Tabloidville
Y'all know how much I love prop newspapers and the like, so here is the world renowned AdStarDaily with an amusingly bad story about Juliette dumping the Spielberg movie. (It also appears to be predicting that Paris Hilton has only three years left to live, which I'm sure will come as a great shock to her.)
Juliette tells her therapist that she's glad she ditched the film, even though they're suing her (it was TWO WEEKS OF WORK, Juliette; can't you just DO IT?), because she now gets unlimited time with Cadence. Wow, that was fast. Avery went from "you're only just out of rehab," which was the Captain Sensible approach, to "here take her whenever." Juliette does admit she badly misses working -- performing, writing -- and her therapist cheerfully encourages her to do it. This is nice and all, but wasn't her itch to get back to work after the baby the beginning of a lot of her downslide? Has NOBODY brought that up?
Sighville
Looks like someone still hasn't fixed her shower head. Clare Bowen is valiantly doing what she can, and getting what seems to be no help. Poor lamb. It'll grow in the offseason, kiddo. When it's a bob, I bet it will look GREAT.
ANYHOO: Scarlett is star-struck by Autumn Chase, and thinks she is just the grooviest groove that ever grooved. Do not get too attached to that pedestal, because Autumn will not be occupying it for long: She invites them into a tour meeting, and them promptly publicly shames and then fires one of her roadies. Scarlett is unsettled and calls it demeaning, but their manager is like, "Yes, she's a lunatic, DO NOT CROSS HER OR PERIL WILL MEET YOU AT YONDER DOOR."
Parentingville
Rayna actually checks in on Maddie here, and Maddie talks about how she's fine with Colt being gone because she's gotten to write about it with Cash, and her feelings are really flowing out of her. Rayna and Deacon are very smug about this.
Whaaaatville
Except right away, Maddie finds out about Colt joining the army. Cash, who has come over to write because she has no age-appropriate friends and spends all her time with a 16-year old, cannot believe her ears. And then Maddie actually brats that she's JEALOUS of Colt for getting to control his own life, and waaaaaaaah, nobody has suffered as much as this girl who has many parents that love her and are interested in her future. Cash trots out the most tired refrain on this show -- suggesting that all these feelings would be great fodder for a song -- but Maddie would rather whine about not getting to perform her own material. (What other material is she even doing? She and Daphne and their joint record deal are collecting dust.) Cash lets slip -- or "lets slip" -- that she used to sneak out and play in secret, and Maddie thinks this is a great idea. "My parents wouldn't have to know," she says. ARE YOU KIDDING? You think people don't recognize the spawn of Rayna Jaymes, who has played in public MULTIPLE TIMES and was just recently on-stage with Juliette Barnes and now has a record deal? COME ON CHILD.
Sinisterville
Layla and Will go out for coffee, and she complains mightily that nobody is putting her on their tour. She whines that Jeff never would have stood for this, and Will points out that Glenn is one of the nicest people in the business and she can rest easy knowing that everything he's doing will be above-board and clean. Layla's response is all, "MMM-HMMM," while her eyes glisten with bad ideas.
Smugville
Rayna, you will need to stop that gloat-face soon. She has decided she feels way better about Vida/Vita/whatever because she's going to fill in for Brad Paisley at a benefit concert for a fostering organization. Who cares if Veni Vida Vita is dead anymore if Rayna can throw a big concert with a bunch of Highway 65 artists!!!!
She also can't get any existing tour to touch Layla with a ten-foot pole, so she and Bucky decide that Rayna will go out on the road, ten dates only, and take Layla as her opener.
Severeville
Juliette drops by Glenn's office to try and pick up where they left off before she fired him, and has chosen the LEAST contrite-looking ensemble imaginable. She should be all sweetness and Scarlett, and instead she's like, "Yo, it's Darth Barnes, remember me?"
Uhhhhhhville
He does.
And he basically ushers her out, tells her that he's moved on and they weren't working out and hadn't been for a long time... basically, he dumps her and slams the door in her face. GLENN. IS THAT ANY WAY TO TREAT A WOULD-BE DAUGHTER? (I do actually think it's good that he stood up for himself. She's used his toupee as a doormat for too long now.)
OMGville
This is Will's expression when Luke tells him that he wants to release that album they had on hold, but that he and Kevin need to work on a few more songs first. Will tries to put on a happy face about it, but you can tell he's not that stoked about having to face down the ex he trod on so harshly.
