EPISODE 17
When Stormy Weather, a country character in her own right, watched the first episode of ABC’s NASHVILLE, she knew it was just the kind of show on which she wanted to dish online at opry.com each week. “Fashion. Young love. Old enemies. The potential for a catfight at every turn. Music born in the songwriting rooms of Music City. What’s not to love?” Stormy asks. Visit this page for Stormy’s unbridled thoughts on each episode as the series takes off and as we’re all introduced to Rayna James, Juliette Barnes, and the rest of the characters that make up NASHVILLE.
A Satisfied Mind & More For Ray Ray – Finally!
If you see Ray-Ray bouncing around Nashville, she’s most certainly got a spring in her step. You might say “Ray-Ray’s got her groove back.” Thank you very much, Deacon.
Earlier in last night’s episode, it appeared Ray-Ray and her producer/guitar player Liam were going to make waves of their own in the studio. Fortunately, Ray-Ray’s manager has really bad timing and interrupted the duo making out in the studio. Busted like a couple of raging-hormone-filled teenagers. The scene was somewhat pivotal, though, as Ray-Ray declared that she wants to live in the moment. Liam soon learns that she just doesn’t want to live in that particular moment when he invites Ray-Ray on a spur-of-the-moment trip to St. Lucia. Hot Liam puts an offer like that on the table and wild and carefree Ray-Ray needs “to think about it.” Spontaneity clearly isn’t working for Ray-Ray. Well, not yet, anyway.
In a moment that proves Ray-Ray is about as spontaneous as an aged cheese, Ray-Ray finally caves and agrees to go.
While Ray-Ray is finding her way back to her long-lost groove, she stops by to visit her recuperating daddy Lamar. Ray-Ray brings a couple of big gulps home (because copious amounts of sugar and caffeine are exactly what every recovering cardiac patient needs) only to find Lamar reminiscing over old photos, waxing all philosophical. He and Ray-Ray decide to wipe the slate clean. Seems Lamar and Ray-Ray have bonded over this cardiac crisis. It is in this moment of reconciliation that Stormy comes to a conclusion. Lamar is not Ray-Ray’s biological father. No way. Ray-Ray and her sister Tandy are polar opposites. Tandy is all business-like and analytical while Ray-Ray is the lofty, creative type, consumed by her music. If you recall, when Lamar laid eyes on Watty in the hospital, the very sight of Watty sent Lamar’s ticker into a second myocardial infraction. That’s medical speak for an on-the-spot heart attack. What prompted such a reaction from Lamar? Stormy predicts that Ray-Ray’s mother’s affair with Watty was more than a passing fling. Watty is Ray-Ray’s daddy. Some soul-searching biological revelations are on the way for this family.
Before Deacon rocks Ray-Ray’s world, he’s got to contend with Juliette’s bad attitude. Miss Thang rubs Deacon the wrong way so Deacon informs her that he’s hittin’ the road just as soon as he finishes this leg of the tour. Oh, the women in Deacon’s life just wear him out, don’t they?
As for Juliette, the women in her life aren’t treating her much better. She gets a much-needed dose of reality from her mother Jolene who accuses Dante of kissing another woman, the real estate agent. When confronted, the realtor reveals that Dante only helped her out; they’re just friends. (Friends with some serious benefits, honey.) Juliette purchases a new house, but her new abode turns out to be Dante’s Peak. Juliette no more than gets the shelf paper in the kitchen cabinets when she realizes that Dante is a scam. Seriously, girl, wasn’t that bogus name your first clue? Juliette has been conned, to the tune of more than $400,000 plus some walking around money. This, after the girl almost sends her poor mama back to rehab for no reason. Juliette learns the hard way that love isn’t cheap. By the time Juliette realizes she’s been duped, Dante is sitting in First Class alongside the cute realtor who helped him outsmart Juliette. He’s outta there. You men out there have been forewarned: Juliette is a woman scorned.
What about Juliette’s endorsement of cotton, the fabric of our lives? It seems like a natural endorsement for Hayden Panettiere since her character has spent so much time between the sheets. She oughta know, right?
Before the planets properly align, Deacon finally confesses that he still has feelings for Ray-Ray. His current girlfriend, Dr. Stacy, the vet, ain’t havin’ it, though. Color her gone. Who’s standing in the wings when Dr. Girlfriend walks out on poor Deacon? Ray-Ray, who lends a sympathetic ear just before it appears she’s heading off with Liam for a tropical tryst. Before you can say “wheels up,” Ray-Ray lands on Deacon’s front porch where she confesses her love for him. Deacon reciprocates and these two lock lips while a collective sigh of relief is heard ’round the world as these two make up for some very lost time. Stormy can’t help but wonder if this reunion is built to last? Will Deacon pick up the pieces if Ray-Ray learns that Lamar is not her real daddy? What about Maddie? Will she learn that her real daddy isn’t Teddy but Deacon? Like mother, like daughter.
Speaking of troublesome Teddy, he is confronted by some sad news: Ole Peg did indeed leak the news of his impending divorce to the tabloids. At the office, Teddy confronts Peg who offers more information than she should and effectively tips her hand when she implicates Lamar. Ole Peg finds herself on a slippery slope, and Teddy asks her to leave. Go. Hit the road, Ole Peg. You’re not wanted here no more, no more, no more, no more. Suddenly, Teddy remembers that he’s Nashville’s mayor, and he ensures that Lamar isn’t getting a piece of the new high-dollar stadium deal, much to Coleman’s dismay.
Coleman later meets Tandy who proposes a new alignment between herself and Coleman. Tandy suggests that Teddy is not the right person for mayor. She points to the Cumberland deal as a prime example. Tandy has plans to undermine Teddy but Stormy isn’t sure where this plot is going. Does Tandy think if she unseats Teddy that Coleman will become her puppet? Hmmmm?
While Stormy was busy cheering on Ray-Ray and Deacon, she’s totally missed the connection between Gunnar and his new neighbor. Turns out Ray-Ray wasn’t the only one who put herself out there last night. While Scarlett was moping around feeling sorry for Avery, who’s now setting the stage for Ray-Ray instead of taking the stage, Gunnar was hitting the honky tonks with his new neighbor and BFF. After a night of teaching Gunnar how to lock eyes with the lovely ladies, the new neighbor turns the tables and locks lips with Gunnar. Who saw that coming? Certainly not young Gunnar. Gunnar needs to head home so that Scarlett can dole out some of that simplistic advice that she seems to have for life’s every circumstance. Can’t wait to hear her homespun explanation for this one. As Stormy awaits next week’s episode, she takes comfort in knowing that Ray-Ray’s front porch confession left her with, in the words of the great Wagonmaster himself Porter Wagoner, a satisfied mind (truly, Stormy thinks that list goes deeper than Ray-Ray’s mind).
Will Deacon still love Ray-Ray tomorrow? Stormy simply can’t wait to find out. Bring on the next three episodes and some killer cliffhangers. Drive these storylines like you stole ‘em, baby!