at first or later. I get it too, though I do think she was heading toward trying to figure out how to tell him after the divorce. Ethically, it's not "right," and I'm not sure I could have done it myself, but I do get it. She made a decision initially that was immediate; she had to solve, what she saw as, an emergency right that moment. And she had to do it with no real help or support. (Tandy was mostly useless in my opinion, her father was an ass, her mother was dead, she had no real friends but Deacon and he was the problem, etc.) But it led her to a situation that was very, very hard to get out of and that I don't think she could have foreseen. When Rayna did what she did about Maddie, she firmly believed Deacon would never get sober and felt like she had no choice. Once she was in it, she was fully in it and it would have taken tremendous personal fortitude and bravery to remedy it. Rayna's just way too scared for that. So I want her to own up to it all because she needs to say, and they (especially Maddie) need to hear, "I was so scared...I knew it was wrong, but I didn't know what else to do...I wanted to tell you both but didn't know how...I did the very best that I could and I'm sorry it wasn't enough to fix this mess" so that she can internalize it and stop making decisions the same way now. She can't ever regret or apologize for the choice she made because she has another child as a result. That's why Deacon's "it all had to happen this way so we could be standing here now, knowing what we know and making new decisions based on something other than fear, regret, addiction, etc." is really the only healthy way to look at it.

 

Maddie, though...oy. I almost feel like it's not fair to judge how Rayna's has handled this with Maddie because it's been so poorly written, but good lord. She's mostly done a really bad job of dealing with this with Maddie, and I feel like she deserves whatever Maddie throws at her at this point. Rayna just keeps hurting Maddie over and over, and I mostly want to yell at her, "What is wrong with you?!"

Edited September 29, 2014 by madam magpie

[Sutton]

What happened to the Rayna that put her girls first. Did that car accident change her so much that the comment she made to Lamar "I'm going to live my life (was it to the fullest) the way I want to????) I don't know what the words were exactly, It seems that she just doesn't want to take the time to be with the girls or even talking to them about anything. There has been no contact with the girls after that big proposal on stage they went home with Teddy but did she see them the next day. We never saw her explaining to them about why LW did what he did in front of strangers. "Rayna just keeps hurting Maddie over and over" isn't that what she was afraid Deacon was going to do hurt Maddie. Seems to me he's turned out to be the better parent as far as protecting his daughter.

[madam magpie]

"Rayna just keeps hurting Maddie over and over" isn't that what she was afraid Deacon was going to do hurt Maddie. Seems to me he's turned out to be the better parent as far as protecting his daughter.

I don't think so. I think Rayna feared that Deacon would deeply wound Maddie (like he had her mother) and put her in actual physical and emotional danger, not just be unable to cope with this. I'm not willing to say either of them is the "better" parent because that discounts the fact that Rayna, for all her faults, stepped up and refused to let her baby be born into an abusive environment and that she raised a happy, well-adjusted, very loved child who has three pretty devoted parents. But right now, Deacon does seem to be better equipped to help Maddie through this than Rayna does. I think that's because he's done a lot of soul-searching to sort it out and Rayna hasn't.

Edited September 29, 2014 by madam magpie

[Clemgo3165]

I think you're right on there MM. Rayna's fears were valid at the outset, and I think she made the best decision she could for herself and for Maddie at the time. But that was a long time ago and things have changed. Keeping her head in the sand, as she is currently, not only hurts Maddie, it hurts Deacon and Teddy, Daphne, herself, and if you think about, Luke too. 

 

It's high time that there was some firm ground for Maddie to stand on, and some clear delineations for Deacon and Teddy, which would benefit Luke as he tries to move into this family. That would also help Daphne who is scared to death she's losing her sister - and probably more than a little jealous of Maddie's special relationship with Deacon.

