Although the CW still hasn’t confirmed it, last night’s episode of
Hart of Dixie had all the feel of a series finale. And what a finale it was! A baby was born, couples were married, and there was a huge musical number. It truly was a love letter to the show.
An Early Arrival: After reminding a frustrated Wade that they can’t steal Lemon’s thunder by getting engaged right after she did, Zoe meets the new lawyer in town covering for George. Olivia, played by Autumn Reeser, is a reminder of what Zoe was like when she first came to town 4 years ago. Zoe learns from Olivia that Brick has hired an associate. Zoe finds the new associate in her office on her way to confront Brick. Zoe emotionally tells Brick that he hurt her feelings by replacing her when Brick shows her a sign with “Breeland & Hart & Associate” on it and tells her that her father would be so proud to see how far she has come.
Zoe is excited to hear that Rose got into Columbia which leads to a sweet moment between these friends. Rose tells Zoe that meeting her made her realize who she wants to be, a strong woman who isn’t afraid to be a little crazy when it comes to love. When I tear up for at least the second time, I have to agree with Zoe that this is intense.
In a call back to the pilot, Zoe visit her father’s grave to thank him for bringing her to BlueBell because she finally found love and a home. Zoe’s uncle and Sophie run into her at the grave where she has contractions that she insists are just Braxton Hicks; after all the baby isn’t due for another 3 ½ weeks. Zoe continues to deny she’s having contractions while at Lemon and Lavon’s engagement party. She feels responsible for ruining Lemon’s first engagement party and wedding to George, and so she doesn’t want to ruin another one. Her son decided that this was going to be his moment, and Zoe’s water breaks all over Lemon’s shoes.
At the hospital, Zoe and Wade find out that they are in for a long wait before their son is born which gives them time to reminisce about how they met. Before long the room is filled with all their close loved ones who have come to meet the new BlueBellian about to be born. Surrounded by love, Zoe realizes this is the perfect time for her to marry Wade before their baby is born. Wade directs everyone to help to make Zoe’s wish happen. Determined to be married before their son’s arrival, Zoe and Wade exchange vows on the way to the delivery room. Wade and Zoe introduce their little of bundle of joy as “TBD Hart-Kinsella” because they haven’t been able to agree on a name. Meatball and the Truitt brothers start singing their cover of NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Long Live the Hart” as a baby gift with everyone joining in and finishing the episode by spreading out through the town to finish the episode.
The Calm: Now that Lemon is marrying the right man, she is calm and collected much to the surprise of everyone around her. Knowing that Lemon hasn’t had luck in the past when it has come to engagement parties and weddings, Brick is determined that this engagement party will be perfect for his little girl. Panic ensues when the wait staff at Fancie’s gets sick. Brick enlists Wade’s help to keep Lemon occupied while he finds replacement staff among the townspeople of BlueBell.
At their engagement party, everyone urges an uncomfortable Lavon to retell how he proposed to Lemon. There is one important detail that he leaves out; that is the proposal wasn’t meant for Lemon. Feeling guilty, Lavon confesses to Lemon that the proposal was really Zoe’s meant for Wade which rightfully upsets her. Her friends console her at the Rammer Jammer while Lavon realizes he needs to organize the perfect proposal for Lemon with some help. The impending birth of Zoe and Wade’s baby alter Lavon’s plans. On the way to the hospital with Rev. Mayfair accompanying, Lavon tells Lemon about his proposal plans and then realizes that no time is more perfect then right then. He stops the car and asks Lemon to marry him on the side of the road. They get married during the musical montage at the end of the episode.
Love Conquers All: AB is uncertain of her future with George now that he lives in Nashville. She becomes upset with him when he mentions nursing schools in Nashville. She doesn’t want to give up everything for a man once again in her life. After AB suggests they should break up, George confesses he loves her while arguing. He tells her that love is the reason they should make it work. It isn’t clear whether AB has moved to Nashville, or if they are finding a way to make their relationship work despite their distance when AB is shown in George’s Nashville apartment during the ending musical number.
Observations and Notes:
-Zoe and Brick’s new associate looks to be on the younger side as a nod to those who criticized the casting of Rachel Bilson as not being a believable doctor.
-Lemon and Zoe have come so far from the pilot when they were instant enemies to Lemon asking Zoe to be a bridesmaid.
-The new love triangle was reversed with the doctor being a man and the bartender and lawyer being women.
