S03.E08: You're Lookin' At Country

[wonderwoman]

"Those two. JJ and HP are two of the strongest actors on the show, and the most subtle in their choices, and it pays off every time they are together"

Both of whom got their start on soaps, JJ, of course, on General Hospital; and HP on Guiding Light and One Life to Live.

[smiley13]

If Sadie did not have a record label before signing with Rayna recently, there is no way she would have won Best New Artist.   Edgehill would have been promoting Will heavily for that award.  Sadie in general just does not ring true to me though,  She seems almost "All About Eve" with Rayna.  And I can totally see her hooking up with Luke Wheeler because she wants all that Rayna has.  She does seem a bit old to me though to be acting this way.

 

I guess she is supposed to be the Kacey Musgraves type.

[DeLurker]

 

Poor Layla. I think she's doomed. Is there a suicide, murder-suicide, or suicide pact down the road?

I'm thinking there will eventually be pity sex from Will and an unplanned pregnancy.

 

 

Meanwhile, Gunnar is stuck in a storyline about a child that may/may not be his

It won't be his - it will be his brother's kid.  And he'll default to raising the foundling as his own be cause "he's all the family I gots".

 

 

Do they have a serious shortage of Psychiatrists in Nashville?

They are just really hard to get an appointment with - like a dermotologist in Los Angeles hard.  I mean the town is full of hard luck stories - Who's my Daddy?  Who's my Baby's Daddy?  I'm in love with the same woman for 30 years and she's always married to or marrying someone else, I've got PTSD from effortlessly writing hit songs and having to perform on stage, bad Mommy stories galore, my BF has a previously unknown about child and is in lurve with his ex who is my bff (until I want my congratulatory party to be about me),...

 

I wish they had shown Luke starting to get hot under the collar with Rayna's wins prior to her thanking Deacon and Liam (Hi Liam!  We miss you!).

[Julie23]

Count me as one that thought Layla was going to out Will after she was drowned out by screaming fans when she was singing.

Deacon and Scarlet watching the awards was made of win!

More ass-hatted-ness from Luke. I ducked when I saw that anvil of Sadie and Luke!

Where were the girls??? Weird that they were barely even mentioned except in Rayna's acceptance speech.

Gunner is turning into an ass. I don't particularly care for Zoe, but treating her like a nanny was a really bad idea Gunnar. Really bad idea.

Nice to see Avery and Juliette getting along.

[smiley13]

I hope they get Gunnar and Scarlett back together.  Scarlett being the sweet person that she is will want to help Gunnar with his son.  Let Zoey go to the dark side with Jeff and Edgehill and ride off into the sunset.  

 

For me, this show has three end game couples and they are Rayna/Deacon, Scarlett/Gunnar and Avery/Juliette.  The rest of these people are just extras to create conflict and chaos for the main six people.

[CofCinci]

The 30-seconds of Avery and Juliette's unzip/hand on back of neck scene was more romantic than the entire year of Rayna/Luke interactions combined.

Sadie+Luke = "Ludie", as in the qualudes the writers must mass consume. Do better, guys! How about having Luke sleep with Will instead, especially after Luke gave that borderline homophobic response to the entertainment reporter's question.

Layla reading the internet comments was so meta. She must have been here.

[Sandman]

I'm lookin' at a bunch of self-indulgent idiots, is what I'm lookin' at.

 

I'm sorry -- how does Zoey get to "choose for" Gunnar? That's just stupid. She's such a princess! Granted, he's been thoughtless, but they haven't been through anything so traumatic that she was left with no choice but to dump him. She's the victim of her own drama.

 

And speaking of spoiled, whiny princesses, Luke can pack his ten-gallon overcompensation hat and go.

 

So now, in addition to being the Scorned Woman, the Innocent, the Fragile, Self-Destructive Waif and the Ambitious Schemer, Layla's also the Under-appreciated Intellectual? Good to know. Still don't care.

 

Teddy...dude...she's a hooker! You're sprung...on a hooker...and you're the mayor...and you're jealous!

 

THIS. Goodness, how is Teddy a functional adult?

 

Avery and Juliette are currently the only people being honest about their feelings and not making poisonously stupid choices.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Sandman

[CMH1981]

I liked how obvious it was that Carrie Underwood and Pig Blood Peggy's husband Brad Paisley filmed their part in front of a green screen.  Since they are known for their edgy hosting jabs, wouldn't it have been funny if they alluded to being Will being gay, something like it's Nashville's worst kept secret.

