So where are we? What do we need to recall before Nashville’s Episode 10 called I’m Sorry for You, My Friend, begins. Juliette Barnes ran off, leaving her husband, QB Sean Butler at the altar, to presumably to join the music tour with Rayna James. Barnes and Butler are still legally married, by virtue of their courthouse wedding/elopement, but will Butler claim abandonment and seek damages in the sure to follow divorce hearings or will it be an annulment? Scarlett and Gunnar and Avery are still swirling around separately, or in combination, with everything, as usual, going one way this minute, and the other way the next. Teddy and Rayna are in agreement that their marriage isn’t working – but for the sake of the girls – they’ll use the tour rather than announce an official separation, while they see how things go. And of course there’s the unhappy Deacon, who is out on tour with the Revel Kings and has a new girlfriend, someone from the past called Carla Gonzales. He’s not happy about anything at the moment.
I’ve got an alternative title for this episode. I’m calling it – We’ll See as there more We’ll See moments than you could ever imagine.
The episode opens with a press conference for the tour to be called “Red Lips, White Lies”; which is Khouri shorthand for Rayna and Juliette. The ‘media frenzy’ looked like a couple a dozen seated entertainment reporters, journalists, and columnists all eager to ask the big question and get a response that might go viral. The questions go from medium to hot, as do the responses which include some banter which also runs the gamut from cool to barbed.
Time for the Revel Kings bus to pull out. Carmen kisses Deacon goodbye. Cy notices, and you’d think he wouldn’t care seeing how his groupie count is off the charts. But he is a one mean and jealous sumbitch, so he makes a run at Carmen, and is shot-down. It may have been meaningless for Carmen, but the Cy/Deacon series of brush fires are not only visibly still burning, but it looks like an explosion is in the works.
Cut to San Diego and we watch the arena getting set up for the concert. Rayna tells her manager Bucky that she’s kind of not thrilled by her new lead guitarist. The guy has the creds but he and Rayna aren’t on the same page musically. Bucky says he’ll talk to the dude. But before we find out what happens, Rayna gets a call from her daughters. Hi girls! Teddy is in the room and asks to speak with her, but no, Rayna says she isn’t coming back for election night. Teddy says it would help him and look good. Plus she’d get to see the girls, but Rayna remains unsure. Teddy remains in the ‘unhappy camper’ group.
In Nashville and at the Bluebird, we find out that Gunnar is planning to go to Austin. Scarlett just happens to have free tickets and backstage passes to the Revel King concert in Austin provided by her uncle Deacon. She asks if she can ride out there with Gunnar, but he seems reticent about the whole thing claiming he’s going out there for family stuff. When Scarlet says they can make it a work trip and write some songs at the same time, Gunnar is boxed in with no way out.
Juliette is in the process of doing un unpleasant chore – she is signing CDs backstage and offers up that no one buys CD’s any more. Not true – I bought the Nashville TV Series soundtrack CD myself. Juliette is also bitching that Sean Butler won’t sign the divorce papers. Her manager Glenn suggests she reach out to Sean and have a face to face. But Juliette hasn’t the confidence to do that.
Bucky brings in the guitarist and Rayna tries to discuss what she wants from him. But this guy isn’t buying into it. He says Rayna is impossible to please and he’s out of there. He immediately exits stage right. The concert is tomorrow night, and now Rayna has no guitar player. Bucky doesn’t quite take the side of the departed musician but when Rayna says, Can you get me a good guitar player, Bucky says he doubts he can find anyone that Rayna will feel is good enough. And he exits stage right too.
Back in Nashville at Teddy’s HQ, the TV is tuned into Coleman Carlisle giving a speech and saying all the right things – like he’s going to represent all the people in Nashville, not just the ones who will give donations in return for political favors. Tandy says that Coleman has the right reputation, and possibly Teddy doesn’t. Lamar pipes in that he can get the votes – meaning he will grease some palms. But this displeases Teddy and he says – no you won’t – and I won’t have it. [We’ll see about that].
