Nashville 2.10 Review: Following Your Heart

For all those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, now is your last chance to do so before venturing ahead into spoiler territory. This not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

This week’s episode, in my opinion, was very good. The beautiful friendship between Avery and Juliette is so strange in the way that it came about, but it is something that I love so dearly about this series. The very fact that it’s so obvious that they love each other is such a tender thing, particularly after the rough time Juliette’s been having with the always gorgeous Charlie Wentworth. That moment near the end between Juliette and Avery, where she seems to go over to confess something to him (her feelings of love for him, perhaps?), was so sad to watch when it was broken up by Scarlett’s pants-less entrance into the scene. Now, I know Avery thinks he’s in love with Scarlett - who’s being a bit of a whiny brat at the moment - but I really feel like he could have something far more genuine with Juliette, and I really look forward to watching how this all progresses. Although, I can’t fathom that Scarlett wasn’t able to pick up on the tone between Juliette and Avery when the latter had tears in his eyes, but you never know.

In other news, Raina is going ahead with the buyout of her contract and Highway 65, by gambling basically everything on the record she wants to put out. This is definitely something that could revitalize the series and send it down different avenues for more seasons to be built on. I’m just a little worried that they may be setting Raina up to fail, and the queen of country will be dethroned. But, I do look forward to seeing Raina try and grow other artists under her company, and am excited to see what other talent she hopes to sign.

Elsewhere, Will’s hatred of himself and his desire for a man of the same sex came to a head this week. He both slept with the man he has tried so hard to deny feelings for, and seems to have come to the decision that death would be better. I’m thinking that Will will be killed by that train, because it was so close I can’t see how he would make it out alive, unless he had second thoughts in his final moments. This is definitely a subject that is worth telling, and I find myself hoping Will didn’t go through with it, because his character has actually grown on me. With this marking two possible deaths of the winter finale, I’m intrigued to learn what was this series takes this.

All in all, this was a good episode. This definitely appears to be treading soap opera territory, but it’s alright because I am quite enjoying this series. They’ve definitely bumped up their characters progressions, and added a lot of heart to the story, making this season a step up from last. They seem to be getting their act together, writing wise, and making it possible for all of these characters to interact in natural ways. I am really curious to know if Peggy is dead for certain, although I find it a little odd that she would be killed off so soon after their wedding. This character seemed to have a bit more direction to go in, but I guess that’s what death brings. Basically, I feel that this is a rather beautiful series, with masterfully acted characters.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10

Best Lines:

“I’m the face of this festival, and I practically just snuck in through a basement window.” - Juliette gripes.

“We’ll talk about this later, as in never.” - Deacon says to Gunnar.

“I will literally come over there and rip your face off.” - Juliette tells Avery what she’ll do if he responds incorrectly.

Okay, so here’s this one. I’m off to go see Thor: The Dark World. Check back later for reviews of American Horror Story: Coven, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, The Vampire Diaries, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Crazy Ones.

Nashville 2.10 Review: Following Your Heart

For all those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, now is your last chance to do so before venturing ahead into spoiler territory. This not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

This week’s episode, in my opinion, was very good. The beautiful friendship between Avery and Juliette is so strange in the way that it came about, but it is something that I love so dearly about this series. The very fact that it’s so obvious that they love each other is such a tender thing, particularly after the rough time Juliette’s been having with the always gorgeous Charlie Wentworth. That moment near the end between Juliette and Avery, where she seems to go over to confess something to him (her feelings of love for him, perhaps?), was so sad to watch when it was broken up by Scarlett’s pants-less entrance into the scene. Now, I know Avery thinks he’s in love with Scarlett - who’s being a bit of a whiny brat at the moment - but I really feel like he could have something far more genuine with Juliette, and I really look forward to watching how this all progresses. Although, I can’t fathom that Scarlett wasn’t able to pick up on the tone between Juliette and Avery when the latter had tears in his eyes, but you never know.

In other news, Raina is going ahead with the buyout of her contract and Highway 65, by gambling basically everything on the record she wants to put out. This is definitely something that could revitalize the series and send it down different avenues for more seasons to be built on. I’m just a little worried that they may be setting Raina up to fail, and the queen of country will be dethroned. But, I do look forward to seeing Raina try and grow other artists under her company, and am excited to see what other talent she hopes to sign.

Elsewhere, Will’s hatred of himself and his desire for a man of the same sex came to a head this week. He both slept with the man he has tried so hard to deny feelings for, and seems to have come to the decision that death would be better. I’m thinking that Will will be killed by that train, because it was so close I can’t see how he would make it out alive, unless he had second thoughts in his final moments. This is definitely a subject that is worth telling, and I find myself hoping Will didn’t go through with it, because his character has actually grown on me. With this marking two possible deaths of the winter finale, I’m intrigued to learn what was this series takes this.

