Welcome back to Nashville! We’re back with a double dose ahead of tonight’s mid-season finale (seriously, who made that a thing? Oh I know, networks trying to hype for some ratings.). Recap of tonight’s show to come later, in the meantime, feel free to use this as a discussion post for Episode 10.
We start with Nashville’s very special CMA Awards episode, which follows the real CMA Awards by 2 weeks and continues ABC’s shamelessly synergistic cross-promotion through this show. Rayna and Luke are at Casa Jaymes gussying up for the big night, and playfully trash-talking about who is going to own the night. Luke can’t find his prepared speeches, which he has because the show is setting him up for a fall. Rayna helps him look, and just happens to stumble upon the pre-nup his lawyers had drafted that Luke hadn’t mentioned. Luke plays it off as something that was a given and something that he did plan on talking to her about, but not that night. Rayna is not amused, but accepts that for now.
With pre-CMA Awards coverage playing on the TV, Juliette is bemoaning how she looks like a dressed-up hippo (see that, Nashville even had its very own pregnant CMA contender, just like the real CMAs! And, to be fair, the real Hayden Panettiere.). PA Emily assures her she looks fine, and Juliette shares that she is set to meet Avery’s parents that night (at the CMAs? What could possibly go wrong?). TV CMA coverage that is about 1000% more harsh than any real life Nashville-based coverage would notes that Juliette has “just” 1 nomination this year and helpfully reminds everybody that Juliette didn’t show up at last year’s CMAs due to her mother’s suicide. Juliette hears it all, but puts on her game face.
Over at Will & Layla’s, Layla is stewing over online commentary about what a waste of space she is, thanks to her reality show with Will. Will gives her a pep talk that’s meant for himself, too. Turns out they will be performing on the CMAs!
Now we’re at Gunnar’s, where Micah wants a reminder of the song his “dad” is nominated for. Gunnar’s up for Song of the Year with “Ball & Chain,” as brags to Micah about how Luke Wheeler had a big hit with it (forgetting Rayna’s part, I see). Micah wants to know what “ball & chain” means, and when Zoe offers an on-the-nose explanation, Micah’s thoughts go to his mom. Gunnar reassures him, but as soon as he’s out of earshot, Zoe asks Gunnar if he’s spoken with Micah’s grandparents. Apparently they haven’t returned Gunnar’s calls yet. Gunnar tries to reassure Zoe again, not just about the stress she’s under, but also about how much Micah likes her…just in time for Micah to call for Zoe because he can’t find his shoes. Zoe grins and bears it.
Scarlett is at Deacon’s watching pre-CMA Awards coverage, where we hear the night’s 1st shoutouts to Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley. Deacon (who has recovered from his illness, I guess?) returns just in time from his fishing trip with Maddie, which apparently went great (so naturally, we didn’t see any of it). Deacon has no plans to watch the CMAs despite his co-write “This Time” being up for Single of the Year, but Scarlett is going to watch the whole show.
Luke is concerned with hat matters while in the limo with Rayna, but Rayna’s mind is still on the pre-nup, so she brings it up again. Luke explains that his ex-wife, to whom he was married for just 6 years, took him for half of what he had earned to that point. Rayna reminds him that she’s not his ex-wife, and he knows that. Somehow, Rayna’s personal fortune and career earnings don’t enter this conversation. Luke promises he’s fine with a 50-50 split of everything he earns after they are married. “We earn,” Rayna reminds him. Yea, this is not going to go well. But they exit the limo to do the press line. During red carpet press, we get buttoned-up edgy Luke (because the way these writers generally handle the breakups of non-endgame relationships is to suddenly show the “intruder” being unlikable), who says most of the right things at first but then gets in a half-serious shot about “the best man” winning Entertainer. In walks Sadie Stone (Laura Benanti!!!!!) and after she & Rayna do a gushy interview together (Sadie has *2* singles on the chart?!), the interviewer asks Sadie if she has a date. Sadie plays it off awkwardly but right on cue, she gets a text from “Pete” asking if she’s ever going to call him back. And suddenly she’s even more awkward.
Will is all energy as he and Layla work the press line. When the CMT red carpet interviewer asks Layla if she finds it ironic that she came to Nashville to be a country star only to wind up on a reality show, Layla gives him a lecture on the real meaning of irony clearly aimed at her bimbette portrayal on the reality show. But Will is all “Texas, WOOOOOO!”
