S03.E03: I Can't Get Over You to Save My Life

[Sutton]

Who is more successful Callie Khouri or T Bone Burnett? Would Callie say she is equally as successful as her husband. I watched the Hunger Games last night and the end credits had T Bone Bennett as composer, additional music and executive producer in the movie. His name is all over the place and everyone knows T Bone Burnett. I know they also know Callie Khouri but T Bone you just have to say that name and everyone says what great music and musician he is. 

[Stella MD]

I wonder if Maddie will be the eventual catalyst for Rayna to realize how awful Luke is. He seems the stereotypical evil step-parent who would react in an immature, possibly even violent, manner if she challenged him.

[rubyred]

Quote

    Maddie is the furthest thing from the problem here and I truly am baffled by all of the tangents against her.

 

Quote

I completely agree. Maddie is a messed up kid who's not even doing anything that bad and has a mother who thinks it's a good idea to leave her for an entire year. I don't understand why Maddie gets any flak at all. Holy hell. She's only 15.

 

Whoa I didn't mean to suggest that Maddie is the problem or to give her any flak. Her reactions are normal and yeah on the spectrum of bad, they could be way, way worse. I was just ruminating on the drama the show is presenting, and how it is failing some characters by underdeveloping some really potentially interesting narratives. I like Maddie and want her to be awesome, not continually brat around the place. There's more than one way to write a teenager, this one seems glib to me.

 

And yeah it's bad timing for Rayna to go out on tour but she's been gone for long stretches before and she can still rely on Teddy to provide the stability Maddie and Daphne need, as he always has. Are we piling on Rayna for being a working mom now? And again, yeah, there are other ways for her to make her living but that's not the one we're being presented with so to me it's more about making the best of the situation they're in now. Rayna was already planning a tour; it only became an issue for Maddie when Luke made his move. Whether one agrees with them or not, as the adult Rayna gets to make the decisions, hopefully with input from the girls but she gets the final say. On what to do next, who to marry, etc.

 

But to me where the story is failing is in not giving me enough intel on WHY Rayna is suddenly so brand-oriented, and why she thinks Luke is better/safer. She doesn't have the same financial concerns now that Lamar is dead, so what's the rush? What is she trying to prove, and to whom? Do the writers even know? I worry that they don't. I am so willing to go along for the ride as long as I feel like the writers have a plan and know where they're taking a story. Once they start throwing stuff at the wall or just going full-on Grade C soap it's all over for me. I guess the next few episodes should reveal where this is likely headed.

[airwair]

I want to believe they have a plan and I personally feel that plan is to have Rayna fall flat on her face. Of course by the time she does she will have alienated everyone (Deacon, the girls, us) so she will have to do a fair bit of groveling and owning up to her mistakes.

My big question is will Callie even allow that to take place? They seem to go back and forth wkth whether or not Rayna is right (mostly they say she is) but the way they're writing #ruke and Luke and all of this laughable circus media/wedding, I feel they're making it a joke on purpose.

That tattoo?? They can't be serious.

[BBDi]

I'm trying to avoid doing my work, can you tell?

 

I find myself going back and forth over how I feel about Rayna's storyline this episode, and ultimately I feel a bit confused over the writers' intentions. Are we viewers supposed to think that Rayna is going down the wrong road and not being true to herself in some of the choices she's making? I tend to think that is intentional.

 

I suppose part of the problem is that I can't just attribute it to her being head over heels with Luke (I am shuddering at the thought of being dickmatized by LW). I don't see that head-over-heels on my screen. So if that's not what's clouding her judgment, then what is? Is it 'cause she's just doing whatever she can to put Deacon in the past and pretend that it's over? Either way, it's hard to feel sympathetic for someone who's old enough to know better and who has kids to think about.

 

I know Luke put her on the spot when he proposed, but she could have privately declined if she really didn't want to marry him, or insisted on a long engagement to give time to get both families used to it.

 

In any case, I don't think the show is going to go through with them marrying.

[Irish Mermaid]

I've lost track of all the comments I wanted to quote or respond to. :)

I think I have a different take/feeling about Luke than most. I don't think he's evil, abusive, or even manipulative ... I think he's flat out scared. He's wanted Rayna forever and now she's finally with him and says she's in love with him, and he wants to believe it but probably deep down knows she'll never love him as much as she loves Deacon. He's lying to himself, thinking that pressuring her into a quick marriage will somehow make it true that she really does love him most and it will all work out. He's wrong, but I think that's his motivation. I can't even really blame Rayna, because while I also love Deacon - and I honestly don't think she'll never really be happy with someone else - you can only be burned by someone so many times before you have to grow up and give up the "bad boy" that you adore but never feel safe trusting.