-I’ve loved Crickett’s storyline this season, and it was great to know that she also got a happy ending.
-Sadly there wasn’t a mention of Burt Reynolds or Don Todd.
-I’m happy that even in the finale, the writers found time for Lemon and Wade to have a moment. Their friendship has been one of my favorite parts of the show. And Lemon not minding sharing her thunder with Wade shows just how genuine their friendship is.
-While Zoe and Wade’s wedding was unconventional, Zoe was right that there wasn’t a more perfect moment for them to be married. Their vows were filled with all the love they have for one another. And it was certainly a unique and memorable TV wedding.
Final Thoughts: Initially when the sing-a-long started I wasn’t sure about it. It was such a happy occasion and infectious. I couldn’t help but smiling through tears as the music spread out through the town square. Seeing all the little montages of everyone was icing on the cake. On any other show it would have come across as cheesy. It was the perfect little bow for Hart of Dixie and just felt so right. And if this is truly the end of this charming show, there is no doubt that everyone will continue to live happily ever after in the quirky small town of BlueBell, AL.
Goodbye
Hart of Dixie. Thank you for giving us an hour-long escape these past 4 seasons where life was simple and happy. You’ll truly be missed by your loyal fans.
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.
Lovely Review!
ReplyDeleteIt was a really beautiful finale! It was an emotional and funny ride providing the right closure to all the characters. Zoe and Lemon accepting and enjoying their fate.
The only thing bugging me this whole season is AB and George, just to fast to perfect.
I have enjoyed all of your reviews, and you have reflected my and I'm sure many other people's feelings about this fun program. I feel like I have a 76 hour long rom-com with a happy ending to satisfy my craving for watching quirkiness, small town life, people maturing and improving, true love, and abs.
ReplyDeleteI hope this isn't a Series finale, BUT if it was real finale, than I am fine with that! This was an amazing, funny, sad and feelgood tv show! I will miss this show!
ReplyDeleteIt was announced by the show's creator that HoD has been cancelled.
ReplyDeleteThe network is still insisting that no decision has been made per various media outlets this month when they picked up on Leila Gerstein's tweets. Scott Porter said in an interview yesterday that they still haven't heard one way or another. Kaitlyn Black said the same thing on the AfterBuzz podcast last Monday. So while I believe, and it certainly looks like, it will be the end, the CW still hasn't said one way or another. And Scott Porter said they won't know for certain until May. Hence my "if this is the end".
ReplyDeleteIt was a good send off for the show and a perfect ending. It left everything on a happy and feel good note.
ReplyDeleteI know I'll be starting all over with the pilot this summer in a rewatch. The show is pure fluff, but it is a lot of fun and a perfect escape.
ReplyDeleteAB and George are the one thing that i wish they would have started sooner and taken more time to develop. On paper, I love them and think they are perfect for each other. And at times I've found them very cute on screen. I also feel that their relationship was rushed. I'm happy with where they ended though because I wanted both characters to be happy. And I love that George was fighting for their relationship.
ReplyDeleteThe evolution of Zoe and Lemon's friendship has been a joy to watch over 4 seasons. It was a rewarding moment to see Zoe as one of her bridesmaids at the end.
Absolutely loved it-It was the best farewell any fan could have ever asked for.I'll miss it so much.Goodbye Bluebellians!
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame we didn't get a girls gone wild season, with Lemon and Zoe hanging out together and being all weird before they ended up in happy relationships. I liked how awkwardly they started to connect during season 3 and they peaked together in those last couple of eps.
ReplyDeleteI would've preferred if AB and George ended up alone with a perspective or lingering possibility, cause their whole path more or less was relationship centric and by the end they finally started doing things for themselves. But again that is nit picking in a really strong season of HoD.
May is an awful long time to wait on job security.
ReplyDeletedefinitely, poor cast
ReplyDeleteI would be happy if we just left it like this. The only thing I wanted to know is the NAME of the baby!! If they said the boy would be named Harley Hart-Kinsella, it would be PERFECT since Harley brought Zoe to BlueBell...
ReplyDeleteBut Harley was also the name of Vivian's son. Had they not messed that up in season 3, I think they would have called him Harley.
ReplyDeleteI think Wilkes Hart-Kinsella would be a great name for the baby. In the South there is a tradition of last names as first names, same initials as Wade, respects Zoe's father, Harley, who brought her to Bluebell, and cute nickname Wil. That is how I will always refer to the baby.
