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So, Juliette basically can't catch a break. She goes on Conan and she's asked about Rayna. She meets with new Edgehill boss Jeff Fordham (Oliver Hudson, who REALLY is looking like Steven Weber on a new, slick version of Wings) and she's told she's not selling enough records. She goes back to the Alabama trailer park where she grew up as part of a CMT interview and she runs into an old neighbor who has made her a quilt featuring about seventeen pictures of her as a baby. She mentions her father in the interview and we wonder if he's REALLY dead or going to show up later in the season and be played by Billy Bob Thornton. Just when things seem like they're turning around, with a sweet friendship with Avery developing and her new song at No. 1 on the iTunes charts, Juliette meets Layla Grant. Layla is the runner-up in some sort of American Idol-esque show, and is Edgehill's new big thing to dominate the tween market. At an Edgehill artist party, Layla sings "a Juliette Barnes classic" as Jeff tells guests that her song has reached number one on the iTunes charts. At least maybe Juliette can redirect some of the burning hatred she feels for Rayna?
Speaking of Rayna, things aren't going too great for her either. Maddie basically hates her and though Jeff puts red lipstick kisses on her butt when they first meet, he actually wants to poach Will from her little label and only cares about her back catalogue. Will -- who has realized he's a performer and not an artist -- goes with Jeff (despite learning that his former gay flame is the new Edgehill PR person), and when Rayna sees Layla perform she starts thinking that maybe Edgehill isn't the place for her. And can I just say that while everyone else is up in arms about this Layla character, she actually sounds better than anyone else on this show. Rayna also has to remind Teddy that they're not getting back together, which Daphne hears and is sad about.
Deacon is, of course, his typically tortured self, and gets very weird about his damaged hand. Scarlett is living with him now, and she takes him to the doctor against his will. Once there, he's told that his hand might not heal enough to get him back to where he was as a guitar player. He refuses pain meds for obvious reasons, then chooses to get a cast instead of starting physical therapy, ostensibly because he thinks he'll never be able to play again, but really because he's always looking for another way to make himself miserable. He goes to the site of his and Rayna's accident, and she meets him there. He's worried that he'll never be able to play again, and didn't know who else to call. Plus, he just wanted to see her again and enter back into some version of their tortured relationship, but she's not having it. They've brought each other too much grief, and now it's time for them to move forward without each other. She gives back the ring that he drunkenly used to propose to her in flashback and he tosses it away. THEN Deacon tries to sell all of his guitars, gets a dressing down from Scarlett and tells her about Maddie. She tells him that he's a fool for not going to physical therapy, and then later he saws off his own cast, because he literally never can make a sensible decision.
In other news, Zoe knows everything about Gunnar, including how to help him overcome his writers' block. He sings a song about Jason, and both Zoe and Will want to bang him.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!Previously on Nashville: Rayna was in a coma! But then she came out of it and recognized her kids, hallelujah. We learned that Deacon once proposed to her while drunk and then they made Maddie and then the morning he forgot that any of those things ever happened. Scarlett worried about the future of her recording contract, while Will wanted to kiss an old flame but instead punched him. Juliette held a vigil for Rayna, then Maddie told her that Deacon was her real dad. Meanwhile, Deacon and his busted hand were in jail and miserable, as per usual.
We begin this episode in Hollywood, where Juliette is on Conan. She walks out in a tight little dress, her hair wavy and gorgeous. She's at her most charming, and Conan congratulates her on being named the CMA's female vocalist of the year, and for the release of her new album, Inside the Dream. Meanwhile, while Juliette chats it up on the talk show circuit, Rayna is finally home after four weeks in the hospital. She looks weary, but like her hair has finally been washed THANK GOD. Teddy greets her with a hug, and she thanks him for taking care of everything while she was, you know, in a coma. He says he'll be staying until she's back to 100%, which she seems rather ambivalent about, even in her current state. Daphne runs out with a big hug while Maddie, emboldened by the fact that her mom is still actually alive, just rolls her eyes and stomps off.