All in all, this was a good episode. This definitely appears to be treading soap opera territory, but it’s alright because I am quite enjoying this series. They’ve definitely bumped up their characters progressions, and added a lot of heart to the story, making this season a step up from last. They seem to be getting their act together, writing wise, and making it possible for all of these characters to interact in natural ways. I am really curious to know if Peggy is dead for certain, although I find it a little odd that she would be killed off so soon after their wedding. This character seemed to have a bit more direction to go in, but I guess that’s what death brings. Basically, I feel that this is a rather beautiful series, with masterfully acted characters.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10

Best Lines:

“I’m the face of this festival, and I practically just snuck in through a basement window.” - Juliette gripes.

“We’ll talk about this later, as in never.” - Deacon says to Gunnar.

“I will literally come over there and rip your face off.” - Juliette tells Avery what she’ll do if he responds incorrectly.

Okay, so here’s this one. I’m off to go see Thor: The Dark World. Check back later for reviews of American Horror Story: Coven, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, The Vampire Diaries, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Crazy Ones.

Nashville 2.09 Review: The Funny Thing About People

For all those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘I’m Tired of Pretending’, now would be a good time to go and do that. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! Proceed ahead at your own discretion.

I really love the drama that this show brings; it’s such great entertainment. And yet, at the same time it is able to balance great family qualities, intriguing relationships, and well-written characters. This series is so beautifully done, and that’s a particularly generous compliment, as it comes from a woman that absolutely cannot stand the sound of country music. Somehow this series is able to manage to make me like it.

This week had somewhat of a conclusion to the Juliette Barnes and Charlie Wentworth storyline. At the beginning I was so happy having him around because of how absolutely adorable he is, but then Juliette sadly had a point when she realized they didn’t bring out the best in each other. Although, I still really loved that barn scene between the two of them from a couple episodes back. Hopefully this isn’t the last we see of Charlie, particularly after the reveal Layla gave to TMZ. I mean, did you not see Charlie’s face as he came to Juliette’s dressing room to tell her it had been a week and that he loved her and wanted to build a life with her? He looked absolutely devoted to his feelings right there, how could anyone not want that beautiful Brit back on their television screen? Honestly, I have one specific note that reads: ‘I love Charlie. Seriously.’ That’s how badly I need this guy on my TV set each week. It’s like my obsession with Charlie and Monroe and just needing Monroe on my TV over on Revolution.

Anyways, there was some well-developed progress regarding the whole Maddie, Teddy, and Deacon situation. I’m definitely looking forward to this the further it progresses, although it was a complete douchebag thing of Teddy to take Deacon out of the showcase. As a longtime hater of his character, I’m kind of hoping the previews of someone getting shot next episode are of Teddy. I really don’t like that character. On the flipside, I am enjoying Deacon and his struggle to see where he could possibly fit in this situation. It will most assuredly be interesting to see how he approaches his relationship with Maddie, and the responsibility he might need to accept going forward. Also, I absolutely adored Maddie and him singing together on stage.

The whole Scarlett and Gunnar situation on tour was graced with the presence of both Avery and Zoey this week. I have to say that I quite enjoyed getting to see the friendship between Scarlett and Zoey on that couch and am a little disappointed the Gunnar and Zoey relationship will likely put a stopper in the two besties friendship. It’s always sad when lifelong friends go their separate ways, particularly when they are as close as these two. I don’t think this is the end of their friendship, but I do think there will be tough roads ahead for them. But I still don’t think the Gunnar, Zoey relationship was the right thing for his character, despite her playing the tension and chemistry between them well.

All in all, this series is such a beautiful mess when it comes to the drama. There is so much chaos in these people’s lives that it just gives the series so many ripe pickings when it comes to stories to tell. There is a perfect amount of ensemble cast on this show, and I’m enjoying almost all of the characters this season. Also, I just have to comment on how much Juliette resembled Britney Spears in that outfit she wore as she performed with Will, and she looked really good in it too. Basically, this series is pretty damn great, despite my hatred of Teddy, and not being completely interested in Rayna’s father’s legal troubles.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“No, I’m pretty sure I meant sadly.” – Zoey corrects Avery, regarding the fact she’s spent most of her free time with him and Gunnar.

“The funny thing about people, they make a lot of mistakes that can hurt the people around them. The thing I’ve learned is it doesn’t mean they don’t love us.” – Rayna shares her wisdom with Maddie, in a beautiful mother-daughter moment.