ReplyDeleteloved everything about the finale :D such an uplifting show, too bad this is goodbye :(
ReplyDeleteAnd what the heck would they do in the next season? There was so much resolvement in that episode that I just dont see what they could do.
ReplyDeleteTHey .. could break up Annabeth and George and they raced to get there to begin with, but ... I find it hard to see what else they could do.. considering the new doctor Brick employed and the new Lawyer, replacement for Wanda.. and so on.
If my disdain for the AB/George romance (which I still think is the one dark spot of the show) and my complete indifference to the Lemon/Lavon love story didn't damper my appreciation for this finale, then a silly as HELL music number wouldn't be able to do the job either.
ReplyDeleteIt was over the top, and super cheesy and yet, I could look past all that and still enjoy the whole thing all the way to the end.
It was a lovely ride HoD! I will miss you Bluebell!
I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one who thought the musical number was cheesy. I saw so many comments over the weekend of people talking about how "perfect" that was? Don't get me wrong, I liked the episode, rushed as it was, up until that point but that ending just threw me. I know LG has said that music is an important part of the show but to me it almost felt like a waste of 4 minutes of show time we could have had. I suppose it was a way to avoid not saying a baby name (my guess is there was debate in the writers room over whether or not to name the baby Harley so they decided not to name him at all), limiting how much they had to shoot Rachel since she was still pregnant while Zoe wasn't, fitting in Lemon/Lavon's wedding, and adding to the always quirky nature of BB, but it just didn't fit for me.
ReplyDeleteI said it at the time that LG sent out her tweets about everyone being satisfied and I'm sticking to it, while that was a nice ending I'm sorry to say I wasn't satisfied with the ending we got. I know it's more than some shows get and it was certainly better than some other series that have had terrible finales (Seinfeld, HIMYM) but it left me with an unfulfilled feeling. I guess all I can hope for is that hail mary of a real (as in they announce it from the beginning and the writers KNOW, not plan IN CASE it is) final season. I want to see Zoe and Wade as parents and I want to know the babies name!
Yeah, Wilkes is a better solution than Harley. I am firmly in the camp against naming the baby Harley. If Vivian's son hadn't been named that it would have been ok (I probably still wouldn't have loved it), but I don't think you name your baby the same thing your cousin named hers, and after the same person. It's just weird. I've also seen Jack suggested as sort of way of honoring Wade's mom, Jacqueline. That wouldn't be too bad. Either name is better than Harley in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think there are plenty of stories left for them to tell. I do agree they resolved a lot, too much in my opinion, I think there were some things they could have left open without hurting it if this was the series finale.
ReplyDeleteFor Wade/Zoe you've got dealing with being new parent stories, Lemon/Lavon have newlywed, starting a family stories, George/AB have all kinds of new and long distance relationship stories (although I have no doubt if it did come back George would be back in BB within a couple episodes). A good writing team has plenty of material for stories left. Do I think it could go on for years and years? No, but I think there is at least enough left for a real final season of maybe 10-12 episodes.
I disagree with you on a lot of points. The way the show ended, cheesy and over the top as it was, was a full on finale. Coming back from that would be very jarring from a narrative perspective, unless they made it into a huge dream sequence, which I wouldn't be on board with.
ReplyDeleteIt's over. And frankly they should have come out and said it was over since the season started.
Certainly possible. 12 episodes would be about as much story as there is left
ReplyDeleteOh riggghtttt! Wilkes is a good name with nickname Will.. Or Wade Jr? Anything is better than TBD XD
ReplyDeleteI agree with your last point. The network should have been more forthcoming with its plans for this show.
ReplyDeleteI liked the production number. There have been a few of them in the course of the show. I am curious if it was influenced by Bollywood or old Hollywood. I guess that is a question for Leila Gerstein.
Most other musical numbers however, have been more naturally and organically incorporated into the show. A flashmob to woo Zoe, a big elaborate wedding proposal from Wanda to Tom...
ReplyDeleteThis was weird and felt off, like it didn't exactly belong... I don't think it worked 100%, but as a series finale I'm willing to accept it.
If you enjoyed that ending and are completely satisfied I think that's great for you and you will most likely get your wish. Most indications are that will be the series finale. I guess I just have more faith that a team of professional tv writers could come up with a way to continue this narrative and without resorting to any silly "the last season was a dream" cop out or being jarring.