Also, I am sick of how Maddie is acting. In my opinion, Deacon is not her "dad," he is her father. Those words have very different meanings in my world, and while I sympathize that Deacon never was given the chance to be that, he brought it on himself. As Rayna pointed out, how were they supposed to know that the 13th stint in rehab would be the one that took? Teddy has aleays been there being her dad, and I think the way she has kicked him to the curb for her shiny new daddy toy is appalling. She's 15, not 5. (I may have some personal baggage around this considering my bio father was an angry alcoholic for much of my growing up years, while my so-called "step" father was the most wonderful, amazing DAD anyone could ask for.)

[LJonEarth]

Three new characters? Do not want.

 

It's got to be a joke now with the people in charge. I don't know of any other show of this kind that introduces at least one new character ever other episode. What are they doing?

 

How is it even possible for them to combine tours that had no overlapping dates? They've been advertising tickets to a major show here at the end for February for two months, at least.

[Babalu]

Unless Kylie has some secret musical ambition/talent I can't see her as a real spoiler for the inevitable Scarlett/Gunnar redux.

I'm pretty sure she does have some musical talent that will be featured soon. She's played by Alexa PenaVega (formerly Alexa Vega), the daughter in the Spy Kids movies. I took my niece to both of those movies and I remember her singing/playing the guitar in one of them.

[smiley13]

Didn't Maddie say she was almost 15 when she was arguing with Dad #1?  So how did a 14 year old and the other kids get to this place where Gunnar, etc. were playing?   Thankfully Scarlett was there to be the voice of reason and get that child out of there.  It is nice to see the two of them interacting.  I thought that it was out of character for Teddy to let her leave with that lame story that she gave about a "friend's" party.  Teddy would have checked up on it with the other parent.

 

And just how fast can someone fly across the country?  Juliette sure made it from Deacon's dressing room to stalking Avery pretty quickly.

[Clemgo3165]

Talia's Mom drove them - at least according to Maddie. May have been a sister or something though.

 

I thought that was interesting too. It took Rayna 12 hours to get to LA from Nashville (huh?) and Juliette made it in a flash. Maybe Hayden was channeling her Heroes days and had Peter fly her there ;)

[smiley13]

It was a little confusing to me, but was the trio performing at a bar, or was it at some sort of special event?  Whichever it was, it did not seem like a place a Mother should have dropped 14 year olds off at.

[Clemgo3165]

It was a barn - an event called Barnaroo, LOL!

[airwair]

It was a barn party. I am a Tennessee native and definitely snuck out to a couple of those when I was in high school.

I highly doubt the mom actually dropped them off there. More likely she took them to the mall or movies and they had an older friend pick them up or something, if the mom was even involved at all.

[rubyred]

I'm pretty sure she does have some musical talent that will be featured soon. She's played by Alexa PenaVega (formerly Alexa Vega), the daughter in the Spy Kids movies. I took my niece to both of those movies and I remember her singing/playing the guitar in one of them.

That is so funny; I guess I must have been busy with Candy Crush or zzzzz during those scenes, I totally would have recognized Alexa Vega (from The Tomorrow People, sniff) but I barely gave Kylie a glance, plot point that she is. Actually I barely give any Gunnar scenes any attention. Well, when he's with Will. Sometimes when he's singing. It's a pity, because Sam Palladio is talented but Gunnar is a putz. Anyway, let's hope Alexa's a better singer than superhuman.

 

What is it about this show that stays with you? I woke up this morning with "A Life That's Good" in my head. I love that song. But Ft, Campbell was months ago!

[Bort]

I highly doubt the mom actually dropped them off there. More likely she took them to the mall or movies and they had an older friend pick them up or something, if the mom was even involved at all.

Could've been a mom like Amy Poehler in Mean Girls. You know, not a "regular mom but like, a cool mom."

[WasntMe]

I realized tonight that if you pretend Luke and Rayna don't exist, this show is pretty fun. So how about they die in another car wreck mid-season (clearly Rayna's already too severely brain damaged to be saved anyway) and Sadie Stone takes over as the super-cool grown-up woman? I know she hasn't done much yet, but I have high hopes. She can console Deacon, adopt the girls, run the label, play great music, and make good choices? She's even got good hair. Who's with me?