[Sandman]

I think Nashville's worst-kept secret must be that Carrie Underwood cannot act worth a damn -- even when she's in a cameo as herself, she's wooden and not even remotely believable.

[crocosmia]

Rayna needs the pre-nup more than Luke does.  She's just a whole lotta stooopid this season.

 

Loved Deacon and Scarlett watching the CMA's together.  Deacon is a reason to watch the show. 

 

Scarlett is so pretty and talented.   I wish the writers would fix her hair and make her sane as well.

 

Still don't like Will or Layla.  Like others, I was waiting for Layla to out Will on stage.   It's coming.

 

Oh, please.  Good-looking, powerful Teddy boinking a hooker in an abandoned backstage room?  Really?  The mayor manages to avoid people at a big event and get a quickie in a yucky back room  and no one notices he's acting a little screwy?  C'mon, show.  That very brief, fleeting period when I was actually starting to see Ted as sympathetic is long gone.  He needs a therapist, not a hooker.

 

Sadie is trouble.  It's been coming since her first girl-bonding scene with Rayna, snapping that picture of Rayna in her wedding dress and then  psycho-driving almost into a collision while they giggled like idiots.  Luke and Sadie deserve each other, and of course, she'll be the thing that finally gets Rayna away from Luke and back to Deacon.  Again. 

 

Why didn't Rayna bring her girls to the CMA's?   They would have looked so pretty all dolled up for the occasion, and would have been much classier companions than that ego in a cowboy hat.   

 

Gunnar and Scarlett need to get back together and sing.  It's the only time both of them are likable in the same episode.

 

Glad there was no Pam.

 

Glad we didn't have to hear Rayna sing.

 

Glad Juliette and Avery are holding hands.   

Edited November 20, 2014 by crocosmia

[Sutton]

Did I misunderstand LW when he said the reason he had his lawyers put together a pre-nupe was because his last wife of 6 years took half of his money. How many times has LW been married? This is the first time I've heard that and who is Colt's and Sage's mom? If I misunderstood that comment please someone correct me.. Rayna if you're going to be LW 3rd wife I would think about that one seriously, because 3rd wife LW has to have some kind of a woman problem.The only parts of this episode I liked was Deacon and Scarlett watching the awards, they looked so comfortable together and they have each others back. I like that family bond between them.The other part was Rayna winning more awards then LW which made LW so jealous and the comment he made that she won the awards because of his proposal. (I think that's what he said) Please writers we need more of LW faults starting to come out especially the jealousy parts. Can't wait to see the episode when Rolling Stone article comes out and the things she says about Deacon. Talk about the sh-t hitting the fan.

 

Teddy having sex in a back room with a hooker, someone had to be there with a camera. Pictures would be worth a hell of a lot of money. I can't believe the mayor doesn't have staff around him 24/7.

 

Juliette and Avery --  Love what Avery said to Juliette. You're not your mother and I'm not my father.

[Ellaria]

Sadie is trouble.  It's been coming since her first girl-bonding scene with Rayna, snapping that picture of Rayna in her wedding dress and then  psycho-driving almost into a collision while they giggled like idiots.  Luke and Sadie deserve each other, and of course, she'll be the thing that finally gets Rayna away from Luke and back to Deacon.  Again. 

 

Yes - Sadie has been one big neon sign of caution ever since she appeared. (This show is never subtle.) Rayna's label may have needed a new artist but Rayna didn't need a new "friend." Whatever happened to the photos of the wedding dress? Did I doze off and miss the unauthorized publication of said photos?

Edited November 20, 2014 by Ellaria Sand

[TVAddict]

Ok, so if this show is about strong women, or at least one strong woman, Rayna James, shouldn't the prenup have been her idea and initiated by her?  At the very least she should have been fully supportive of Luke's prenup action, once it had been reviewed by HER lawyers.  C'mon writers, decide if your women are strong or if they're just as cliched as every other show ever written. 

 

i was holding my breath waiting for Layla to out Will, but instead, she flubbed attempts at trying to look intelligent.  Fail.  I, like others, fear that she's got a date with a bottle of pills or a razor blade.  

 

If Luke doesn't hit on Sadie, there were so, so many anvils wasted.  I just hope that Rayna decides to ditch Luke before she marries him and then finds out what a shit he is and is taken advantage of because she didn't read the prenup closely enough.

