One Drink at a Time-Nashville 1X18

I'm prefacing this post with a disclaimer. This post may sound like I hate Nashville. I don't, it is the only new show this year that I continued watching. I think the acting is great and Callie Khouri made one of my favorite movies (Thelma and Louise). But it has been a long week and I'm in a snarky mood. Also, I think there are things to improve for next season. But I promise, I really do like this show.

Juliette
Today on Nashville, Juliette yells at her mom all while trying to climb the professional ladder in the world of country music. Just like every episode. Yay.

And I thought I loved champagne

Okay, I think the writers don't really know what to do with her. They had a really good storyline in her changing her music style, but that kind of fell away. Every once and awhile they mention it, but I'm interested in how changing her musical style will effect how she's marketing herself and what it's like for an artist to change themselves. Usually they are met with criticism; fans usually want people to stay the same. But they don't There was also the interesting storyline of her mother, and they tried to do something with it, but it has now turned into Juliette being angry at her mother all the time and not moving forward. In this episode they did touch on the genetics involved in alcoholism and that Juliette could be an alcoholic, so I hope they explore that. Mainly, I want to see some character growth with Juliette that sticks. Next season? One can only hope.


Deacon and Rayna

All the happy feels

Finally! Okay, it wasn't that long. But there was too much sexual tension for this to be dragged out for years. But Rayna has to tell him that he has a daughter and I think Teddy is really shitty for forbidding her to tell him. But she really doesn't have to listen to him and I honestly don't think she will. It will be perfect bliss for the next few episodes and the finale will be her finally telling him and him being FUCKING pissed. Maybe he'll punch Teddy? Come on writers, someone has to punch Teddy.

Teddy

Please go away. Forever.

That's really all I have to say about you. Why did Rayna marry you again?

Gunnar and Scarlett...and Will
I have a very complicated relationship with Gunnar. Half the time I like him and half the time I hate him. And right now, I hate him. It is 2013, get over the fact that Will tried to kiss you. Scarlett, go find someone else. I'm excited to see Scarlett actually going to do more things and possibly tour next season. She is a character than I think the series will be able to grow well and represent a more folk-y side to country than Rayna and Juliette.

I feel like there's a Three's Company joke in here somewhere...

Will has suddenly become an interesting character with this new revelation. At first I thought he was your stereotypical douche-y country frat boy who tries to kill himself every once and awhile. But the revelation of his sexuality has added a new dimension to his character. Country music has a persona of being very heteronormative and anti-alternative masculinities. I'm choosing to use heteronormative rather than homophobic because it is not anti-gay outright, rather it just assumes everyone to be straight. One of my criticisms of many country hits is that they are very general. Many genres do that, but country music has a lot of songs that talk about southern/country boys and girls and what they do. I'm not saying that every country artist is homophobic or anti-gay, but the area that influences this genre has a tendency to be very conservative and very homophobic. But they also are anti-alternative masculinities  This includes gay men, but there are songs make fun of men who dress well, or just dress differently than jeans and cowboy boots. So for Nashville to have a gay character, especially one that does not follow major gay stereotypes, is fascinating. I really want them to explore this character more and follow the difficulties of being gay in Nashville and I think this could be their most interesting storyline to date.


What are your predictions for the rest of the season? Will Rayna spill about her daughter's true parentage? Will I ever stop hating Teddy (probably not)?

Small hiatus

Just an FYI, I will not have access to tv or a computer until next week, so I'll be updating again in about a week. I hope all of you have a great week!

"I'm in"-The Good Wife 4x22

Oh Zack. I know you're trying to be a good kid, but why do you always find yourself in these situations? The Good Wife puts up another quirky case with court in the middle of the night to stop the votes from being counted. And what do they add to make it more awesome? Patty Nyholm. And her children.

She's back! With babies!

Seriously, the best exchange of the night was:
Will: Is that one new?
Patty: I don't know, I've lost track.

This case was something that could only happen on The Good Wife. It was so entertaining to watch Alicia, Diane, and Will have to switch sides mid-case AND join with opposing council. It's another example of what I talked about last week, where e show is more concerned with how the law works rather than if it is just.

Go home George

I really hope they bring the election cheating back next season. Peter may try to claim innocence, but leaving the decision up to Will was a jerk move. You don't get to be a good person if you let election rigging happen. Will clearly made the decision for Alicia's happiness, so he gets a little reprieve in my book. I feel like if Alicia finds out about e rigging, her relationship with both Peter and Will could be damages. But, I think her relationship with Will is fixable because he did not already lie and cheat on Alicia with prostitutes. And Kalinda. Peter's out of chances.

"My mother just threatened me?"

What did you all think outcome? In particular, there was a comment about how many votes Peter won by. I interpreted it as the place Zack voted at to be not the only place that the votes were changed, and that's why Peter won by more than he thought he would. However, I have heard other ideas that he never needed them in the first place and the rigging was for nothing. Thoughts? Post below in the comments!

Serious Alicia is serious.

I completely bought it. I watched this episode with my friend Emily (who has an awesome blog at loudemily.blogspot.com) and we thought Will was going to be on the other side of that door. We were literally jumping off the couch with excitement. But The Good Wife sucker punched us with Cary's face and Alicia's "I'm in". The last sequence of this episode was done so beautifully. Alicia comes home and has a glass of wine, does some laundry and waits. By pairing the daily events of her life with a HUGE life decision emphasizes the importance of this decision and Alicia's constant choice to remain a good wife. Or at least her version of it. Many people have been complaining (Tumblr, I'm looking at you) that Alicia made a cowardly choice or no choice at all by not leaving Peter. Now, I would like her to leave Peter as well. But I understand why she doesn't. Beyond him being the father of her kids, he represents something to Alicia. This season they introduced her mother, a woman that moves from man to man. Alicia doesn't want to be her mother. It has been previously mentioned that she didn't like that her parent got divorced. And then in this season her mother tells her that she should go after Will, and Alicia immediately pulls Peter into the bathroom for sex. I don't think she really wants to be with Peter, but Peter represents how Alicia can avoid her mother's failings. We have seen Alicia battle between what was expected of her and what she wants. In a flashback to their pre-cheating life, their relationship is almost stepfordish. There is a historical notion that women are supposed to be the keepers of virtue, expecting to forgive their husband's transgressions and make none of their own. Alicia still feels the pressure of the 50's notion of womanhood that she thinks she's supposed to conform to, and that means choosing Peter also means that her previous relationship with Will is a transgression to be forgotten and moved away from, hence the Cary choice. The Kings noted that even though Alicia is trying to distance herself from Will, who says that will work out? I'm interested to see how all this plays out, and I am counting down the days until the next season. Add your predictions and hopes for next season in the comments!