[Sutton]

Do we have to wait for Rayna to have a breakdown before things get sorted out. Is that the direction the series is going Rayna falling apart worst then when Lamar died and needs some sort of medical help from a therapist. Wow, what a thought Rayna Jaymes goes to see someone who can help her deal with guilt. (sarcasum) It just seems that everything she held so dear to her like her girls have taken a back seat and is just doing what she thinks is going to make her happy and only her happy. Somebody going to come to her rescue soon maybe the new singer will be her best friend (glad Tandy is leaving) and tells her the truth, what a breath of fresh air that would be. Rayna now can hear the truth and stop lying to herself. Me, angry no way.

[airwair]

I'm also curious as to what (if anything) Rayna says to the girls regarding this whole engagement and what role Luke will play.

I did hear through the (completely unfounded speculation) grape vine that Luke could be inserting himself into how much time Deacon spends with Maddie and if god forbid we are ever faced with that, I hope Rayna puts her foot down.

Yes, he's apparently marrying her and will be sharing a home with her but as it is, her daughters are coming from a fairly dysfunctional place and I am not sure how seamlessly Luke could fit into that if he tries to assert himself as some big bad stepfather too quickly and too aggressively.

Complete speculation on my part, but I am willing to place money down on Maddie saying in some variation to him, "I already have two dads. I don't need a third."

And perhaps this will make me unpopular, but I will cheer her when/if she does.

[MaryPatShelby]

Just watched the episode, and I'm certainly glad that they included my least favorite Only On TV Trope....a morning make-out session! Yes, Luke was probably all cleaned up but unless she'd gotten up earlier and brushed, Rayna's mouth had to be gross.

[madam magpie]

Complete speculation on my part, but I am willing to place money down on Maddie saying in some variation to him, "I already have two dads. I don't need a third."

And perhaps this will make me unpopular, but I will cheer her when/if she does.

 

 

Not unpopular with me! I'm also waiting for Maddie to tell her mother, "No f***king way am I moving away from my friends, home, city, and family to some ranch with you and your loser husband. I'm going to live with my dads permanently." I'll cheer for that too, though I worry about poor Daphne. She already gets such a shaft that I don't want her having to go out to the middle of nowhere all by herself. (Where are we assuming that ranch is anyway? Franklin?) She can go live with Teddy until Rayna comes to her senses, since he's nice again now. I'd also like Deacon and Teddy to confront Rayna together about how unhappy the kids are, but won't hold my breath for that.

 

I did hear through the (completely unfounded speculation) grape vine that Luke could be inserting himself into how much time Deacon spends with Maddie and if god forbid we are ever faced with that, I hope Rayna puts her foot down.

 

I hope so too. That would be absolutely insane.

Edited September 29, 2014 by madam magpie

[airwair]

I'm all for both of the girls shunning Rayna until she gets her act together. Two girls and their two dads sounds perfect to me. :) (Am I the only one pulling for an unforeseen Teddy/Deacon bromance?)

I think we are to assume the ranch is in Williamson County somewhere, yes. I would probably go for somewhere like Arrington just based on the vast (read: ridiculous) size of it, but it could very well be Franklin.

Edited September 30, 2014 by airwair

[madam magpie]

Two girls and their two dads sounds perfect to me. :) (Am I the only one pulling for an unforeseen Teddy/Deacon bromance?)

 

Deacon, Daphne, Maddie, and Teddy road trip to Dollywood while Rayna picks out cakes and chokes on her own misery?

[Madding crowd]

I don't think that Rayna is different than any other singer/celebrity. Very few of them stay in one place for a long period of time. The girls did have a stable one home life with Teddy for many years, but most kids of celebs are sent away to boarding schools, live with nannies full time or yes, move around. One move won't be the ending of their lives.

 

I also think Rayna has been a good mother. She had a husband who was able to be there for the kids (and still is) while she was on tour. There are many characters on this show and the focus is on music and relationships, so we don't see her sitting down and doing homework etc. that much. I don't see her doing anything to Maddie besides trying her best to understand where she is coming from. Teenagers are hard to deal with under the best of circumstances.