 

Juliette and Avery will hopefully bond over the birth of their daughter, if not before.  We can only hope.

[madam magpie]

This show isn't about strong women, not by a long way. If it were, Rayna would have thanked her daughters in her last speech, dedicated the award to women in country music, and told Luke to go fuck himself when they got home. This show is about weak women pretending to be strong while wrapping their choices and self worth up in the men in their lives...except for Juliette. She does OK most of the time.

 

I'd also like to add that if Rayna's big beef with Deacon is that he's a drunk who doesn't allow her a clean slate, why is it that Luke's binge drinking in public at a ceremony where she's up for six awards doesn't embarrass or bother her a bit?

 

I'm willing to forgive Rayna not thinking of the prenup herself because I think she's still looking for a marriage like the one she imagines with Deacon, and one of the things included in that relationship was a full-on partnership creatively. That was established way back in the first season when they argued over her changing the words to one of their songs. If Rayna and Deacon got married now, they likely wouldn't need a prenup because nearly everything they have (Highway 65 aside, though I can see him participating in really building that business) is born from years of working together and they've navigated sharing those assets for decades. But that she'd be stunned that Luke would want one is just another bit of the "aw, shucks, me, I'm so naive" nonsense that I can't stand from Rayna these days. She's been around; she knows how the world works.

Edited November 20, 2014 by madam magpie

[CaughtOnTape]

I'm sorry...I have to say it.....

 

The look on JJ's face when he said he wasn't gonna grow up to be a judgmental, unforgiving, ass and realizing what he'd just said was perfection.

 

Please put (another) damn Emmy in his hands.  Please.

[Primetimer]

Someone cleans up at the CMAs. Is it Luke or Rayna?

Read the story

[Bobcatkitten]

Can someone stop curling Rayna's hair? Why not straight and loose every once in a while? The curl is getting annoying.

[h2ogirl]

My two favorite things this episode were Avery's mother ("shut up, Carl" - priceless) and Rayna's hair.  Seriously, it looked AMAZING.

 

Glad Zoey will be leaving - poor girl is gorgeous but adds absolutely nothing to the show.

 

Loved loved loved Avery telling Juliette they will be better parents than their own.   Love those two.   

[Sandman]

I'd also like to add that if Rayna's big beef with Deacon is that he's a drunk who doesn't allow her a clean slate, why is it that Luke's binge drinking in public at a ceremony where she's up for six awards doesn't embarrass or bother her a bit?

 

The power of denial?

 

This show is about strong women in the way that the movie Country Strong* was -- which is to say as notification to do EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE of whatever harebrained, dumber 'n dirt, self-pitying bitchassness these snakeskin-covered boobs get up to. These people aren't role models, they're warnings to the unwary. (The title of my first album is totally going to be Cautionary Tales & Object Lessons, by the way.)

 

 

 

*Good Lord, but that movie was terrible.

[rubyred]

Yeah I agree that Rayna's reaction to the prenup wasn't about the money, it was about the "trust" -- which sounds naive but as another poster mentioned, Luke had a doc ready for signing, it wasn't a negotiated or discussed item. Rayna would always protect her daughter's interests, for one thing. The thing is that Luke is getting worse at hiding his true nature, and it's frustrating to see her note these red flags and then keep moving ahead towards this wedding.

 

He obviously has issues about who is the bigger star, some of which have some kind of chauvinistic base. Even when discussing the prenup she had to correct him that it would be about their income together going forward, not just his. The outburst about her getting awards because of the proposal was beyond the pale, though.

 

Plus the Deacon jealousy is beyond ridiculous. He knows Deacon co-wrote "This Time" and so does the rest of Nashville, Rayna would be an ungrateful bitch if she didn't acknowledge that. He's jealous of Deacon, he's jealous of Liam -- basically anyone in Rayna's life pre-"Ruke." And yet she keeps trying to pacify and he keeps apologizing and they're both using the right words but there's no there there.

 

And then you have little jewels of scenes with Juliette and Avery and you realize that the writers are perfectly capable of writing nuanced moments that capitalize on the chemistry between the actors. So why aren't we seeing these amazing scenes with other couples? This is not the only show I'm watching this season in which TPTB are messing with what worked so well in a previous season for "drama!" and "conflict!", with really lackluster results.