Back at Conan, the topic of Juliette's vigil for Rayna comes up, as does the news that Rayna got out of the hospital today. Juliette is obviously annoyed, but recovers and says that Rayna couldn't wait to buy her album. Over at the Conrad-Jaymes Mansion, Rayna talks to Tandy about Maddie's attitude and how she can't believe she almost left her daughters motherless, just as she was left motherless at a young age. And it was all, "Because of him." Tandy asks if Rayna is going to talk to "him," and Rayna says she doesn't know if she'll ever talk to him again. Um, except for like 40 minutes into this very episode. And also when the will-they-or-won't-they storyline rears its head again, which it has to, because TRUE LOVE. Still, it is going to take a little time for us all to get over Drunk Deacon, though. I talked about it in therapy all summer.
While Avery is exhausted by Juliette's thirteenth appearance in two weeks, Glen notes that a) this is what you have to do to sell records and; b) Juliette seems to like him. What Juliette does not want is to have to talk about Rayna during every interview when she's trying to plug her new album. She tells Avery to shut up before he even says anything, because feeling him think is bothersome enough. Poor Avery. In other manager news, Bucky visits Rayna and they talk about the sale of Edgehill. Former label head Marshall was fired, and the new guy's name is Jeff Fordham. He's a Harvard MBA bean counter, and heads are rolling. He's meeting with every Edgehill artist this week, and though Rayna could get a reprieve given that she just got out of a coma, she wants to get in there and stand her ground. Bucky wonders if she should even be talking, given her intubation and the need to protect her voice. And I mean, given her past vocal prowess…maybe it will actually help? But Rayna is focused on wanting to protect Highway 65, which an awkward cut and voice-over reminds us is her label. She tells Bucky to get Scarlett and Will and they can make it a family affair.
Speaking of Scarlett, she catches Gunnar dropping off some of her stuff on her porch and trying to run away. She tells him that Zoey is planning on coming to the house to pick up her bigger stuff, like the couch, which Gunnar is forced to tell her has been torched. And, wait. Who sends her best girlfriend to go pick up her heavy shit alone? That makes no sense. Gunnar gives Scarlett a check for the damages, and then they make awkward small talk about how Gunnar is having problems writing lyrics. He wonders if she has any time to get together and write and she's basically like, "No." And that's a lesson on the dangers of mixing business with chipmunk pleasures!
We cut to Juliette meeting with new label head Jeff Fordham, played by Oliver Hudson who is looking an awful lot like Steven Weber from Wings these days. She tries to charm him, but he wastes little time in noting that her album hasn't been a runaway success and the tweens aren't showing up for it. Juliette is of course moving toward a new, more mature sound, away from the bubble gum and glitter. But bubble gum and glitter means money, so Jeff is all for it. He notes that Juliette's new album is being outsold by The Best of Rayna Jaymes, so the mature audience isn't exactly buying it either. Juliette asks if Jeff would like her to go have her own near-death experience. The implicit answer to that is yes. He invites her to a get together of artists at his new place, and then dismisses her while lying that he's a big fan.
And then… hooray! Rayna shows up at the label office in a fly black outfit with her hair 80% back. Scarlett meets her there, and quickly tells Rayna that she's staying with Deacon, and knows that there's weird tension there and also she still doesn't understand why he fell off the wagon. Rayna is a pro about it, and says that if everyone in Nashville who had a complicated relationship stopped working together, they'd never get anything done. Bucky and Will show up, and Juliette sees Rayna on her way out and gives her a hug. Rayna thanks Juliette for the prayer vigil, and Juliette says, "I'm glad it worked." When asked about the new guy, Juliette says he's an ass, which is technically true.
