S03.E13: I'm Lost Between Right Or Wrong

[madam magpie]

It sounds like the show's on an upswing again,. Damn, I need to catch up.

Personally, I think it's been a ton better the last two episodes! But I don't know if I trust it yet... I'm hoping it'll improve even more after Hayden's maternity leave. The pregnacy hijinks don't bother me like they do others, but I like when Juliette has more to do!

I swear I'm not trying to get in to a fight

Then how about we stop fighting about it? It's a TV show, not a family law class either of us has to pass, and doesn't really matter.

[Soup333]

Personally, I think it's been a ton better the last two episodes! But I don't know if I trust it yet... I'm hoping it'll improve even more after Hayden's maternity leave. The pregnacy hijinks don't bother me like they do others, but I like when Juliette has more to do!

 

I'm also enjoying the heck out of the show, but I never thought there was a downswing, per se.

[airwair]

According to Tennessee state law, a woman's husband is automatically assumed to be the child's father and his name is placed on the birth certificate without questions unless someone contests it, such as the mother or another man claiming to be the father or even the husband if he has doubts. At that point a court ordered paternity test would take place.

Since Rayna or Teddy never spoke up and Deacon did not come forward, the birth certificate is in fact legal and not fraudulent.

That said, also according to state law, the biological parent may come forward and stake a claim to their rights.

Since Deacon was not aware of his paternity until recently, he would absolutely have a strong case in court despite his showing up late to the game. Throw in Teddy's embezzlement, hookers, and willingness to pimp Maddie out to save himself and he doesn't have a shot in hell against a judge, as Tennessee generally goes in favor of the biological parent unless they just do something really awful. (I'm talking molestation, not alcoholism.)

So essentially both sides of the argument are correct.

ETA: I asked my lawyer friend (I have no time on my hands) and it actually wouldn't be so easy for Rayna to strip Teddy's rights on her own--she would need Deacon to step forward and claim his rights to make it a slam dunk sure deal.

Edited February 20, 2015 by airwair

[MissScarlett]

Jeff is apparently not smarter than the average bear.  By sending the necklace to Rayna, he basically dug his own grave.

 

I thought that Edgehill exec let Maddy out of the contract awfully fast and easy.  Now why do I think that Rayna should have gotten that in writing? 

 

I do like the song Luke and Gunnar wrote at the end.  I actually like the actor who plays Luke Wheeler.  So I do hope he sticks around (unpopular opinion, I know).

 

Charles Esten -- dammit, you made me cry again!  I loved his scenes with Maddy and Scarlett.

 

I like Sadie Stone but am anxious for the psycho ex-husband storyline to be wrapped up.  I'm a little worried for Avery at this point.  I like that Avery is being shown as an A+ music producer.

 

I am really rooting for Layla!

 

Will can go away.  I'm bored with the whole closeted gay cowboy storyline.  He needs more to do and this storyline needs to find some resolution soon.  Because we've been singing this same song since Season 2.

[Soup333]

I rewatched the episode so I could give a halfway informed comment on the paternity issue (since it seems the horse has not been completely beaten to death). I think for the purposes of this show, it just needed to be a plausible action for Rayna to take. Doesn't necessarily mean that she would have been successful in removing Teddy's rights, but she had to try something.

Also noticed Hayden had a henna tattoo on her hand when she was on the phone. I thought it was a burn at first. Seems I also have too much time on my hands.

[rubyred]

Yeah I think for the purposes of the show Rayna having Teddy's parental rights terminated was a Hail Mary pass that she didn't want to do but would have. At the very least it would embroil Edgehill in some unsavory legal battles that I doubt they'd thank Jeff for, which could delay Maddie recording for Edgehill until resolved.

 

I'm glad that it has been resolved but I dread Maddie finding out about it and bratting to her mom about her not letting her follow her dream.

[shron17]

Also, if Rayna hadn't threatened something so drastic, Teddy probably wouldn't have told her the whole sordid tale and she wouldn't have had anything to use against Jeff to fix it the way she did.  I'm just glad it all worked out, for now at least, without Maddie and Daphne finding out their dad hired a prostitute and without Maddie's career being controlled by Jeff/Edgehill.

[Ellaria]

What was the purpose of the "Teddy likes a prostitute" story line? To get Jeff fired? If so, it was a long run for a really short slide. There were plenty of reasons for Jeff to get canned. (Here's one: he was a terrible business man who allowed a bunch of artists to leave the label.) Instead, we got another attempt to turn Teddy into the most pathetic character on TV.