 

I thought back and realized that all the OG couples had this chemistry -- Rayna/Deacon, even (gag) Scarlett/Gunnar. There was magic there, that has been squandered with other pairings. The didn't have to go this route. There could have been plenty of drama with Maddie's paternity reveal and Deacon and Maddie slowly developing a relationship. They didn't have to shove Rayna into this anemic escape-hatch relationship with Luke Wheeler, Inc. Because Luke is a brand, not a truly fleshed out character, IMO.

 

And another thing -- after all that drama last week about the Rolling Stone article it's not even mentioned. Are we supposed to assume that everyone has been informed about what's coming out, or was it never intended to be a huge issue for the season's arc, just a one-off episode plot contrivance (which would be cheap and dumb but whatever)?

[BBDi]

And another thing -- after all that drama last week about the Rolling Stone article it's not even mentioned. Are we supposed to assume that everyone has been informed about what's coming out, or was it never intended to be a huge issue for the season's arc, just a one-off episode plot contrivance (which would be cheap and dumb but whatever)?

 

 

I don't have a big problem with it not being mentioned. This time (this episode) Rayna was able to smooth things over with Luke (though she should have kicked him in the nuts instead) and patch things up, but it sounds like the RS article will set him off again. Wonder if it will piss off Deacon too, or maybe give him hope that she still loves him (or both). Anyway, even though the whole set up of her having to sell her relationship with Deacon to protect Maddie was stupid, I'm sure the article itself will have its payoff down the line.

[Sandman]

Is it just me, or is the show dressing Rayna in very monochromatic fashion? At the awards show her hair, skin tone and dress were all sort of ... tan. Connie Britton is a gorgeous woman; I've seen her being gorgeous in other things. Why does Nashville try so hard to beige her over?

[basiltherat]

There's no way on hell that Rayna's unseen lawyers (or at least Bucky the manager) wouldn't have pre-nups for clients.  On Luke's side too.  It has nothing to do with people trusting each other, its just like life insurance -- you hope you don't need it but its there to protect you if you do.  And Rayna and Luke wouldn't battle it out -- each one's lawyers would.

 

If I didn't know any better, I would think that the ghost of Lamar had set Teddy up with the hooker rather than Jeff!  If someone wants to run for mayor, the field is w-I-d-e open.  Also, the mayor of Bug Tussle may not have an entourage, but Nashville's pretty big.

 

And, again, why is anyone (I'm looking at you, Zoey) believing sleazy Jeff when they say they want to make you a star.  Don't trample Gunner on your way to stardom, Zoey, because Jeff's track record ain't no good.

[ramble]

I know Rayna & Deacon are supposedly end game but I truly & honestly hate that. Hate. Lots of hate. As in edging closer & closer to quitting the show. Juliette is about the only thing keeping me. I know Deacon has been a raging drunk. Blah, blah, blah. I think Rayna has out assed him at every turn. She has led him on through thick & thin, married & single life, non-parent or insta-dad. Deacon is an idiot for hanging on & Rayna is a creep for not putting a stop to it long ago. The crowning of Rayna as the queen of everything at the awards show was just another sparkle added to the halo of her shining angel status. Ugh.

[Abstract]

There are too many anvils being dropped with no resolution in sight on any of them. Avery and Juliette are going to get back together, and Will is going to be outed, and Layla is going to have a huge meltdown, and Teddy is going to be blackmailed, and Maddie is going to get into big trouble, and Kylie is going to come back and take Micah away from Gunnar, and Sadie Stone is going to betray Rayna in some major way (probably involving Luke), and the whole Ruke thing is going to blow up spectacularly. So get it over with, show!

(Can you tell I was never a soap watcher? I never had the patience for the slow-moving plots.)

[Bobcatkitten]

If I were Zoey I would be excited about Edgehill. After all, Luke is doing great with them and she sees that with him and he's a friend of hers.

[airwair]

Luke is Zoey's friend? What'd I miss?

[LotusFlower]

I hope they get Gunnar and Scarlett back together.  Scarlett being the sweet person that she is will want to help Gunnar with his son.  Let Zoey go to the dark side with Jeff and Edgehill and ride off into the sunset.  

 

I think the storyline is headed this way. When Scarlett was watching Sadie sing so effortlessly at the CMA's, and Deacon remarked that she did that once, she said something like "it's hard to be up there alone.". I think that foreshadows hooking up with Gunnar again, esp. now that Zoey left.