ZOMGville
And that's Daphne's expression when she overhears Cash and Maddie planning a secret show at an underground club. Later, when Maddie lies to Deacon about it, Daphne makes clear that she knows the truth and loudly commits Maddie to buying her something the next day. Well played, baby sister. No flies on you.
Smugville
Meanwhile, Rayna is making THIS face when Deacon catches her writing, and she admits she's rediscovering herself as an artist. In the ensuing scene, she whines that H65's sudden success -- she's on the cover of Business Week, and pardon me while I chortle -- is like SUCH a bummer because she has lost sight of herself as an artist. So let me get this straight: Rayna spends all her time whining about how her label is suffering without actually doing much musical scouting, and then gets ONE TASTE of business success and suddenly she's whingeing about having no artistic outlet anymore? You are the worst, Burr.
Further, she tells Deacon about the tour -- rather than discussing it WITH him -- and informs him that he's coming. He limply tries to point out that he's a dad and a business owner and enjoys both of them... then decides that sounds lame and agrees to let Tandy watch the girls. One of whom just endured a breakup and has been a TOTAL PILL, the other of whom feels left out and abandoned, and both of whom allegedly still have feelings about Teddy being in jail. Well. This was a really spectacular turd of a parenting AND spouse-ing session.
Grrville
These two look crabby because Autumn is a bit crazy and perhaps a jerk. Scarlett REALLY does not like her already, and Gunnar is just trying to keep the peace, and their jobs.
Wittville
But Autumn then has the gall to eat asparagus sassily while asking about what made them The Exes. And the band that called itself The Exes acts TOTALLY SURPRISED that anyone wants to know the details of why they split up, and indeed, seem actively put off by having to discuss it. YOU PUT IT IN YOUR TITLE. YOU DON'T GET TO BE ANNOYED.
Sensibleville
Juliette has a really nice scene with Avery that I neglected to grab, wherein they are super civil and supportive of one another, and she asks him achingly whether Glenn hates her. He gets her to admit she wants Glenn back because she can't imagine her life without him, and notes "Why is it so hard for you to admit you need someone?" META ALERT. She takes this well, and after some discussion of the merits and demerits of The Old Juliette Barnes, Avery convinces her to sass up a little in her effort to win Glenn back.
That's where this screen grab comes in: Juliette is stomping around madly, complaining about how she hates her wardrobe, and Emily is the only person to suggest that PERHAPS Juliette might need a word with her therapist before embarking on any major... well, anything, ESPECIALLY in her current mood. Juliette is like, "NO GET ON THE TRAIN THIS IS HAPPENING."
Opryville
"This" turns out to be a surprise appearance at The Opry. Avery lures Glenn there under false pretenses, and Glenn almost storms out when Juliette takes the stage, but she dedicates her song to the man she's always thought of as a father -- SNIFFLE; you got me on that one, Juliette -- and delivers a sort of boring but heartfelt ballad about how much she loves him. Glenn tries to be strong, but he can't handle it.
Hugsville
When they meet later, Juliette says she misses him, and that even if he won't be her manager, she just desperately wants him in her life. He caves and says they can be friends AND work together, and nearly breaks down with how much he missed her too. I LOVE YOU GUYS. JUST ADOPT HER. Glenn is just so decent. Juliette needs him and Avery so much, and it makes sense that they're her two rocks, because they share that core kindness. I wish all three of them were real THERE I SAID IT.
Blackmailville
So, in yet another shining example of how Rayna is horrible at her job, she set about planning a whole tour with her and Layla WITHOUT TELLING LAYLA. Not even a whiff of a hint. So Layla goes off the rails and shows up at Luke's office weeping about Jeff. She gets him in a totally weak and sympathetic place, then hints EXTREMELY STRONGLY that she knows what really happened on that rooftop. Luke realizes this means she can only know it from one person, Colt, and swallows a rock in his throat the size of Nebraska. Layla essentially then tells Luke that she's pretty sure he REALLY REALLY wants to help her turn her life around by letting her open for him on HIS tour. Layla. You got him on his knees, girl.
Scarlett
This screen grab brings me endless joy. From the neck up, Scarlett is participating in a Survivor eating challenge, and from the neck down, she is Krystle Carrington.
Swoopville
Surf's up! Grab your wetsuits!