 

The mayor of a major US city is a lonely sad sack who gets played by the mustache-twirling music executive into cavorting with a prostitute. Then, after he saves the music executive's ass, he is, in turn, blackmailed into letting his daughter sign a recording contract. (The recording contract that he has been completely opposed to throughout most of the show.) His reasons for complying with the blackmail would be believable if he had demonstrated any further political aspirations. Does he plan to run for re-election? Does he want to move on to higher office such as Governor or State Senator?

 

Eric Close deserves better.

[evilmindatwork]

What was the purpose of the "Teddy likes a prostitute" story line? To get Jeff fired? If so, it was a long run for a really short slide. There were plenty of reasons for Jeff to get canned. (Here's one: he was a terrible business man who allowed a bunch of artists to leave the label.) Instead, we got another attempt to turn Teddy into the most pathetic character on TV.

 

The mayor of a major US city is a lonely sad sack who gets played by the mustache-twirling music executive into cavorting with a prostitute. Then, after he saves the music executive's ass, he is, in turn, blackmailed into letting his daughter sign a recording contract. (The recording contract that he has been completely opposed to throughout most of the show.) His reasons for complying with the blackmail would be believable if he had demonstrated any further political aspirations. Does he plan to run for re-election? Does he want to move on to higher office such as Governor or State Senator?

 

Eric Close deserves better.

 

I think so too. I think it's pretty unrealistic that Teddy would betray his daughter to save his own skin when throughout the run of the show he's been all about his kids. Even at his worst moments, he's been a pretty good father. 

 

I wonder if they're going to separate Teddy from Maddy further. As far as I can tell, Maddy seems to elevate Deacon over Teddy at this point.  Maybe she no longer really thinks of Teddy as her dad and this is the end of Eric Close's run on the show.

[madam magpie]

I think so too. I think it's pretty unrealistic that Teddy would betray his daughter to save his own skin when throughout the run of the show he's been all about his kids. Even at his worst moments, he's been a pretty good father.

I wonder if they're going to separate Teddy from Maddy further. As far as I can tell, Maddy seems to elevate Deacon over Teddy at this point. Maybe she no longer really thinks of Teddy as her dad and this is the end of Eric Close's run on the show.

I don't know. I think Teddy and Maddie have gotten a lot closer recently, and they've seemed to be getting along better. This Edgehill thing was telegraphed early on, but seemed nuts from the start. I don't think Teddy would have done it either. But it seems like only one or two characters get to be awesome at a time. Right now, apparently, it's Rayna and Avery. I wish the show would let more than people win simultaneously.

[RedheadZombie]

I don't know. I think Teddy and Maddie have gotten a lot closer recently, and they've seemed to be getting along better. This Edgehill thing was telegraphed early on, but seemed nuts from the start. I don't think Teddy would have done it either. But it seems like only one or two characters get to be awesome at a time. Right now, apparently, it's Rayna and Avery. I wish the show would let more than people win simultaneously.

 

I mostly agree with you on this.  I do think that Maddy had some bad moments, and unlike when she snapped at Deacon and felt bad, she never seemed contrite when she aimed her anger at Teddy.  I realize part of it is human nature.  Teddy's been a loving father since birth, and Maddy has absolute confidence in that relationship, so she knows that relationship is indestructible.  The relationship with Deacon is new, and whereas they've been in each other's lives forever, she used to have to share Deacon with Daphne.  Now he's just hers.  And imagine finding out your biological father is a musically gifted person when music is your life.  That would be such a heady sensation.  Teddy has never understood her love for music, and maybe even resented it at times. 

 

She and Deacon are still tiptoeing around each other to a certain degree.  He has raised his voice to reprimand her, and she's chewed him out.  But it's small steps, and she's shown that she's sensitive to him cancelling guitar lessons, and her interpretation was that he doesn't want to spend time with her.  That shows she's still insecure in the relationship.  I'm surprised at how confident he is about being her father.  No insecurity that he's not good enough, that he's a poor role model, that he can't measure up to Teddy - not that she should feel this way, but many would.  It makes me wonder if on some small level, he suspected it all along.  Most likely he's this comfortable because the role is so familiar to him - he's had years of experience with Scarlett.  It would be interesting to see if Scarlett feels any jealous toward Maddie.  I know there's a significant age gap, but Scarlett's had Deacon to herself forever.

[evilmindatwork]

Do you all think it's a slight on Teddy that Maddy wants Deacon and Rayna to be together but not Teddy and Rayna? 

[Ursula Parrott]

O Luke, wiping away your sensitive man-tears. What is that wall in Gunnar's home studio made of? Ground-up terrible country music CDs? 