[anonymiss]

Teddy is good-looking enough and has a good job and could have his pick of women over 30 in Nashville and even a few under 30. 

Much more than a few under 30, tbh. That said, though, we're supposed to believe, according to what Teddy recounted, that she's smart, warm, funny, and, of course, great in bed. But most importantly, she's always fun and readily available at his convenience. So I don't have a hard time believing she's got her hooks into him (pun intended). Just wish this storyline wasn't so trite. I can't see it surprising me at all. 

Edited November 20, 2014 by anonymiss

[dargosmydaddy]

The Michah storyline might be more palatable if he got to be an actual character rather than solely a plot device.

 

Seriously, what's with this kid? Your mom dumps you with two near-strangers and disappears, and you're perfectly fine with that? (I know they mentioned nightmares last week, but we didn't get to see any of that.) 

[mikem]

I'm not sure why no one's pointed out to Layla that Jessica Simpson's "dumb blonde" persona from her reality show with her then-husband brought her more media attention and bigger record sales than she ever had.  Layla's not washed up anymore, she's back in the media spotlight.  She can capitalize on that if she chooses to.  Why isn't her manager (is it still Brent) telling her that?  

 

I got the sense that Avery didn't warn Juliette what his father was like.  During all of the business with Scarlett's abusive mother, I don't remember either Scarlett or Avery ever mentioning anything about Avery's father.  I guess the Avery's-father-is-a-bad-parent-like-Scarlett's-mother-and-Juliette's-mother idea is a new one for the writers.

 

Is Derek Hough's arc over?  Because that was kind of pointless if it is.

[Ellaria]

I'm not sure why no one's pointed out to Layla that Jessica Simpson's "dumb blonde" persona from her reality show with her then-husband brought her more media attention and bigger record sales than she ever had.  Layla's not washed up anymore, she's back in the media spotlight.  She can capitalize on that if she chooses to.  Why isn't her manager (is it still Brent) telling her that?  

 

Is Derek Hough's arc over?  Because that was kind of pointless if it is.

 

And Jessica Simpson is not the only reality show personality to capitalize on a less-than-flattering portrayal. Layla needs to use her Harvard smarts, call Brent and start making this work to her advantage. But no, she will keep sulking until the writers can think of something unnecessary and dramatic for her to do.

 

I had forgotten all about Derek. If its over, it was pointless but the last thing that this show needs is another character without a storyline.

 

If I didn't know any better, I would think that the ghost of Lamar had set Teddy up with the hooker rather than Jeff! 

 

The Ghost of Lamar coming back to haunt Teddy would actually be a welcome addition since its been completely forgotten that he watched Lamar die without helping. 

Edited November 21, 2014 by Ellaria Sand

[h2ogirl]

Whoa, I completely forgot Derek Hough was even on the show.  Yikes.  His character does seem rather pointless, doesn't it - however I don't really want him to return either.  Maybe we'll see him and Juliette at their movie premiere and she'll go into labor on the red carpet.  Ha.  

[slasherboy]

I feel sure Rayna would have taken her daughters to the awards show.  She was up for 6 awards ... that's a big deal ... and I don't think she would want them to miss it.  Apparently, she did want them to miss it.  They could have sat with Teddy if she didn't want to have to deal with them.  Oh wait, then Teddy couldn't have screwed the pooch, so to speak.

Avery and Juliette really are back...well almost. And it's a girl!

It's a girl for Hayden as well.

[vibeology]

Still sending out an APB on Tandy.

 

If Tandy were around she would have told Rayna that a prenup was just good business sense and probably would have already had a lawyer draft one up to protect H65. I know that Tandy's gone but someone in the Rayna James camp needs to have some business sense.

 

I hope Layla can soon rise above letting random people making fun of her get under her skin like that--that crap is a downside of celebritydom but there's no getting around it nowadays. Liked her schooling the interviewer on the red carpet, but that and the "I deferred Harvard" isn't going to score her points with the country crowd. The backlash is going to be a bitch. I felt sorry for her again this epi, and Will was good with her again too.

 

I've been all over the place on Layla because Layla has been all over the place as a character, but I do love this version of Layla and I feel bad for her. Sure, there is the potential to capitalize on her fame but that comes at the price of playing up to an image you can't relate to. I hope she finds a way out of this that isn't murder suicide.

