Who's songwriting with who?
May. 1st, 2014 07:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessNashville (I caught up on the last two episodes two nights running. It gets pretty blow by blow under the cuts.)
2.11 I’ll Keep Climbing
Wow, they went and killed Peggy!? I wasn’t expecting that, because I thought Teddy would have to deal with her mental ill health issues. I suppose they can have some mileage out of Maddie (she was ‘nice’ except you didn’t really think so when she was coming over all stepmother on you) and the rest of her family’s response, but they were only married for two seconds.
Cost must have been a factor in not having Tandy in this episode – I suppose it could turn out that spa is code for in protected hiding given the shooting.
EMILY! I didn’t think she’d come back. Hmm, how will having her back as no. 1 confidante affect Juliette? Note that Emily didn’t have it in her to stand up to Juliette, unlike Avery when he worked for her, although I recall that you could read into Emily’s feelings for her boss.
Oh Juliette, stop your avoidance, I want to hear what Avery thinks – I don’t think he knows what he thinks or dares to think about what he really feels after the late night declaration. But I didn’t think that the new track was that great, although apt for the moment.
Kelly Clarkson’s name being used? Not all talent show winners are duffers, right, show!? (And maybe Deacon should ask Scarlett for help in writing his song.)
Will’s strand was the least interesting to me of the ones left hanging at the end of the last episode, but I liked that Gunnar’s response was tied into the loss of his brother and that he didn’t entirely abandon Will overnight, seeing as he’d just admitted TO BEING SUICIDAL. I don’t think that the issue is so much what society or country music fans think of being gay as it is what Will thinks.
LIAM! A lot to unpack in his relief that Rayna wasn’t dating Deacon and his dislike of Luke, not just because of her (except I think you’ll find that you’re not dating any more when you call him next, Rayna) but also because Luke does cosy up with the man (Edgehill). Liam always makes me smile. I wish he were a regular, but then he wouldn’t make me smile because they’d remember he drank too much. (But having someone who doesn’t really want to perform would add to the picture of Nashville.)
Yay Megan for not putting up with Deacon’s attitude!
Oh, Juliette, that little pause was always going to do you in. It was inevitable that something bad was going to happen the second that man badmouthed her mother...
I hearted the duet in front of Kelly Clarkson because I love Scarlett and Gunnar singing together, not to mention Kelly Clarkson, and then Scarlett went and had the integrity to say what she did. She was right, they couldn’t write a song like that right now, whatever Gunnar would like to think (and it’s mainly his fault too.)
And then Rayna flat-out told Liam that her line is and always will be her daughters, which he’s never taken on board until now. Maybe she should turn to Scarlett (and Gunnar) again for the hit single she needs.
Also, Liam is so not subtle about fancying her, and it has been going on for a while.
I was SO PROUD of Scarlett. When Avery called her on the depth of the feelings leading to the rant, she copped to the fact that it wasn’t just Zoe she was mad at, not really, but also called him on Juliette’s effect on him and nailed what’s been wrong with their coming back together. They’ve have changed; they have grown, and that she was the one to admit it made me delighted, because she stood up to him.
But it was the songwriting duo I didn’t see coming that won the day. I adored Daphne coming in with the harmony and the tenderness that Esten brought to the singing, while that kid has that lovely voice. The moment also worked by bringing it back to writing a song for self-expression, not to order, which Scarlett (and KELLY CLARKSON!?) got. Ahem.
Also, aww, Avery and the message he now felt able to leave. While I think that there was a little too much repetition in bare-faced Juliette and her puffy eyes of tears, watching someone burn your picture out of hatred is not a nice thing to go through.
And if we’re talking repetitious, what other adjective describes bookending the episode with a montage over a song?
I thought the episode suffered a little from not locking down the sequence of when various things happened, going for effect, rather than chronology, and occasionally leading to confusion. It’s partly because there’s so much going on with so many characters.
2.12 Just as I am
Whoa, that’s a step up – having Claire Bowen perform live at a proper show as Scarlett (with a star I don’t recognise?) was brave, as it showed up a lot of Nashville’s ‘arena shows’. And then we had Gunnar bumping into another star (and I see from the credits that that really was his wife). I don’t know enough about the country music scene to know whether it’s embraced the show or not.
So, ‘will you songwrite with me?’ is being asked by all and sundry, even though, half the time, it has another meaning too...
And Layla’s speech wasn’t able to save Juliette, it looks like.
(In the 24 hours since watching the last ep I’ve been thinking far too much about how where they’re going with Juliette/Avery – when do we get a kiss? - and how they’re going to navigate the dynamics of her being a millionaire star and him being a talented musician who can write songs...and washes glasses as part of the day job because I both want them to get it on and for it to work for them. How did they become THE couple I ship the hardest on this show?)
Aww, Avery’s speech to Zoe came more from Juliette than anything.
(SEE!?)
Jeff Fordham, again, should have twirled his moustache and worn a black hat to visit Juliette.
