So, primetime Emmy nominations are out and who here is surprised Nashville received zero nominations? Yes, it’s like beating a dead horse.
In fake Nashville, Deacon has to go into Rayna’s closet to get an auction item for a charity called Fostermore. But, being in her closet amongst her things gets him emotional. This particular nonprofit must help homeless kids because they helped put Liv in a good home. Anyway, Deacon is also performing for their benefit later that night.
A company like Ikea is looking to do a brand partnership with Scarlett and Gunnar and they pitch a cutesy millennial-type commercial to them. The commercial was initially pitched as having Skinny and Gunn Gunn assembling a table, but when they arrive to shoot the commercial, it has been changed to a baby crib. As usual, this makes Scarlett uncomfortable. But, life in general makes her uncomfortable. Find her something else to do, people. ANYTHING.
Juliette is working with a well-known choreographer and she is obviously in pain during a rehearsal for her show. He doesn’t think they she’s quite ready to do some heavy choreography and urges her to let the backup dancers do all of the work. While we’re at it, can we replace Juliette with some backup dancers on this show? I’m not confident CMT could come up with stellar storylines for them or anything, but Juliette would be gone and that would be a vast improvement.
Daphne is going to a party with some friends and even though she tells Deacon parents will be present at this party, she would be lying. When she arrives with her crush, Flynn, it turns out to be a drinking and make out party. It was originally supposed to be a get together to watch a horror movie. Instead of getting her first kiss, she tells Flynn she doesn’t feel well. This kid had better not be as lame as Maddie and she’s getting there fast.
Avery is waffling about going on tour with Dierks Bentley because he doesn’t want to miss his daughter growing up. Even Juliette tells him to get his ass on the road. When he gets to his first stop in Atlanta, he checks into a hotel and immediately makes friends with the hotel’s bartender, Nell. We have literally met this woman for a minute and she is already more likable than Juliette.
Despite being in complete pain during the rehearsal, Juliette insists on pushing through and falls down. The choreographer is an older gentleman and he explains to her that he isn’t the dancer he used to be and she needs to find her balance.
When Deacon arrives for the black tie event benefit he finds out Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum and Jessie Cain are also performing. HOW CONVENIENT, CMT. (Insert eye roll here) Jessie is sitting across the room from Deacon and moves the name cards around so she can sit at the same table with him.
Nell meets Avery at the bar with his band after his performance. When Juliette calls, he is at the noisy club and they have trouble hearing one another. That is when Nell takes the phone and explains that whoever is on the phone is keeping Avery from serious drinking time. #TEAMNELL Anyway, Avery writes off the interruption as the bartender just stealing the phone from him.
As Gunnar and Scarlett shoot the commercial, it appears they are actually enjoying assembling the crib and then when they finish and turn together to look at the finished project, Scarlett begins sobbing uncontrollably, having a mini breakdown. She claims her baby isn’t even born yet and it’s already being pimped out for more Instagram followers. Get a grip, honey. You’re Scarlett O’Connor not Kim Kardashian. Anyway, it’s too late to bring in a table for them to assemble, so they have to stick with the crib. The director bitches to Alyssa that Scarlett isn’t giving him anything to work with. Join the club, director guy. Join the club.
Deacon and Jessie are sat at a table with a bunch of old, uninteresting rich people. Then, it turns out Jessie’s ex-husband is also at the benefit, who pops by the table to say hello and be a general douche bag. He is the head of a record label and jokes how it would be impossible for Deacon to take over his label and then he gets all creepy-handsy with Jessie, talking about how he discovered her.
When they step outside, Daphne and Flynn sit on a swingset and chat and it turns out Flynn is a bit of a reading and nature nerd. And then they talk about how much they don’t want to be in eighth grade. So, yeah, CMT, if I wanted to watch the Disney channel, I would have flipped over there by now. Hell, one of your sister networks is Nickelodeon. Get Daph a show over there and leave the adult shows to people who aren’t concerned they might get their period in gym class.
By the end of the night, Avery is tipsy and begins to talk to Nell about the hurricane that is Juliette- this is after he gets a text from Juliette demanding he call her. And then, Nell offers to help Avery fix the TV in his hotel room. New code phrase for sex. I like this gal.
When Rayna’s jacket goes up for auction at the benefit, it’s obviously getting to Deacon and he can’t handle it, so he gets up and leaves. Jessie also takes off outside and is pissed off, so she and Deacon start to chat. It seems Jessie’s ex-husband is overly controlling of their son and used gossip of her being an unfit mother and manipulation as a way to get primary custody.
When Avery gets to his hotel room, Juliette calls and is pissed because she thinks he has someone in his room- and he does. It’s not Nell, but Yuri, the hotel repairman. Anyway, he tells Juliette he misses her and he likes the new Avery as opposed to the old partying, drinking Avery. I am sorry, but no one can actually like being Juliette’s whipping boy. Just ask Glenn. Speaking of Glenn, where in the hell is he, CMT?
Scarlet and Gunnar stop by the grocery store on the way home. As they leave, walking to the car, Gunnar wants to talk about her breakdown. He thinks it’s because she doesn’t want him in her life and tries to get her to admit it. They are interrupted by a group of teenagers asking for Gunnar to buy them beer. When he blows them off several times and then insists they buzz off, one of them pulls a gun. NOW is the time for Scarlett to be uncomfortable and she is. They get Gunnar’s wallet and Scarlett’s purse, then knock Scarlett down. When Gunnar runs to her defense, the kid puts the gun to Gunnar’s head and makes him get on his knees. Then, the kid, smacks Gunnar in the face with the gun and runs off. Anyone else see the irony in a guy named Gunnar nearly losing his life to a gun? As expected, Scarlett is absolutely hysterical.
And that is how we end things, kids – without a bang but with an Anderson Cooper-level eye roll.
See also:
NASHVILLE recap: "You Can't Lose Me" (Season 5 Episode 19)
NASHVILLE recap: "The Night Before (Life Goes By)" (Season 5 Episode 18)
NASHVILLE recap: "Ghost In This House" (Season 5 Episode 17)