S05.E01: The Wayfaring Stranger

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

Season 5 begins with Rayna and Deacon adjusting to Maddie's return home and dealing with Highway 65's financial struggles. Meanwhile, news about Juliette shocks Nashville and sets Rayna on a journey of discovery.

[Primetimer]

Someone we all know might never walk again, but it's Rayna with the panic attacks.

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[madhacker]

damn it just when I think I'm done with this show......it pulls me back in

You can tell there's a new writing staff and I for one am glad for it.

Maddie and Daphne could be the next Judds if  they they make that song into a single.

Avery continues to be the almost perfect guy, why Jon Jackson isn't a big name star continues to mystify me. Hey Disney, if you're looking for somebody to fill a role in either a Marvel or Star Wars movie, you might wanna give this guy a call. The guy's got 3 daytime Emmys for God's sake!!

My only nitpick is that the only time we saw Will was the in bed alone shot. While I'll never complain about shirtless Chris Carmack (yowza!), why could'nt thay have had Kevin in bed next to him. In my mind right after that kiss in the season finale, Will and Kevin had awesome "getting back together" sex .

[TVFAN]

Javery is back and better than ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Their acting has always been amazing, but, now, the writers are providing much better material.

Could someone please spring Teddy from the slammer?  Deacon is trying, but Daphne needs her Dad.  As usual, Rayna is off being the incomparable Rayna James and leaving her current husband/love interest to watch the kids.  She did it with Teddy; she did it with Luke; and now she's doing it with Deacon.  I get that she doesn't want to fail, but did she really need to fly off to this random gig when she just got Maddie back into the fold?  She is so much more like her father than she will ever admit.  She is driven to be on top. 

[Shermie]

While looking perpetually distraught. She and Parenthood's Monica Potter could exchange acting tips.

It sure shows that there are different writers, the show's "feel" seemed different. Better. Less soapy.

I hope Juliette and Avery can have some actual happiness for a while. 

[WhosThatGirl]

I thought I was out...

that was damn amazing to me considering the mess that was left last season, I really was genuinely enjoying this episode.

Avery and Juliette! Never mention Layla ever. And get remarried and  be happy.

Maddie is still a brat.

i even shipped deacon and Rayna tonight. I honestly haven't since the pilot.

My only damper is knowing Luke won't be around.

[dbell1]

I didn't know how much I missed this show until it came back tonight. Solid reboot. Missed the first 15 minutes, but I'm really impressed with the new writing. I've got Hulu, so I'll watch it again tomorrow night.

Guess they couldn't sell Maddie? Maybe we can book her a seat on Juliette's next flight? And are we supposed to believe that Rayna would rent a classic car and drive back along dirt roads? Was she avoiding her oldest or are private planes too scary for her?

Javery is back! Poor Emily got dragged out of bed in the middle of the night to babysit. Some things never change! 

Was that Rhiannon Giddens singing in the church?

[GaT]

Hmm, I actually thought it was boring. Maybe because this was the setup for the season, but I really don't want to see an entire season of Rayna  & Juliette angst, & there was waaay too much Maddie & Daphne for my tastes.

[Irlandesa]

I'm somehwere in the middle between really liking it and kind of finding it..not boring but really quiet and almost muted.  Even though there was drama, it felt really toned down and that vibe will take a while getting used to. 

Still, I liked a lot of it.  I appreciated the fact that the hour focused mostly on Rayna and Juliette's stories and I liked the music chosen. 

Maddie was still a brat.  And maybe it was wrong but I kept laughing every time Juliette wheeled over grass.  I think that would be hard and I find it hard to imagine she has managed to build up the strength to do that. Did we ever find out whose plane she was on?  She was alone so clearly Ed didn't fly back with her.

I feel like Rayna's panic attacks are going to be indicative of something more serious than panic attacks.  She started having difficulty breathing even before the turbulance started, I believe.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Irlandesa

[Xazeal]

I'm a bit disappointed we didn't see Emily. She's always felt like a vital part of Juliette's support system, so I expected her to be there. But at least they mentioned her, so we know she's still around.

Yes, this episode felt very different, in a good way. I haven't rewatched the show since it last aired so I can't quite put my finger on what changed, but I think it did feel a little less soapy and more natural. I liked it a lot.

I'm still in. More in that I was before, really.

