First, hooray there will be a season 4. The CW announced that Hart of Dixie was renewed this week. I am thrilled because despite this lackluster season, I am not ready to say goodbye to the good folks of BlueBell quite yet.
The penultimate episode of Hart of Dixie had some really great moments and some storylines that just didn’t seem to be what you’d expect in the episode leading up to the finale. So while I enjoyed this episode, I was expecting a little bit more all around.
Changing for love. Zoe’s uncle Brando comes over to announce that he and Joel’s grandmother are getting married within the month. Wade stops by to drop off a box he believes to be Zoe’s that was delivered to his house by mistake. Wade is still holding on to his grudge against Zoe so when Brando mentions that Sylvie wants Zoe and Wade to do a reading together at their wedding, he and Zoe are quick to decline. Zoe arrives at the practice to find Earl waiting for her. During his exam, Earl surprises Zoe when he reveals that he hasn’t had a drop of alcohol in a little more than a month. When Zoe inquires about what prompted this change, she deduces that Earl is in love. She offers to help Earl win the affection of Mae Ellen Waterloo after she learns that Earl hasn’t talked to her yet. Wade is skeptical when Zoe shares the good news with Wade that his father has stopped drinking and found love. He points out that Earl has done this before and the end result is always the say that he ends up drinking again. Zoe is determined to go forward with her plan even after Wade refuses to help. Earl approaches Mae in a bookstore after getting a makeover and is successful in asking her out.
Zoe returns to the Rammer Jammer to gloat to Wade that she was successful in helping his father. Wade isn’t surprised when Mae shows up after Earl failed to pick her up for their date. Wade is sure that his father is passed out on a park bench somewhere after falling into a drunken stupor. Unwilling to believe that Earl got drunk, Zoe goes over to his place to look for him. She eventually finds him after she falls through a trap and lands at the bottom of a hole. Earl had a moment of doubt and nearly returned to drinking until he remembered what Zoe had told him about having a lot to offer. Wade shows up just as Zoe learns that Earl has injured his ankle. Things turn serious when the circulation to Earl’s foot stops as she is examining his ankle. Wade and Zoe work together to relieve the pressure on Earl’s artery by pulling on opposite ends of his leg. Wade admits that Zoe was right when Earl begins to say that he is too old to be making a fool out of himself for love. Later on Wade stops by Zoe’s place to thank her for helping Earl and to tell her that she was right about everything. Zoe brings up the reading at Brando and Sylvie’s wedding and says that she would be willing to do it with him. Wade reveals that he won’t be attending the wedding because he won’t be going. He reveals that a lady stopped by with a proposal to franchise the Rammer Jammer. He will be moving to Atlanta where the next Rammer Jammer will be opening. Zoe seems taken aback and after a long pause tells him that she is happy for him.
This was the best part of this episode. Leave it up to good old Earl to bring Zoe and Wade together. Wade was being quite the jackass, as Earl pointed, out toward Zoe in this episode. I have a feeling that is his way of keeping his distance from Zoe because he knows that if he gets close again he’ll just fall for her all over again. It definitely seemed like Zoe and Wade were back on track by the end of the episode. That last scene between them was bittersweet. There was a long awkward pause after Wade told Zoe that he was moving. And while he seemed happy about the opportunity, he didn’t seem as happy about the idea of leaving. Zoe was shocked and looked sad as Wade walked away.