Gloomville
To continue in this string of elaborate facial expressions: Will and Kevin work together all day, and then Will learns that Kevin has another boyfriend. He's crushed, because he threw Kevin away, and he knows it. Sadly, Will tells Kevin that he really has grown a lot since then and because of their relationship, and Kevin very wisely notes, "Sometimes the person we learn the most from isn't the person we get to end up with," and that is a very nice line. It's also extremely true, and here, it puts a bittersweet period on their shared sentence.
Ughville
And then Rayna, who is feeling a jones, arranges it so that she goes out to sing with Autumn, then acts surprised when she does it. Rayna, you are working my nerves this week. She later finds out that Layla -- having heard nothing from Rayna, mind you -- went out and made her own luck and got on Luke's tour, and whines to Bucky, "I pour my heart and soul into these artists and it's all for NOTHING." Are. You. Kidding. Me.
Rebellionville
Maddie, meanwhile, is at a 21-and-over club, where an older guy offers her a beer and flirts with her, and she seems immune to both offers. Then Cash turns on her phone and records Maddie's performance, and I assume that'll become relevant later...
nashville-recap-season-4-episode-15-25
... because GUESS WHO tried to put Daphne to bed and got up her goat about how Maddie "gets away with everything"? And guess who extracted his daughter's whereabouts from Daphne, and guess who showed up there -- presumably leaving Daphne at home by herself, which Rayna surely would hate -- so that he could interfere? YES. Ol' Hulk Smash Claybourne.
Deacon sees a patron reach out and touch Maddie's leg, and he goes apeshit and drags a sobbing Maddie offstage. I assume Cash was still recording that...
Outburstville
... and that it'll appear in the tabloids as Rayna's Rageaholic Baby-Daddy. Because, see, Cash is FUROUS with Deacon. "I'm trying to help her instead of holding her back," she screams, of Maddie, before swearing she will never ever Maddie alone when Maddie needs her, or something. (Maddie is sobbing in the car.) So methinks Cash is talking about Cash now.
Hatville
Juliette looks really good while thanking Avery for his help, and Layla watches them from her car jealously. It's a short conversation, but it's warm, and Avery pokes his head out the doorjamb to watch her walk away, which is classic body language for, "I am still completely in love with you and soon we will bang anew."
Evilville
This is body language for, "Bitch, you're toast." It comes after Scarlett and Gunnar overhear Autumn telling everyone within earshot all about Scarlett and Gunnar's romantic past -- it's not a backstabby thing; it's Autumn dining out on the gossip, while also being a bit condescending about it, all while they are standing right next to her. (There is a pretty amusing John Mayer joke in here, playing on his history of having seemingly dated absolutely everyone, including fictional Autumn Chase.) Scarlett has found Autumn to be patronizing about a lot of things, like her poetry background, and here she snaps and pulls Autumn aside and politely asks her to stop reliving that conversation over and over, because The Exes have put it all behind them. She's diplomatic and polite, and Autumn is very understanding and tells Scarlett she admires her for speaking up because not a lot of women do it. And then Scarlett walks away and Autumn gives her one of these, and THEN invites Gunnar back to her hotel room "with the band." And pulls a total high school move by telling him she was lying before about liking Scarlett's single and that she prefers the one Gunnar wrote. Don't be this dumb, Gunnar. Just don't do it.
Planville
Layla shows up at Avery's to tell him about Luke's tour, and does the thing where when he hugs her to congratulate her, she clings a bit too long and then tries to act like they're both mutually flustered by the embrace. THEN she asks Avery to be her bandleader on tour. Oh, the irony, if HE goes out on tour and leaves Cadence with Juliette. This is going to get messy, in a way that I find delicious.
Planeville
And then this woman. She decides that she is going to go on her ten-city tour anyway, because half an hour of paying attention to Highway 65 means she's "lost sight of [herself] as an artist." So basically, Rayna's response to business success is to wail that it's not sufficiently All About Rayna. I get what she means, sort of, and it's natural that she'd miss performing, but this label -- for which she DOUBLE MORTGAGED HER HOUSE and borrowed millions from her sister -- has only been doing well for about two seconds. COOL YOUR (private) JETS, RAYNA.
Twistville
And then Riff Bell's wife turns up at Luke's office, crying, because Riff packed a bag two days ago and disappeared and she has no idea where he is. And the tour starts tomorrow. Yes, the tour Luke ONLY JUST HIRED LAYLA TO OPEN, and no, he didn't bump another act; the plot of this episode was him trying to figure out which Wheelin' and Dealin' act to hire for the slot and then he had to backtrack on that and give the slot to Layla. Does NOBODY IN NASHVILLE BELIEVE IN PLANNING??