Juliette is asked by the event coordinator to wait in the car so they can ease up the traffic jam on the red carpet, and the request triggers a flood of bad memories of what happened when her mother made her wait (locking her into a motel room as she ran off with some seedy drunk). Just in time, Avery knocks on her car window to introduce her to his parents. Avery’s mother is warm and embraces Juliette, but his father is less forthcoming. They find their seats inside, which Avery is happy with, but Juliette is not. Avery’s mother and Juliette exchange some “pregnant/smaller bladder” banter while Avery’s father grouses. The show begins, and CMA cohosts Carrie & Brad show up for a cameo monologue that doesn’t even make it look like they’re on a CMA stage, and gives a shout out to Luke, Rayna, Will & Layla. Watching from home, Scarlett is excited to see Will on TV even though she hasn’t seen him in a while, and Rayna. That’s enough to make Deacon sit down to watch.
Also inside the CMAs, Teddy shows up, and sees escort Natasha with another man. Jeff sidles up and sees Teddy eying Natasha, and he rhetorically asks Teddy if he’s going to talk to Natasha. Teddy plays him off, saying he’s not crazy and he knows this is in public. But we know this is not going to stick, right?
Carrie and Brad introduce The Band Perry, who announce the nominees for Single Of The Year while Luke & Rayna continue their back & forth about the prenup mixed in with edgy comments about who is going to win. And the winner is…Rayna, for “This Time.” She thanks her co writer Deacon. Scarlett is really excited at home for Deacon, and he seems pleased too. Cut to Rayna accepting her 2nd award of the night, Album of the Year, and thanking the “brilliant” Liam McGuiness while Luke grins & bears it. Backstage, a show producer tells Will and Layla that the writers have changed their lines into something comedic…and Layla just knows what that means for her. But they go out to perform…the girls are all gaga for Will and he is only too happy to ham it up for them. Hilariously, when it’s time for Layla to sing and Will moves to the side, the crowd of female audience fillers follows him…which would never happen in real. In the crowd, Gunnar is happy for Will, and Zoe comments on what a sex symbol Will has become. Gunnar’s phone vibrates, and he thinks it may be Micah’s grandparents so he heads off, leaving Micah and Zoe alone together.
To DOWNLOAD “If Your Heart Can Handle It,” cowritten by Dean Alexander and Jaida Dreyer and performed by Chris Carmack and Aubrey Peeples, click HERE.
Backstage, Luke and Sadie are separately having drinks. Luke sees Sadie looking upset and asks if she’s OK. She tells him she heard from her ex wishing her luck and asking for his cut, since he inspired her single. She has no idea how he found her number, and it’s throwing her off. Luke assures her that she is at the CMAs because she deserves to be, and to not let the joker get to her. Also backstage, Teddy is behind escort Natasha in line, and while he plays it smooth to a kind of concerned Natasha, he also kind of acts like an ex. When Natasha tells her date for the night that she was just telling Mayor Teddy that she voted him, Teddy gets off a line about how he likes to think he’s good at pleasing his constituents. Oh dear.
Zoe is pointing out all the famous people (Juliette, CMA executive producer Robert Deaton, Big Machine head Scott Borchetta) to Micah when slimy Jeff Fordham approaches her and asks for a word. He wants some demos after hearing Zoe may be better than her “ex-boss.” Gunnar interrupts and dismisses Jeff, whom he knows not to trust. After Jeff is out of earshot, Gunnar says Micah’s grandparents haven’t heard from Kylie in months. As they talk about putting Micah in touch with him, Gunnar suddenly notices that Micah is gone from his seat, and both he and Zoe run off in search of him just as Joe Nichols takes the stage to present the CMA for Musical Event Of The Year. Luke returns to his seat just in time, and he’s clearly a bit sauced. Rayna asks how many he’s had, and when he answers that he’s had a couple shots, but “who’s counting,” Rayna snarks, “Not me.”