 

How dumb is Gunner's kid? Most kids would have either grabbed Zoey and told her he was going to the bathroom or waited a few minutes for their dad. He's not potty training. He can wait a minute. Also, stadiums can be big but its not that hard to find a bathroom and come back the way you came. Being free from Kiley might actually be good for this kid's brain.

[slasherboy]

Did Avery win?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

No, Gunnar won while he was running around like a chicken with his head cut off accosting strangers with a picture of Micah on his phone.

[DeLurker]

That has a kinda pedophilia sound to it...know it was not intended but just the way my brain is working tonight.

[CofCinci]

Did Avery win?

He lost at the CMAs, but wins our hearts ever week. Most of us are only watching for Avery and Juliette at this point.

Question: Why was Gunnar rude to Jeff when he interrupted Zoe and Jeff's brief discussion? Is their bad blood between Gunnar and Jeff? I don't remember.

Edited November 21, 2014 by CofCinci

[Madding crowd]

I think a prenup between two big celebs is routine, but Luke didn't talk about it with Rayna, had it drawn up without consulting her and then had it in his bag at an awards ceremony. He is a tool.

 

Teddy's hooker friend is not attractive and surely a handsome man like him can find someone who doesn't require payment. And what mayor of a major city is going to be dumb enough to start talking to a known hooker at a public event?

 

Other random notes:

I'm guessing if Rayna had brought the girls she would be accused of being a terrible mother for forcing them to stay up past their bedtime. I'm guessing the real reason it wasn't shown as there were too many other story lines going on and not enough time for the girls.

 

I feel bad that Gunnar missed picking up his award. I don't feel all that sorry for Zoey though. Sometimes people have kids and responsibilities and they can't just dump them-maybe she should give Gunnar a break.

 

The actress playing Sadie looks too old for a newcomer to me and the constant shifty looks and looking at her phone/slamming the laptop down have to mean something but it seems kind of strange how she is being written.

 

I would never have guessed Layla deferred Harvard, she doesn't seem all that smart to me. And I feel for her because she really is in love with WIll, but she should just move on and say the hell with the show and the money.

[Bort]

If Sadie did not have a record label before signing with Rayna recently, there is no way she would have won Best New Artist.   Edgehill would have been promoting Will heavily for that award.  Sadie in general just does not ring true to me though,  She seems almost "All About Eve" with Rayna.  And I can totally see her hooking up with Luke Wheeler because she wants all that Rayna has.  She does seem a bit old to me though to be acting this way.

 

I guess she is supposed to be the Kacey Musgraves type.

Supposedly, Sadie DID have a label (as in past tense), but was shopping for a new one. That part I get. What I don't get is how she's a new artist. If her songs are doing well enough to snag a CMA nomination, her current label wouldn't have dropped her, which is the only way she'd need a new label as a new artist. Because there's no way they'd let a successful artist out of her contract after only a year.

[izabella]

Juliette got Avery with that look when he said his father was a judgmental unforgiving asshole.

 

I'm sorry...I have to say it.....

 

The look on JJ's face when he said he wasn't gonna grow up to be a judgmental, unforgiving, ass and realizing what he'd just said was perfection.

 

Please put (another) damn Emmy in his hands.  Please.

 

They were both excellent in that scene.  That was so well done, as was Deacon and Scarlett on the couch.  Pure gold!

The actress playing Sadie looks too old for a newcomer to me and the constant shifty looks and looking at her phone/slamming the laptop down have to mean something but it seems kind of strange how she is being written.

 

With all the stuff about Sadie's ex, it sounds like she might have been in an emotionally abusive or unhealthy relationship herself.  Maybe it will be Sadie who points out to Rayna how Luke shows some of those abusive tendencies.

 

But I'm sure they'll have her fall for Luke behind Rayna's back, because that's how this show rolls.

[JLG]

So far, these episodes have looked ABSOLUTELY nothing like the last two seasons.  This doesn't seem like the same show.

[AnnaRose]

He lost at the CMAs, but wins our hearts ever week. Most of us are only watching for Avery and Juliette at this point.

Question: Why was Gunnar rude to Jeff when he interrupted Zoe and Jeff's brief discussion? Is their bad blood between Gunnar and Jeff? I don't remember.