[memememe76]

I loved it soooo much. Rayna really shined tonight. I am living for her angst. I would like to see her deal with the deaths of her parents through music. 

My only problem was that I couldn't understand one word coming out of Deacon'so mouth. 

[WhosThatGirl]

You know what else made me happy? That they didn't go soapy soap with Juliette's story. I thought for sure we wouldn't see anything with Hayden really during the first hour and we did. And I'm so glad they didn't give her some sort of amnesia bs. 

[Kathemy]

<Doux Reviews> <The Wayfaring Stranger>

[missbonnie]

There's the show that I love and missed so much! 

[luna1122]

It definitely feels like new writers. I loved 'my so called life' and 'thirtysomething' and I can feel the fingerprints of those folks all over this already. There will be melodrama, but it will be well done.

I too liked that they got right to what happened to Juliette. I know she's going to continue to push pretty pretty Avery away in future episodes, but for now, it was nice to see them smiling at each other.

Rayna looked very Thelma and Louise there at the end. Is Callie Khouri still actively involved? Oh, never mind, just looked it up, she directed the episode. well done.

I liked the mystikal magickal music tonite. That's the kind of thing that, if handled too sentimentally or broadly, is really cringe-y, but Juliette just happening upon the church with her 'angel' and the old man just happening to be singing 'wayfaring stranger' (which: cold chills) was all very purposeful and deliberate, yet subtle enough to not feel forced. I don't even believe in that kind of stuff, but it worked for me. It all reminded me very much of the Juliana Hatfield/xmas episode of 'my so called life'.

All in all, it was just nice to have the show back.

[Evie]

The show definitely had a different feel to it, which I liked. I'm a little mixed about the episode itself. I appreciated the scenes between Rayna/Juliette and Maddie/Scarlett. Character interaction is good. I appreciated the focus on Rayna and Juliette, but I found Rayna's stuff super boring and Juliette in a wheelchair super predictable. I don't think their storylines are without promise, however; Rayna concentrating on her music could be good and Juliette in a wheelchair has the potential for Juliette and Juliette/Avery to finally work through some of their issues.

[Packerbrewerbadger]

A little too Rayna-centric, but whatever. How could she be surprised the label is in financial trouble with all the misfires last season!  And faced with maybe losing the house, Deacon jumps on a plane to fly cross country .... Couldn't have been cheap. 

[jmonique]

I loved it. I enjoyed the show when it began, but by the time it was canceled this past spring, I totally understood why and backed ABC's play.

This felt much more grounded in reality and human emotion. Less like Televola: Nashville and more like actual people. They obviously can't just flip a switch and fix Maddie, but a pouty, at time shrieky need for attention and independence all at once is much more like a teenager than someone being lured into filing for emancipation in order to get a record deal. I can handle it as they try to level her out. 

It's pretty obvious that Rayna's exit story is being laid. I'll miss her, but I'm interested in seeing how they tackle that.

[luna1122]

I honestly can't see how they can get rid of Rayna in any way that's believable, except to kill her. Or just talk about her and have her show up occasionally when Britton is available, but shift focus to other people and not have her be the star. I can't buy her just flaking on her kids. Deacon, maybe, but not her kids, not long term.

[bilgistic]

I'm going to be That Person and point out that Scarlett's hometown friend who became Gunnar's girlfriend, Zoey, sang "Wayfaring Stranger" in season two.

[Mrs. DuRona]

I actually loved that.  So much about music being the central theme/element, less DRAMA.  Hayden KILLED it, I actually got choked up when she went to the crash site.  I am intrigued how she's going to deal with her survivor's guilt.  

Maddie was still horrible, but slightly redeemable after Scarlett talked to her.  

I almost wish I hadn't watched it, it was a mean tease.  Now I can't wait for it to be back for real. 

[deSchenke]

Juliette rolling her wheelchair in the rutted grass and the crashsite was one thing - at least Avery was there to help her.  But rolling herself across the highway, over the grassy verge and into the church was as fake as it gets.  Hey, she even closed the church door behind her!  I just had to laugh.

 

Rayna is in financial trouble, but she’s still flying in a private jet and renting classic convertibles to drive cross-country.  Well, okay then.  My eyeballs are hurting from rolling back into my sockets.