The business of marriage. Grandma Breeland is back in town, and she is focused on getting Lemon to refocus her attention on her love life, in particular in finding a suitable husband. She informs Lemon that she has pulled some strings and got Lemon a spot on the Bachelors and Bachelorettes cruise that departs in 4 days. Lemon would much rather focus on convincing a premiere socialite to hold her wedding at Fancie’s. Her grandmother is afraid that Lemon has a hole in her life that she is filling with her business. Lemon needs to set up a website complete with photos of weddings in order to convince the socialite that Fancie’s is a suitable venue and capable of handling her wedding. There is one slight problem in Lemon’s plan; she doesn’t know anyone who is getting married. She learns from Wade that Brando and Sylvie plan to get married within a month. Lemon meets with Brando and is able to successfully convince him to move his wedding up to hold it at Fancie’s. Meanwhile unbeknownst to Lemon, AB wanted to help and convinced Crickett and Stanley to renew their vows. Also Meatball has found love with Lily Anne. It turns out that they are also getting married. After learning about the discount that Lemon was offering friends and family if they got married within the next 4 days, Meatball wants to have his wedding at Fancie’s complete with meatballs as the perfect dinner item. Before she knows it, Lemon is up to her ears in weddings to be held at Fancie’s within the week. While out she spots AB’s new beau, Davis, in a car with another woman. She discovers that Davis plans to propose to AB. She convinces him to surprise AB at Fancie’s and she’ll even take pictures which will work out perfectly for her website. When her grandma comes to pressure Lemon once again about her lack of prospects in the relationship department, Lemon tells her off and that she’ll be too busy with her business and the final word is no on the cruise. Everything is set for AB’s perfect proposal until a candle tips over and catches a curtain on fire which gives AB a reason to not have to give Davis an answer. A soaking wet Lemon is upset that her business won’t be in any shape to host any of the weddings that were planned.
I felt so bad for Lemon. She has worked really hard to make Fancie’s successful. While I definitely don’t agree with her grandmother’s methods or approach, I do think that ever since she was left at the altar that Lemon has been trying to fill a void. She did it last season with the campaign and then the Rammer Jammer. This season she has flitted from love interest to love interest and now everything is going into Fancie’s. It is as if she is searching for something and hasn’t quite found it yet. It is hard to see all of her hard work go up in flames.
Jealousy and competitiveness. Grandma Breeland called Magnolia to come to town to help her with Lemon. Rose is shadowing Brick because she is thinking about becoming a doctor. Magnolia is upset that Brick is late to their family dinner because he is spending so much time with Rose who seems to share a common interest with him. Brick reassures her that while he did enjoy talking to Rose, that he often doesn’t listen to Magnolia enough. He suggests that they take a 2 week vacation together.
Someone has defaced the exit sign to BlueBell. Lavon sees this as his opportunity to convince the state comptroller to finally list BlueBell first on the new sign. He invites the comptroller over to dinner who has also brought the mayor of Fillmore as his plus one. Over dinner they discuss the sign and it is decided that Mayor Gainey and Lavon will engage in a friendly competition of ping pong. The winner will have his town listed first on the sign. Mayor Gainey wins. While shaking his hand, George notices red paint on Mayor Gainey’s wrist that matches the same color used to deface the exit sign. BlueBell will be listed first after Mayor Gainey admits that he was the one who painted the old sign.
Both of these were silly side stories that didn’t seem to really fit in what is the episode before the finale especially for George and Lavon. There was no build up from last season regarding George and Lemon. After this episode, I’m not even sure what to expect in regard to Lavon although I’m sure learning that Davis has proposed will give Lavon something to think over.
Final thoughts. In all I found this episode to be really enjoyable even if it was a little on the slow side. I was really happy that Wade is having some professional success. Just 2 seasons ago in episode 1x21, Wade blundered an attempt to get a loan. And here he is now with an investment person seeking him out and willing to back him in his business venture. He has really come a long way. And things really seem to be moving quickly now toward Wade and Zoe. The finale promo was heavily focused on Zoe and Wade. It seems that learning that Wade is leaving is going to wake up Zoe’s dormant feelings for Wade. Earl was way too cute this week as well. Good for him for finally deciding that his life has a purpose and that he wants to be his best self. I would love to see more of him and Mae next season.
Do you think that Wade will actually move away? Do you think that Lemon’s grandmother had a point about Lemon trying to fill a hole in her life? What will AB’s answer be to Davis’ proposal?
Next week is the season finale. Zoe makes a gesture that gives Wade something to think about in regard to his future. George and Lavon meet their idol, Don Todd, who helps them see things more clearly. AB contemplates Davis’ proposal. There is still a cruise on Lemon’s horizon. Will she end up going on it now that Fancie’s caught fire? Tune in to find out.
About the Author - 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.
