Review: 'Nashville' Episode Seven

Aaaand we're back in Nashvilleland after a week's reprieve. Episode seven opens with Rayna and Liam back in the studio amid more chatter from Edgehill Record's resident CEO and killjoy Marshal Evans of a greatest hits album. Also, it's the label's 25th anniversary and they're putting on a party Ryman (Auditorium) style. Rayna will perform and you just know it won't be that simple. But that's for later. First, it's movie night at the Jaymes household until Teddy gets an urgent call from Coleman wanting to rendezvous in a spot across from LP Field, no doubt selected for it's beautiousness. Coleman shows Teddy the pics he has of Peggy with her hand on Teddy's wrist and is all "drop out by the weekend or else!" The nerve. But of course, any plot line that has to do with Teddy is nowhere near the most interesting thing that will happen on the show. The real scuffle comes about when Evans gets it in his head that having Rayna and Juliette sing a duet would totes be sweet and not at all apocalyptic. In the second threat of the evening, Evans tells Rayna it's a duet or greatest hits album. She has a quick convo with Liam– who mostly functions as Puck-ish little sprite happily snickering at drama and encouraging mischief– and turns the deal around on Evans. She'll do the duet, but no more greatest hits album and the next record is all hers.

In Juliette's corner of the universe, she's been hanging around Sean a lot. Tabloids, fumbled passes, whatever. In the first of several gross lines of the show, he tells her "It's sure nice to hold something other than a football." This was me cringing on my couch:

Anyway, she gets called in to talk to Evans and her indignation at being reduced to singing a duet with Rayna doesn't get her anywhere. Where it does get her, is to rehearsal with Rayna after a quick moment of withering internal self doubt standing on the Ryman stage. It happens. Whilst trying to select a song to sing, Rayna and Juliette trade jabs about why they're really doing this. Liam giggles. Deacon is all grumpy dad and finally Rayna nails Juliette's butt to the ground with a line about how the starlet hasn't earned this and everybody knows it. AND BINGO WAS HIS NAME-O. Juliette walks out. Back at her place, she places what the kids might refer to as a booty call, and Tebow rushes over accompanied by his unexpected half-sleeve tattoo. After some brief hanky panky, he tells her he wants to wait and she immediately assumes he must be gay and kicks him out. It's probably for the best since Rayna shows up a few minutes later. Deacon defended Juliette's promise/talent and gave Rayna a copy of "Undermine." So. Rayna's proposal is that the both act like adults and write a song together. Fast forward to the Ryman, and the performance turns into a happy family moment. By the end of the "Wrong Song" (which is on par with the best of the early season) they don't seem to hate each other quite so much and even Deacon and Liam are paling around doing that thing guitar players do on stage when they kind of play at each other and scrunch their faces. What's odd for me here, though, is that it feels like some tensions are resolved, but the payoff isn't that enjoyable because the two singers haven't done much with each other since the first two or so episodes, and you don't buy that they're ever really going to make nice. You almost hope not because it feels pointless, like Frank Burns and Hawkeye Pierce swapping niceties. Just... no. With regard to the song, it's spunky. It's one of those you-cheated-and-I'm-not-killing-myslef-about-it numbers and Teddy is standing in the wings just looking sick to his stomach. Fun for next week!

In the wake of the Avery/Scarlett fallout, The Avery Barkley Band is doing well for itself. Man-eater Marilyn booked them a decent gig and is making contacts for them. Scarlett, on the other hand, is working through her feelings by cleaning Deacon's house. He gives her the old "shake it off and get out there spiel." At the Bluebird, she realizes why her uncle's songs are so sad. Love hurts, baby. So she skulks in the background by the bar like this:

And Gunnar skulks behind her like this:

Well, sort of. But because Hailey is the best girlfriend ever, she shows up the next day at Scarlett's and wrenches her off the porch. Hailey dresses her up and takes her out with her and Gunnar to find a warm body to take her mind off Avery. However, Gunnar sees Scarlett and is like holy smokes, she's wearing significantly fewer clothes. Also taking notice of this little moment in time, are some creeper at the bar and Hailey who is wondering why Gunnar is in big brother mode with Scarlett. After a few tequila shots, Scarlett winds up on stage taking a verse on "Ring of Fire" with the band that's playing because that happens in Nashville ALL THE TIME. Personally, I can't go to a show without having to climb up on stage and sing with the band. So tiresome. Creepy guy kisses her and Gunnar flips out, which sends Scarlett running off to see Avery, who has man-eater Marilyn in his bedroom in her bra. Scarlett flees once more, but later tells Gunnar at the Ryman that if she's got to lose someone, she's glad it's not him. Well, shucks. My bet is that this will be another too-soon story arc peak, but we'll see.

Next week is the "winter finale" because we use that term now. Stay tuned, folks. We'll be watching.

Stray Observations:

+ I enjoyed Juliette silently freaking out in her dressing room before the Ryman show.
+ Wow was Peggy bitter when Teddy said that in good conscience they can say they're not romantically involved.
+ Lamar is creepy.