[Sutton]

I don't feel Scarlett will feel any jealousy towards Maddie, she knows that Deacon has wanted a child of his own for many years especially with Rayna. Scarlett knows how much Deacon loves her as his niece. He has taken care of her all her life when her mother couldn't. He paid for her schooling and let her live with him when she moved to Nashville. He has had years of experience with Scarlett that's why I don't understand why Rayna won't give him a chance to be a co-parent parenting Maddie. Deacon has been a father figure to Scarlett, protected her from slimy musicians, making sure what ever she wants to accomplish in music, be it singing, performing, writing or just appear in small venues he's behind her 100%. He will do the same for Maddie when it's the right time.

 

That was such a turn off for me, Luke crying please. My question does he know Will is gay? Remember, he's a country music artist with a rough audience, beer drinking fans, off the road trucker guys, will they accept Luke Wheeler associating himself with someone who's gay. LW doesn't strike me as a person who will put his reputation, or commercial indorsements on the line if someone lets the cat out of the bag that Will's gay. He will drop Will in a heart beat. Watching Gunnar and Will's expressions going back and forth when LW was talking makes me believe LW doesn't know.

[RedheadZombie]

Do you all think it's a slight on Teddy that Maddy wants Deacon and Rayna to be together but not Teddy and Rayna? 

 

I don't think it's a slight, because I actually think some part of Maddie would want Teddy and Rayna back together.  It's all she knew growing up, and her life was so much less complicated back then.  I don't get the impression that Teddy and Rayna argued a lot, so I think most of her childhood would hold only the best memories.  I personally think it's an oversight that neither girl has expressed the wish that their parents would get back together.  They handled that split too easily, and any fallout was glossed over by the paternity revelation and then Rayna's coma.  As much as Rayna bounces around and fears being alone, I wouldn't be surprised if she felt the pull to get back with Teddy.  Her life was much simpler then, too.  They way they're writing Teddy it's never going to happen, but I felt a lot of chemistry in their scenes this episode.

[Quiche]

It could be that the writers finally figured out that we like Jeff too much, and they were going to put an end to that.  The writing is full of propping.  The more they prop Rayna, the more I feel more for Teddy and even for Jeff.  But the writers only want certain ones to be heroes.  The quality of the writing declines and declines.

[Sutton]

Maddie was the one that found out Teddy cheated on Rayna so I don't think she would want them back together. Maddie has always wanted Rayna and Deacon to get back together from the first time she found out that she was Deacon's daughter.

 

As much as Rayna bounces around and fears being along I wouldn't be surprised if she felt the pull to get back with Teddy.

If you watched the last episode I think she had nothing but contempt forTeddy for the position he put Maddie in trying to cover his ass from being blackmailed.

 

Her life was simpler then, too.

They both agreed that their marriage was not a happy one (As Rayna said neither one of them was happy) for more then a couple of years.

 

The way they're writing Teddy it's never going to happen, but I felt a lot of chemistry in their scenes this episode.

I don't know what episode you were watching, but they didn't have any chemistry when they were married and they sure don't have any now. If the chemistry your seeing is Rayna taking charge and telling Teddy not to do anything, and he should get help with his problems.

[madam magpie]

Do you all think it's a slight on Teddy that Maddy wants Deacon and Rayna to be together but not Teddy and Rayna?

I don't think it's a slight, no. My read is that Maddie understands Rayna and Teddy were unhappy, though I wish we'd seen more of this so we'd better understand Maddie's headspace. But as Sutton mentioned, Maddie knows Teddy cheated on Rayna. I can see that alone being a deal breaker. Her wanting Rayna and Deacon together so badly works for me on one level: I think she's old enough to understand the fantasy of a great love affair, and she feels like, on some level, she missed out on her "real" family. Plus, both kids were on board when Rayna told them she wanted to start dating Deacon again before the crash. But on another level, I feel like Maddie's acceptance/forgiveness of Rayna was too easy and somewhat cliched. I think a teenager in Maddie's position would have had a much harder time, and I don't mean the brattiness, which I also think is cliched. That said, I do also think Maddie would side with Deacon since they were in the same boat as far as being betrayed, so if what Deacon wants is him and Rayna together, I can see Maddie rooting for that. I don't think the show has done a good job of showing us that, but they often fall down on that job. I tend to accept a lot of what they tell me outright because if you require consistent story clues, very little makes sense.

