SEASON GUIDE
5.01 "The Wayfaring Stranger" / 5.02 "Back In Baby’s Arms"
5.03 "Let’s Put It Back Together Again"
5.04 "Leap of Faith"
5.05 "Love Hurts" / 5.06 "A LIttle Bit Stronger"
5.07 "Hurricane"
5.08 "Stand Beside Me"
5.09 "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
— For an episode titled Hurricane, this was a rather quiet and uneventful hour of television.
— I’m not sure if this is something the show has always done but it’s something that has been sort of obtrusive this season which is the cyclical appearances of the characters and that most episodes seem to feature a select group of the cast rather than the entire ensemble. A lot of other shows are doing it as well, so I don’t mind this kind of storytelling as long as none of the characters are neglected too much.
In this episode, for instance, the absence of Juliette and Avery was sorely felt. There is a heavy focus on relationships, romance and love in Hurricane, so this would have been the perfect opportunity to address Juliette’s pattern of pushing Avery away.
— I’m back to being irritated by Maddie. The whole "I don’t wanna fall for you." / "You already have." exchange was hokey and Maddie’s explanation about what love feels like sounded like something that could be a lyric for the duet album her parents are working on. I get that they are trying to move away from Season 4 Maddie and that Clay plays a huge role in this but her progress should be gradual and consistent. But instead, they are zig-zagging between Maddie sounding like a poet and acting like her old self which I assumed we have already left behind. There is so much more that could be explored with this relationship.
— But Maddie does get plus points for not blaming Daphne for the burnt cake. If this happened last season, Maddie would be all over her. I like that their sisterly bond has improved this season. It just would be nice if Daphne could finally step out of Maddie’s shadow and do something that isn’t directly connected to her.
— Sigh. After getting together for the umpteenth time, Scarlett and Gunnar are seemingly headed toward their umpteenth break-up. This reiteration of their relationship already started on shaky ground and with Damien now in the picture, that foundation is starting to crack even more. His treatment of Scarlett in itself was horrible but when put into context of him intended as a potential love interest for Scarlett, it just becomes baffling. Why start on such a sour and vile note when romance was the next step for these two characters? If it was to make the audience root against Damien, I’m pretty sure his arrogance and self-absorbtion would have done the job just as well.
I also feel like Scarlett and Gunnar as a couple are just not cutting it anymore. Arguing and fighting is part of every relationship and conflict can actually be something to benefit from but it just feels like arguing and fighting is all they are doing; But unlike Rayna and Deacon who are growing closer and stronger with every argument they have, Scarlett and Gunnar just grow apart.
— Even though most of the episode was about Deacon and Rayna, I don’t really have much to say about them. I think they are at a point in their lives and their relationship where they are unbreakable and that nothing can tear them apart so much that they can’t find their way back to each other. Unlike Scarlett and Gunnar, you can tell why these two are together and how much they love each other.
— Weekly Daphne Watch: Did anyone else feel like something was off with her? She had three scenes in this episode and all three of them end with a lingering shot of her. I expected the episode cliffhanger to be about her demeanor thoughtout “Hurricane” but it was just kind of left up in the air.
Thanks for reading my review and feel free to share your
own thoughts about the episode in the comments below!
