It’s actually nice to visit fake Nashville this week after what the Tennessee General Assembly has done to LGBTQ rights this week in real Nashville. So, let’s go there, shall we?
Despite my unsuccessful online petition, Juliette is back and being what we assume is a good mother during her supervised visits with Cadence at the rehabilitation center. After her visit, her shrink says it's okay for her to be released. I’m only okay with this if the liquor stores are shut down temporarily.
So, Vita has gone missing and Rayna is worried about her. I am really hoping we do something with this plotline because it seems Nashville could be in danger of being canceled after this season. Might I suggest to Nashville producers they look at shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones and maybe steal some of their writers?
Deacon is running the morning staff meeting at The Beverly when Cash comes in. Frankie, who just fell off the wagon, is supposed to be celebrating his anniversary of fifteen years sober. Frankie missed the staff meeting and missed the news that the Riff Bell show put the club on the map. Deacon is troubled because Frankie failed to mention the soberversary.
Layla is nervous about pitching her music to country radio and so are Bucky and Rayna. And in walks Gunnar who invites Layla to The Chex Mixes (Gunnar and Scarlett’s duo called The Exes) performance that night at The Bluebird. Will is going and so is Avery— and since Avery is going then Layla is, too. I truly hope Layla is up to no good because if this is a BS girly Layla crush, I am going to need a shot of whiskey to go with these bottles of wine.
Speaking of whiskey, Deacon shows up at the AA meeting in time to see Cash give Frankie (who I call “Pissy”) a “birthday” cake. It seems Pissy hasn’t had the spotlight much lately. He also hasn’t told anyone his milestone is more like 15 hours sober.
Will is having a meeting with Puke and tells him he is writing and producing his own album independently. He wants Puke to release the songs he’s had on hold that Wilma wrote with Kevin. In the middle of the meeting, Luke gets a call from Colt. It seems Puke, Jr. wants Puke to sign a parental consent form so his spawn can join the Army. Luke races out to the sticks to talk some sense into Colt, but his mind is made up. If Puke doesn’t sign the consent form, he will just enlist when he turns 18 in three months.
When Juliette gets home, her weirdo publicity guy, Patrick (he was in episode one of this season, but is a totally forgettable character) shows up and Juliette says she doesn’t need his services any longer. He was in charge of maintaining her image while she was in rehab. However, Patrick has a cameo in a Spielberg movie for her and now, he’s back on her payroll. Oh- and the shoot starts in two days in Prague. Look, if you want a blonde who doesn’t cop an attitude or have mommy issues, I’m available.
At Layla’s showcase, country radio programmers and representatives are being critical of Layla to both Rayna and Layla’s faces. I suggest Nashville writers actually attend a showcase for radio. No matter what they think of the artist, radio people don’t say it to their face. They say it later on the phone to their label regional rep from the safety of their own office. But, hey, country star Autumn Chase is there and Rayna wants Layla to be her tour’s opening act.
Juliette moseys over to Avery’s place to talk him into giving her more visitation time with Cadence. Even though Juliette claims she has overcome her addictions and postpartum depression, Avery gives her a no. #TEAMAVERY Look, I’m not a parent and I am a better parent than Juliette.
Because music is literally the best thing about this show, Layla’s showcase is a success and Autumn Chase is also impressed. Layla is stoked and invites Autumn to The Bluebird with her that night.
Rayna is called away from Layla fest because she has a phone call with Nashville’s finest. He is a detective investigating Vita’s disappearance and he doesn’t even know if a crime was committed. There was no blood or hard evidence at the scene. He essentially tells her to butt out. #TEAMDETECTIVEDUDE
When Pissy does show up at work, he cops an attitude with Deacon and informs him “Not everything is about you, Deacon.” Ouch, Pissy. Despite Pissy’s pissiness, Deacon agrees to him playing at The Beverly later that evening.