I am!!! And please someone tell me WHY we haven't gotten to hear her sing yet... can't wait.

 

Also, I am SO. SICK. Of Luke being a total red flag ass and then apologizing later while Rayna is all LOVE YOU CANT WAIT TO MARRY YOU OH LOOK YOU TATTOOED MY NAME ON YOU LIKE A PSYCHO.

 

This.  I'm kinda thinking he'll do something aggro if not to Rayna then to Maddie, maybe (for trying to keep him and Rayna apart)?  And then Deacon will need to rescue both of them.  Or something.  Luke is gross.

[WasntMe]

It's interesting reading the negative commentary about Rayna. I see what y'all are saying, but I feel like I'm watching a woman edging into an abusive relationship. Luke has managed to keep his shit together in front of Rayna that we've seen so far, but those days are numbered if he's going to be bitching out Deacon publicly backstage. Every advantage he's gained has come through putting Rayna on the spot in public, from that damn proposal to setting the wedding date. He never hesitates to press his advantage there, but manages to pull back on having a full-on, book-kicking tantrum. Rayna is caught up in pacifying him, and with every capitulation she's edging further and further into his clutches. Ironically, if Rayna were more like Juliette - more honky tonk and less Belle Meade -- I think she wouldn't be reacting this way. But her Southern Lady upbringing makes her not want to make scenes, so she soothes that dumbass not realizing she's giving away her agency. (It's also interesting to me that people still aren't sure what to think of Luke, the red flags have been flying for me all along but it just goes to show how insidious these toxic relationships can be, that they look so great on the outside...)

 

YUP.

 

If Rayna really wanted Deacon to back off, if she really loved Luke only and was thrilled to be his wife, all she'd have to do is tell Deacon, "I am not in love with you anymore. I don't feel it, and I don't want it." And then she could MOVE AWAY FROM HIM when he touches her.

 

Yup.

 

 

 

On another note, I really love the look of horror on Sadie's face when Jeff's implying her career is up and coming while Rayna's over the hill.  I have a feeling his particular type of charm is wearing a little thin on her.

 

Assuming this means perhaps Sadie might be finding a home at Highway 65...

 

Also, how is Teddy hanging out in a bar by himself pathetically non-flirting?  He's the mayor, still, right?  Wouldn't he be recognized?  Weird.

[smiley13]

I don't know who this woman is who is playing "Sadie" .  From comments, I guess she is really a singer?  Has she ever acted before?

 

It just seems like they are throwing too many new people in.  There is Gunnar's old girl friend, this Sadie woman and that back up singer who is after Deacon.  Now Gunnar has three woman and Teddy has none?

Edited October 13, 2014 by smiley13

[thuganomics85]

Wait, I didn't know that Gunnar's ex was Alexa Vega either.  I guess I really wasn't paying attention.  I've only really seen her in The Tomorrow People, but I knew she was from that Spy Kids franchise when she was younger.  And, she recently appeared in that Machete sequel.  Basically, one of those former teen stars, trying to show they are edgy and grown-up now (she also had numerous lingerie/sex scenes in The Tomorrow People.)  So, she also does music stuff, huh?  Yeah, I'm sure the character will start singing soon. I wish I could care, but I don't care about Gunnar's love life.  He's much more fun with either Will or Avery.

[madam magpie]

I don't know who this woman is who is playing "Sadie" .  From comments, I guess she is really a singer?  Has she ever acted before?

 

The actress is named Laura Benanti, and yes, she's acted before, though she's more a Broadway person than a TV person. She most definitely can sing. She was in the revivial of Gypsy a few years back (and I believe won a Tony for it), and she's been in guest parts on TV before. She's also hilarious on Twitter.

 

Gunnar has WAY too many girlfriends, and Teddy has WAY too few. I mean, I know we're sort of annoyed with Teddy, but he's the mayor of a major city and he's a good-looking fellow and he's rich. I find it really hard to believe he can't get a date, much less that he'd be trying to pick up random women in a bar. As someone said upthread, I wondered too if that blonde woman was a prostitute, but I think not since she just gave up when he was so lame. That scene was funny and sad, but stretched credibility a bit.

Edited October 13, 2014 by madam magpie

[Clemgo3165]

Did for me, especially when he had Peggy showing up at his door in just a trench coat and skivvies, and then taking on Megan just after her death. Lot of character re-booting it seems.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The actress is named Laura Benanti, and yes, she's acted before, though she's more a Broadway person than a TV person. She most definitely can sing. She was in the revivial of Gypsy a few years back (and I believe won a Tony for it), and she's been in guest parts on TV before. She's also hilarious on Twitter.