And Avery finally decided to go visiting, and Juliette’s bouncer justified hanging around in this episode. Oh, JULIETTE.
I liked Rayna and Deacon’s song.
Luke is friendlier to Rayna than I expected!
Juliette’s disguise: AWESOME.
Least surprising thing ever: that Megan is representing the man who shot at the second Mrs Conrad. But then they went and did something interesting by making Teddy accosting her be about widows and widowers, and the characters in the room (not so much Rayna and Deacon).
Of course, the busking in disguise thing was nonsensical, because even though they were singing well, what city crowd does that? But Avery got a smile out of her and she loved performing with him, so I am mush.
And Luke kept his word and didn’t out that Rayna was with him when he heard the song!
Oh, Gunnar, you make it really hard to ship you with Scarlett (or anyone, because his cluelessness over Zoe was pretty bad). I still think they’re endgame, but if he doesn’t grow up a lot and work through his issues, I’m going to think her too awesome for him, frankly. Because he really didn’t recognise the magic when they sing. Still, the boy has learned that he needs to work on his relationship with Zoe and may learn a little more about how to do relationships from that.
And then came Scarlett’s inevitable meltdown and I love that she’s a truth-teller, especially over people and things she loves, because she just nailed Rayna/Deacon, and cut through the ‘being mature’ smokescreen.
Aww, Avery’s face that he only got through so far with Juliette – but I think it’s healthier that she’s thinking about what he’s saying and not jumping into anything with him, but dealing with her stuff.
Megan’s little ‘yay’ at what Deacon said was extremely endearing. And I like that they’re giving Deacon/Megan and, surprisingly, Rayna/Luke a good shot. But by giving Megan a job that allows her to pop up in another plotline, she’s getting more of a chance than the season 1 vet.
Amusing that Rayna just brushed off Scarlett’s verbal diarrhoea, perhaps because Scarlett is allowed to get like that over Deacon (and Rayna did recognise the truth of it and acted on it – will they still record the single, though?) and instead had the conversation about how much Scarlett wanted her music and to focus on that, touching on the whirlwind that had been through. But it tied into Juliette connecting with the music and performance too.
Avery’s face as Juliette bossed him (again)!
This was a good episode, with lots of things going interesting places. While I thought they put Will and Layla on ice deftly enough, I thought that the kids were a little bit too missing from Rayna’s life – their stepmother was shot dead, their father has lumped them with their mother and they would probably assume that was because he was grieving, which would be a lot to deal with. And now Rayna is introducing some guy to them...
Admittedly, the show’s filling a soap-sized gap for me, but I also love that it’s about (mainly) women being creative and what that means for them.
2.11 I’ll Keep Climbing
Wow, they went and killed Peggy!? I wasn’t expecting that, because I thought Teddy would have to deal with her mental ill health issues. I suppose they can have some mileage out of Maddie (she was ‘nice’ except you didn’t really think so when she was coming over all stepmother on you) and the rest of her family’s response, but they were only married for two seconds.
Cost must have been a factor in not having Tandy in this episode – I suppose it could turn out that spa is code for in protected hiding given the shooting.
EMILY! I didn’t think she’d come back. Hmm, how will having her back as no. 1 confidante affect Juliette? Note that Emily didn’t have it in her to stand up to Juliette, unlike Avery when he worked for her, although I recall that you could read into Emily’s feelings for her boss.
Oh Juliette, stop your avoidance, I want to hear what Avery thinks – I don’t think he knows what he thinks or dares to think about what he really feels after the late night declaration. But I didn’t think that the new track was that great, although apt for the moment.
Kelly Clarkson’s name being used? Not all talent show winners are duffers, right, show!? (And maybe Deacon should ask Scarlett for help in writing his song.)
Will’s strand was the least interesting to me of the ones left hanging at the end of the last episode, but I liked that Gunnar’s response was tied into the loss of his brother and that he didn’t entirely abandon Will overnight, seeing as he’d just admitted TO BEING SUICIDAL. I don’t think that the issue is so much what society or country music fans think of being gay as it is what Will thinks.
LIAM! A lot to unpack in his relief that Rayna wasn’t dating Deacon and his dislike of Luke, not just because of her (except I think you’ll find that you’re not dating any more when you call him next, Rayna) but also because Luke does cosy up with the man (Edgehill). Liam always makes me smile. I wish he were a regular, but then he wouldn’t make me smile because they’d remember he drank too much. (But having someone who doesn’t really want to perform would add to the picture of Nashville.)
Yay Megan for not putting up with Deacon’s attitude!
Oh, Juliette, that little pause was always going to do you in. It was inevitable that something bad was going to happen the second that man badmouthed her mother...
I hearted the duet in front of Kelly Clarkson because I love Scarlett and Gunnar singing together, not to mention Kelly Clarkson, and then Scarlett went and had the integrity to say what she did. She was right, they couldn’t write a song like that right now, whatever Gunnar would like to think (and it’s mainly his fault too.)
