Spoilers Ahead
And the record keeps on skipping as the drama intensifies.
Episode Summary: Just as it appears Juliette’s finally ready to confront her emotions, she turns right around with a betrayal that’s bound to leave scars. Beverly awakes in time to make amends but by the end of the episode, it appears her time is really coming to end. Rayna finds a hip new artist for Highway 65 meanwhile Layla continues to feel abandoned. Luke lets Will go from his label. And Daphne overhears her family being ridiculed in the bathroom after an exceptional performance with Maddie.
Review | Analysis: I wish Nashville would handle one dramatic storyline at a time but that’s the core of this series. And while I pretty much always enjoy the route the series takes, this episode’s been very draining and exhausting. It’s upsetting because there’s nothing I want to talk about since 90% of the episode was just heartbreaking. Frankly, I don’t want to keep sitting here writing about how I wish problems would be confronted already because it seems I’ve been doing that since last season.
To start off, ever since season three, I’ve been saying we need to pay more attention to Daphne. She’s at an age where it’s easy to feel left out and betrayed. It’s easy to feel pushed around and if people in her life don’t make the conscious effort to spend time with her then it’ll weigh down hard. She’s the one who’s been defending Teddy from the very beginning, it can’t be easy to hear those words tossed around her father and then her entire family. I don’t know if she’ll tell anyone what she actually heard but hopefully next week we’ll finally address the fact that this is all incredibly hard on her.
I’m completely stunned by Luke’s decision to let Will go. It baffles me that sexuality can get in the way of making music because it literally has nothing to do with it. How on earth does it matter who he loves? Why should that be a determining factor in whether or not he gets a record label? I’m hoping Rayna would be up for signing him into Highway 65 because he’s come too far to be pushed away because of who he’s chosen to love.
I’m pretty much done wishing the series would hurry up with Juliette’s case because it’s clear it’s still going to take a lot of time. And just because I’m tired of watching it doesn’t mean anyone else is. However, it’s heartbreaking — it was beautiful to finally watch her hold Cadence. It was beautiful to watch her confront her feelings for Avery. It felt so real and to have her completely leave it all behind again just feels a bit ridiculous at this point. I refuse to believe she did all that for the show because it felt so incredibly sincere. If we’re going to push her postpartum to this degree then I hope the series really dives into addressing every little moment to the core.
I don’t like being right about bad predictions so it sucks that Beverly’s actually going to die because this is going to bring about unbearable heartache in the lives of everyone close to her. However, the best part of this week’s episode was the moment she finally apologized to Scarlett. I actually never thought that would happen and it filled my heart with so much happiness I am in awe. Clare Bowen sold her surprise and adoration so magnificently — it’s beautiful to finally see that this mother-and-daughter duo is off to a healthier place. When Beverly does pass, at least Scarlett will know that her mother truly loved her. Scarlett will know she’s truly remorseful for the years of abuse and that’ll allow her to move on in peace. It’ll undoubtedly be hardest on Deacon which means we probably won’t hear wedding bells just yet.
Casual intimacy is always so gorgeous to watch — trust me, writers people would rather see more of this than drama. And I loved watching the absolute glee in Rayna as Deacon finally said he was staying the night. Those two are so good together and they’ve come so far, they need all the quiet moments they can get.
The day Layla Grant chooses to take Glenn’s offer and dumps Jeff as a manager will be the happiest day in Nashville history so I’m definitely ready for that. I’m ready to actually see Highway 65 filled with talented artists as opposed to us only focusing on one or two people. And I really hope Rayna spends a little more time with Layla as well in upcoming episodes.
What are your thoughts on this week’s episode? This may have been the shortest Nashville review I’ve written, but hopefully next week I have happier material to discuss.