ReplyDeleteFor me, assuming this was in fact the finale, it will always feel kind of like going to a nice restaurant you had been looking forward to for a long time. The appetizer is good, the soup/salad course is wonderful, then the main course arrives and it's a total let down. It's delayed/cold/over cooked/not as described, whatever. After 2 great courses you had high expectations and you were totally dissapointed. You forge ahead though and order dessert and it's amazing, it's perfect, just what you wanted and more. It restores your faith in the kitchen staff, that is until the waiter comes over and snatches it away after one bite. You are left unsatisfied. Was the over all resturant experience good? Yes. Did you like most of what you had? Yes. But the way the meal ended was so abupt, so jarring, it leave you with an unsatisfied feeling.
If LG and her staff can't come up with a few stories for all of these main characters and supporting players simply because the original love triangles have been resolved, I have to say, I'm concerned about her future in the industry. I know for me personaly, I will certainly give it a lot of thought before I even consider getting invested in another show she is involved with. If she truely felt that was an ending that "everyone" (her word) would be satisfied with, maybe I have given her too much credit and should just consider myself not part of her audiance because for me, that ending was what was jarring. It all happened so fast and they tried to sqeeze so many things in, that I wasn't really satisfied with the product as a whole, not as a series finale anyway.
As I said, if you liked it and your expectations were met with the ending, despite the Lemon/Lavon and George/AB pairings, I really do think that's great. I do think it's short sighted though to assume there is no way to continue the story without hurting what we've already had. In anycase, enjoy the shows you watch that are still on air.
To continue on with your analogy of the restaurant: you had your full meal though. It's over. At the end you need to get up and leave the premises. You can dig your heals in and demand the waiter to bring back that desert all you want but the kitchen is empty and the staff has gone home.
ReplyDeleteI take a bit of offense with you calling me short sighted, because you clearly don't understand my argument.
Can they find new storylines to address in the future? Sure... There's plenty of stuff one can address. But after that musical number, anything that follows will be jarring. That's fact. You can't end the show on that note and then go back to things as usual. From a visual narrative perspective that's bad TV storytelling.
I think the biggest problem TV viewers have is not knowing when to let go. TV storytelling, is still storytelling and when faced with an ending, things need to end.
Now, whether or not you personally were satisfied by that finale, objectively from a narrative & storytelling perspective it was absolutely constructed as a series finale, that aimed to wrap things up. And nobody can claim otherwise.
This and only this is the reason why the show getting a hail mary renewal wouldn't benefit anyone, and would indeed tarnish the show.
I would be more happy to follow Leila in her next show, than watch her try to reboot a story she was forced to end sooner than she had planned.
However she did indeed end it, and complaints aside, I think nobody can deny she tried to make the best with what she was given.
I'd rather see her try a new story, new characters, than watch her try to revive something she, the network and the cast and crew have put behind them.
I think we as the audience should do the same.
"I think the difference is you went into the season, and therefore
ReplyDeleteepisode 4x10, assuming from the get go that this was it, the end of the
road"
Only I didn't. And that is my point.
When the 10 episode season was announced last summer I was the first to say "oh! It's probably only because of Rachel's pregnancy!"
This is a conclusion I slowly came to as the season and these 10 episodes played out, one installment at a time, exactly because of the way they played out, and how the season was structured. Which is when we came to 4x10 it felt like a finale.
Again let me repeat: you can feel as unsatisfied or disrespected by the creative choices Leila and TPTB made as much as you want. That's more than your prerogative. It's your absolute right as a loyal viewer of the show. I have complaints about a bunch of stuff too!
However that they seemed very intent in wrapping this show up, and having this be the end of the road was evident as the season progressed, only to cap it all off with a big musical production and a montage. You can't possibly claim otherwise!
(Also no matter what the company line was, and no matter how much they tried to toe it -and lets be honest, nobody besides the CW heads really did toe that line- I can guarantee you, as someone who has been in that exact same situation, not one person working on that show expected a renewal.)
Also I said: if the CW gives HoD a miraculous renewal, I know they can find new storylines. That bit is not hard.
But I can guarantee you, after 4x10 anything they come up with will feel, in the grant scheme of the show like a cop-out from a visual storytelling perspective. And it won't reflect well on the show in retrospect.
(and knowing that, is being anything but short sighted BTW.)