Jeff's greeting to Rayna is super enthusiastic, though, and he says he's been looking forward to meeting the woman who built Edgehill. We're forced to like him a little when he shakes Scarlett's hand and says, "Nice dress." Jeff talks up how excited he was about this meeting, given Will's demos and the hot sales of Rayna's catalog. He thinks he's looking at the future of Edgehill right now, and wants Rayna to get healthy and get strong. He says he has her back…within stabbing range of his knife!
Back at Dire Misery Manor, Scarlett chipmunks to Deacon that he should have some dinner…by which she means cereal. He wants her to get off his back, but she refuses, noting that Juliette made him an appointment with a busted hand specialist. Deacon yells at her because he doesn't want to fix his damn busted hand, which very effectively adds to the misery he so craves. She wonders if he's mad that she's working with Rayna, but he's not. He's happy that her career is taking off and knows that she gets the art of songwriting, but warns her that the business end of music might eat her alive. He wants her to be careful. She wants him to eat cereal.
Cut to Will playing a show at Robert's Western World, from which I have many excellent boot-shaped beer koozies. He's all manly swagger and black cowboy hats, and is surprised to see Jeff in the audience when he gets offstage. Jeff tells Will that he's the future of country music, but when Will says that he's excited to work with Edgehill and Highway 65, Jeff gets a funny look. It turns out that Will hasn't signed his Highway 65 contract yet, and Jeff wants to poach him for a deal with the "big dog", Edgehill proper. If Will accepts, he'll get all the Edgehill resources and a full court press, but won't get to work with Rayna. Highway 65 is like the farm team, and Jeff is inviting Will to the majors. When Will's scandalous outing becomes an issue he is going to remember this moment with some grief, I suspect.
Then Rayna wants to have a mother-daughter chat with Maddie. Maddie is understandably upset about what the heck she's supposed to do with a lying mom and an alcoholic biological dad, but also is being kind of a bitch. Maybe Rayna should have stayed in that coma a little while longer?
As Will exits the club he sees the gay smooching/punching partner from last episode, and accuses him of being a stalker. The guy says he's there with his boss, and then Jeff walks over. Yes, Will's secret gay flame is Brent, the new Edgehill marketing/PR guy who Jeff poached -- because he is good at poaching things! -- from L.A. And I mean…poor Brent.
Meanwhile, Avery sits on Juliette's private plane and wonders where they're going . And the answer is…Alabama. Instead of faking her own death, as Jeff suggested, Juliette thought she could exploit her background of poverty and pain for record sales. She's had a CMT special on the books for a while to promote the album, and they apparently agreed to film it in Juliette's hometown trailer park. Avery wonders why he's even there, and Juliette tells him not to read too much into it since she's just looking to work on some new songs. Mmm-hmmmm.
Back at the Conrad-Jaymes Mansion, Teddy wonders if he can get Rayna some water, tea or whiskey. She wonders if he's going to help her break the rules and he says, "You know me…Mr. Rebellious." So I guess it's good that he has a sense of irony? Rayna thanks him for being awesome, and Teddy grabs her hand, saying he's always going to be there for their girls…and Rayna. They look at each other right in the eyes and then Bucky awkwardly interrupts, as he is wont to do. He tells Rayna, who is trying to get a handle on Highway 65 contract stuff, that Jeff is trying to poach Will. This does not go over so well.
Then we're in the Volvo wagon with Scarlett and Deacon. They first pass the site of the crash, where a little vigil of flowers and teddy bears and what not is in place. This is bad enough, but then Deacon realizes that Scarlett is not taking him to the grocery store, but to the doctor. Deacon told her he wasn't going to the doctor, but apparently he was wrong. Scarlett is the most likeable in this scene that she has ever been as she yells at Deacon to shut up. She know she's afraid of what the doctors are going to say, but they're going anyway, so he's to sit there and stifle.