Deacon returns home with pizza just in time for the announcement of the winner. He is not unhappy that Luke has yet to win anything. Scarlett hopes “Ball & Chain” win for Gunnar’s sake (songwriter) and Rayna’s. Deacon says if “Ball & Chain” wins for Song Of The Year, Gunnar better give Scarlett a shoutout, and when Scarlett goes all modest, Deacon asserts that Scarlett’s responsible for his whole songwriting career, since he wasn’t doing much before she came along. Let me point out that Musical Event hasn’t been given out during the CMA Awards telecast in years. But anyway, on Nashville’s CMAs, Luke & Rayna do indeed win for “Ball & Chain,” and Luke hogs the mic – thanking Gunnar, and kind of sort of implying that “Ball & Chain”‘s success set up all the awards Rayna is winning tonight. Rayna immediately calls him out as they head offstage, and Luke is all bittercakes, basically.
Avery prods his father for some comments on Juliette, and finally his father unleashes his disapproval of Avery’s life choices and his situation, declaring both Avery and Juliette unfit to raise a child. Juliette walks in to hear Avery’s father dismissing his career and taking harsh note of Juliette’s (lack of) upbringing. That leads to a flashback of how, when left behind to babysit the young child of her mother’s latest love interest, Juliette locked the scared child in a room from the outside just like her mother did her, and went out herself. She snaps back to current days, and walks off just as Avery and his parents notice her there.
Gunnar and Zoe are still frantically looking for Micah, and Gunnar tracks down a police officer to help with the search.
Backstage, Juliette finds Rayna, and congratulates her on having already won 5 awards that night. Is the show going to deny us a good Juliette-Rayna conversation? It is for now, because Rayna goes off to watch Sadie Stone perform while telling Juliette she has her fingers crossed for Avery & her in the Song Of The Year category. Sadie is up to perform “You Can’t Stop Me,” written in real life by Charlie Brocco, Keith Gattis and Kacey Musgraves, and you can see how much Laura Benanti’s performance is modelled after Kacey’s here. Luke is watching from the side-stage, and so is Rayna, at a distance. Rayna spots him and smiles, but Luke still appears to be sulking.
To DOWNLOAD “You Can’t Stop Me,” cowritten by Charlie Brocco, Keith Gattis and Kacey Musgraves and performed by Laura Benanti, CLICK HERE!
Watching Sadie Stone, Scarlett marvels at how easy she makes it look. Deacon says Scarlett was quite good at it too, and Scarlett reflects that while she loved some aspects of beign a performer, she couldn’t take other parts, especially how lonely it is up there on stage.
Meanwhile, Juliette is getting her makeup freshened up backstage when Avery finds her and tries to apologize for his father’s behavior. But Juliette’s doubts about their fitness for parenthood are in full force, and suddenly Avery realizes he may take after his father more than he would like.
Natasha finds some utility room at the Bridgestone and Teddy follows her there. She finds his jealousy hot, and they start making out.
Juliette is there to present the New Artist award, and it goes to….Sadie Stone. Sadie is overwhelmed, and thanks Rayna for being such a role model and, in a bit clearly shoehorned in by the writers, for having such an inspiring relationship. At this point, Rayna and Luke have ironed-on smiles. Luke heads off to the men’s room as soon as the commercial break arrives, and Rayna gives chase. She doesn’t even know what they’re fighting about, and Luke starts to lay into her about thanking the other men in her life in her speeches. But then he aims real low, flat out saying that the only reason that her album went gold is that he proposed to her at her album launch, and that though she said she wouldn’t take what’s his, she has that night. Bleh.
Rayna’s up to present the award for Male Vocalist of the Year, and when Luke wins, he whiffs on his opportunity to make amends with Rayna. Scarlett and Deacon notice that neither Luke nor Rayna looks too happy.
Avery’s dad is sniping about his lack of preparedness by asking, rhetorically, if he even has a speech ready in the offchance he wins. And Avery has had it, blaming his dad for a daughter who never speaks to him (who will no doubt be a character on Nashville one day) and a son he keeps pushing away. But Avery’s father says he’s just worried about the welfare of his grandchild. Avery retorts that his plan is to love his child unconditionally, no matter how many choices that child makes that he doesn’t understand. By now, Juliette is back in her seat and happy to see Avery tell of his dad. Seeing her, Avery turns to his father and tells him Juliette will be a great mom, before promising Juliette that they are not the worst of their respective parents.