Avery and Marilyn talk shop after sex. Marilyn and her lawyer have looked over the contract that Avery got from Dominic. They don’t like it. Standard royalty numbers less expenses to be charged to Avery that he hadn’t even thought about. Marilyn claims that Dominic’s deal isn’t so good for Avery, and that Dominic is trying to take advantage of Avery’s youth and inexperience. Avery says, Of course that’s how you like them too.
Gunnar and Scarlet meet Deacon at a 5 star hotel in Austin. Gunnar breaks off almost immediately claiming he has to meet with his brother (Family obligations) who he says lives outside of Austin. This is week 10 and this is the very first time we’ve heard about this brother.
[As expected] Liam arrives at the San Diego arena. He meets Rayna who is checking things out from the cheap seats, up near the rafters, the ones I call the Alpine sections. [As could have been expected] this is where she and Deacon had a history of using those seats as the target to reach all the fans in the arena. Rayna knows Liam can handle the guitar gig for her, but he refuses. He’s a rock guy, and she’s country. But with a minimum of wheeling and dealing, and no yanking of his arms behind his back, Liam agrees to do no more than three shows. After all, Rayna is in a bind.
Juliette is working out before the show, not on a stair master, but on the real arena steps. When she comes back down, a reporter corners her and asks about Sean. Juliette is unexpectedly outgoing, actually telling much more about her split with Sean, than she was asked. Glenn and the publicist are mildly shocked, but Juliette says she’s using the media to reach out to Sean. Her tone was decidedly generous and she thinks this could help to get Sean to sign the d-i-v-o-r-c-e papers quicker. Once again, we’ll see.
We see Gunnar waiting for his brother Jason. Where? Outside of the prison where Jason had been for the last 8 years. The brothers don’t greet each other warmly. It seems they’re estranged. More on this is sure to follow.
At the arena, Juliette is signing autographs before the show. One woman calls her over, and when Juliette puts out her hand for the photo to sign the autograph – instead she is served with papers to show up at an annulment hearing the next day. You’ve been served! Have a nice day! Juliette comments – Sean doesn’t want a divorce, he wants to pretend the whole thing never happened.
Liam enters Rayna’s dressing room which is so filled with flowers that Liam asks who died? Rayna explains this is how it goes in country music. And to thank him and welcome him to country – she gives him a gift – a pair of beautiful and expensive cowboy boots. Somehow Liam is not thrilled. Didn’t they already use boots as a gift this year. Sorry – that was a guitar that Juliette gave Deacon. My bad.
At the Revel King’s venue, there’s Deacon and Scarlett. He’s giving her the backstage tour. They run into Cy. Who is definitely impressed by Scarlet’s looks.
Juliette is on stage singing with the band , doing what is known in the business as sound checks. The song is Boys and Buses. In a discussion with her guitarist, Juliette decides to drop “Love Like Mine” from the set. This song likely reminds her of Sean. It is also on the CD.
Teddy is home with his daughters, The girls say they are very proud of him. Daphne has been on the phone non-stop. She says she’s getting ‘freaking’ popular now that she’s the Mayor’s daughter. Teddy says I’m not Mayor yet. The younger daughter passes along a message from Rayna, and says, I hope Mom will be here for your party. This time Teddy will say it for me. He says, We’ll see.
When Bucky asks Rayna if she’s going to use that ticket they reserved for her to fly home for Teddy’s party (its use it or lose it), she tells him to cancel the ticket as she’s not going home. It’s 5:15 PM and Rayna is scheduled to have the stage for her sound check but Juliette is still onstage having just blown right through her allotment of time. Liam tells Juliette to get out of here – it is now Rayna’s turn. [As expected] Juliette goes all bratty.
She and Liam have words, and stronger. Finally Liam refusing to leave, simply lays down on the stage right where Juliette needs to stand.
Juliette storms off and commands her manager Glenn to get the jet ready. When Glenn asks where are you going, Juliette almost snarls and says, Just get the damned jet ready. Rayna, very impressed by Liam’s take no prisoners attitude, laughingly begs him to stay for the whole tour.
