Nashville - Recap: The Kids Are All Right

It's impressive how cohesive this episode remains when, by all rights, it probably should have been a cluttered mess, considering how much ground is covered in a single hour. The CMA Award nominations are out, and they're creating a buzz around the entire industry (are they really THAT huge a deal in country music? Honest question, I'd love to know. I mean, I assume they're a big deal, but I wonder if the show isn't overstating how big of a deal they are): Will (Chris Carmack) and Sadie (Laura Benanti) are two of the nominees for Best New Artist, while Rayna (Connie Britton) and Luke (Will Chase) are up for Entertainer of the Year. All in all, Rayna lands six nominations, and Luke earns five. While Rayna is stoked about what this could mean for Highway 65, speculation in the entertainment community suggests that Luke and Rayna's nominations were largely the result of their buzzworthy relationship. In essence, the awards force Rayna and Luke to consider whether they're even being viewed as individuals anymore. This has the potential to create a serious strain on their relationship, which is part of what I liked about it. The Luke/Rayna pairing feels devoid of stakes because it hasn't really been tested that severely just yet beyond the threat Deacon (Charles Esten) posed to their union. The strain of constant touring, coupled with their kids acting out in surprising ways, could result in a reexamination of this relationship for both parties. And that could lead to some genuinely compelling drama.

Credit: ABC

But until then, the episode bides its time with Rayna by having her reconsider touring, since Maddie (Lennon Stella) acts out by throwing a party in their house, resulting in Daphne (Maisy Stella) calling the cops. It's a mess that ups the tension not only between Deacon and Luke, but also Deacon and Teddy (Eric Close). And now isn't the time to test Teddy, since he's on edge after learning that the woman he spent the night with was an escort bought and paid for by Jeff Fordham (Oliver Hudson). Not that it stops him from calling her back and setting up another "date" anyway, since Jeff's speech about how this is simply what men of power do to unwind seems to get through to Teddy. So I'd expect a scandal in the family's future, even if Rayna and Luke don't implode. But for now, Rayna seems intent on continuing with the tour, refusing to teach the girls that the only way to be a mother is to give up your career. And I like that message, in that it illustrates that being a mother doesn't have to mean giving up everything you've worked hard to build. Even with this setback, she's confident in how she and Teddy have raised their girls, and believes they can manage, even if that means getting the girls a nanny. I know a lot of people might see Rayna's decision as a selfish one, but I think it shows the strength of her resolve, not only to be a good mother but to build a country music legacy on which her family can live.

Credit: ABC

That said, the story with Rayna wasn't my favorite of the week. That distinction goes to Juliette (Hayden Panettiere), who works through her issues with Avery (Jonathan Jackson) in one of the most mature approaches to a complicated storyline this series has taken. Not that things are suddenly hunky-dory between Juliette and Avery, but they talk through their problems like adults. Granted, they don't really start talking again until Avery learns that Juliette has collapsed onstage and been rushed to the hospital. Due to a pulmonary embolism -- specifically, a blood clot in her leg that threatened to move towards her lungs -- Juliette must cease touring immediately. She'll be allowed to finish her movie, but beyond that, she'll need to stay at home in Nashville for the remainder of her pregnancy. This decision allows her and Avery to come to an understanding. And it's among the more poignant scenes of the episode: Avery realizes that his anger is destroying him, and he decides he doesn't want to let that part of him have control. So he decides to forgive Juliette and take part in their baby's life, although not as her boyfriend.

This is good enough for Juliette, who goes on to make an announcement to the media that she's pregnant, and that Avery is the father. And considering the duo is already in the news, as co-nominees for Song of the Year at the CMAs (Juliette's lone nomination), this sets the media buzzing. I expect that the story will have further soap opera complications in the future, but for now, I loved the simple, mature approach this narrative took, centering on two adults in a complicated situation, deciding to work through their differences together for the good of their child. It's a decision similar to the one Gunnar (Sam Palladio) reaches with Kiley (Alexa PenaVega), convincing her to stay in Nashville after arguing that Micah (Gunnar Sizemore) needs stability. It's a story that instantly makes Gunnar more likable, because he's willing to step up for his child and make up for lost time. Of course, the show makes this a bit messy by having Zoey (Chaley Rose), fresh off of getting fired by Juliette for taking the stage last week, walk in on Gunnar and Kiley in an embrace. But my mind mostly passed right over that, since there's just something about Zoey that makes my brain go on autopilot.

Credit: ABC

The rest of the episode fares from compelling (Will trying to prevent Layla from self-destructing) to middling (Deacon getting into separate arguments with Luke, Teddy, and Pam) to downright jarring (Scarlett offending the blues singer she met on the street last week). But, for the most part, "Nobody Said It Was Going to Be Easy" is classic Nashville, managing to explore the ins and outs of the music industry without sacrificing its soap opera sensibilities. I enjoyed this a lot, and hope we get more episodes like this in the coming weeks (just not next week, since the show is getting a week off).