 

Other than that, I enjoyed the episode.  The writing seems better and I hope they take things in a less soap opera-y direction.  Seems to be back to focusing on the music a bit more.

[nlkm9]

I thought Rayna and her sister inherited millions when her dad passed. and yes about private jets and overnight flights and fancy cars--I dont buy for a second that she has financial issues, its so ridiculous

[sunflower]

Maddie is so tired with her attitude and nastiness to Daphne.  I think it should be that Daphne is really the talented one and Maddie is just a dilettante of suck.  Maddie doesn't even seem sorry ever, and it's Daphne who should really be bitching more with her Dad in prison and Maddie getting all the attention.  I don't care if she's a teenager, she's either a straight-up bitch or the actress has no range.  

Also, can Avery get a story that's not just supporting Juliette?  He's the most talented of the actors, music-wise, in real life. How about the show starting to reflect that?  I hate him just being semi-producer, daddy, and Juliette's purse holder.  I know it's early in the going, so I hope for some good changes here.  

Edited December 17, 2016 by sunflower

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Best thing about this episode: NO LAYLA!!

I agree that despite the fact that this episode was continuing storylines from S4, there was definitely a different feel. Everyone felt less soapy and more real.

I hope that the writers steer Maddie's brattiness toward being less of a bitch to her little sister. It galls me that she is so rude to her sister and instead of anyone going to comfort Daphne, they all gently admonish Maddie aka give her more attention. At least Scarlett managed to get it through Maddie's thick skull that collaboration is a good thing.

I think it was very sweet of Deacon to go to San Francisco to help Rayna, but I disliked that he was so adamant that not flying meant giving in to her anxiety and would end up making it worse. That's simply not true. You can't control when a panic attack will hit you. There are coping mechanisms (breathing techniques, talking yourself down, and medication) but just trying to power through doesn't work, ESPECIALLY when you know that what's triggering it is a pretty normal reaction. I can't blame Rayna for getting upset while she's on a plane so soon after Juliette's plane crashed.

19 hours ago, deSchenke said:

Rayna is in financial trouble, but she’s still flying in a private jet and renting classic convertibles to drive cross-country.

Normally when you are hired for a private gig like the Silicon Valley performance she did, the people who hire you pay for your transportation. When I was booked for a performance in Santa Barbara, they had to pay for our flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara (which isn't cheap because SB only has a tiny airport so a lot of people fly into LA and then drive to Santa Barbara). I'm nowhere near being a superstar like Rayna but the flight and hotel room were paid for by the client in addition to our performance pay. This Zach guy is loaded so he wouldn't even blink at paying for a private jet for his favorite performer or renting a convertible for her. That just comes out of the company's huge entertainment budget. Now Deacon's last minute flight, on the other hand, is something that he paid for out of his own pocket. 

[MaryPatShelby]

I'm confused. I thought I had read that the new season on CMT starts on January 5, and sure enough today I saw a Nashville commercial and it stated that very date. So what is this that we're talking about here?

[WhosThatGirl]

10 minutes ago, MaryPatShelby said:

I'm confused. I thought I had read that the new season on CMT starts on January 5, and sure enough today I saw a Nashville commercial and it stated that very date. So what is this that we're talking about here?

There was a sneak peak in Thursday  of the first hour of the two hour episode coming January 5.

[limecoke]

Quote

I'm confused. I thought I had read that the new season on CMT starts on January 5, and sure enough today I saw a Nashville commercial and it stated that very date. So what is this that we're talking about here?

The preview episode is available for viewing on Hulu and cmt.com.  Then the show picks up for reals on 1/5.  

Loved the reinvention of the show!  It's hard to describe the difference but it is obvious right from the beginning.  It's more real, more focused on character, all-around better written.  I'm sorry Britton is leaving but it will be interesting to see how the story goes.  I just hope it doesn't involve leaving Deacon and the daughters to go find herself.  After I watched this, I felt like I understood the character of Juliette better than I ever had in the previous seasons.  Please, I beg you, CMT, let this character grow and change instead of having her go back to the same old well ABC dunked her in over and over.  There's something deep there so explore it and please, for the love, let her and Avery be happy for more than five minutes.  I actually liked Scarlett and Gunnar in this episode which is amazing.  And, last but not least, no Layla!!!

Looking forward to January 5.

