‘Nashville’ Recap: Rescue and Redemption
Throughout the 99 episodes of
The disappointing critical response to Juliette’s gospel album finds her coming to the realization that her brain does not process failure, but with less than 40 hours to her return to the concert stage, she decides to kick the gospel choir to the curb and go solo, telling Hallie, who has been one of her most loyal supporters and saved her life after a plane crash, that her label wants her to play her old songs this time out. For those of a certain age who remember the TV commercials with the classic line, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature,” Juliette’s little fib inspires visions of her instantly being struck by lightning. As it is, she’s struck by something much worse: guilt-ridden flashbacks of her father and his death when she was a little girl. Later, when she finds out from Emily that she and her choir mates were duped, the usually level-headed Hallie (played to continuing perfection by Rhiannon Giddens) lashes out, calling Juliette a “selfish, narcissistic bitch.” Cue the thunder and lightning!
As Deacon tries to connect with his daughters, he finds they don’t have time for him, what with Maddie romancing Clay and Daphne immersing herself in
Scarlett keeps avoiding Damien’s calls. At this rate their kid will be graduating from high school when Damien finds out he’s the father. She finally reveals the news and he tells her he’s in love with her. So, if you’re keeping score, that’s one baby, one daddy and one boyfriend. But these are musicians we’re talking about, not mathematicians. It doesn’t take much to see that those numbers aren’t going to add up.
As the episode ends, Juliette makes amends with the choir and asks them to perform with her after all. But as she climbs the lighted steps to the stage, she’s seized by yet another flashback and reminders of the many poor decisions she has made. And although that could in itself be the basis of a two-part episode (at least), she finally emerges, her arms outstretched, declaring that she is on her way to the redemption she has obviously been seeking after a lifetime of bad decisions and questionable behavior. Although to us it seems like only about five years. . . or 99 episodes-worth.