Nashville - Episode 2.20 - Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad - Review

Goodness gracious, what a dramatic episode!  The aftermath of Scarlett's on-stage meltdown yielded a plethora of problems ranging from more Rayna/Deacon angst to trouble for Juliette and Avery's relationship.  And Scarlett had to keep dealing with her aggressively "helpful" mama throughout her whole ordeal.  Let's review and discuss!

Scarlett was carried off and brought under Rayna's protective wing to a rehabilitation facility where she later awoke bound to a bed and confronted by the sight of her somewhat evil mother Beverly.  That would be enough to freak anyone out, so naturally Scarlett went running through the facility's yard in her hospital gown, sobbing.  Rayna managed to talk her down, but the continued presence of Beverly, who in all of her meddling and references to family psychological problems completely failed to take any responsibility for essentially pushing Scarlett to her breakdown through emotional abuse.  The trauma that Scarlett endured in childhood due to this habitual conduct on her mother's part still shines through in their every interaction.  Hence, although - especially in her scenes with Deacon - Beverly's character got more layers and became theoretically more sympathetic, Scarlett's mama still gives me the creeps.  

I have to give Scarlett major props for dealing so well with Beverly throughout the episode, especially at the end, when she signed herself out of rehab and told her mother in no uncertain terms that her life is her own, and this decision is part and parcel of that simple fact.  Scarlett would have been well within her rights to rail against Beverly, but instead she held it together and ultimately seems to be on the path to recovery.  Part of that is definitely helped by her leaving Highway 65, and I get the feeling she'll probably end up content to play the Bluebird with the old gang.

Another touching aspect of this plotline was that Zoey ended up being there for Scarlett when she needed her.  I'd always like to think that true friendship and loyalty take precedence over any comparatively superficial dispute at a time like this.  Gunnar, on the other hand, clearly worried a great deal about Scarlett and even wrote a lovely song on the topic, though the unpleasant results of their last attempt to be friends kept him from her side.    

Rayna was at her laid-back yet sassy, go-with-the-flow best as she had to pick up a lot of the pieces from Scarlett's meltdown.  My personal favorite Rayna moment was when she dealt with the absurd and utterly rude comments directed at her by Beverly, retorting with perfect tartness, "Girl, you have got so much nerve.”  For real.

That said, it was awesome to see Rayna converse so gently and with such kind understanding with Scarlett.  Talking to Deacon seemed to make Rayna see a bit more that Scarlett had indeed been signaling her about being overwhelmed and wanting out of her contract for a while.  Rayna's eloquence peaked with her soothing words to Scarlett, "You figured out somethin’ you don’t wanna to do, and that is every bit as important as finding out what you do wanna do."  Now the success of Highway 65 rests on Rayna's own new album, and after that awkward radio interview which indicated her classy ways are of little interest to the sleazier side of the industry, here's hoping that her solid fanbase brings her strong sales.

Deacon and Rayna's conversation built off of their rather searing talk last week and seemed to at least show some progress in their getting on better terms.  I think it was a bit rich of Rayna to inquire whether Deacon had noticed Scarlett drinking or taking drugs at his house, and then to seem a bit perplexed when this provoked a sarcastic response.  And Deacon was a tad over the top in noting Rayna's contributions to Scarlett's problems, although it was ultimately a good thing that he did, since it made Rayna take a good look at her past interactions with Scarlett and understand what steps needed to be taken to aid in her recovery.  Ultimately, Deacon and Rayna seemed to leave off on a quiet note of mutual understanding that hopefully indicates they are a tiny step closer to reuniting romantically.

Juliette!  Oh, tsk, tsk tsk!  It pains me to see Juliette explode into chaos at seeing Avery's caring attitude towards Scarlett.  I know that this is Juliette's first real adult relationship and she's a massive pile of insecurities (which Avery might better recognize, even though she tends to express it inappropriately and at the worst possible times).  But girl, really?  Hooking up with Jeff Fordham?  Aaahh, what a catastrophe.  Between Avery's speech to Scarlett saying she will always have a part of his heart, and everyone's quick dismissal of Juliette as a supportive presence for Scarlett (even though Juliette quips, "I know from crazy moms!”)....Juliette's ego, coupled with her constant need for approval and praise from those around her, were boiling over.  Oliver Hudson's been doing such a terrific job of making Jeff slimy and despicable that it was sad to see his own negative attitude towards life align with Juliette's:

Jeff: “Sometimes I really hate this town.”

Juliette: “Sometimes I really hate everything.”

And Gunnar glimpsed Jeff and Juliette slipping back into the event after their tryst, so chances are that secret could be hinted to Avery soon....of course, he's bound to find out anyway.  What a mess!  I hope, despite everything, that Juliette and Avery can make it through this, though it doesn't look good.

Will and Layla got an opportunity to be on a reality show, which would obviously be difficult for Will, who is already working so tragically hard to conceal his gayness.  But sweet, innocent Layla (her reaction to learning of Scarlett's collapse was also pricelessly naive) saw a chance for her career to get restarted through this chance.  Even though Jeff warned Will against the potential consequences this choice could bring, Layla convinced her new hubbie to go forward with the show.  This should be interesting!

What did you think of this week's episode?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author - Virginia Mae Fontana

Virginia is happy to be reviewing The Vampire Diaries, Hart of Dixie, Nashville, Beauty and the Beast, Elementary, Witches of East End, Covert Affairs, and Continuum for Spoiler TV. She is a college English instructor and enjoys obsessing over films and pop music - in addition to tv shows, of course! You can find her blog, SugarRushed, at http://virginiamaeblog.blogspot.com/ and her Twitter handle is @SugarRushedBlog