Juliette goes crying to her shrink when she doesn’t get her way and her shrink tells her to respect Avery’s wishes. Her shrink encourages her to do the movie, but Juliette isn’t selfish for once in her life and is trying to decide if she wants to give up two weeks of her visitation with Cadence. So, she gives Avery a call… in the middle of his writing session with Wilma. Poor Will can’t catch a break.
Puke confronts Colt’s military veteran grandpa for putting the enlisting idea in his kid’s head. Look, my father is a veteran and both of my grandfathers served in the military and it’s not something to be taken lightly. Later, Puke finds Colt and talks to him about an incident he had with an IUD on a USO tour. Though Puke is terrified, he is open to hearing more about what Colt has to say about joining up. Puke eventually relents and signs Colt’s consent form to join the Army.
Since Juliette is leaving in the morning for her movie, she asks Avery if she can see Cadence tonight. Avery, the punching bag, agrees. If I didn’t care about this drink in my hand right now, I would throw it in his face. Anywho, When Juliette arrives to put the baby to bed, Avery locks her out and stares at her through the door mockingly… is what I wish would happen. Instead, Juliette arrives and sings to the kiddo to get her to sleep. Avery hangs around outside the room to listen with tears in his eyes. Blech.
Did someone say drink in their hand? Why, yes. It must be time for Pissy to show up late for his slot at The Beverly. Once he gets playing, he is obviously drunk and starts mouthing off to the audience. Cash realizes he’s three sheets and Deacon makes her leave. Then, he forces Pissy off the stage and into the office. Then, Frankie admits to drinking the night of Riff Bell’s show and accuses Deacon of stealing his bar from him. Before the two can scuffle, Pissy drops on the couch to sleep it off. If I ever drop on a couch in front of Deacon, I can guarantee there will no sleeping!
At The Bluebird for the Exes show, Layla and Autumn are bonding and have so much in common and are besties and will become lifelong friends. Gag. However, the next day, it seems Autumn was so blown away by Sherpa Boo Boo and Gunnar that she wants them to open for her- and not Layla. This plot twist brought to you by Layla: Fake Nashville’s favorite victim.
Never being one to let well enough alone or to let anyone ignore the fact that she is famous, Rayna pays a visit to the detective about Vita. The detective shows her eight open case files he is currently working along with Vita’s. We are made to think Rayna might have swiped Vita’s case file.
After Frankie dries out, he apologizes to Deacon, but Deacon also realizes Pissy was full of truth serum. Deacon apologizes for putting Frankie on the backburner and causing him to slip. Frankie is more concerned about how he will face Cash. And he does, along with Deacon, at the next AA meeting.
At a press conference for her new movie, Juliette is asked about dealing with the death of her manager and subsequent divorce from Avery. Instead of copping an attitude and storming out, she admits to her substance abuse problem, rehabilitation and hospitalization from postpartum depression being the reasons for her divorce. Then, she tells the press that agreeing to do the movie was a mistake and she needs to go home to be with her daughter. It’s going to take a lot more than that to convince me the mega bitch is gone.
Like Pissy, Wilma is tired of being put on the backburner and he storms his way over to Luke’s office. He demands Puke release his songs. Puke not only releases them, but he asks Will to re-sign with Puke Records. He tells Wilma he was afraid to keep a gay man on his label, but not anymore. They shake on it. And you all know I hate doing this, but #TEAMPUKE
AND OF COURSE, after Avery sees the Juliette press conference, he takes the baby over to Juliette for more visitation time. This is too predictable! Suggested plot twist: Juliette misses her shrink so much, she ditches her kid with Will. Then, she and the Shrink fall in love and escape to a hippie commune just outside Antioch and become the most disturbing hipsters that East Nashville and Scarlett can’t even handle it!
Hey, a girl can hope.
See also:
NASHVILLE recap: "If I Could Do It All Again" (season 4 episode 13)
NASHVILLE recap: "What I Cannot Change" (season 4 episode 14)
NASHVILLE recap: "There's a Fire In Your Heart" (season 4 episode 15)