Will and Layla are up, and their banter does include a joke at Layla’s expense. She ad libs with an announcement that she deferred Harvard, and Will awkwardly announces the Song of the Year nominees. While this is going on, Avery talks about Jolene’s redeeming aspects, and how she really tried to come through for Juliette in the end, because she really loved Juliette. Juliette says she knows her mom loved her, and proceeds to refer to the baby as “her.” This is Nashville cribbing the CMA baby reveal, too (OK I know the show was written before the CMAs happened. But still.). Juliette, it turns out, peeked at the envelope, and she and Avery have a moment as he happily absorbs the revelation. He turns his attention to the stage, where Will & Layla announce that the winner for Song Of The Year is Gunnar Scott for “Ball & Chain.”
Gunnar, though, is still frantically searching for Micah. Turns out the police officer found him after he tried to find the bathroom and got lost. Gunnar and Micah embrace and Gunnar asks him to never go off by himself again.
Luke is in the press room as Rayna watches, and he’s still being a self-centered jerk. I had initially thought this was just him acting like a child because of Rayna thanking the other men in her life but at this point, the writers seem to have decided the CMA Awards brought out the worst of his competitive, macho instincts.
Meanwhile, Teddy and Natasha have had their tryst, and Teddy, kind of insultingly, asks if this should go on his tab. Natasha laughs, and says no.
The great Trisha Yearwood is up to present the CMA for Entertainer Of The Year, which goes to Rayna James. Cue standing ovation, both at the venue and at Deacon’s home, where both Deacon and Scarlett are celebrating for Rayna. Rayna starts off by thanking her girls for putting up with all the twists and turns of her life, for celebrating great female artists at Highway 65, namechecking Sadie Stone and Juliette Barnes, and thanking the female acts who keep paving the way. After a pause, she thanks Luke, and he tears up when she says she shares this with him, that what’s hers is his. She says, pointedly, to all male acts that the women aren’t trying to take anything of theirs, that there’s plenty of sunshine to go around.
Back at Gunnar’s home, Zoe is waiting with his CMA Award. She apologizes for being responsible for him missing his big moment, and Gunnar says he just panicked. Zoe asks what happens if Kylie never comes back, and Gunnar says it may not be the worst thing for him or for Micah. Then Zoe tearfully tells Gunnar that she loves him so much, but she left her hometown because she wanted to make something of herself professionally. And that’s going to lead to moments like tonight, where her interests don’t align with Micah’s, and Gunnar has to choose. Zoe tells Gunnar that she’s choosing for him, so I guess that’s the end of that relationship.
Meanwhile, Layla is gloomily watching the rap remix of her “I deferred Harvard” comment, a new internet meme. Will asks why she’s torturing herself, and she says she just can’t help it. She doesn’t want to be famous this way, and Will says they have no choice. He says the world doesn’t care about the real them. Layla asks if he’ll hold her, and he does, another in the line of genuinely tender, caring moments between them. I kind of like their dynamic right now — tortured souls together with no chance of becoming romantically involved, but finally coming together as friends.
Avery and Juliette chat at her place after she lets his parents use her car. It’s friendly, and threatens to turn to more when Juliette, for practical reasons, needs Avery to unzip her dress. But Avery bids Juliette good night, and she reciprocates.
Turns out Deacon enjoyed himself watching the CMAs a.k.a, the Rayna James show. He feels good enough about it (and about the tension he detected between Rayna and Luke) to text his congratulations to Rayna. Meanwhile, a tearful Zoe shows up at Scarlett’s, saying she didn’t know where else to go.
Back at Casa James, Luke finally apologizes to Rayna for letting his ego get the best of him. She accepts, and sends him to the shower to get the alcohol smell off him before he gets into bed. It’s not satisfying, but I guess it wasn’t supposed to be (and the inconsistent characterization of Luke – sometimes the evolved, sympathetic guy who understands Rayna’s complicated life, suddenly an unprofessional drunken boor isn’t satisfying either). They’re back to playful trash-talking (with Luke in the shower) when Rayna gets the text from Deacon. For some reason, the text doesn’t read, “Rayna/Deacon shippers, this is your cue to believe that it’s time to believe.” And that’s a wrap!
