What I’m Watching: Nashville

Nashville: Season 1, Episode 5 “Move It On Over” (B+)

It’s getting harder and harder to like both Rayna and Juliette as they reveal more of themselves in their steadfast refusal to do whatever anyone tells them. Without Deacon, Rayna is down a guitarist and a songwriter, and while it’s refreshing to learn that she’s actually pretty good at writing, she doesn’t earn any points for her annoyed attitude about doing a commercial and her screening of Deacon’s call from prison. Her marriage with Teddy definitely isn’t working, and he’s the one character whose fortunes seem to have turned around, with Lamar intervening and squashing his embezzlement problem, though the photographs of him and Peggy will surely prove infinitely more damaging to his campaign than his illegal actions. Juliette’s infinite recording session showed more of her stubborn nature, and bringing in Deacon to help her mom get into rehab was probably a smart move for her sanity and all-around well-being. It didn’t do much good for Deacon, however, who nearly relapsed and then got himself into a fight. Juliette was his obvious second choice, but I still think their “friendship” won’t work out as either of them would like. Avery continues to prove himself to be a heartless, arrogant boyfriend unwilling to see his girlfriend be truly happy, and good for her for standing up to him. She did seem quite crushed when Gunnar told her about his new romance, and, even if she can’t ultimately be with him, she shouldn’t let herself continue to be held back by Avery.