[pattycat]

The last interview that I saw, from Connie Britton, she basically said she was all in for this Season, and not sure where, all the stories came from. 

I gues we'll see how that plays out, but it didn't sound definite, that she was leaving. 

[tennisgurl]

So, this shall be Nashville 2.0, and...I am cautiously optimistic. Yeah, it still has a lot of silliness, but at least it wasn't so boring I wanted to bash my head into my own computer screen. And, hey, music! Not a lot, but what we got was good. 

Juliette being possibly paralyzed is classic soap opera, but it seems like it will lead to lots of good Avery/Juliette stuff, so I`ll take it. I just want them back together damn it! 

Maddie is still a brat, but less of a monster than she was last season, so I guess they are slowly pushing her back into Nice Maddie from Evil Maddie. She does still have a nice voice when she isn't singing awkward "sexy" songs. 

The episode weirdly reminded me of O Brother Where Art Thou a few times. Must have been the God imagery and Warfaring Stranger and the old blind guy singing it. I like it. 

Edited December 19, 2016 by tennisgurl

[Slakkie]

OMG I accidentally found this on Hulu!!!  I thought it was coming back next month and it was SO INCREDIBLY GOOD.  I am a Javery fan (okay JJ aka Lucky Spencer fan but still).  I thought they did a great job of re-booting the show.

I cannot wait for next month!

[Steph01924]

I really enjoyed this, despite it being a quiet hour of television. The difference in the vibe was obvious, but much welcomed. I think that there is definitely going to be a transition episode or two where the new writers have to write their characters out of the messes they were in before, bring them back a more level emotional/mental field. At least, that's what I hope they are planning on doing with people like Maddie and Juliette.

In those forty-two minutes, I think that was the most Deacon and Rayna have said to each other than they did all of last season. I'd love to see Gunnar and Scarlett have a storyline that doesn't involve them breaking up and making each other jealous constantly; let's have them be happy and working towards making their music work. Let's get Avery more job recognition and songs that aren't sad little ditties about Juliette. After that hour, I feel cautiously optimistic that all of these things will eventually come true and unfold in a much calmer pace than we're used to. 

And more good music! I do love that about the show, and if the slower pace means giving more time to the songs like they used to in the first season, then I'm all for it.

[wendyg]

Maisy Stella's voice is really maturing; she sounded great. She's going to have serious vocal power as an adult.

[Fisher King]

It was SO good to see this show back with a different feel. It was probably mostly my optimistic attitude that made it worthwhile, but I'm okay with that. Please keep this kind of pace going without relapsing into too much melodrama, show-runners. Thanks!

[LotusFlower]

On December 19, 2016 at 11:13 AM, tennisgurl said:

The episode weirdly reminded me of O Brother Where Art Thou a few times. Must have been the God imagery and Warfaring Stranger and the old blind guy singing it. I like it. 

Yes, thank you.  I just watched it and came here and agree with all of you that the vibe felt different, and your description is a good one.  And since I loved O Brother Where Art Thou and its soundtrack, that's a good sign.  

I don't really get what they're doing with Rayna, though.  And I'm pretty distressed after reading the conflicting stories about her exit.  So much of the show revolves around her character, so I don't get it.  

[Lady Calypso]

So, I finally caught up to this point, all before the second half of the premiere. 

I also love the different vibe so far. Having binge watched the four seasons in the last couple of weeks, I noticed the difference pretty quickly. And seeing that Callie Khouri directed the episode and the change in the writing staff might have convinced me that Callie wasn't all to blame for the falter in the show for the last two seasons, at least. Maybe it's possible to blame ABC a little bit. It seems like this show should have been on CMT the entire time. It clearly fits better so far.

I love that the entire episode focused on Rayna and Juliette. I guess getting rid of Layla and Luke has helped, although I'll miss Luke dearly. Layla was someone I liked more than others, but really only wanted her around with Jeff, since both made each other better somehow for me. 

It does suck that Connie Britton is only sticking around for half the season. I can see how they might exit her, with a possible health condition (thanks for the post above that pointed out that Rayna's panic attack started before the turbulence but well after the plane took off). They probably plan to keep the rest of the family on, although I'd much prefer they don't kill Rayna off. It's a tricky situation to navigate with a female lead leaving, and I'm not sure how they can write in Connie's departure without killing Rayna off. She's a lot of things, but she'd never just leave her kids without good reason. 

