Hart of Dixie - Episode 1.02 - Parades and Pariahs - Review

This weeks episode of Hart of Dixie has Zoe deciding, with a strong push from the Mayor, that maybe she should try and fit in, in order for the town folk of Bluebell to like her. Well that doesn't go very well, picture a decade's old town tradition shattered in minutes by a parade float.

A theme that has already emerged in its second episode, is the 'case of the week' formula. Last week it was the pregnant girl, and this week it was a young girl hiding the fact that she has MS from Lemon and her friends. Although this formula is not at all new, see House, it works for this show and especially this first season because Zoe is still new to Bluebell and she hasn't had a chance to prove herself. Even delivering a baby during an engagement party wasn't enough.

It's not for a lack of trying, because Zoe does, when a patient comes to her and she can physically see that the problem can be solved with medicine, she will help, if it cannot be solved by medicine then she won't. This is her biggest problem as the first case Dr. Hart gets in the beginning of the episode proves. An older woman comes in complaining of a high fever and body spots, all of which are nonexistent, the woman is mentally ill. Here is where Zoe's beside manners get her in trouble again, she tells the woman in not so many words, that she is crazy and needs to seek help. Now does she see why people in Bluebell don't love her?

Well that's not entirely true, the Mayor's lacky Wade seems to have a knack for annoying her to the point that the only way to shut her up is to kiss her, so he does. It appears this relationship is going to the first that we see Zoe attempt, although it is obvious that she has feelings for George. This paring is expected and not at all a surprise but it's fun to see a frazzled and annoyed Rachel Bilson, playing opposite someone who isn't as frazzled and annoyed, see Seth Cohen.

Another development is the relationship between Lemon and the Mayor, the pilot didn't go into great detail and neither did this episode, but there was just enough given to know that these two have had a romantic past, and that her Fiance George knows nothing about it. I guess those years he spent in New York without Lemon had her searching for better things. As it appears that no one outside of the Mayor and Lemon know about their relationship, it's safe to say that the town doesn't either. Although if those three little old lady gossips prove anything, it's that there are no secrets in Bluebell and someone knows their secret.

Zoe's attempt at making an effort for the town leads to disaster, big, paper mashe, fish net disaster. Trying to keep her patients illness hidden causes Zoe to take a drastic decision that leads to a horrible disaster and effectively making her even less liked by the towns people. This also meant bonding with a personal favorite character little Miss Rose Hattenberger, Miss H's daughter. The scenes between Zoe and Rose and both cute and sweet, the dynamic is fun and very much big sister, unfortunetly as Miss. H tells Zoe she is leaving to open a bakery in another town. I find this unfortunate because both the actors and character are likable and people you want to see on screen, because their on Zoe's side. Their future within the show is unknown, but let's hope they return.

Other new developments it turns out Lemon's mother left her father and her sister 12 years ago and they haven't seen or heard from her since. This opens up great doors for character development and also an inside into why Lemon may be the way she is.

Over all the episode was very fitting for a second run, it had great moments and developed the plot just a tiny bit more, and as I pointed out last week it has slowed down a great deal.

I give the episode a 2.5/5.


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