thoughts on Nashville 10/31/12

1)You know how during my first review of this show, I could neither remember Rayna's husband's name nor pick him out of a character list? I've had the same trouble with a lot of characters on this show, finding myself thinking things like, "Okay, there's Juliette. There's the other blonde girl. There's the other blonde girl's boyfriend. There's the other blonde girl's singing partner." At first, I thought this was because of the whole divided-attention-span thing I mentioned in my first review. However, tonight I realized why it is so hard to keep people straight: everyone has a name that either sounds completely made-up; is the name of a famous fictional character; or sounds like a nickname, only you suspect in this context it is the person's actual name. Rayna. Juliette. Scarlett. Deacon. Gunner. Teddy. Scarlett's boyfriend's name is Avery, which is a real, not-made-up name, yet it still manages to be confusing because it can be either a man or a woman's name. I realize that many real country music singers' names also fit the criteria I've just given: Dolly, Reba, Waylon, Garth, and Martina are not names you hear excessively often in daily life. Still. It is only now, a few episodes in, that I feel like I've gotten everyone straight.

2)I spent a lot of this episode puzzled by Juliette's entire storyline. Is it really that big of a deal, I wondered, that this girl shoplifted a bottle of nail polish? Then I thought of country singers that I think Juliette is supposed to be similar to-- Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, namely-- and I realized that if one of them did that, yes, it would be a big deal. What it comes down to is this, though: I still just don't really care that much about Juliette. I thought about this last week, too. For one thing, I don't think that Hayden Panetierre is nearly as strong of an actor as Connie Britton. Connie Britton is the type of actor who you root for even when her character is doing bad things; do you all remember second season Friday Night Lights, when Tami Taylor actually slapped Julie at one point? In theory, that could have made you hate her, because that is a pretty terrible thing for a mother to do to a daughter. But you didn't hate her, partly because Julie Taylor was Just Awful, but also because Connie Britton made you see how Tami had reached her breaking point: Coach had taken that college coaching job in another town and wasn't around much, and she had a new baby, and she didn't have anyone to talk to except for stupid Glenn, and she just snapped. I never really had a strong opinion on Hayden Panetierre one way or another before I watched this show, but I just don't think she can hold her own with Connie Britton. I also don't think she has the star quality of someone like Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood: again, you just don't get why anyone would care if she stole a bottle of nail polish. I wonder if this is going to be a problem for this show.

3) They do a great job with the musical scenes on this show, huh? I mentioned how magical I found Rayna's daughters' talent show performance last week, and Deacon and Rayna's country club performance tonight? Wow. The way they were looking at each other. The way Deacon was looking at Teddy. The way Teddy and Kimberly Williams-Paisley were looking at each other (and-- whoa! Teddy had an affair with Kimberly Williams-Paisley's character?! Whaaaat?!). These are characters who have spent years loving each other, hurting each other, and/or hating each other, and all of that comes through when they sing or even watch each other sing. It's amazing.

4) Also, okay, wow. That opening scene where Rayna and Deacon were in bed together? My inner monologue went something like this: "Ohmigod. When did this happen? Did I miss something at the end of the last episode? Is someone dreaming? OH. Yes. Rayna is dreaming." I was a little disappointed...but I like that Rayna is morally ambiguous enough that you wouldn't be shocked if she cheated on her husband.

5) One thing that's sort of frustrating is that basically everyone is romantically involved with the wrong person-- Rayna and Teddy, Deacon and Juliette, Scarlett and Avery, etc.-- and you know where it's all going, and you wish they would just get there already.

6) Unrelated side comment: I had never seen more than a couple of minutes of Suburgatory before I started watching this show. Now, however, it comes on between Modern Family and this, so I've wound up catching the last two episodes. It's oddly compelling. Like, I was putting away laundry while it was on tonight, and I kept reaching out my hand to turn off the TV when I walked by, then pulling my hand back. Hmm.

The End.