Nashville, Season 2, Episode 11 – RECAP

Nashville returned with a bang last Wednesday night after a Winter hiatus that saw fans eagerly awaiting the news of whether Peggy and Will would bite the dust. Turns out it was Peggy (cue a huge sigh of a relief from most fans of the show) and Teddy is shown having to deal with this intense tragedy, holding back tears during a press conference to announce the detaining of the culprit. However, wrought with grief, he pours over the papers of the investigation, convinced that the murderer’s loss of job 5 years ago is not entirely to blame for his intent to kill. He allows himself to believe that this may be a larger, group plot, and extends the investigation, telling Rayna to keep the kids away so that they don’t come into any potential harm.

Rayna is launching Highway 65 Records, and things are really falling into place save for one thing: which single to launch the album. Jeff’s market research says that none of Rayna’s songs are single material, but she wants to go with her gut and release a song called ‘Better Days’, which Liam backs up. However, after mulling it over, she decides that the finances she could stand to lose if she can’t pull this business venture off are so astronomical that she needs a new song. Meanwhile, she auditions real-life band The Cadillac Three for the label and celebrates her duet with Luke hitting #1, showing promising things for the future. Glenn also puts the thought in Rayna’s mind of writing with Deacon.

Juliette is avoiding Avery after she almost declared her love for him, but has added their song ‘Dreams’ to her live set, and Glenn invites him down to watch her rehearse. However, she continues to avoid him and welcomes the distraction of her assistant Emily returning after “looking after her sick aunt”. Unfortunately that’s not all Juliette has to worry about as the press remain hot on her heels following the Wentworth break-up, and protestors are gathered outside the venues of her shows, travelling from one city to the next. She loses her temper after one protestor mentions her mother is in hell, and she proclaims “There is no God… who would listen to a crackpot like you.” She’s foolish to have done so however, as a looped clip of her saying the first part is splashed onto the internet and there’s an even bigger outcry as millions believe she doesn’t believe in God. Juliette and her team decide that the only way to get out of this mess is for golden girl Layla to hold a press conference and tell everyone the truth of what her tourmate said, and it goes off without a hitch. Yet, it doesn’t stop thousands of fans from burning her CDs, live on the news, making a less-than-subtle reference to the Dixie Chicks.

Layla and Brent are panicking because they can’t get a hold of Will (obviously, because he went to kill himself). Brent goes to Gunnar who hasn’t seen him either, but after Brent leaves Gunnar checks Will’s internet history, which shows him looking at Echo Ridge Falls in the Smokey Mountains. Gunnar panics and goes to find Will, who is alive and camped out up in the mountains, apparently unable to make that leap to suicide. Will runs away but Gunnar stays at the camp and waits hours for him to return. When he does, they have a heart to heart, and it transpires that Will feels disgusting for who he is, doesn’t accept himself, and hates that who he is could come between him and his dream of being a country performer. The two re-bond, and Gunnar stays the night to make sure his friend is okay, before they both head back into town in the morning. Layla is so happy to see Willi again and we see a touching moment of heartbreak when he acts cool and collected and she wants him to love her back. On the other side of the coin, however, when Brent turns up Will lashes out, saying to never go near him again.

Scarlett gets a career-changing call from Kelly Clarkson who wants to record ‘Fade Into You’. She and Gunnar play a couple of songs for Kelly and she asks them to write a few songs for her next album, a great opportunity. However, Scarlett is less than willing, and explains that she and Gunnar are simply not in the right place to be able to write the great love songs Kelly wants. Scarlett also re-evaluates her relationship with Avery, which they realize is out of habit than out of who they should really be with. As a result, Avery calls Juliette, telling her if she needs anyone, at any time, he’ll be there.

Deacon has been writing songs and talks to a record company guy, who believes in him but wants him to come up with a killer lead song that’ll blow another exec’s socks off in a few days. Under pressure, Deacon tries to come up with something, anything, but has writer’s block, and ends up shouting at Megan and pushing her away as a result. Sat outsider a liquor store, he comes to his senses and apologizes to his girlfriend, before meeting with Maddie. They end up writing a great song together in 10 minutes, which they play for Rayna *cue magical moment*.

That’s it for this recap, ‘Nashville’, episode 12 airs on Wednesday at 10/9c on ABC.

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Posted by Vickye.
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