Gunnar and Jason check into a motel. Jason says, it’s not much, but at least I can take a shower alone. He’s been in jail for 8 years without having even one single visitor. Gunnar says tells Jason that he is set up at a halfway house and if he can stay with it (and straight as in out of trouble) for six months, Gunnar could get his parole upgraded, and he could bring Jason back to Nashville with him. Jason grabs Gunnar’s guitar and starts a tune. Evidently Jason is more than just a con, he’s also a capable singer and guitarist. They do a duet. It’s a song about being a fugitive and dodging jail. They harmonize nicely. The lyrics go:
I’d like to settle down, but they won’t let me.
A fugitive must be a rolling stone.
Down the road there’s always one more city.
I’m on the run – the highway is my home.
The brothers laugh as they sing together. A kum-bay-ah moment? We’ll see.
Rayna is having her hair combed out before the show when Liam arrives sans the cowboy boots. Rayna says Where’s the boots? Liam says the boots are broke. He put them on, clicked his heels three times, and didn’t turn into Deacon. Boot like those are not his not his style and no matter how much Rayna would like him to be Deacon – he’s not Deacon. They discuss this further, and Liam says she has a problem – she’s scared about the change (no Deacon in the band). Rayna says this isn’t the case, but Liam basically says, Yeah – it is.
Back in Atlanta, Avery and Dominic meet to discuss Avery’s contract. Dominic has been around the block more than a few times, and says that all this is just Marilyn worrying about Marilyn. Dominic says that he is the one making the investment in Avery. They go for a drive in the shiny classic Mustang convertible. Dominic lets Avery drive.
It’s post-show in Austin and Scarlett is giving Deacon a big thumbs up for his performance that night. Cy is lurking about. He points to a wheel-chair fan, and asks Deacon to sign his guitar for the fan. While Deacon is occupied Cy asks Scarlett to join him for a real party in a dressing room . Scarlet is kind of impressed to be in the presence of a singer/musician as successful as Cy. There actually is a party going on. Cy wows Scarlet by showing off the art he travels with and uses to decorate his dressing room.
Juliette used her own jet to fly up to Oakland and see Sean. Confrontation time. When Juliette tells him that it’s quicker to get a divorce than an annulment, he says that he is in no hurry to give her what she wants. She says she is no hurry to stand in front of a judge and admit that she committed fraud. Sean is quite mad, he says, the hell you didn’t. You knew what marriage meant to me. His family was hurt and embarrassed. Sean tells her to apologize and take responsibility for what she did. Juliette: Just sign the divorce papers. Sean: I plan to only get married once, and not to you. I want an annulment.
Meanwhile back at the Revel King’s party, on Cy’s signal to Security, everyone is ushered out of the party room leaving Cy and Scarlett alone in the room. This isn’t going to be good. Cy hits on Scarlett big time and starts to get physical. Scarlett tries to fend him off but we can see that she is clearly in over her head. One of the other band members out in the hall alerts Deacon but Deacon is blocked at the door by Security. He has to fight his way in. More violence follows as Deacon pulls Cy off Scarlett and Deacon throws him down. Cy is so used to doing whatever he want that he says that it is his band (meaning he can take what he wants) and Deacon has no say at all because Deacon is just a visitor. Deacon: Oh yeah, the visit just ended. I quit. Before it gets any worse, Scarlett pulls on Deacon’s arm and they run out of the room.
Back in San Diego, at the arena, Juliette returns and bumps into Liam who apologizes for the bump. Actually they get into what happened earlier on stage. Liam seems to be able to press all of Juliette’s buttons. And once again, in what seems to be what we have come to expect in this episode, Juliette comes off second best. One almost begins to feel sorry for her As expected Juliette whirls and storms off in a huff. The poor thing.
In Austin, Gunnar returns to the motel to find that his guitar is gone. Jason has pawned the guitar and bought a hand gun, a clear parole violation all of which has occurred just five hours after his release from prison. In the ensuing discussion we learn that Jason did the hard time for armed robbery, and Gunnar who was only 16 at that time, drove off without waiting. Gunnar says he was so scared. It comes out that the brothers were once good for each other. But somehow Jason went bad. Jason says he’s happy that Gunnar didn’t follow in his foot steps. The brothers hug and Jason takes off – with his gun.
