Hart of Dixie - Episode 3.05 - How Do You Like Me Now? - Review: The real hero of the story is...

Welcome to another crazy week in BlueBell. This was another light and amusing episode. The episodes lately are enjoyable enough but they are still lacking that something extra that made them special. This week Lemon saved the day for Lavon and received a public smooch from Meatball. Lynly returned with a personality transplant. George gave into pressure from the man up above. Zoe freaked out about Joel not being popular with the BlueBellians. Joel got drunk and zip lined. Wade sat back and was amused by everything going on around him. And Brick and AnnaBeth were noticeably absent.

Drunken zip lining is the answer. Zoe finds out that only 13% of BlueBell thinks that she and Joel belong together. And she can’t have that. Joel must be happy. And to be happy he has to fit into BlueBell. Zoe’s solution is to make Joel popular. Of course there are some stumbles along the way such as Joel rear-ending Reverend Mayfair while Zoe screams at him in an attempt to teach him how to drive. While treating Reverend Mayfair, Zoe offers for her and Joel to fill in chaperoning the Tween Adventure Camp so that Reverend Mayfair and his wife can have some much needed time alone. In exchange the reverend will write a sermon that will help Joel become more accepted and popular with the town. Everything is set until Zoe informs Joel that they will be spending the next 24 hours camping and zip lining. Joel doesn’t care about fitting in all that much if the only way to do so involves heights of which he is afraid.

Since Joel refused to co-chaperone with Zoe, George filled in after some urging from the good reverend. This gave Joel a front row seat to George’s popularity among the town which sent him off to the Rammer Jammer. After being filled in on the epic George and Zoe connection and quadruple shots of whiskey, Joel comes to the conclusion that he is the Act II complication in the Zoe Hart Love Story. With Wade’s assistance as driver, Joel sets off for the woods in an attempt to rewrite the love story with him as the hero who Zoe walks off into the sunset with.

While Joel is facing his greatest fear which involves zip lining, Wade sat back eating popcorn amused by the show. Wade informs Zoe that the town and Joel have it all wrong thinking that George is the story when in fact Zoe is still in love with him.

Of course Joel’s grand gesture falls a little flat. None the less the tweens and the town of BlueBell were impressed and his poll numbers increased to 35%. Zoe took delight in pointing out the increase to Wade whom informed that there is a pretty big margin of error in those things.

Joel is a nice enough guy. He has certainly gone out of his way to accommodate Zoe and prove that he cares about her. And yet I still find their relationship lacking. Many times it seems like Zoe acts more like Joel’s mother than his girlfriend. I really got that impression in this episode many times. And at the end of the episode when she was watching him she appeared more like a doting mother proud of her son. Their relationship definitely lacks the spark that she had with Wade. I get that for now it is what she needs. I agree with Wade though. Everyone has the story wrong. Confidence looks well on Wade. For now he is just sitting back and biding his time since he sees this relationship as temporary. I have to wonder if he has underestimated Zoe’s persistence combined with Joel’s seemingly willingness to do anything for Zoe that may make this relationship last longer than he, and the audience, may have anticipated.

The most epic couple that never was. Once upon a time, George picked Zoe up on the side of the road, and then she proceeded to ruin his life. That is the George Tucker version of the Zoe Hart Love Story. Well at least at the end of season 2 and this week it was. George wanted nothing to do with Zoe this week. In fact he would be perfectly happy if she took herself right back to New York. He rebuffed her gesture of friendship and turned her down flat when she requested his help chaperoning the tweens. While George has no problem telling Zoe no, he can’t refuse a request from Reverend Mayfair and the guy up above so he finds himself chaperoning the tweens with Zoe after all. It seems that all the people of BlueBell and their tween daughters haven’t gotten over the most dramatic day in BlueBell history when George called off his wedding seemingly out of his love for Zoe. As a result they all feel that Zoe and George belong together which the tweens share with George and Zoe. George reminds the tweens that nothing ever happened between Zoe and him which prompts one of them to play his “I hate Zoe” song that he wrote with LilyAnne for Zoe to hear. Zoe puts 2 and 2 together and mistakenly assumes that George is brokenhearted over her. George corrects her and tells her that he is brokenhearted over Tansy, but that Zoe is to blame for the mess that his life has become. Zoe rightfully tells George that while she complicated his life, she isn’t to blame for everything and that she misses his friendship. Eventually George comes to the same conclusion, and he and Zoe agree to move forward as acquaintances.