Okay, so I just have to review American Horror Story: Coven now. Stay tuned.

Nashville 2.08 Review: Get Tough Or Move On

For all those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘Hanky Panky Woman’, now would be a good time to go and do that. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

As always, this series brought it this week. This series is easily the most consistently good show on television. I really feel like I’m invested in these people’s lives, that I’m in it with them, and that inclusion is beyond brilliant writing and acting. This season is definitely building on how good last year was and just making it even better. I actually enjoy watching this every week and am sad that I now have to wait two weeks for a new episode.

We learned a lot about the characters this week. Jeff toyed with Scarlett before her very first stadium performance and it ended up kind of crushing her, but then she seemed to make a comeback the next night. Problem is, it seems like she’s not too happy with all that performing and fame bring, so basically she’s just going to fake it. She did really well performing the second night, I’m not sure why she wouldn’t think she’s good enough, but insecurities do that to a person.

While Raina and Luke heated things up in their relationship, both physical and musical, including an amazing duet, which I’m going to say Gunnar and Scarlett did better, her troubles with Jeff hit its climax. Basically the man sequestered her masters only for her to go out and do a duet partially in hopes that it would help him get his quarterly so that she might get her masters back. Definitely some brilliant back and forth between them tonight. Also, does anyone else agree with me that Jeff has a thing for Raina beyond a work relationship?

Elsewhere, Juliette’s relationship with both Charlie and his wife got mixed up. Olivia basically made it appear as though Charlie had told her and thought it would be a good idea if they hooked up too. I was not at all surprised by Juliette’s reaction, and was quite proud of her speech to the couple spurred on by advice from Avery – who we all know she has feelings for in some capacity. And then Charlie shows up at the end and says he’s falling in love with Juliette. Major (girl) squeal moment right there. I kind of adore Charlie, so I’m hoping something persists between the two because I’d be utterly disappointed if he stopped showing up on my television every week.

All in all, this week was a quality episode. Raina looked amazing, particularly her hair when she sang that duet with Luke. Scarlett also looked fantastic with her make-up both nights and her hair with the pink tips. Deacon looked like his character was going to move forward with a life away from the guitar but still consisting of music. And everyone else had some nice, quality progression for each of their individual storylines. Also, nice throw back to the first time Scarlett and Gunnar practiced poolside together. It really made me miss them performing together. This series really is a nice, homegrown, drama-filled, heartwarming, character production.

My rating: 8 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“In case you haven’t noticed, there’s no one I can’t say ‘screw you’ to.” – Juliette explains to her manager.

“Well, you ain’t dead yet.” Scarlett says to Deacon, after he tells her that he’s screwed up every solo career chance he’s had.

Alright, I’m off to watch the last new Revolution episode of the year before it goes on its winter hiatus, and God knows how long that’s going to be. Afterwards, I’ll be checking out American Horror Story: Coven, so stay tuned.

Nashville 2.07 Review: Doing What's Right For Those You Love

Anyone that has yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘She’s Got You’, I suggest that you go do that before reading ahead, or exit the screen now. For this is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

WHAT? Okay, no, really, WHAT? Olivia is gay? Or at least bi? I am so flabbergasted right now; I did not expect that at all. I’m so very… I don’t even know what to say to that. All the power to her, if she is, but she is still married, even if her husband is cheating on her, with the same woman she wants to sleep with. I can’t even recall Juliette ever being into women before, so I’m certainly intrigued to see how that exchange goes next week. I have a feeling Olivia may blackmail her if Juliette doesn’t go along with it, but that’s not something that goes over well with Juliette.

Now that I’m through with that extreme shocker, I have to say that I’m really liking the progression of the stories in this series. It feels very natural for a lot of them. Raina moving forward with Luke and her family, putting Maddie first when it comes to Deacon so that the two of them can have a relationship. Also, Juliette and Charlie’s relationship, how she really doesn’t want anything from him, she wants to be able to get places on her own, but at the same time she uses certain things to her advantage. In that way, she’s surprisingly smart; making it look like she got Santa fired and rehired, just to show him she was the one with the power. While I don’t expect their thing to last, I kind of wish it could between Charlie and Juliette because they fit so well together.

Deacon’s struggle with singing without a guitar, something that is more natural to him was extremely well done. I loved seeing him try to dance with the mike rather than what he’s used to, but he hadn’t gotten the natural thing down quite well. I also loved the fact that the first bar he sang in had turned into a comedy club, so he basically had to man up, especially for Maddie’s sake. It was also a really strange relationship between him and Avery this week, but strange in a good way. I definitely like the way they’re going with this character, redeeming him in the way they’re choosing to do.