In addition to her Tony Award for Gypsy, she was nominated for Tonys for her roles in Swing, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and as Cinderella in Into the Woods. Other Broadway roles include Maria in the Broadway revival of The Sound of Music in 1998, Claudia in Nine, and Julia in The Wedding Singer.

She has had several tv roles including Baroness Schraeder in the Carrie Underwood version of the Sound of Music and as a lead on the Matthew Perry sitcom Go On, Starved, and The Playboy Club (where she got to sing every week before it got canceled). She has had recurring roles on L&O: SVU, Eli Stone, and Royal Pains. She has guest starred on Nurse Jackie, The Good Wife, The Big C, and Elementary.

But yeah, she is a singer on a singing show and she still hasn't sung a single note yet. Get on it, show!

[Clemgo3165]

Who was she on Royal Pains?

[Haleth]

I also think if they mean for the Patsy Cline biopic to be a terrible Lifetime Original-style biopic and not actually a major motion picture with any credibility, they have nailed it. Those scenes from the movie are so hilariously bad!

 

Credit to Hayden P, a very good actress playing a pretty bad one.

 

I'm just going to imagine that Juliette was a fan of Friday Night Lights.  She clearly confused Rayna w/ Tami Taylor.  I could understand going to Tami for life advice, but not Rayna.

 

Shoot, forget Juliette, Rayna needs to have a sit down with Tami Taylor.

 

Someone above mentioned Luke's female fans not being keen on him having a fiancee.  If they do skew older (than Will's female fans) they might find the whirlwind relationship to be romantic.  Yet when Ruke (puke) breaks up, there inevitably will be a Team Luke/Team Rayna mentality.  Both their fan bases will take a hit.  Such a public romance might be good for record/ticket sales, but there is the danger of a backlash too if it doesn't work out.

[BBDi]

Someone above mentioned Luke's female fans not being keen on him having a fiancee.  If they do skew older (than Will's female fans) they might find the whirlwind relationship to be romantic.  Yet when Ruke (puke) breaks up, there inevitably will be a Team Luke/Team Rayna mentality.  Both their fan bases will take a hit.  Such a public romance might be good for record/ticket sales, but there is the danger of a backlash too if it doesn't work out.

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a future storyline. I don't think Ruke will make it to the altar, or if they do get married, I don't see them lasting more than a year (for both character-based and plot reasons).

[shron17]

Not true. Rayna just inherited a crap ton of money from her father and was picking out new office space. She's not on the road to any financial disaster. There are also other ways to garner publicity for an album than than the Fame Whore Tour.

Well I think a new label needs a lot more than just money or it's going to fizzle out.  And I don't see how Rayna picking out office space proves she doesn't have any money troubles.  I don't recall if it was said she's received her inheritance yet or not.  Sure, there are other ways to get publicity, but when the guy you're dating who's more famous than you proposes right when your album needs a boost to help launch a new label it would be awfully tempting.  Rayna does seem to have feelings for Luke and since he's in the music business I can see how she might see him as a nice mix of Teddy and Deacon. 

 

I think I have a different take/feeling about Luke than most. I don't think he's evil, abusive, or even manipulative ... I think he's flat out scared. He's wanted Rayna forever and now she's finally with him and says she's in love with him, and he wants to believe it but probably deep down knows she'll never love him as much as she loves Deacon. He's lying to himself, thinking that pressuring her into a quick marriage will somehow make it true that she really does love him most and it will all work out.

I think you've got something here.  Although I also think that despite being more famous, Luke knows he only has a small portion of the talent of both Deacon and Rayna.

 

Teddy has aleays been there being her dad, and I think the way she has kicked him to the curb for her shiny new daddy toy is appalling.

I agree with this too, although Maddie's behavior doesn't really surprise me given  most teenagers have a tendency to take their parents for granted.  It is appalling, unfair and hurtful behavior but it happens quite a bit.  I wish Deacon had spoken up for Teddy when Maddie complained about him, but given their some of their past history I can understand why he wouldn't.

 

 

Yet when Ruke (puke) breaks up, there inevitably will be a Team Luke/Team Rayna mentality.  Both their fan bases will take a hit.  Such a public romance might be good for record/ticket sales, but there is the danger of a backlash too if it doesn't work out.

