WEEK THIRTEEN
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.
Stormy has yet to anticipate an episode as much as she did last night’s installment of Nashville.
Maybe it was the thought of Ray-Ray and Deacon picking up where they left off on that steamy elevator kiss. Instead of locking lips with Deacon, Ray-Ray takes Liam for a spin. After a night of honky tonkin’, complete with Ray-Ray trying to disguise herself with Liam’s fedora, the two head back to the hotel. Liam invites Ray-Ray inside for a nightcap, hoping he’ll get more than a cordial. Amid their steamy kiss, Ray-Ray excuses herself and heads for the bathroom to powder her nose and reapply her lip gloss (like that was going to last long with lip-locking Liam). You know, as Ray-Ray raked that lip gloss applicator across her lips, Stormy was humming a few bars of that Barbara Mandrell classic . . . “while I’m puttin’ on my makeup, I’m puttin’ on the one that really loves me.” Liam’s just a band-aid here. We all know Deacon’s the cure. He’s the elixir that cures what ails her if Ray-Ray will just take the medicine.
The same Ray-Ray who completely spaced out on stage at that night’s concert gets lost in the bathroom mirror of Liam’s would-be love nest. Her mind is spinning but she finally comes to a stop and finds a seat on the toilet. After a bit of verbal prodding, Ray-Ray lets Liam come in, and she spills her guts. Thinking back to their night of drinking, it’s a wonder that’s all she spilled.
Ray-Ray heads back home the next day so that she and Teddy, at his insistence, can tell their daughters that mommy and daddy are divorcing. Teddy thinks he’s shamed Ray-Ray into this by throwing Deacon up to her. Ah, but as Teddy relays the news to Ole Peg from the master bedroom phone, Deacon’s and Ray-Ray’s potential lovechild happens upon the conversation. Deacon sort of gets the last laugh here. After mom and dad deliver the news to their devastated daughters, Deacon and Ray-Ray’s daughter offers mom a hug and a recap of Teddy’s conversation with “that woman.” This from the same child who was on her way to rat out her little sister for breaking a mixing bowl. And what about belittling her little sister for spelling “welcome home” as one word?) Who wants to bet Rayna comes out fighting? The reigning queen of country music is probably going to borrow one from the beloved Coal Miner’s Daughter and send Teddy to Fist City. He and Ole Peg should be very happy there once Ray-Ray completes her character assassination on dimwit Teddy. Being mayor won’t be half as much fun once you’ve been put through the ringer, will it Teddy?
While Ray-Ray is suffering through her mid-life crisis, Juliette lays down the law to her band and crew. The little blonde wonder is now calling the shots and making the rules. After declaring a day of reckoning in the middle of the night, Juliette assembles everyone in the hallway and declares once and for all that it’s her way or the highway. Fed up, Juliette’s manager opts for the next plane out of there. He’s done. Is Juliette really ready to navigate the music business without her manager? Apparently. Back in Music City, Juliette returns to her spacious house, and, for a welcome-home gift, apparently someone gifted her with a conscience. To our shock, Juliette calls her mother, Jolene, who is due for release from rehab next week, and invites her to come live with her. It must really be lonely at the top.
Gunnar spends the first few minutes of the show dodging phone calls from his brother’s parole officer. Eventually, brother shows up at The Bluebird, and Scarlett finally learns his relation to Gunnar. Now, Gunnar and Scarlett, you’ll recall, are now roomies–at least for the time being. One look at a freshly-showered Gunnar standing in her kitchen, and Stormy’s got to think that Scarlett sees that guy in a whole new light. That bath towel was barely clinging to that boy. And how lucky was Scarlett that they received a call that Rayna wants to sign them to her label at the very same time Gunnar is standing in his towel, dripping wet? Talk about a signing bonus! Still, Scarlett lays down the law, too, letting Gunnar know that his brother is not welcome in their house. She has no interest in harboring a fugitive. Per the usual, Scarlett folds like a house of cards and changes her mind. Scarlett awakens the next morning to find Brother cooking breakfast. Later, as she and Gunnar work on a song, Brother joins them on guitar. Only in Nashville would your fugitive brother be an excellent songwriter.
As for Scarlett’s ex, he gets frustrated with his manager Dominick who shows little interest in him. Against Avery’s manager’s better judgement, Avery sold half of his songwriting publishing for $100K. That noise you heard was a collective gasp from every songwriter in Nashville who realizes what a mistake that will turn out to be.
What the heck? Mayor Elect Teddy has hooked up with Ole Peg, and he’s going through with the divorce.
As much as Stormy anticipated a Ray-Ray/Deacon reunion, she must admit that she’s a bit disappointed. But what about Deacon confronting Ray-Ray the morning after he sees the two of them in the hotel lobby? This little exchange just moved the needle on the sexual tension meter all the way to the right. Remember, that little exchange was before Ray-Ray learned of Teddy’s misstep with Ole Peg. Stormy has a feeling Ray-Ray just started likin’ cheatin’ songs . . . and Deacon’s going to reap the rewards. Go Ray-Ray!!
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