I will admit that I groan anytime it seems as if this show starts veering toward George and Zoe in any romantic sense. While I like George and I like Zoe separately, I do not like George and Zoe as a couple even though we haven’t officially seen them together as one. They are completely played out as far as I’m concerned. Even this week it just seemed to be unnecessary to rehash something that has been over for a long while. And now that Zoe has Joel, George seems to be even more redundant in the Zoe Hart Love Story. George blaming Zoe for everything was silly and made him appear like a huge baby. I am glad that he finally took some responsibility for his life and the choices that he has made. He chose not to marry Lemon, and to not move away with Tansy. He had valid reasons for both of those choices, but he needed to man up and not blame Zoe for everything. Now if the George and Zoe chapter can be closed and they can remain friends, I’ll be a lot more satisfied if we can move on to the rest of the real story.

She’s a smart cookie after all. This week Lynly returned after being absent last week while she was off visiting her parents. She showed George, and us, a different side of her. While away she took a practice LSAT and did well proving that she actually did take something away from her tutoring and flirting sessions with George. Lynly and George are forced to be partners in a pub quiz challenge at the Rammer Jammer when Tom has to leave suddenly. George seems to find the more mature and subdued Lynly charming and offers to meet her the next day for a game of darts. George cancels on her after Wade reminds George that Lavon won’t take it too kindly if he hurts Lynly. Lynly is a little more understanding of George’s hesitance to get involved with her after she is filled in on George’s dramatic romantic past. After George apologizes for canceling their date, Lynly once again informs him that she’ll wear him down showing that she is just as persistent as ever.

This week I actually liked Lynly. I even liked George and Lynly. Previously Lynly came across as too immature and was just grating. I saw a spark this week that was missing in the prior episodes. It made me curious to see where they will go with this since I’m sure that it is headed somewhere. I even think that Lynly may be good for George for now. George doesn’t need a serious relationship. Lynly is young and she can help George have fun. I don’t see them lasting forever. Some relationships aren’t meant for that, but it can be fun while it lasts.

The moment in time that landed BlueBell the calendar cover. Lavon needs Lemons help to ensure that BlueBell gets the cover on the Gazebos of Alabama calendar since Crickett’s leadership of the Belles is lacking. In exchange, Lemon requests that Lavon help prove to that Peter exists since the Belles are convinced that Lemon has another imaginary boyfriend. Overhearing Lemon talk about Peter, Meatball sees this as another shot to be with Lemon. With Frank’s PI skills, Lemon learns Peter’s last name but she decides to not pursue him because she isn’t sure that their magical moment could be captured again. Under Lemon’s leadership the BlueBell gazebo is ready for the photographer but for one last minute snafu—Meatball chained to the gazebo ready to declare is love for Lemon with a zombie song. Lemon graciously tells him that he deserves a woman who can appreciate all of his qualities including liking Dr. Who and that she isn’t the woman for him. Meatball agrees to unchain himself if Lemon grants him one last kiss which Lemon does as long as it doesn’t include tongue. Their kiss inspires the photographer lands Lavon and BlueBell the cover on the Gazeobs of Alabama calendar. And with that the Lemonball chapter is closed.

There was way too much talk of Peter in this episode for me to not think that he won’t be back. I’m pretty sure that we’ll be seeing Peter at some point after Jaime King returns from her maternity leave. I knew the Lemon and Meatball thing wouldn’t last, but it was oddly cute and funny. I’m glad that they got some closure and Lemon proved how much she has grown again. By far my favorite part of this storyline was the interaction between Lemon and Lavon. They have such an easy chemistry together, and it kept in mind that they may eventually work their way back to one another eventually.

Final thoughts. We didn’t have any AB or Brick in this episode. I hope that doesn’t become a habit because I like seeing the regulars. While Wade is waiting would it be too much to ask if the writers gave him a storyline that went beyond being a supporter in the Zoe and Joel show? In all, this episode did flow nicely together. We had some closure for some people and hints that other relationships may be formed or be revisited.

What I really liked about this episode was that there were some call backs to episode 1x05. In 1x05, Zoe commented that what Wade did for Earl by singing him off of the rooftop was very heroic. In comparison, to prove that he was the hero of the story, Joel drunkenly zip lined. Wade also referred to the poll and a very big margin of error. In 1x05, Lavon told Zoe that there was magic in the margin of error.

What are your thoughts on this episode and the season so far? Are you sad to see the end of Lemonball? Do you think that Lemon and Lavon still have a chance? Do you like the different side of Lynly that we saw in this episode? Like the citizens of BlueBell, are you starting to be won over by Joel? Who do you think is the real hero of Zoe’s story?

Check back in next Monday for an all new Hart of Dixie episode. We get to meet AB’s parents whom seem to be overly excited about the idea of being related to Lavon. Zoe and Joel go house hunting which leads Zoe to meeting more of her Wilkes family. Lemon receives an offer that she can’t pass up due to the success of the Rammer Jammer.

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.