******* EPISODE 9 *******
When we return to Nashville, Rayna & Luke are shooting a Christmas special that’s also a fundraiser for Toys For Tots…not to mention promo for a Christmas album (hello, meta-Nashville! Because wouldn’t you know, Nashville has a Christmas album, too!). Rayna is tired and not 100% into it, and Maddie & Daphne are wondering why they’re not using their real stockings. Luke is playfully unsympathetic, and tosses Rayna a Santa hat.
Cut to Deacon’s house, where he’s decorating a kind of tree you would see on a Charlie Brown Christmas special. Scarlett loves it, Zoe is still sleeping on the couch. Deacon heads out because he’s giving Maddie her guitar lesson at Rayna’s house. Where the Christmas special is taping. We all see where this is headed!
Sadie Stone is writing with Gunnar, and loving the heartbreak song they’ve written together (that we didn’t get to hear). Gunnar says it’s about writing what you know. Sadie thinks the song is going to be a big old hit on her album, and then Gunnar bathes her in flattery about her voice. The conversation turns to being a songwriter and performer, and Sadie asks about ZAG. Gunnar says it’s not going anywhere, and Sadie suggests that they get a manager. Hers, Noel Loughlin, has made all the difference, she says. Gunnar’s excited to take her up on the offer, and Sadie asks for a favor in return – suggestions for a producer. She’s looking for somebody really current and fresh and who can capture her sound. Gunnar has an idea!
While Juliette squirms in the company of all the loving expectant couples around her (none of whom seem to recognize her?), the nurse calls her for her appointment. Juliette says she’ll get her boyf, birthing partner. When she steps out into the hall to get Avery, she overhears a phone conversation where he says excited to meet “her” and that “she’s totally hot” (this is about producing Sadie’s record, right?) Because misunderstandings are what drive their story, you see.
Scarlett forces Zoe to wake up, and with Zoe grousing about being broken up and unemployed, Scarlett encourages her to find work. Zoe mentions a tour out in LA that she could get on, but it would be as a backup singer. Scarlett point out that it would be better than sleeping on Deacon’s couch.
Cut them poring over some Terry glamor shots (let me just say that I hope this doesn’t go in the direction of a Terry-Zoe team up, because putting the show’s only 2 actors of color together would feel kind of, I don’t know, unnecessarily segregated?). While acknowledging Terry’s amazing story, Zoe kids that maybe Scarlett could manage her too, but Scarlett says she’s not really managing Terry, just helping him. His upcoming gig includes a main stage performance at Winterville Nash Fest, where Zoe suddenly remembers ZAG was supposed to play too. That’s enough to send her crashing back down onto the couch, but Scarlett sees a text from Gunnar that suggests the gig may still be on.
Rayna shoots a scene with Maddie & Daphne where they light their Christmas tree while an approving Luke and director look on. Deacon arrives as the scene ends, and Maddie is thrilled as ever to see him. He and Rayna share a moment as he congratulates Rayna on her CMA wins, she thanks him for his text, and he notes all the not-Rayna Christmas decor around the house. Rayna makes it clear the Christmas special was Luke’s idea, to help raise donations for charity. There’s also the fact that she’ll be in Australia this Christmas, not even at home. ANVIL: Deacon gets Rayna, Luke doesn’t. Luke is over the Rayna-Deacon conversation and has the show director call Rayna over.
Will and Layla are exhausted and over all the promotion they have to do for their increasingly successful reality show. As they pop open some beers, they grouse about how tired they are of being them, and Will muses that there must be some place out there where nobody cares who they are.
ZAG reunite for an awkward meeting and Gunnar tells Avery and Zoe about Noel Loughlin’s possible interest. As usual he’s more gungho about this than Avery, but Zoe seems game.
Back at Casa James, Christmas special shooting has wrapped, and Luke is going to see the director out. Manager Bucky arrives to give Rayna an advance copy of her Rolling Stone cover story, which he spins as “mostly positive,” but also more about her relationship with Deacon than Rayna would like. It did leave out the Maddie-Colt tidbit at least. As Rayna leafs through it, she reads a quote of hers that says, “Of course I want Deacon to move on. I want him to be happy. Why hasn’t he? You’ll have to ask him.” And we have our new obstacle to improved Rayna-Deacon relations.
