Over the next couple of weeks I am going to be taking a look back at season 2 of Hart of Dixie.
The show became more of an ensemble show in the second season instead of focusing on mainly Zoe’s journey and how everyone reacted to her. I loved that we got to see all of the characters become people in their own right and have journeys that sometimes had nothing to do with Zoe. Season 2 saw a lot of growth for some of the characters and some stumbled. How did they all fair?
Zoe: I recently rewatched season 1 of Hart of Dixie, and it became even clearer to me how much Zoe’s character took a hit in season 2. For the most part I liked Zoe, but her lack of growth and awareness really tried my patience at times. Zoe has clearly grown from the rude newcomer we met in the pilot. I feel that being at the center of the triangle was the cause of a lot of issues that I had with Zoe in season 2. At times Zoe’s treatment of both George and Wade felt unfair to me. I also felt that there was too much of a focus on Zoe’s love life and not enough on her being a doctor. Zoe was her most likable when she gave advice to Max, the teen who had a crush on her, about believing in himself really showed how far Zoe has come as a doctor who can relate to people. I would like to see more of a balance in Zoe’s love life and her professional life in season 3.
Lavon: I was happy to see that Lavon’s role expanded beyond Zoe’s BFF. And yet something was still missing for me, and I didn’t find myself loving Lavon like I did in season 1. Lavon came across as desperate in his attempt to find love in season 2 after Lemon chose George in season 1. Lavon seemed to rush into relationships and fell in love rather quickly. While Lavon was helping Tom plan his proposal to Wanda, I got a glimpse of the hopeful season 1 Lavon that I really loved. I really enjoyed seeing more of Mayor Lavon this season as he ran for reelection and battled with a rival, Mayor Gainey of Fillmore. I would like for the next season to explore a bit more of Lavon as a person beyond his love life and being mayor.
George: I found myself really coming to like George in season 2. The writers made great use of Scott Porter’s excellent comedic timing, and we got to see a more relaxed George. There were a few times that I felt like they really didn’t know what to do with him earlier in the season. The scene with Brick where they both discussed what they had lost as a result of the George breaking things off with Lemon was really touching. As much as I liked the new funnier George, I would still like to learn a bit more about George. I’m really hopeful that we’ll see more growth and depth to George in the next season.
Brick: It was a welcome change to see Brick as more than just a doctor and father in season 2. Brick was still very much a protective father which was evident when he gave George hell for leaving Lemon at the altar and daring to show up at the office to woo Zoe the very next day. And Brick had to learn how to cope without having to rely on Lemon which gave us some delightful father/daughter moments between Brick and Magnolia. I really enjoyed both of Brick’s relationships with Emily and Shelby. The latter showed us a more light-hearted side of Brick. I want to continue to see Brick have fun next season as well as his role as a doctor and father.
Wade: I wasn’t happy with the way Wade was portrayed in the season 2 premiere. Thankfully that was the last we saw of that Wade. Along with Lemon, Wade made the most strides in season 2. A large part of Wade’s journey in season 2 involved his relationship with Zoe. For the most part we saw a much more mature Wade. Wade clearly stumbled in season 2 with his new role and his self-esteem which lead him to make bad decisions namely cheating costing him his relationship with Zoe. And yet despite such a huge step back, Wade really came a long way in season 2. Wade continued to show that he is a good guy with a good heart by helping Connor find a fun way to participate in the Little Rangers’ Wilderness Run that let him be himself. Wade further proved that he puts others before himself when he selflessly gave up sole ownership of the prize money to help Lemon resulting in having to share ownership of the Rammer Jammer. I want to see Wade continue to grow in season 3 and become more self-confident.
As soon as I saw the season 2 premiere, I knew that I was going to fall in love with Lemon in season 2. Lemon’s journey was one of the biggest successes for me to come out of season 2. I can’t help but admire her drive to find her own way in the world and to be independent. Lemon stumbled a bit on her way to Lemon 2.0 when she schemed to get rid of Ruby and Shelby and also when she cut off AnnaBeth after she found about Lavon. And yet Lemon always bounced back and proved that she was a no longer Lemon 1.0 and instead had become Lemon 1.5. I loved her friendship with AnnaBeth, and I felt that really brought out the best in Lemon when she was able to put aside her own issues and encouraged AnnaBeth to go after Lavon. It was only right that her perseverance was rewarded with Gloriana showing up to play at the Rammer Jammer in the finale. There is only one thing wrong with Lemon’s journey. What is wrong with the men in BlueBell that they don’t seem to notice how amazing Lemon is? I would love to see her find success in her love life and get the attention she so richly deserves in season 3.
AnnaBeth really stepped out of Lemon’s shadow in season 2 and became her own person. I found myself loving AnnaBeth more and more each week. I was thrilled when they announced that she had been promoted to a series regular for next season. AnnaBeth works so well with everyone. I really love her friendship with Lemon. She is always supportive and loyal which has to be commendable. I would like to see season 3 explore more of AnnaBeth outside of her role as Lemon’s best friend and Lavon’s girlfriend.
Secondary Characters: What would Hart of Dixie and BlueBell be without the full cast of supporting characters? I really loved that in season 2 the writers expanded on the role of the townspeople and we really got to know some of them beyond them just being there in the background. In the case of AnnaBeth it really paid off, and she became an integral part of the storyline. These characters really help to make BlueBell come alive and be that place we all dream of visiting.
What were some of the highlights of each characters’ journey in season 2? What were some of the low points? Where would you like to see the characters go in season 3?
Photos courtesy of The CW Network
Tracie
Tracie is a wife and stay-at-home mom of 2 residing in NJ. She likes to unwind with a good book or in front of the TV.. She is an avid reader of romance books. She likes to cook and bake. She loves to exercise and is trying to live a healthier life style. She watches a wide variety of TV shows ranging from reality TV to scripted dramas. Some of her past and current favorite TV shows are Sex and the City, Charmed, The Good Wife, and Hart of Dixie.