We get a brief moment of Juliette emerging from a tour bus to the trailer park of her youth. She looks pained, but puts on a smile for the folks at CMT. Avery is beside her through it all. And then we see Gunner trying to write a song (quite unsuccessfully, as is evident by his rhyming of "beer" with "near" and then "dear"). It's 4:00 p.m., and Will finally gets up. He couldn't sleep last night, since Jeff came to his gig and wanted him to ditch Highway 65 for Edgehill. Will takes a long pause, then says, "There's this guy Brent I used to know in Austin…"
Stupid Gunnar interrupts Will's attempt to confide his gay feelings by saying that he doesn't have time to help with his high-class problem of which record label to sign with given his own inability to write a decent lyric (which is of course related to the potential demise of his publishing deal). The two bicker for a minute and then Zoey enters. People just leave their doors open in Nashville? I mean…the bugs! She's come by to pick up any un-burnt furniture, and also probably to begin some nascent romantic complications.
And then Rayna busts into Jeff Fordham's office like only a feisty superstar whose hair is up to 87% of its peak performance can. Rayna threatens to sic her lawyer on Jeff, given that Highway 65 had a verbal agreement with Will. But Jeff's team of four lawyers -- who are right now in his office -- don't quite see it that way. Jeff argues that Will can make his choice, and that Rayna's fledgling label is not the right place for an artist of Will's potential. Will's new stuff and Rayna's back catalog are where Jeff wants his money, which of course means that he's not interested in Rayna's new material OR Scarlett. And really, can we give Jeff a round of applause for being the one person in Nashville who isn't falling all over himself to offer Scarlett a deal of some sort?
Oh God, and then we're back in Enterprise, Alabama. CMT's Katie Cook tells Juliette that it's really brave of her to come home, especially with everything she's been through. Juliette wears jeans and boots and her hair in two braids and tells Katie that it's great to come back and reconnect with where she's from. And then a producer shoves a lady towards Juliette. It's Miss Carrie, who tearfully hugs a surprised Juliette. Miss Carrie as a trailer neighbor, and says that Juliette used to come over to her house for hours (likely when her mom was setting the trailer on fire or contracting Hep C) and they'd bake peanut butter cookies. Carrie is slightly terrifying but mostly sad, and has made Juliette a quilt featuring all sorts of her baby pictures. She says that she's followed Juliette every step of the way, and as Avery watches the whole scene with an odd look on his face, Miss Carrie bunches up the quilt and gives it to a shell-shocked Juliette. When the cameras stop rolling, Juliette walks away with dead eyes, shoving the quilt at Avery on her way back to the bus.
Then we're at the Ryman with Will and Rayna. He tells her he didn't go looking to be poached, and she says it's an opportunity for him to think about what he wants and make his own decision. She knows it's flattering to have the head of a label tell him that he's the future of country music, but Jeff is a businessman who only cares about what his research tells him will sell the most units this month. month, it will be something or someone else. Rayna thinks that she and Will could do something special, and she wants to be able to protect him as an artist so he can grow and find his voice and know who he is. She will always have his back, she says, for real for real, unlike some other people who claim to have your back but then turn around and poach your big star but THEN also probably sleep with you in episode seven. In any case, Will looks conflicted, probably because he really doesn't want to find his voice, given that it's a gay voice and will automatically sing show tunes if left unattended.
Gunnar helps Zoey move Scarlett's big furniture, and learns that she basically knows everything about him, being Scarlett's best friend and all. She even told Zoey about Gunnar's writer's block. All that Gunnar knows about Zoey is that she's a preacher's daughter, with a really unfortunate fake accent. She says that he has a broken heart, and what else does he need for a song? He'd actually like a good rhyme for beer, and she's got some suggestions. Also: get a rhyming dictionary, you hack.
Back with the Conrad-Jaymes, Tandy wonders if things are heading somewhere with Rayna and Teddy. Rayna likes that he's been helpful, but also is preoccupied by everything that's happening at the label, and the fact that Scarlett has moved in with Deacon. Tandy wonders if Deacon told her about Maddie. He hasn't, but Rayna says it's a matter of time since blood is thicker than water. While Gunnar purchases a rhyming dictionary, someone should ensure that Rayna gets a cliché minimizer.