I haven't heard anything about Eric Close being part of the season, but I think the girls might need Teddy around to help out. Whatever they do with Rayna, it looks like they might have to have Deacon as a single father for a while but I'm not sure if he'll be able to handle it on his own. It would make for an interesting storyline, that's for sure, and it would give Daphne a good arc, with both her parents being out of the picture and being stuck as the outsider with Deacon/Maddie. It could even allow Maddie to stop being a brat when she has to maybe even mediate between Daphne and Deacon, as Maddie would be the last family link with Daphne as well as Deacon.

I am so not surprised at Highway 65 being in financial trouble. I am more surprised that it took so long for it to be shown. So far, they've had no true long term successes with any artists that would have them bring in a ton of cash. They have their short term successes, but the only artist they seem to have is The Exes and they almost broke up a couple of times last season. Everyone else has seemed to quit on them, and I assume no Layla means that she's not part of Highway 65. 

I like Juliette's redemption from last season carrying over. It's working beautifully for her character to see her so transformed and getting farther away from the vapid girl we knew from the first season. Not that she was just the bitch in season 1, but she has grown and matured so much. I'm guessing her pessimism, even with her "angel", is going to have an impact on how quickly she recovers. It's nice to know that the doctor's hopeful for her recovery and that she isn't fully paralyzed. I don't think they'll keep Juliette in that chair for the rest of the series, but I appreciate that we'll see her slowly recovering this season. 

The only thing I don't like so far is the "angel" aspect. I'm not really sure where it's going to go for Juliette's story, but I'm not interested yet and I do find it a bit cheesy, especially since this first episode has been more grounded and realistic and less soap opera-ish. Also, Hayden's hair is very...platinum blonde, isn't it? You can see her dark roots when she has her hair pulled back in a pony tail. It was just very noticeable throughout the episode. I'm still unsure if it was just the lighting or not. 

I see that Maddie's still being a brat toward her sister, although I understand it. My sister, who was two years older, stopped being close to me around Maddie's age. It sucks, but it can happen. It doesn't mean that Maddie should be so rude about it, and it doesn't mean that Deacon and Rayna should be so casual about it. 

It's nice to see Scarlett/Gunnar back together. Mostly because I was so tired of their drama of them dating other people but still being into each other for three full seasons. Plus, the first time they got together, it was under Gunnar's grief. Maybe this time, they can just leave the two alone and happy without them breaking up or flirting with other people.

It was also nice to have a Scarlett/Maddie scene. Is this the first scene they've had together without anyone else? 

[gryphon]

Quote

 didn't know how much I missed this show until it came back tonight.

WORD.  And when the Nashville theme by Snuffy came on, I was grinning from ear to ear.   I had no idea I was that attached to this show.  Perhaps because of the way it ended/was canceled.  Go Juliette and Avery!  Hopefully we get more Will next episode.  I liked the limited Gunner/Scarlett stuff and enjoyed her conversation with Maddie.  Nicely done, Scarlett. 

[Runningwild]

Did I miss it? What happened to Glenn? Did he die in a plane crash? That is very disappointing if it's true.

[Irlandesa]

None of Juliette's normal entourage were on that plane.  I don't think we know much about that plane except that Juliette was taking it to come back to Nashville. Glenn was in the episode later on. 

[Brinny]

On January 3, 2017 at 3:43 PM, Lady Calypso said:

And seeing that Callie Khouri directed the episode and the change in the writing staff might have convinced me that Callie wasn't all to blame for the falter in the show for the last two seasons, at least. Maybe it's possible to blame ABC a little bit. It seems like this show should have been on CMT the entire time. It clearly fits better so far.

I somehow missed that Khouri directed the episode. Knowing that, I am definitely convinced that the blame probably lays elsewhere. The direction combined with the writing gave the show an entirely different feel. Like, I feel as if the words, "Just have fun with it!" were tossed around behind the scenes a few times. Yes, there were soapy melodrama moments (of course), but everything just seemed...lighter. You know?

Scarlett peppering Maddie's shoulder with kisses? Lighter. And Daphne just kind of easily shrugging off her sister being an insane brat when it would have turned into a sulkfest (um, a sulkfest for Daph, Maddie obviously threw herself a tiny pity party, she's Maddie) before? Lighter. Deacon LAUGHING? Lighter. 