For sure.  I'm afraid Rayna will take the hit while Luke comes out smelling like a rose, but that may be just what she needs to start focusing on what's most important to her again.  Though it may turn the Honeymoon Tour into a huge fiasco.  I don't blame Rayna too much--she's had a rough year herself.  Yes, I know she's the parent and needs to be looking out better for her kids but parents are only human too.

Edited October 15, 2014 by shron17

[RachelKM]

I've lost track of all the comments I wanted to quote or respond to. :)

I think I have a different take/feeling about Luke than most. I don't think he's evil, abusive, or even manipulative ... I think he's flat out scared. He's wanted Rayna forever and now she's finally with him and says she's in love with him, and he wants to believe it but probably deep down knows she'll never love him as much as she loves Deacon. He's lying to himself, thinking that pressuring her into a quick marriage will somehow make it true that she really does love him most and it will all work out. He's wrong, but I think that's his motivation. I can't even really blame Rayna, because while I also love Deacon - and I honestly don't think she'll never really be happy with someone else - you can only be burned by someone so many times before you have to grow up and give up the "bad boy" that you adore but never feel safe trusting.

Also, I am sick of how Maddie is acting. In my opinion, Deacon is not her "dad," he is her father. Those words have very different meanings in my world, and while I sympathize that Deacon never was given the chance to be that, he brought it on himself. As Rayna pointed out, how were they supposed to know that the 13th stint in rehab would be the one that took? Teddy has aleays been there being her dad, and I think the way she has kicked him to the curb for her shiny new daddy toy is appalling. She's 15, not 5. (I may have some personal baggage around this considering my bio father was an angry alcoholic for much of my growing up years, while my so-called "step" father was the most wonderful, amazing DAD anyone could ask for.)

I agree with all of this.  I don't know how I feel about Rayna and Luke long term, but at this point I don't think Rayna and Deacon are remotely healthy however much they love each other and I don't blame her for not choosing him.  And I also don't think Luke's behavior has been all that egregious.  He hasn't been super mature in some instances and I think he presses, but who is mature all the time?  And pressing seems more like he's a little desperate to make it work and afraid of what will happen if Deacon gets a foothold.  Which is also not healthy, but still less chaotic and messy than Deacon and Rayna, more sad really.

 

As for Maddie, I also agree that "Dad" is not Deacon and I actually wince when she says it.  It doesn't even seem natural that, however mad at the situation and Teddy she may be and however much she loves Deacon, that "dad" would roll off her tongue so easily when  speaking of Deacon. 

[aradia22]

So I'm behind but this is how I usually watch Nashville, saving a bunch of episodes up so the cliffhangers at the end don't drive me crazy.

 

First of all, OMG, guest stars up the wazoo. Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Amanda Valentine, Alexa Vega, Laura Benanti, etc. Calm the eff down, guys.

 

Secondly, at least so far we haven't had what I'd consider a great moment but I am enjoying the show. Rayna's relationship stuff is just kind of boring but not aggravating. Either they've finally figured out how to write it or they've just cut her off from most of the other characters that used to result in terrible writing (Teddy, Lamar, Deacon for the most part, Liam). I feel like there was a bit of backtracking with her and Scarlett. I was promised a ton of melodrama with Luke vs. Deacon and I don't feel like the show delivered. They told me Scarlett was leaving but that didn't happen and now she's just sort of floating about.

 

It seems like they're trying to rewrite Luke as a generally nice guy and I'm not sure if they're trying to backtrack on all the ways they implied he was creepy or if they're just trying to have the eventual reveal have more impact.

 

Zoe and Gunnar still aren't compelling. I feel like we're just waiting for them to break up and for Gunnar and Scarlett to get back together which... yes, show, please! I need more Gunnar/Scarlett duets.

 

Sad, drunk Avery is not working for me. I'm so happy that unless they're thinking of being tricksy the baby is Avery's. Just have them get back together.

 

They're really committing to eh whole bratty Maddie thing. I would like to know more about Daphne. I wonder what will come of her obsession with Luke. Also, she's just adorable.

 

The show has been doing a decent job integrating touches of feminism with the head of the company asking if Jeff has a problem with women and the woman running the songwriting company (who strangely had no problem with Scarlett not working for ages even though she's under contract) talking about how they want music from a female perspective. And then there's Layla. On the one hand, I like that they've gone back to evil Layla and not secretly a virginal perfectionist Layla who they wanted us to feel bad for. On the other hand... all the bad female stereotypes!

 

The train is on the tracks. I just need it to go somewhere.