Shooting is about to begin the next day at Casa James (a multi-day holiday special shoot? Who does that these days?), but Rayna leaves the latest of what has been a bunch of messages to Deacon about the Rolling Stone article. Except that he’s already read it, and he’s “about 10 different kinds of pissed.” He dismisses Scarlett.
Beanie-clad and sunglass-sporting Will and Layla are in East Nashville, hipster territory where Will assures Layla that nobody is going to recognize them. They do get stopped, but only because somebody likes Layla’s beanie. They agree to go their own ways for the day.
Meanwhile Jeff’s (new?) assistant gives him his all-access pass for Nashfest and reminds him he needs to approve the final mixes of Layla’s album. Jeff snarks that he wwould rather listen to “good music” or silence.
Terry is being interviewed by Nashville’s local ABC affiliate about his comeback after 2 decades, and he credits Scarlett for getting him back into the game. But as the reporter starts prodding into his backstory and what has kept him homeless, Terry grows uneasy and Scarlett stops the interview. The entertainment media acts way more free to ignore PR guidelines on this show than it does in real life!
Also at Nashfest, Gunnar and Micah are enjoying their 1st funnel cake and playing around when Zoe shows up. Micah’s glad to see her too. He steps away for some lemonade (wait, he can move around unsupervised at a much larger venue than the CMA Awards, just a week after he got lost?), and Zoe asks Gunnar if he really thinks they have a chance with this manager. Gunnar says he really thinks they can make it work, and you know he’s referring to more than just the band.
Juliette and PA Emily are staking out Avery’s home (Juliette’s brilliant idea, of course), because Juliette simply MUST know what he’s up to, and asking him would not provide us with the comic relief the writers have planned for us this week.
Will banters with a bartender on the NashFest grounds, it does not escape his notice when it turns out the bartender is in a committed, loving relationship with another guy.
Back at Casa James, Rayna and Luke shoot a not-at-all cliche mistletoe kissing scene, and once they are done, Rayna is back to stalking her phone. Luke gets it, but tries to reason with Rayna that her regrets about the interview are pointless now – this comes with the territory of being a public figure, and being on the cover of Rolling Stone is a good business move.
Juliette has arrived at Winterville NashFest and continues to stalk Avery in disguise, but he’s not going to recognize the undisguised PA Emily if he spots her? OK then.
So where is Avery? He is chatting with Sadie Stone and complimenting her as he angles for the producer gig for her next album. She loves the vibe he brought to “Don’t Put Dirt On My Grave Just Yet,” but knows her manager is also potentially interested in ZAG. Avery promises he will let nothing distract him from her album, which is his cue to notice PA Emily and eventually, Juliette, but only after we get the sight gag of Juliette wreaking havoc on some light scaffolding as she tries to make her escape. In the ensuing confrontation, Avery tells Juliette he was trying to get a producer gig that would help provide for their child, and sounds exhausted over more drama.
Will is still ensconced at the bar, downing bourbon stouts that the cute bartender warns have twice the alcohol content of regular beer. He has an awkward conversation with the bartender where he asks him what it’s like to live in a place where “alternative lifestyles” are not necessarily accepted. The bartender reminds him that being gay is not a lifestyle anymore than being straight is, and says he’s as accepted as he needs to be. Really, Nashville is not a place where being gay is generally seen as noteworthy.
Jeff is roaming the NashFest grounds when he comes upon Layla playing the guitar and singing lovely, mournful, and pensive ballad “I Found A Way,” cowritten in real life by Adam Wright and Shannon Wright. Jeff is impressed, though it’s not obvious whether that’s because he sees dollar signs or because he hears talent. It’s not until after Layla finishes and the crowd applauds that she spots Jeff, and he sort of backhanded compliments her, acknowledging that he feels bad that he’s surprised by what he heard.
Zoe and Gunnar are still stuck at awkward when joined by Avery. When Gunnar asks about how the meeting with Sadie went, Avery says that Juliette crashed it in more ways than one and ruined it. Just in time, Noel Loughlin greets them, compliments them individually and says he has Lady Antebellum-like aspirations for them. He wants to start by booking them gigs as early as next week. For once, Avery and Zoe are into it while Gunnar demurs (because of Micah, presumably). Some Gunnar-Zoe bickering starts, and Noel says they should talk among themselves, he’ll meet up with them after the show. Avery has had it with drama, and tells Gunnar and Zoe to figure things out on their own.