We then cut to Deacon at the doctor. She says that he's at the point where he can start physical therapy, but will have to be monitored closely to make sure he doesn't re-injure the hand. It will be painful, says the doctor, but all Deacon wants to know is how long it will be before he can play. The doctor says that he suffered extensive damage to his nerves and tendons, and may never get back to what he considers normal. Scarlett asks if there's a chance with therapy that he could get better, and there is, though they can't guarantee anything. Deacon wants to know how he can stop the hand from hurting. He won't take pain meds OBVIOUSLY, so they can immobilize it in a cast. But if he puts off physical therapy, the temporary damage could become permanent. Deacon quickly tells the doctor to do it, because he only truly feels alive if he's suffering. Scarlett tries to dissuade him, but he says they now know that his hand will never be the same and he wants the cast. God, if I were Rayna I wouldn't want to talk to him either. What a downer!
Oooh! And then Brent pays Will a visit at home. He asks Will not to punch him, then says he knows what Will is afraid of. But, says Brent, there's no need for fear. He knows that Will is an incredibly valuable asset as the ladies man that he is (or pretends to be). Brent isn't an idiot. His boss thinks that Will is the big thing, and he's not going to ruin that. So, Will can calm the fuck down. Even if Will chooses Rayna, he'll have to trust Brent. And then bone him again, obviously, because he's so cute.
Oh Lord, and then Deacon goes to the crash site vigil and looks sad. Oh Lord part deux, then we're back with Juliette at the trailer park. She tells Katie Cook and the cameras that when they moved in her mama hated the dull trailer white and so painted it a happy yellow. Jolene and her dad let Juliette choose the color. Katie notes that Juliette hasn't really mentioned her father before, and she says that he was part of something she locked away. So…he's coming back this season and will be played by…Kris Kristofferson? Billy Bob Thornton? Then they spy a sunny metal thing on the side of the house that Juliette's dad made for her on her fourth birthday, right before he passed away. So…this trailer has stood untouched as a Juliette Barnes memorial since she moved out? And also…her dad passed away. So, no Kristofferson? Or is he REALLY dead? Can this just be about Juliette's complicated emotions and not foreshadowing about a dastardly plot twist? Hmm. Juliette says that when you're a kid you don't see the bad -- you only see a happy yellow house. She then asks to cut, obviously a little choked up. Avery approaches and asks if she wants to talk about it. A tearful Juliette says she's just trying to sell records. Awww, she's the best when she's human.
Oh Lord… AGAIN! It's night at the crash site vigil, and Deacon sits on top of a pile of stuff. A car pulls up. It's Rayna, who has come at his request. He thanks her, and she looks at the memorial and says it's almost like people expected them to die. Deacon says that sometimes it feels like he did. Rayna looks amazing in glowing moonlight OBVIOUSLY, and then Deacon confesses that he doesn't know if he'll be able to play anymore and he sounds so vulnerable and so much like nice awesome Deacon again that I just about die. He says he wasn't going to call Rayna, and he didn't want to. Furthermore, he had no right to. But he didn't know who else to call. He doesn't want Rayna to be the one, but…she always has been. Gah. Dead. I am dead.
Then, RAYNA… UGH. She just says, "I can't." (Which is, kind of, emotionally healthy, but is also kind of bitchy). She tells Deacon that they've been through this so many times and tried so hard. But they've just brought each other so much grief. And also, in fairness, he DID almost kill her. But then again she almost killed him too. And maybe that's the point. And it's true I've been drinking a lot of bourbon while writing this recap, much like the D-man himself, but for a second I just actually thought, "…Man, that's deep." Someone save me from myself.
Rayna tells Deacon that they didn't die here, and she thinks that means that they have an opportunity to go forward. Because she doesn't think that they can save each other. They each need to save themselves now. And then… HORRORS. Rayna says, "I always thought we might need this some day," and hands him the wedding ring that he once drunkenly gave her. He takes it from her, then looks into her eyes and she LEAVES. That shit was cold, man. But then I am distracted by the fact that the accident happened at the corner of Battlefield and Granny White. And then Deacon tosses the ring into the memorial and I can't stop singing "Love is a Granny White."