There were a lot of great moments to this week’s episode. While I’m still not on the bandwagon of Zoey and Gunnar, I did like seeing the way he maneuvered the rights to his song in order to get a break. Definitely going to be awkward having him and Charlotte on the same tour bus, but interesting all the same. Loved seeing Raina shooting a gun to distract herself from her ex-husband’s wedding. Also Maddie’s fears about being replaced were realistic and nicely done, and nicely resolved, for now. I’m still very intrigued by what way they’re going to go with this Peggy thing.

All in all, this is a very good series to be watching. It’s a nice, easy, very grounded soap that I love watching every week. No, I’m not constantly excited by what’s going on, but I love the fact that it’s not completely out there with the drama, and how very homegrown, down to earth it really is. That definitely makes this a much watch in my books, because there isn’t a lot of that on television these days.

My rating: 8 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“I don’t want to talk about this morning. Ever.” – Deacon states rushedly to Avery.

“Son of a bitch.” – Juliette mutters to her manager about Santa staging a walk out on her part of the concert.

“He always liked me, right?” – Maddie asks her mom, referring to Deacon.

All right, I’m off to watch Revolution now. After that it’ll be American Horror Story: Coven. Stay tuned.

Nashville 2.05 Review: The Voice is Back

All those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Nashville, entitled ‘Don’t Open That Door’, then I suggest you do so immediately. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! Proceed at your own discretion.

I don’t know what it is about this series, but there’s such a heartwarming, dramatic feel to it. Perhaps it’s that it’s actually filmed in Nashville, that the music is beautiful, the acting superb, and the lighting to the episodes is just always so perfectly spot on. All of that wraps up together to make this series if not an A, at the very least an A- series to be watching.

Some of my absolute favourite moments from this episode definitely began with Scarlett’s ranting as she got home and Deacon smiling about it. The audience singing along to Raina’s song was just so spectacularly moving; it was like they were all boosting her up and giving her the faith she needed to make this comeback. I absolutely adored that song Scarlett and Deacon sang near the end of the episode, it reminded me of a song from A Walk to Remember, so beautiful, so upliftingly beautiful. And the fact that Deacon could at the very least play the piano along to that song was wonderful. Also, I’m not sure why, but when Avery and Gunnar popped up on screen singing together, I just burst out into laughter. Not laughing at them, per se, more laughing at how ridiculous that was thrown in there. But I do agree it sounded better with Zoey’s voice in it.

Teddy I just have to come out and say I don’t like at all, even less so than Lamar at this point and he possibly had a hand in his wife’s death. He’s so full of himself, after such little time in power, and so very misogynistic in my opinion. It’s hard to believe he was married to a woman as strongly female as Raina. And I know that it wasn’t him that turned Lamar in, but I kind of think he deserves to be taken down a peg for just plain insolence. But maybe that’s just because I don’t like him.

This episode, Raina’s given hope in thinking she’ll be able to take her current record and her record company out of Edgehill, but then her father is arrested and his assets frozen. I desperately want her to be able to strike out on her own, but sadly how can she possibly get twenty million dollars elsewhere so quickly? This just all came at the most inopportune moment for her, and I feel terrible for her.

Then there’s what Zoey and Gunnar did, more despicable in relation to Zoey being that she’s Scarlett’s best friend and she just broke the girl code. I saw the chemistry between them, but I honestly thought Gunnar was still in love with Scarlett; he moved on awfully fast for that to have been true. And Avery was picking up on those looks between them and just smiling because now he can have Scarlett back. I do think Avery has improved, but I’d prefer him to be in a meaningful relationship with Juliette, rather than back with Scarlett, but I suppose he needs to get her out of his system first. Again, though, I’m thinking it’s going to be bad when Scarlett finds out what the two of them did. If Gunnar had been thinking, he’d know sleeping with the best friend would take you out of the good graces of the ex pretty permanently. But then I suppose this is somewhat of a soap opera.

Basically what I’m saying is, while there are ups and downs to this series, it’s definitely a beautiful piece to be watching. The progression of characters stories is wonderfully done. Keeping an open mind each week definitely helps me to love this series more.

My rating: 8 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“I really think it’s time for Jeff Fordham to meet the Wyatt side of Raina James.” – Raina remarks.

“Some of it tolerable.” – Raina tells her sister; referencing the time she’s spent with Juliette.

Alright, folks, I’m off to watch Revolution. Then it’s American Horror Story: Coven and smooth sailing from there. Stick around.