Edited February 21, 2015 by madam magpie

[Soup333]

Maddie also had an issue with Teddy proposing to PBP with her grandmother's ring and then marrying her, the woman he had been cheating on her mother with. And then Teddy was an ass to Deacon, arguing with him when he and Maddie sang together. He gave her so much push back on the guitar lessons and music in general that she started to resent him for that as well. I think that plays a factor in why she wouldn't want to see her parents get back together again. Maddie has spent a lot of time angry at Rayna for one thing or another - I wish they wouldn't have dropped her friendship with Juliette so we could get to know how she was really feeling.

 

What's interesting to me is how quickly Daphne accepted Luke. Seems like she would have been the child that had a harder time with her parent's divorce.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Soup333

[Trillian]

Re: parental rights: any Tennesee-qualified lawyers out there? Because this Canadian lawyer is really puzzled by the talk of stripping Teddy's parental rights. In Canada, someone who has stood in the place of a parent - especially as long as Teddy has - gains the rights and obligations of a parent regardless of biology. Of course, Tennesee law could be different. Anyone know?

[madam magpie]

Re: parental rights: any Tennesee-qualified lawyers out there? Because this Canadian lawyer is really puzzled by the talk of stripping Teddy's parental rights. In Canada, someone who has stood in the place of a parent - especially as long as Teddy has - gains the rights and obligations of a parent regardless of biology. Of course, Tennesee law could be different. Anyone know?

Airwair answered this above. ^^^

[DeLurker]

ETA: I asked my lawyer friend (I have no time on my hands) and it actually wouldn't be so easy for Rayna to strip Teddy's rights on her own--she would need Deacon to step forward and claim his rights to make it a slam dunk sure deal.

I think the two issues are separate and unrelated. A birth parent can have their parental rights stripped by the family law court if there is a compelling enough reason to support they pose a significant risk to the child/children. I don't think that is the case here - Teddy's made some dumb ass decisions, but has he put his children's wellbeing in jeopardy? I don't recall anything that severe.

I'd speculate there is cause to have the visitation agreement revised but those decisions are at the court's discretion. There might be a temporary revision granted but there would be a court appointed custody evaluation prior to any permanent revision to the agreement. And Maddie is old enough to where the courts would take her opinion into consideration.

As for Deacon's legal rights as biological father vs Teddy's rights as the father of legal record plus in his actions throughout Maddie's life, I don't know what the impact would be. But even if it ruled out Teddy's parental rights, I don't think it would void the Edgehill contract retroactively.

Based on how Rayna & Teddy have been questionable guardians, both girls should file for legal emancipation.

[airwair]

"Dumb ass decisions"?

The guy could've and should've already gone to prison four times over.

[Sutton]

AIRWAIR -- Your talking about a father that by some is the best father ever. Teddy was there all those years with the girls raising them in a stable home while his wife was out on the road for months at a time, let me think WHY because he lost all or most of her money in bad investments. Since he had no way of supporting them in the life style they were acostumed to Rayna was the one supporting them all. (Sarcasm)

[DeLurker]

"Dumb ass decisions"?

The guy could've and should've already gone to prison four times over.

I don't recall anything that put the wellbeing* of the girls at risk - granted my memory ain't what it used to be.

*their direct wellbeing so things like abuse, neglect, ...

[airwair]

No, he's not physically abusive. But I would absolutely stand firm that his embezzling millions, losing their mother's savings in bad investments, all but murdering their grandfather, covering up Jeff's nonsense, and sleeping with high end prostitutes could all have repercussions that would indeed affect their wellbeing.

I can't imagine them sleeping so well after watching him get hauled off in handcuffs by a dozen federal agents.

Edited February 22, 2015 by airwair

[DeLurker]

All very true - and watching Gramps die and not calling for help is probably more than a "bad decision".

[Clanstarling]

On a totally different note - when Gunnar was about to burn up the picture of his brother and what's her face, he said something along the lines of "all I see are lies." Hubs turned to me and said "there's his song."

 

I don't mind the show trying to turn Luke around. After all, Avery was an even bigger jerk in the first season (and actually was unfaithful to Scarlett, which Luke had not been to Rayna). Now he's the best, most grounded character on the show. Who'd have thought? I'm no particular fan of Luke, but I think they've laid groundwork. Who knows, maybe it will work. I really liked the breakup song.

 

Speaking of Luke - the actor used to be on Smash, and I always have trouble recognizing him as the same actor. Pretty good acting (and makeup/wardrobe) I think.

[MusicCityFan]

Good episode. Think Will Chase is a terrific singer, but nothing they do is going to make me like Luke any better. I guess the producers just love him, though, because he seems to get more of a storyline and more songs to sing than most of the original cast. Would rather they keep Sadie. But looks like Laura Benanti's getting even busier with other projects, so assume she'll continue to be recurring?