On December 24, 2016 at 9:17 AM, wendyg said:

 

Maisy Stella's voice is really maturing; she sounded great. She's going to have serious vocal power as an adult.

 

I think she's always edged Lennon out a little bit in the vocal department, but, yeah, she sounded amazing in this episode. I hope they give her more material this season. I know she's at an awkward age, but I really hope they make something work for her. 

[JAYJAY1979]

People are thrown because of the fact the show is no longer on ABC, nor forced to follow the sondaland soap mandate.

If anything, I see this being more in line with the original dallas/knots landing model.  Soapy, but not so over the top...and the pace is less fractic...allowing for more character moments.

It's still a soap, but maybe more what is the hold have been to begin with.

Reyna is more like her dad....glad someone else sees it.  Hence why they clashed so much.

[PumpkinPK]

I just want to post this before I read the comments and they sway my opinion.

Well done, show.  It wasn't the finest writing or storyline, but the cheesiness/corniness/eyeroll factor is gone.  It felt like a different show in a good way.

I didn't think I was even going to subject myself to another season, but I'm glad I did and will continue to tune in.

Exhausting Maddie and the other one can still take a flying leap off my screen any time.

[LekoBoy]

On 12/19/2016 at 8:17 PM, Steph01924 said:

In those forty-two minutes, ...

I don't think it was 42 minutes.  The frequency of the commercials annoyed my so much I had to do some research.  Found an article from 2013 bemoaning the fact that total commercial time per hour has been increasing since 2009.  The average for a broadcast network is 14.25 minutes, for cable 15.6 minutes. But what bothered me was the frequency, not the duration.  Once scene, 2-3 commercials, another scene, 2-3 commercials, bonus TWO scenes, then 4-5 commercials, back to one scene, commercials.  It seems to me when the show was on ABC, there were only 3 or 4 commercial breaks total per episode.  I very rarely if ever watch anything live, and I sure couldn't tolerate this show if I had to.

As far as specific plots/characters, since I watched the episodes back to back (as the network intended), I'm afraid I'll accidently spoiler something, so I'll post my comments in the next thread.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

8 hours ago, LekoBoy said:

 

On 12/19/2016 at 8:17 PM, Steph01924 said:

In those forty-two minutes, ...

I don't think it was 42 minutes.  The frequency of the commercials annoyed my so much I had to do some research.  Found an article from 2013 bemoaning the fact that total commercial time per hour has been increasing since 2009.  The average for a broadcast network is 14.25 minutes, for cable 15.6 minutes. 

This episode was 42:28 without commercials. That's in line with broadcast shows. I watch hourlong dramas on the major networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, CW, and Fox) as well as basic cable (Freeform) and they are almost always 42 minutes long. There are some hourlong reality shows that are consistently shorter (Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team is always less than 40 minutes long) but hourlong network dramas have been around 42 minutes long pretty consistently since the late 90s. They fluctuate a little from week to week but they're usually 40-44 minutes. Hourlong shows on pay channels like HBO and Showtime are usually 50 minutes long (although I've noticed that Shameless varies a lot from episode to episode).

There was definitely a shift though. Shows from the late 80s/early 90s like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Moonlighting had longer episodes (ST: TNG was always 45 minutes long, 90210 was 45-46 minutes in its earlier seasons, My So-Called Life was usually 47-48 minutes long).

[Sandman]

I really hope the new season puts a bit more focus on the relationship between Rayna and Juliette. (I mentioned my agreement with another post to that effect in the thread for "Back In Baby's Arms.") As frustrating as I sometimes find Juliette, I think Panettiere's doing a very consistent job -- and sometimes very moving. I thought the scene where Rayna goes to see Juliette was very effective for both of them.

And the look on Juliette's face in the church where she found her "guardian angel" singing was fantastically complex and moving. Really excellent work by Panettiere in that moment.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Sandman

[thuganomics85]

Finally seeing this because I'm apparently in a strange position where I don't get the actual CMT channel on my television, but I apparently can watch it On Demand.  Not sure how that works, but I can at least watch new episodes a few days after instead of having to wait for too long, so yay, me?