And then Rayna flat-out told Liam that her line is and always will be her daughters, which he’s never taken on board until now. Maybe she should turn to Scarlett (and Gunnar) again for the hit single she needs.
Also, Liam is so not subtle about fancying her, and it has been going on for a while.
I was SO PROUD of Scarlett. When Avery called her on the depth of the feelings leading to the rant, she copped to the fact that it wasn’t just Zoe she was mad at, not really, but also called him on Juliette’s effect on him and nailed what’s been wrong with their coming back together. They’ve have changed; they have grown, and that she was the one to admit it made me delighted, because she stood up to him.
But it was the songwriting duo I didn’t see coming that won the day. I adored Daphne coming in with the harmony and the tenderness that Esten brought to the singing, while that kid has that lovely voice. The moment also worked by bringing it back to writing a song for self-expression, not to order, which Scarlett (and KELLY CLARKSON!?) got. Ahem.
Also, aww, Avery and the message he now felt able to leave. While I think that there was a little too much repetition in bare-faced Juliette and her puffy eyes of tears, watching someone burn your picture out of hatred is not a nice thing to go through.
And if we’re talking repetitious, what other adjective describes bookending the episode with a montage over a song?
I thought the episode suffered a little from not locking down the sequence of when various things happened, going for effect, rather than chronology, and occasionally leading to confusion. It’s partly because there’s so much going on with so many characters.
2.12 Just as I am
Whoa, that’s a step up – having Claire Bowen perform live at a proper show as Scarlett (with a star I don’t recognise?) was brave, as it showed up a lot of Nashville’s ‘arena shows’. And then we had Gunnar bumping into another star (and I see from the credits that that really was his wife). I don’t know enough about the country music scene to know whether it’s embraced the show or not.
So, ‘will you songwrite with me?’ is being asked by all and sundry, even though, half the time, it has another meaning too...
And Layla’s speech wasn’t able to save Juliette, it looks like.
(In the 24 hours since watching the last ep I’ve been thinking far too much about how where they’re going with Juliette/Avery – when do we get a kiss? - and how they’re going to navigate the dynamics of her being a millionaire star and him being a talented musician who can write songs...and washes glasses as part of the day job because I both want them to get it on and for it to work for them. How did they become THE couple I ship the hardest on this show?)
Aww, Avery’s speech to Zoe came more from Juliette than anything.
(SEE!?)
Jeff Fordham, again, should have twirled his moustache and worn a black hat to visit Juliette.
And Avery finally decided to go visiting, and Juliette’s bouncer justified hanging around in this episode. Oh, JULIETTE.
I liked Rayna and Deacon’s song.
Luke is friendlier to Rayna than I expected!
Juliette’s disguise: AWESOME.
Least surprising thing ever: that Megan is representing the man who shot at the second Mrs Conrad. But then they went and did something interesting by making Teddy accosting her be about widows and widowers, and the characters in the room (not so much Rayna and Deacon).
Of course, the busking in disguise thing was nonsensical, because even though they were singing well, what city crowd does that? But Avery got a smile out of her and she loved performing with him, so I am mush.
And Luke kept his word and didn’t out that Rayna was with him when he heard the song!
Oh, Gunnar, you make it really hard to ship you with Scarlett (or anyone, because his cluelessness over Zoe was pretty bad). I still think they’re endgame, but if he doesn’t grow up a lot and work through his issues, I’m going to think her too awesome for him, frankly. Because he really didn’t recognise the magic when they sing. Still, the boy has learned that he needs to work on his relationship with Zoe and may learn a little more about how to do relationships from that.
And then came Scarlett’s inevitable meltdown and I love that she’s a truth-teller, especially over people and things she loves, because she just nailed Rayna/Deacon, and cut through the ‘being mature’ smokescreen.
Aww, Avery’s face that he only got through so far with Juliette – but I think it’s healthier that she’s thinking about what he’s saying and not jumping into anything with him, but dealing with her stuff.
Megan’s little ‘yay’ at what Deacon said was extremely endearing. And I like that they’re giving Deacon/Megan and, surprisingly, Rayna/Luke a good shot. But by giving Megan a job that allows her to pop up in another plotline, she’s getting more of a chance than the season 1 vet.
Amusing that Rayna just brushed off Scarlett’s verbal diarrhoea, perhaps because Scarlett is allowed to get like that over Deacon (and Rayna did recognise the truth of it and acted on it – will they still record the single, though?) and instead had the conversation about how much Scarlett wanted her music and to focus on that, touching on the whirlwind that had been through. But it tied into Juliette connecting with the music and performance too.
Avery’s face as Juliette bossed him (again)!
This was a good episode, with lots of things going interesting places. While I thought they put Will and Layla on ice deftly enough, I thought that the kids were a little bit too missing from Rayna’s life – their stepmother was shot dead, their father has lumped them with their mother and they would probably assume that was because he was grieving, which would be a lot to deal with. And now Rayna is introducing some guy to them...
Admittedly, the show’s filling a soap-sized gap for me, but I also love that it’s about (mainly) women being creative and what that means for them.
