Nashville 3×08 Review – “You’re Lookin At Country”

It’s Country Music’s big night! Who will walk away with a trophy? And who will walk away a fool? We REVIEW #Nashville 308

It was country music’s biggest night, and tensions are running high on this week’s Nashville, directed by our own Mayor Teddy Conrad, Eric Close! Rayna (Connie Britton) and Luke (Will Chase) are pitted head to head in several categories and it’s obvious Luke intends to win all he’s nominated for, what with all his Luke Wheeler-y comments. Ray makes it clear that she’s there to win as well and the night produces some pretty entertaining ‘Layna” moments. Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) and Avery (Jonathan Jackson) move forward, but it is for more than just the sake of their baby this time? Is the love rekindling there? We sure hope so! We also got to learn some more about a new character Sadie Stone (Laura Benanti) and continued to watch poor Layla (Aubrey Peeples) crash and burn. Let’s talk about what went down on Nashville at the CMA Awards! “And the nominees are…”

Juliette and Avery worry they will become their parents

Juliette and Avery are nominated for their co-written hit, so this brings them back together if only for a short time. It also brings Avery’s parents into town. His parents had a strange dynamic, his mother sweet and interesting in Juliette and her pregnancy, while Avery’s father was judgmental and harbored on Juliette’s past mistakes and troubles. Which speaking of, how many seasons will Nashville have to go before people bringing up Juliette’s past dramas to discredit and humiliate her? We all know what the poor girl has suffered since childhood in respect to her mother, and the failed marriage to the virgin football player… we can Google too, Mr. Barkley. Juliette has come so far in the last season and a half, and we are so excited to see this next season of her life which is motherhood. The Juliette flashback scenes in this episode were heartbreaking. First she flashed back to her mama’s suicide last year around the time of the CMA’s last year, and then to her early childhood when her mother would lock her in their trailer to go… well, we’re not sure where exactly.

“We’re us, and we got this.” ~Avery

The fact that Juliette had these fears that we would have if we were in her shoes pulls us into the layers of the characters which is Juliette Barnes. If you “learn what you live” as Juliette first suggested you will turn out as your environment predicts. But sweet Avery reminds her (and us), that people don’t have to be a product of their environment and that they will be different. We love watching this couple starting to hopefully gravitate back together. This relationship is such a friendship first and foremost and we have had the privilege of watching it grow over the last few seasons. Their love is such an inspirational love and frankly right now, the only relationship on the show we are even into at this point. We are rooting for Juliette and Avery, and the scene in which Avery pep talks Juliette through her fears, well, that was golden. It goes back to their bond as both not only friends but lovers as well!

Developing new characters while old ones burn out

We are absolutely loving Laura Benanti as Sadie Stone on Nashville this season, and we were thrilled this week when we got to not only see more of her, but learn more about her back story as well! She’s a character that we would like to see fleshed out within the overall connecting storyline with the stars of our show! She’s signed to Highway 65, so we are hoping she becomes BFF’s with Rayna! Laura Benanti really looked like she was rockin’ during that CMA number! It was enjoyable to watch her perform so hopefully there is more of that to come. Sounds like we can expect it, as Sadie’s ex is comin’ for his half of her award winning single that he claims to have inspired. Welcome to the big time Sadie Stone, where everyone wants a piece of you!

“Nobody cares about the real us.” ~ Will to Layla

While we welcome the addition of Sadie Stone, this Layla (Aubrey Peeples) is so miserable thing is starting to get old. While we can see how the whole “dumb girl” angle is frustrating. We have grown to feel for her lately with all her bearding marriage troubles but this making her miserable and reading and listening to her online troll haters is just bringing us down and frankly, a little snooze worthy. We would like to see more of Aubrey Peeples shining as a tortured, trying to be songwriter please. If it is written that Will and Layla must remain married for their reality show or something, can we see Layla in a little happier place and disposition? While we have enjoyed watching this explosive dynamic over the season so far, it’s getting played out, so something has got to give for Will and Layla and their situation. It’s getting yawn worthy.