Thought it was a pretty solid return, if maybe not groundbreaking.  But after that dumpster fire that was last season, I will so take it.  I don't mind that it was mainly about Rayna and Juliette, with the supporting cast on the back-burner (Will had like, what, one scene?), since they are the leads and were originally why I watched in the first place.  I'm glad they got one scene of them together, but I hope we get more, since I always enjoyed their relationship, and felt like the show had shined away from it in past seasons.

So, Rayna not only is dealing with more Highway 65 issues (man, that label can not catch a break), she is finding her self more and more disillusioned with her actual career.  Playing for a bunch of Silicon Valley snobs who barely paid attention to her, certainly didn't help.  Not sure where this is heading, but if it is true that Connie Britton might not stick around for much longer, then I don't see it ending well.

I didn't rewatch the finale or anything, so I totally thought Glenn was on the plane, and was bummed when they said Juliette was the only survivor, only for him to pop back up.  Yay, Glenn!  Not surprised Juliette is having a rough time with the injuries and possible paralyze, but I hope she pulls through.  Hayden killed it as always.  I hope she has recovered from her real life struggles.

Both Deacon and Avery win "Good Boyfriend/Husband" trophies for this episode.  Nice to see them supportive and without too much angst or moping (especially you, Deacon!)

Only real downside is that Maddie is still a brat and jerk to Daphne.  Sure, she came around at the end, but after all the shit she pulled last season, it's going to take a lot more then that to make me tolerate that character again.

I wonder if they will give any kind of send-offs to Luke or Layla (mainly Luke.)

Definitely can tell some the new writers are aboard and there some "OK, lets try to repair the damage that last season caused" maneuvering going on.

[Ohmo]

On 12/16/2016 at 0:28 AM, Irlandesa said:

Maddie was still a brat.  And maybe it was wrong but I kept laughing every time Juliette wheeled over grass. 

Yes, I also agree that Maddie is still a brat.  And you're not wrong about wheelchairs and grass.  I've used a wheelchair for most of my life.  While it is possible to roll through grass, it does take more arm strength to do it, and the pace is usually very slow.  It's far more likely that you end up getting stuck in a rut or run into a rock, like what happened in the dark.  Avery picking Juliette up and carrying her is pretty realistic, or he could have tipped her backwards and rolled her using the chair's big wheels with the front of the chair/her legs up in the air.  That's another way to navigate rough terrain, but it would have been more difficult to do in the dark.

I liked the episode but did find it a bit slow.

[Irlandesa]

4 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

That's another way to navigate rough terrain, but it would have been more difficult to do in the dark.

Yep. At least in the dark she had Avery to help her but what really cracked me up was when she crossed the street, rolled across the grass and managed to go up stairs (I didn't see a ramp) to enter the church.  I imagine someone with a lifetime's experience could do more than I could imagine doing but Juliette has only been in a wheelchair for a short time.

[Ohmo]

2 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I imagine someone with a lifetime's experience could do more than I could imagine doing but Juliette has only been in a wheelchair for a short time.

Speaking as someone who has pretty close to a lifetime's worth of experience, I could probably do all that, BUT it would take awhile because I'd be looking for the flattest section of field, judging the degree of incline of the ramp as I approached it, etc.  You are also right about crossing the highway.  Not that it can't be done, but highways and streets aren't completely flat.  They have a bit of an incline to them that affects how you push as you roll.

And yes, Juliette has an incredible amount of arm strength for only having her wheels for two months. ;)

[aradia22]

To me, there was way too much focus on this singer Rayna likes... who we just heard about, and her panic attacks... which are also new. Also, are we just not going to talk about how Zoe sang that song on the show before? I still haven't watched FNL so I don't know about her acting in other roles but Connie has looked so bored to be playing Rayna... for a while now. 

The Maddie/Daphne plotline was fine but also pretty pointless. They were both being immature, with Maddie wanting to exclude her sister and with Daphne forcing herself in. I'm not sure I liked the resolution with Scarlett. I do think Maddie should be allowed to have something of her own. Every musical endeavor doesn't have to be collaborative. What if you were painting something and someone walked over and finished the job for you. Even if they had done a good job, you wouldn't have been able to finish things the way you'd wanted to.

I did like that we didn't have to bother with drama and they've just reset to Scarlett and Gunnar being together. 

The Juliette plotline was the most interesting thing to me and I don't think we spent enough time on it. They didn't even bother to resolve the thing with her finding the woman singing in church.