 

I'm right there with you, regarding Juliette and Avery.    Avery's dawning realization was my favorite moment of the episode.  I've been really frustrated with him this season.   I wanted him to grovel before getting back with Juliette, but at least this episode he seemed to recognize that his recent behavior was not above reproach.

 

As to your question... as I recall, Jeff wanted to buy Gunnar's song - which he was reluctant to sell because he wanted to keep for himself. (I think it was ultimately for Will.)  If I recall correctly, Jeff made his typical empty promises to Gunnar to get the song, and then blew him off.  I think it had something to do with that episode in which Gunnar and Deacon were given a terrible time and location at the music festival, and they teamed up to make the most of it.  (Just before Peggy was shot.)

 

I might have that all wrong though.  It's been a long time since I watched that episode.

 

Teddy's stupidity apparently knows no bounds.   Having sex with a hooker at an awards show?  Way to go Mr. Mayor.  What a dumbass.  He deserves to be blackmailed.

 

Deacon and Scarlett were adorable.

 

I've been liking Layla the last couple episodes.  I hope she figures out a way to reap some benefit from her negative reality show edit.  I loved the song she sang last episode.  She needs to release an album and capitalize on this publicity.  I like that Will has been more caring toward her.  Using her as an unwitting beard was a truly shitty thing to do.   Maybe he will finally have some character growth too.

 

Luke was horrible and Rayna was her usual annoying self.  Luke and Rayna totally deserve each other.  I think the writers are all just inexplicably, over the top in love with Connie Britton, and therefore Rayna can do no wrong... even though she is a hypocritical, judgmental, holier-than-thou bitch.   Six for six at the awards show.  Sure.  That's believable.  {{rolls eyes}}   At least we got to watch petty, insecure Luke show his ugly side.   Rayna is almost as dumb as Teddy though, with the way she keeps overlooking the warning signs presented by her soon to be husband and making excuses for that pompous ass.

 

[mousegirl]

Random thoughts...

 

The whole relationship between Gunnar and Micah makes no sense whatsoever.  We're seeing these two bonded as tight as any dad and son can be, and how CAN that be???  They've barely been together for a few months (at least I think it's been only a couple of months - the timelines in this show are well-nigh incomprehensible).  Micah's personality is one big head-scratcher for me.  He shows zero signs of missing his mom, he's thoroughly attached to Gunnar, and he is 9 years old but gets lost on the way back from the bathroom?  Who the hell IS this kid?

 

Teddy is mayor of a big city, and he behaves like a little lost boy looking for someone, anyone, to pay attention to him, even if it's a hooker who is just...a hooker, albeit an intelligent, higher-class one.  I just cannot wrap my head around the idea that he has nothing better to do and no one better to be with.  And why wasn't he at the CMAs with Maddie and Daphne?  They love him and it was their mom up there getting all the awards - wouldn't he want them to share in the excitement, and her accomplishments? 

 

Chaley Rose's Zoey was allowed to show a little more expression and emotion this time, but she still comes across as mostly blank and wooden.  Even at the end, when she leaves Gunnar and winds up with Scarlett, sobbing in her arms, her eyes looked the same as they always do - wide-open to a lot of nothing.  She needs to watch Hayden and Jonathan at work, and take some serious notes. They both can say more with a look than all the other actors on this show put together.  

 

Luke is an egotistical asshat, but then, a lot of performers can be.  It's not so unrealistic, especially in the world of country music.  I felt his apology to Rayna later was genuine, but he's not going to change much.  He's mostly giving lip service to the "we're in this together" bit.  He and Sadie are going to pop corn together very soon, as most commenters here have already speculated, and then maybe Rayna will come out of her stupor and kick his macho, controlling butt to the curb forever.   I think she's already moving in that direction.  During the whole bedroom scene, she was displaying a rather side-eyed, cool attitude towards Luke, in spite of her reconciling words.  I don't buy that she was THAT put off by him smelling like booze.  Her statement that he needed to take a shower before getting into bed with her was a way to get rid of him, and then that "humorous" dig she made as he headed for the bathroom, about how she might be asleep when he got back because she was so tired of lugging 6 CMA awards around - pretty hostile, when you take the chuckles away.  She is pissed, and it ain't gonna go away.

 

ITA with everyone that Layla may well be on her way to a serious breakdown.  I do love how Will is trying to support her and show her that he cares about her as a person, and a friend, even if he can't be the husband she needs him to be.   

