On this episode of Nashville, “The Storm has Just Begun,” Deacon gets some promising news. Jade St. John offers Layla a big opportunity. Juliette’s determination to get back in the spotlight drives a wedge between her and Avery.
The who’s who of the Nashville music scene gathers together to lend their support for Teddy’s music education initiative, “Note by Note,” and it promises to be an interesting evening, as it always is when the whole gang gets together.
Making Sweet Music
Rayna, Deacon, Maddie and Daphne are set to perform together, making them the country music equivalent of the Partridge family. Deacon is feeling a bit under the weather but refuses to bail.
Juliette is just back from L.A., and plans to perform at the benefit as part of her big comeback. While she was in L.A., Avery sacked the nanny, and now his mom, Sandra, is babysitting. After three days away, Juliette’s maternal instinct waned even more because she had no interest in holding or greeting her newborn daughter. I wanted the old Juliette back, but I thought she could be a diva and still a devoted mom. Looks like the two might be mutually exclusive.
Also in attendance is Jade St. John who wants to make a country music record in spite of her label’s lack of support. She wants Luke to sing a duet with her in the hopes that having a big name on board will ease the label execs minds, but Luke has a label to run and his own album to put out.
New couple Kevin and Will are going, separately. They’ve been spending the last four days getting to know each other better, in the carnal sense, but Kevin is bringing somebody else. He tells Will he made the date a month ago, but even I call BS on following through with it. Will tries to shrug it off as no big deal, but he’s not very convincing.
Nashville Recap: Christina Aguilera Comes to the Music City >>>
Will He or Won’t He?
Deacon gets a call that a liver has become available, so he, Rayna and Maddie rush off to the hospital leaving a disappointed Daphne behind to hang out with her dad. Teddy, who should be getting carted off in handcuffs by evening’s end, asks Luke to fill in for Rayna and sing with Daphne. The two sing “Have a Little Faith in Me,” and it’s always a highlight when one or both of the Stella sisters sings.
Deacon’s road to recovery hits a roadblock, he’s got a fever. Dr. Hottie (Caleb) says that this could result in him not being able to get the surgery. Scarlett pulls Caleb aside and pleads with him to bend the rules, but he explains that it would be unethical for him to try and pull strings or do anything unethical to get Deacon a liver that he might reject. Scarlett’s big doe eyes and trembling lip doesn’t sway her boyfriend, and he’s a bit put out that she would even ask.
Don’t Call it a Comeback
Juliette walks the red carpet and is upstaged by the arrival of Luke and Jade. Once inside, she finds out that she’ll be spending the evening with Layla and Jeff, who are both sitting at her table. Juliette questions Bucky on why Highway 65 signed Layla, and he informs her that Jeff is doing a bang-up job building a solid fan base, and he and Rayna have high expectations for Layla’s first album.
Layla cozies up to Jade because she’s hoping to secure a permanent spot on the pop singer’s tour. Jeff doesn’t think it’s a good idea and won’t go to bat for his only client.
Juliette feels the need to re-establish herself as Queen Bee, so when she runs into Layla in the ladies room, she lets the young upstart know that, when it comes to Highway 65, the line forms behind her. Jade overhears and comes to Layla’s defense which only serves to knock Juliette’s nose further out of joint.
The benefit includes an auction, and the big-ticket item is a command performance by an artist of the highest bidder’s choice. Rayna was supposed to use the opportunity to get Juliette on the stage, but Bucky is left to bid in her place. A bidding war ensues between Jade, who wants Layla to sing and Bucky. In the end, the pop star’s pockets run deeper, and $500,000 later, Layla takes the stage.
Layla’s performance is not the one that everybody’s going to remember, that honor goes to Juliette. She shreds Jade making it clear that she may be hanging out with Luke Wheeler and dressing like “country Barbie,” but she doesn’t belong in Nashville.
Juliette’s night goes from bad to worse when Avery lays into her. He’s forced to remind his wife that the evening was about music in schools, not her. Avery also unleashes on her about her string of unilateral choices regarding their daughter and points out that she’s being completely self involved. Uh, yeah, she’s Juliette, and we’ve had to watch her laying around eating salted caramels for months. She’s suffering from PPDB: postpartum diva behavior.
Juliette admits to Avery that she’s worried she’s washed up at 25. He reassures his lovely wife that she will get back on top, it’s just going to take some time.
ABC Sets 2015 Season Finale Dates for Scandal, Once Upon a Time and More >>>
Fool Me Once
Deacon gets cleared for surgery. All he had was a little sinus infection. But every fan of country music knows, things get worse before they get better, so Deacon gets more bad news. The donor had cancer, and since there was a risk that the liver was infected, the organ transplant is a no go.
Mixing Business and Pleasure
Jade may have been publicly humiliated by Juliette, but things end on a high note. Luke takes her to the Bluebird where she does a rendition of one of his songs, “Shotgun.” Being Christina Aguilera, of course she killed it. Luke takes Jade back to her hotel where they collaborate on a different “project.”
Layla and Jeff have differing opinions on her career path. She managed to score an invite from Jade to join her on tour as her opening act, but Jeff is dead set against it. He warns Layla that Jade will use her and throw her away. He’s obviously speaking from personal experience. Layla decides she’s going anyway, but she assures Jeff that she not only does she have no intention of ditching him as her manager, but she has changed her mind about keeping their relationship strictly business.
Will stops by Kevin’s after the benefit and professes his adoration and they agree to be exclusive. Gunnar and Scarlett decide not to replace Avery, so it looks like the Triple Exes has been whittled down to just two.
Nashville airs Wednesdays at 10 pm on ABC.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
