Nashville review – 1×20 : ‘A Picture from Life’s Other Side’

Leading up to its finale next week, Nashville makes some big moves with a paternity reveal and a murder-suicide to cover up a sex tape. Never a dull moment in the world of country music.

Let’s bitch it out…

Well. Who knew mama Jolene (Sylvia Jefferies) had it in her? When she goes back to the drug house I know she has something up her sleeve other than just running back to the pills cause Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) got a little snarky again. I just didn’t think it would involve a murder-suicide. Honestly, even when she pulled out the gun, I agreed with greasy haired Dante (Jay Hernandez) and didn’t think she would actually follow through. So colour me even more surprised when she also kills herself. Now, I’m going with suicide here instead of OD because.. frankly, she’s been an addict for the majority of her adult life and so you’d think she knows what she can handle. So instead, I’m figuring that the murder she committed to finally do something to save her daughter drove her to suicide, rather than that she just accidentally took one too many. I’m sticking with mama Jolene finally taking one for the team.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m actually sad to see her go, believe it or not. She may have been more trouble than she’s worth most of the time, but I actually felt like they were getting to a good (ish) place in their relationship. The thing that worries me the most about this is that its going to set Juliette on a path to destruction. She literally has nobody now; unless you count her weird lackey personal assistant, but she’s getting a paycheque to hang around with Juliette so I don’t think she counts as an actual friend. So, I fear that they are going to take this to a Lindsay Lohan type place with Juliette and I just think that would bring down the show. I don’t just mean that it would be a bummer, but Nashville is set to a higher standard than stories like that and it would be lowering itself if that’s where they take this.

I think its unbelievable (and frankly I’m a little disappointed) that I didn’t even get to lead with the sex tape scandal. Now you know that’s a good episode when a sex tape gets bumped back because there is something even more interesting than that to lead with! But to be honest, the sex tape was kind of anti-climatic. I was excited about it last week but it was a big meh – could have gone places but ends up being a let down because it fizzles out too soon.

Now, Rayna (Connie Britton). Are you serious? Keeping a copy of the paternity results in the house where your snooping teenage daughter could find them as easily as that? If this is such a huge secret that Teddy (Eric Close) will go to the lengths of getting a restraining order against Deacon (Charles Esten), then couldn’t they keep the paperwork somewhere a little more secure? However, this is leading right in to what I’ve been saying all season; season finale cliffhanger with my man Deacon finally finding out the truth. So I’m not too upset for their terrible hiding skills.

Other observations:

• This is the first episode that I actually really like newcomer Will (Chris Carmack) and hope he returns as a series regular next season. Maybe I was against him because it seemed like he was changing my boy Gunnar (Sam Palladio). But now that’s not the case at all so I can look at him as a separate person and realize I actually really like him. Maybe I’m transferring, because, much like Scarlett (Clare Bowen), I absolutely cannot handle Gunnar going off the rails like he is these days. I hate to say it, but maybe some of my Gunnar love is transferring to Will because he’s nice and normal like my Gunnar used to be.
•  Good on Scarlett for standing up for herself and putting her foot down. (About a dozen Beyonce songs about independent women just ran through my head when I wrote that. Ah well, if the shoe fits).
• I’m not sure which way they’re playing Avery (Jonathan Jackson) these days. They seem to be setting up for him to get together with Juliette but also for a reunion with Scarlett at the same time. This is confusing for me because I actually like both storylines so I’m torn! Oh the possibilities. I’m excited to see how this is going to play out.

So, what did you think of ‘A Picture from Life’s Other Side’? Are you excited for the finale next week? Were you surprised by the murder-suicide? What do you think this means for Juliette now? Do you think Deacon will find out in the finale that he’s the father? Sound off below!

Nashville airs Wednesday night at 10pm EST on ABC.