 

Loved the studio interaction and music production segments- way more interesting to me to see than those ultra soapy parts of the show. As an Avery fan, always glad to see him getting a story-- and loved his adorable/hot  'bring it' to the evil wife beater. No way they're pairing Avery with Sadie- would be great to see an actual long term friendship between these two. Think any turmoil with Javery is going to be around the challenges of having a family with two musicians pursuing careers.

 

Hope Chip Esten gets some emmy attention. He's doing a great job with (in my view) a loser storyline. Not to mention- he seems to get better looking the sicker he gets.

 

Agree to those who say Eric Close deserves better. Think it will be Teddy that donates the liver. Guess they're not getting rid of Jeff or Layla. Would rather they just pair them up and ship them off to LA... but am assuming they both sign with Luke's new label.

 

Missing Juliette like most others-- but HP does a lot with a little screen time. Where's Emily?

 

Does anyone know- has Hayden come back to work on Nashville yet or is she still on maternity leave?

 

 

 

[Soup333]

I think Hayden is back full time for ep 3.16? 3.17 maybe? Not sure.

 

 

Good episode. Think Will Chase is a terrific singer, but nothing they do is going to make me like Luke any better. I guess the producers just love him, though, because he seems to get more of a storyline and more songs to sing than most of the original cast. Would rather they keep Sadie. But looks like Laura Benanti's getting even busier with other projects, so assume she'll continue to be recurring?

 

I feel the same way about Layla. I do have sympathy for what her character has gone through, but I'll never be a fan, no matter what they do with her. As a matter of fact, if they keep her with the woman-hating Jeff, I'll hate her even more.

 

I'm sad about Sadie. I could have come to love her.

[smiley13]

Any time they spend on Sadie is wasted for me.  I just don't see why she is needed at all, unless it was just to give Avery someone to work with so he isn't just Mr Juliette Barnes.

 

Charles Esten is doing a great job with his cancer storyline.   I love the Deacon and Scarlett scenes ,but then again, I just love Scarlett.

 

Rayna was all kinds of great when she came in and took Jeff down.  I loved seeing smarmy Jeff squirming.  But how mad will Maddie be at Rayna when she finds out that Rayna took her chance at a music career  away?

[SlovakPrincess]

Even without the blackmail / record contract stuff ... Jeff giving a 14-year-old girl a pearl necklace would still have been super creepy.  

 

I get that Jeff was claiming only one parent has to ratify a minor's contract.  But how was Teddy ratifying anything for Maddie when she had no idea?! 

 

I loved Rayna taking charge of the situation - man, I really like Single Boss Lady Rayna, can we keep her for a while?

 

Luke was likable this episode, and Juliette annoyed me.  What world am I living in?!

 

Yikes, poor Sadie.  And poor Deacon.  And Scarlett.  And Layla.  And Maddie (even though she has no idea about her father yet).  Even Teddy.  Really, I just felt bad for a lot of characters this episode ...   

[Linderhill]

 

Eric Close deserves better.

This.  I hope he's getting a lot of directing gigs (or something) out of this thankless role.  I also hope that the record deal plot is dead.  As much as I like Mario Peebles, the whole thing was so predictable its not funny. 

 

Its interesting how everyone on the board seems to be able to predict the major plots of the season.

[limecoke]

I hated when Maddie got so melodramatic about how she would never get whatever Deacon was teaching her. Buck up! "It's so haaaaaaard!"

Because that is precisely what teenagers do.  I've heard it a million times.  

 

Are we going to get a Scarlett/Doctor storyline?  I hope so because Dr. is easy on the eyes.

[aradia22]

Ugh. Look, I'm not a big fan of Teddy but it's annoying that the show has him make all these ridiculous choices so Rayna can climb up on her moral high ground. The one thing I can say is that at least she's not sweeping out of rooms in the same way she did season 1. And I definitely appreciated her going in and stating her case to the head of the corporation calmly and rationally making several solid points. This is the businesswoman I was waiting for season 1 not the sassy diva.

 

I enjoyed the doctor calling Scarlett out on being a "happiness bully." Now if we could only have more people call Rayna out... and have it stick.

 

Aw, Deacon is back. :)

 

Go away, Luke.

 

I don't mind Avery defending Sadie (though he seems to have a thing for being a knight in shining armor for damsels in distress) but they better not make it romantic. Avery/Juliette is one of the few things the show still has going for it, aside from the music. Yes to finally letting Laura Benanti act though.

[Sutton]

Aradia22 

 

Aw, Deacon is back..

He's the only one who use to call her out and she listened to him.

 

Go away, Luke

I second that, I just want to know when..