We’re still taping at Casa James when Deacon arrives with his Christmas present for Maddie. Rayna, who was autographing a Rolling Stone for a PA while she and Luke got their makeup touched up. With Luke watching, Rayna chases after Deacon and explains that she made a trade – the story of their relationship to protect Maddie & Colt. Deacon, currently the conscience of this show, makes a note of what Rayna and her life have become – hardly recognizable.
A nervous Terry gapes at the size of the crowd awaiting him at the main stage of Nashfest, and Scarlett gives him a little pep talk before he steps out. When he does, he performs the gospel-bluesy “Storm’s Comin’,” written by the great Jim Lauderdale. And the performance is going really well…Scarlett beams with pride as she watches from the side of the stage.
To DOWNLOAD “Storm’s Comin,’ written by Jim Lauderdale and performed by Mykelti Williamson, CLICK HERE!
BONUS: Check out the “Nashville: On The Record” feature on “Storm’s Comin’,” featuring writer
Back at Nashfest, Zoe and Gunnar have it out, and Gunnar all but admits this gig was really about showing Zoe they could still make things work. Zoe is frustrated that he took the gig but still plans on holding the band back due to Micah, and accuses him of trying to consign her to the role of mom to his kid. Gunnar thinks she is being selfish, and Zoe owns it. She walks off, leaving Gunnar to figure out what to do with the gig.
Back at Casa James, Rayna is exhausted after a long day of taping, and declines Luke’s invitation for a joint shower. Daphne’s burned her hand on a tray of gingerbread cookies, and the girls impress upon her how much they’re going to miss their Christmas traditions this year.
Terry has just ripped through a great harmonica solo and the crowd is going nuts for his show, when the noise triggers the trauma associated with the accident that claimed his wife and children’s lives. Scarlett sees it happening and is powerless to stop it. Terry runs off the stage through a crowd that doesn’t seem to get what’s happening to him, and Scarlett gives chase.
Rayna talks to Luke about how hard all the outside intrusions on their Christmas traditions has been on the girls, and says the Australia tour is going to be hard on them. Luke reminds her that the honeymoon tour was her idea and that they committed to dates. Yes, says Rayna, I committed to that and I committed to the Rolling Stone article…and finally Luke cracks in an understandable way. He says he has been trying to navigate her difficult past with Deacon and that he has himself made some missteps (hello, ruining Rayna’s big night at the CMAs!) but she has to help him out here. And that’s reasonable. Rayna takes both his hands and asks if he will forgive her, because she is going to talk to Deacon and make things right. Luke says she should do what she has to do, and Rayna leaves him to his unattended feelings.
Back at Nashfest, Scarlett still can’t find Terry, but runs into Zoe. Zoe is too consumed by her own issues to help find Terry, and tells Scarlett that she’s done with Nashville.
Jeff and Layla are bonding, which you know will end badly (especially on this show, which only shows these developments because of upcoming soap operatic happenings). Turns out Layla got into music listening to and wanting to be Joni Mitchell, but the problem was she had nothing to say. We are reminded that Jeff himself once had some musical aspirations, and after teasing him about whether he was ever in a Dave Matthews cover band, Layla asks Jeff to play her something, and he strums the guitar a bit. Ohhhhh the stars appearing in Layla’s eyes will not lead anywhere good.
Scarlett finally finds Terry with some fellow scruffy folks, already red-eyed and drunk. He tells her off, exposing the horribly it cuts him to hear people cheering for him knowing there was a time that they were cheering for him while his wife and kids were lying dead. He tells Scarlett she is trying to push on him something she is too scared to do for herself, and when Scarlett denies it, he snarls that she’s either a liar or a coward. They settle on coward, and Terry dismisses Scarlett.
Scarlett finds Gunnar and Avery trying to rework their arrangements for their gig. She offers to fill in, to the surprise of both.
Juliette has invited Sadie over to her place to make the case for Avery. Sadie all but admits she was going to pass on Avery due to potential awkwardness with a labelmate, but Juliette promises that today was just a 1 time thing, and that she thinks the producer-artist pairing would be the best thing for both of their careers.
