Nashville Review: Everybody Loses

Let me warn you right now, if you didn’t have a sinking pit in your stomach going into Nashville‘s aptly titled episode “The Trouble With the Truth”, you did by the end. As we near the end of the season things haven’t gotten more intense than they’ve ever been. We’ve seen our Nashville characters go back and forth on certain choices in their lives, but if this episode was any sort of proof, there are just some decisions you have to live with.

Juliette is nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Shenadoah Girl”. Her jubilation at this honor is short-lived when she discovers Avery woke up with Layla. It doesn’t take long for Juliette to realize that Layla knows about her role in Jeff’s death. Normally this would be the part where we say Juliette is overreacting, but we already know that her assumption is actually correct. I’m personally proud that Emily of all people is furious with Avery. Avery wants simple and uncomplicated, which we all know Juliette is not (although newsflash Avery, life is complicated so you might as well go through it with someone who would walk through fire for you).

Juliette eventually calms down. For as angry as she is with Layla and Avery, she is equally angry with herself because she knows she took Jeff away from Layla. Juliette comes clean with Layla about what really happened the night Jeff died. Layla doesn’t let on that she already knows, she just says that she appreciates the truth and it doesn’t change anything between them. Juliette lets Avery go, and Layla actually lets go of her anger towards Juliette.

Will finally gets his song on the radio, specifically in major metropolitan cities. Unfortunately the right-wingers are not so kind. Will has never been comfortable with confrontation, but Luke knows they have to at least respond. Luke goes toe to toe with a right-wing news anchor, who actually cuts him off so that he then can’t defend Will.Will and Luke work it out, but Luke tells Will this is not just going to go away. If Will wants people to truly see him, he needs to stop hiding. The rest of the world is not going to stop attacking Will, as evidenced by the way his haters destroy his car.

Scarlett and Gunnar have an interview with Rolling Stone the night after they reunite. The interview starts out beautifully. They are completely in sync and hold hands under the table the way we’ve wanted them to do for years. The reporter eventually reaches a few moments in the couple’s history that Scarlett and Gunnar remember differently. It brings up alot of unresolved issues between the two of them. When the reporter eventually asks how they mange to work as a band given everything they have been through, their response is “it only works because we’re the Ex’s”. Pardon me while I throw a tantrum for the thousandth time these two have let their past dictate their future.

Maddie must finally face her parents in court. Maddie, Rayna, and Cash all have their say in the courtroom. Things seem to be moving in Rayna’s direction, so Cash pushes Maddie to use a strategy that devastates Deacon. Whether Maddie really believes it or not, she states that she is afraid of her father. Cash’s lawyer (I refuse to say Maddie’s lawyer because let’s face it, Cash is pulling the strings) then puts Deacon on the stand and lays out a laundry list of his violent moments, most of which were while he was an alcoholic. The only place the lawyer could’ve gotten that information from was Frankie.

It’s a huge betrayal for Deacon. He confronts Frankie, who tells him this was payback for Rayna blocking Cash’s chances of working in Nashville. Frankie then attacks Deacon, who is forced to defend himself, after which Frankie lies and says Deacon attacked him. Frankie and Cash get exactly what they want. The judge sides with Maddie on all fronts and issues a restraining order against Deacon.

Will anyone be able to save Maddie from Cash and Frankie’s clutches now?