 

I don't like Luke at all and don't think she will be happy with him; but I can understand why she keeps trying to find the safe path. Marrying Teddy was safe, and when she is scared of falling back into the spell of Deacon, she will always seeks a safe alternative. Yes, in real life she should probably take some time for herself, but that would be boring TV. The show is borderline soap, so every character will have some love interest, like it or not. I don't mind it myself since I'm sure she will come to her senses on Luke.

 

As for Juliette, I think the writers are trying to show how a young star is coming up, complete with many mistakes. At some point, she will calm down and things will look up for her. She already has (had) someone who loves her for herself; she just needs to stop self-destructing. I like the contrast between her, Scarlett and Rayna as they represent women in different places on the same journey. 

[airwair]

Deacon, Daphne, Maddie, and Teddy road trip to Dollywood while Rayna picks out cakes and chokes on her own misery?

Sign me up.

This idea is enough to make me want to write fanfiction.

[Sutton]

Airwair - Count me in on the Deacon/Teddy bromance.

 

MM - (Rayna picks out cakes and chokes on her own misery?) Second that.

 

Rayna was a good moher in season 1 maybe part of season 2 but after that I can't agree that she is a good mother now. We haven't seen her with or talking to the girls about anything. Looks like both Deacon and Teddy have taken over helping them to adjust. Wow, who would have thought Deacon/Teddy working together???

[methodwriter85]

If it's Jeff's kid, how exactly would Juliette be showing any signs of pregnancy yet? They slept together maybe only about a week ago according to the show's timeline. Am I wrong about that?

Edited September 30, 2014 by methodwriter85

[SonofaBiscuit]

Holy cow, Deacon can really take a punch in the face!

 

<hawks out some blood, a tooth?>  "Backatcha, buddy."

 

.

 

My favorite part of that scene was Deacon's smile after the punch.  He was so pleased with the fact the he was able to get under Luke's skin.  Ha!

[DeLurker]

 

Forgot to mention...loved Deacon kissing Rayna's hand when he was trying to convince her to marry him.

And it was her left hand and she was not wearing Luke's ring.

 

The guy who plays Luke has no chemistry with Connie Britton and very little charisma on his own.  I wish him and Layla would hook up and ride off into the sunset.

 

They seem to have forgotten, among lots of other things, that Layla was quite a piece of work when she was introduced.  I guess she's finished her nano-second redemption arc.  Getting married to a guy who did not tell you he was gay earns sympathy, but they've just scampered away from her general bitchiness/meanness and fame-at-all-costs outlook.

 

Scarlette I came thisclose to liking this ep until they whipped out that parasol.  I thought the white flowey shirt and the jean cutoffs were cute and a huge step up and  away from that indescribable prior mode of dressing.  Plus her general demeanor was more tolerable - less frail and much more decisive.  It gave the other actors something to play off of instead of just constantly shoring her up - Deacon with the coffee cup & Gunnar's reaction when she takes off because he won't get out of the car. 

 

I call bullshit on Cletus being able to fix her car so readily.  I have one and I know that many garages don't carry suitable replacement parts standard so they have to be special ordered plus a lot of parts you have to go with Volvo parts because they aren't universal, so I can't imagine that on that a garage off the beaten track would have suitable parts just sitting around.  If Scarlette had said "Don't make me stop this car!" when Gunnar and Avery were having their slap fight I would have forgiven the parasol.

 

I felt that the tone shift from broken hearted Avery to sloppy drunk Avery goes on a roadtrip was poorly handled.  Drama to comedy relief that quick doesn't work unless you go for dark dark comedy.

 

But isn't Scarlette's horrible Mother in Mississippi?  I would be heading in the opposite direction from her.

 

I tensed up when they were having Juliette audition for Patsy Cllne.  You don't mess with Patsy!  But Juliette/HP did a good job with Crazy - she sounded good and it wasn't her trying to sound like Patsy because I haven't heard anyone that can.  But give her a break would you Show?