A stumbling drunk Will happens to see the bartender packing up shop, offers to help, and falls. When the bartender pulls him up, Will goes in for a kiss, and the bartender reminds him that he is actually in a committed, loving relationship. He reminds Will that being gay doesn’t mean anonymous hookups, and Will replies that if he knew who Will is, he’d know that’s all it ever can be. Will doesn’t answer when the bartender asks who he is.
Scarlett, Gunnar and Avery take the stage at Nashfest, and Scarlett is immediately beset by PTSD. Gunnar announces that ZAG has become…SAG? GAS? AGS? Yeesh, they’re going to need a new name. They perform “Borrow My Heart,” cowritten by Lia LaRue and Phillip LaRue, with an impressed Noel Loughlin looking on. Micah sings along happily from the crowd. Zoe sees them on a big screen as she heads to a cab, and she doesn’t seem to be surprised to have been replaced so quickly. A red-eyed Terry dismisses his new friends to listen to the song, and smiles when he realizes Scarlett is up on stage.
Will calls Layla to say he can’t find her, and so he’s headed home. Meanwhile, Layla and Jeff continue their friendly chat, and Jeff offers her a ride home while promising that he sees her in a different light now.
Deacon is put Christmas lights around his home, and Rayna stops by to visit. She tells him that everything that used to be important to her is still important to her, which includes him. It kills her that she had to sacrifice them to that article. Deacon says he realizes he was really mad because he realized everything she had said in the article was true – he has never moved on from her, and that’s because he loves her. Rayna’s just going to have to deal with that. This seems to set something else off in Rayna and suddenly she says she’s glad the article came out, because she’s getting married to somebody else in 2 weeks, and Deacon’s going to have to accept that. She’s moved on, and so should he. Back at home, Luke has been reading in bed while waiting for Rayna. He asks how things went with Deacon, and Rayna said it didn’t go great, and heads to the bathroom. Luke heaves a heavy sigh (of relief? He doesn’t look especially relieved, and let’s face it, he shouldn’t).
Micah is happily banging away on the drums when Noel Loughlin calls Gunnar to say he thinks the band is even better with Scarlett than Zoe and that his offer still stands. But Gunnar reluctantly tells him that it may be the right time for the band, but it’s not the right time for him. This is going to be pointless when it turns out Micah is not Gunnar’s son, but I guess this whole situation has been a giant plot device to work Zoe off the show.
Avery goes to see Juliette, and the soft lighting and Avery’s smile tell us this is going to be a good conversation. Avery thanks Juliette for having put in a good word for him with Sadie, because he got the gig. Juliette is genuinely happy for him, and apologizes for her role in messing it up. She knows she has to accept that theirs is a friendship and that Avery may date other people down the road. But we’re pretty sure that won’t be the case in the immediate future after Avery and Juliette get all cute with a “it’s cute that you were jealous”/”it’s cute that you found an excuse to come over” banter.
Back at Casa James, Luke’s suggests an annual Christmas special as their new tradition, and Rayna gives about as uninterested a “hmmmm” as it’s possible to give. Then she & Luke break into “Baby It’s Cold Outside” while we see Will opening the door to Layla’s room to bring her coffee, only to find that she hasn’t been home. Cut to the revelation that Layla has indeed slept with Jeff, because of course. Zoe is feeling good about herself as she leaves for a “new life” in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Deacon tears an old print of a Rayna photo off the guitar case of the guitar he’s stringing. Rayna and Luke complete their song, and Luke goes off to thank the crew while Rayna stares pensively into space. And that’s a wrap!
To DOWNLOAD “That’s Alright Mama,” written by Arthur Crudup and performed by Charles Esten, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD “Disappear,” cowritten by Jaida Dreyer, Cory Mayo, Steve Pasch, and Andrew Rollins and performed by Hayden Panettiere, click HERE!
Check out the “Nashville: On The Record” feature on “Disappear” featuring cowriters Jaida Dreyer, Cory Mayo, Steve Pasch, and Andrew Rollins here.
To DOWNLOAD “We Got A Love,” cowritten by Jill Andrews and Lori McKenna and performed by Lennon & Maisy Stella, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD “Most Beautiful Girl In The World,” written by David Poe and performed by Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio and Chaley Rose, click HERE!