Rayna’s performance is going great. She introduces a new song and the man who she wrote the song with – Mr. Liam McGinnis. Rayna calls Liam a legend in his own right. We then hear a good portion of the song. And there’s enough contact between Liam and Rayna to be a distinct signal that we can expect more physicality from these two in coming episodes at least until Deacon decides to go for it with Rayna.
Backstage as Juliette gets ready for her turn on stage, she’s listening to Rayna. Juliette looks at her engagement ring, and then at herself in the mirror. Are we to believe that she regrets dumping Sean. I don’t thinks so. But they are planting the idea in our heads anyway. We’ll see – but I’m not betting hard money on it (feelings of regret) lasting; even if they do get together again – it won’t stick.
Coleman and his wife are planning for their victory tomorrow, and don’t they look all Mr and Mrs Mayor-ish. Mrs. Carlisle says that whatever happens, she will always love him. [A sure sign that Teddy will win].
On the other side of Nashville, Teddy is watching the news, and discovering that Rayna’s concert tour is getting more news coverage than his possible election as Mayor. Teddy sits alone and dejected – a sure sign that he’ll win – don’t ya think?
Juliette’s set ends and she decides to do one more song – the song that she had previously announced as being off the list forever – “Love Like Mine.” The crowd eats it up as do we. I still think it is a false clue. In the wings, Bucky is telling Rayna that Juliette is good, even very good, but that she, Rayna, is better. Bucky says You won tonight, and Teddy will win tomorrow. Rayna decides to fly back to Nashville. (Didn’t that ticket get cxled?)
The next morning, Scarlett and Deacon replay the previous night. Scarlett feels that it was somehow her fault. Deacon says basically that it wasn’t and what happened between he and Cy was inevitable.
Avery meets with Marilyn in Atlanta and says he signed the contract. Dominic gave him the Mustang as a bonus. Marilyn isn’t pleased (as expected) and that’s putting it mildly. Avery rolls right over her objections ( don’t forget – he has sampled the Dominic kool-aid), and has the Mustang on top of it. He tells Marilyn that she can get on board with it or get out-of-the-way.
Gunnar goes to pick up Scarlett and he fesses up about his brother, the now ex-con. Scarlet offers to listen any time Gunnar decides he wants to talk about it.
Juliette meets with Sean, the lawyers and the judges for the annulment hearing. The judge probes and Juliette says she will not contest the annulment. It was fraudulent on her part, and she will not pursue the divorce. When the judge asks the lawyers to join her in the judges chambers, Juliette and Sean are left alone in the hearing room. Finally, Juliette apologizes to Sean. She admits that she could never be the kind of wife he deserved. She knew it and now he knows it as well as now he knows that Juliette knows it too. [Got all that?] Sean puts the last nail into the relationship. He reminds her that she once told him that he wouldn’t like her very much if he got to know her. Sean: you were right about that. And he leaves. Forever? We’ll see.
Rayna arrives home to wait for the election results with Teddy and the girls. With 85% of the precincts counted, the TV station makes the call – Teddy has won and is the new mayor-elect of Nashville. Coleman Carlisle is the next image on the TV and he is delivering his concession speech and saying all the right things.
At Teddy’s HQ – his supporters are thrilled with his victory. Teddy gives a short victory speech with Rayna and the girls by his side. Lamar and Tandy watch from the balcony. Lamar is like the Cheshire cat. He had bought some votes for Teddy even though Teddy had specifically told him not to. Lamar denies this to Tandy – but no one in Nashville, or in the entire viewing audience could be expected to believe him. Rayna and the girls have headed home. Teddy says good night to the last remaining aide who then leaves. There is a knock at the door. Who can that be?
Well, we will see and right now. (Gasp) it is Peggy Kintner. Just when we all thought that we’d seen the last of her a few episodes ago – they bring her back. Teddy asks her in. He shows concern. Peggy tells him he’s going to be a great mayor. Then she looks like she’s going to kiss him, but she doesn’t and she leaves.
Am I wrong, but do you see a blackmail by Peggy coming Teddy’s way? Why else would they bring her back. See you next time.
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