Back at the Jaymes Conrad Mansion, the girls head to bed and Rayna, fresh back from re-breaking Deacon's heart, approaches Teddy for a conversation. She doesn't think that they should be playing house anymore. He's all, "Huh?" And she says that it's confusing to the girls, and confusing to them. Teddy tells Rayna that she's still recovering and can't do this on her own, and she says that Tandy can stay and help them out. You know, because Tandy really doesn't have a life except to ask Rayna probing expository questions. Teddy says he knows that they're not getting back together and doesn't even want that, but he misses their family. Like, a lot. And he finds it hard to believe that Rayna doesn't. She says that of course she does, but she doesn't want them to spend the six months sharing the house, being polite to each other, not signing their divorce papers, and telling themselves that it's all for the girls. That would be the easy thing to do, but not the right thing to do. Rayna doesn't want their lives to be in limbo. Teddy asks if that's it, and Rayna says that they can't go back. Basically, she's having a straight-up Kelly Taylor "I choose me" moment. At least Teddy can go and enjoy raising his new baby with Peggy…OH WAIT. Daphne is sitting on the stairs and listening to all this, so now she can hate Rayna, too.
Back at the Bluebird, Will compliments Gunnar on his song. Will has only written two songs since he got to Nashville and they both suck. He says he's just a performer, but Gunnar is a great songwriter, even without Scarlett. Will looks…complicated, again…and takes off.
We then cut to Jeff's party, where Rayna has showed up complete with high ponytail. Jeff says a quick hello then blows past her to greet Will and officially welcome him to Edgehill Records. Rayna raises her eyebrows as they BOTH blow past her. Juliette and Avery show up and Juliette brags that her single has hit number one on the iTunes charts. Jeff congratulates her, but quickly turns to introduce her to new Edgehill signee Layla Grant, who came in second on a show called American Hitmaker. Yes, she is a singing reality TV show runner-up. Layla is thrilled to meet Juliette and says it's all been such an insane ride. Juliette notes that Layla went from nothing to Nashville in twelve weeks, and in turn Layla notes that the show took forever. So THAT'S how it's going to be. When Layla leaves Juliette asks Jeff if he couldn't get the winner, and he just smiles like a big, bad wolf.
At Dire Misery Manor, Scarlett tells Deacon that most of what he said earlier is crap. He can't do much about the Maddie and Rayna thing, but the hand is on him and he doesn't want to help himself. He didn't lose a limb, so should man up and not be a coward. Scarlett has grown so many pairs of testicles during the past two episodes!
Back at the party, Will approaches Rayna to apologize for how things went down. She says it's business, and he made the choice that he had to make. Will acknowledges that he appreciates everything that Rayna had to say to him, but realized that he's not an artist. He's just a guy who's good at singing other people's songs. And…it's a metaphor! Rayna isn't so sure that she agrees with him, and tells him to watch his back with Jeff before wishing him the best. Scarlett arrives and is greeted by Avery, who assures her that he and Juliette are just friends even though he's technically her date. They talk about Deacon, which bums everybody out. And then we cut to Deacon in his garage or tool shed or some such thing. He grabs a SAW and starts going at his cast, which is SUCH a Deacon move. Just wait until the morning and go to the doctor's office! Jesus. Maybe Rayna dodged a bullet after all.
And then Jeff takes the stage at his party and introduces Layla before announcing that 30 minutes ago she claimed the number one singles spot on iTunes. Juliette chokes on her drink, and Rayna asks her if Layla won "that singing TV show thingy." Juliette corrects her by saying that Layla came in second. And then we cut to Deacon breathing heavily and in obvious pain as he picks up his guitar. GO TO PHYSICAL THERAPY, YOU IDIOT!