 

Love Avery's mom telling his judgemental dad to stuff it.  Loved Avery's realization that he'd been just as much of an unforgiving, insufferable jerk to Juliette as his dad had been to him, and the eloquent look Juliette gave him that catalyzed the "aha" moment.  This is gold - more please!

 

Deacon and Scarlett on the couch together watching the awards show was really sweet, and Scarlett's excitement about Rayna's wins was the most life I've seen in that girl since I started watching.  But my god, I'm tired of trying to figure out what she's saying.  She talks too fast, mumbles the ends of her lines with her mouth clenched like she's suddenly had an attack of lockjaw, and way overdoes the southern accent.  I need subtitles.  

 

Sadie's song was kind of lame.  Can't see her (or Rayna, for that matter) as being worthy of winning any music awards in the real world.  And Laura Benanti has a very odd way of moving and smiling while she's singing - her body, especially her shoulders, bounce in a rhythm that doesn't go with the music, and her smile and eyes get overly wide and kind of crazed looking.  Weird.

 

 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Why was Gunnar rude to Jeff when he interrupted Zoe and Jeff's brief discussion? Is their bad blood between Gunnar and Jeff? I don't remember.

Jeff wanted to buy Gunnar's song - which he was reluctant to sell because he wanted to keep for himself. (I think it was ultimately for Will.) If I recall correctly, Jeff made his typical empty promises to Gunnar to get the song, and then blew him off. I think it had something to do with that episode in which Gunnar and Deacon were given a terrible time and location at the music festival, and they teamed up to make the most of it. (Just before Peggy was shot.)

Yes, Gunnar's dislike of Jeff is related to that Nashville music festival. Jeff told Gunnar that he would put him on tour so he could get some experience (which just meant getting stuck on Scarlett's tour bus) and then he would get a spot at the music festival. He and Deacon got a terrible location at the outskirts and terrible timeslots so they knew they wouldn't get much exposure but they decided screw it, let's just have fun and to hell with everyone else. So technically Jeff followed through on what he promised Gunnar, but in the shittiest way possible. Gunnar now knows that Jeff will say whatever it takes to get what he wants from you and then drop you like a hot potato. Edited November 21, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[CofCinci]

Chaley Rose's Zoey was allowed to show a little more expression and emotion this time, but she still comes across as mostly blank and wooden,

If you rematch the scene, you'll notice that her forehead doesn't move or crinkle at all while expressing all the emotion. Honey, step away from rhe Botox and fillers. Maybe she is Angela from Boy Meets World after all?

[Haleth]

Wow, the writers aren't even trying to be subtle with smoldering looks between Luke and Sadie.  I'm not concerned about any character development for her because she is clearly just a plot device to break up Puke, er, Ruke.  It's bound to happen, but in RL wouldn't that ruin both of their careers?  Wouldn't fans shun both artists for hurting the Queen of CM?  

 

Guaranteed the kid will be gone again by the end of the season after he's served the purpose of sending Zoe packing and reuniting Gunnar and Scarlet.

[panthergirl13]

"Shut up, Carl" is usually a line I dream of during The Walking Dead, but it worked here too!!

 

Honestly, the biggest issue I have is that there is not one attractive or redeeming thing about that Luke Wheeler asshole. Usually there is at least a 70% asshole/30% dreamy or charming ratio that would provide some teeny tiny explanation as to why Rayna would be with him at all. Then again, she married freaking TEDDY so this chick has issues.

 

I'd be on board with Sadie/Deacon. (Dadie? Seacon?)

Edited November 21, 2014 by panthergirl13

[DeLurker]

Honestly, the biggest issue I have is that there is not one attractive or redeeming thing about that Luke Wheeler asshole.

No fan of his, but he did remember how the kids liked their bacon cooked and did so accordingly.  It is a small thing, but getting your bacon the way you want it is a big deal in my house.

 

the eloquent look Juliette gave him that catalyzed the "aha" moment.  This is gold - more please!

The "look" was so understated and so atypical for S1 & S2 Juliette that I was like a proud parent. 

 

HP & JJ really played their scenes to perfection this ep.  They are consistently extremely good, but when you compare-contrast all the Luke - Rayna dramatics, the Luke-Sadie anvils, Teddy backroom boink, Gunnar's frantically looking for the kid...it stands out as how a little restraint on the writers part combined with trusting an actor to deliver can deliver big.