The King of Country is not the King of Hearts, we suspect

Okay look Nashville, we are going along with the Rayna and Luke scenario because we know that it won’t last (Team Deacon here!). We still wanted to like Luke after he and Ray break up in the future but that is becoming quite difficult being his drunken ass antics at the CMA’s. Green with envy is not a good look on the very good looking Will Chase! We love seeing his sweet side and this temper of his has got to go! We couldn’t help but wonder if there are some real life country music superstar couples that compete against each other and act this way (we hope not).

“Plenty of sunshine for all of us.” ~Rayna

We really admired Rayna for the way she handled her drunken beau, by continuing to praise and thank him and try to snap him out of his toddler sized tantrum, but we know that she could do so much better than that. We are sure Luke is sweet but together they are probably not a good match. It seemed a little unrealistic that a grown man would act like such a baby and not be proud for and of his partner and her accomplishments. It was nice to see the shift from Deacon the drunk that Ray loves to hate and hates to love, to now showing Luke in an unfavorable light. One of the issues we take with this show is that often times, they make some of our main characters untouchable so to speak. They have them acting ways or doing things that in real life, would be frowned upon and talked about, but on this show it’s no big deal because it’s a main character and they don’t want to shed any negative light on them to the viewers. We rather appreciate when the storyline and the consequences line up with more realistic outcomes and we get to see the dirty, nitty gritty side to our characters. That is when we get to see inside the magic of the well written characters that make up this great cast. Seeing Luke this way makes us wonder is “Layna will make it down the aisle at all. Apparently Scarlett and Deacon agree with us since they could notice and sense it through the televised awards ceremony and even commented how unhappy the looked at that moment.

CONCLUSION/FINAL VERDICT

This episode brought out a lot of hard truths for some of our Nashville folks. Rayna has to be realizing that Luke has a crazy jealous streak, a temper and possibly a drinking problem?? Zoe may have realized that being with Gunnar isn’t for her now that he’s in the family way, and Juliette and Avery worked their way back to being in the family way. Will and Layla finally realized they have sold their souls to the reality television devil. Relationships are moving and shaking on Nashville, and that always spices thing up and makes us happy with our favorites end up together where they belong (*cough cough* Ray and Deacon!).

QUESTION COMMENTS AND CONCERNS

• Rayna went 6 for 6 at the CMA’s! Queen of Country indeed!
• Will and Layla sing together so beautifully, we hope they stay friends after this goes where ever the heck it’s going.
• “Will you hold me?” Layla and Will… <sigh>
• Gunnar was nommed for songwriter of Ball and Chain but missed his first CMA win because Micah (his insta-kid) decided to go to the bathroom alone and got lost. WHHHYY are we doing this? And now it looks as if they might break up. (Or was that the break up at the end there?)
• Jeff Fordham (Oliver Hudson) is just a fire starter. He causes problems for everyone and by chatting up Zoe, Micah was able to be a stupid kid and wander off.
• Although the thought of more beautiful music from Zoe (Chaley Rose) is a good thing so sign away Jeff Fordham!
• Jeff Fordham has also started some trouble for Mayor Teddy (Eric Close), who has become smitten with his escort?!?! Oh no Mr. Mayor, this has political scandal written all over it!
• We love how far Juliette and Rayna have come! Remember when they couldn’t stand each other?
• DEACON’s TEXT TO RAYNA !!!!!!!!!!
• We loved seeing Deacon and Scarlett hanging out and having fun. Scarlett is the only one who knows that Deacon still pines for Rayna, we think!
• The zipper moment between Avery and Juliette!!! Us Javery ‘shippers thought a reunion kiss was coming but no dice this week.
• The Nashville Christmas Episode is coming though, so maybe with some Holiday magic and tunes, we will get our Christmas Wish of a Javery reunited for a baby GIRL!!!