Drunk on You: Ode to Nashville

"And it burned, burned, burned, that Ring of Fire….that Ring of Fire.”

--Real country star June Carter Cash’s love song

My achy heart is breakin’ because my favorite TV show this year has "Blown Away."  I'm "Drunk on You," Nashville.  Sigh.

What a season it was!  Sex, drugs, and country music!  Lovers divided, reunited, and banged up in what in any other life would be a fatal car accident. 

The story of two country divas –fading suburban superstar Rayna James and her nemesis, up-and-coming bad girl, Juliette Barnes – Nashville had enough characters and plotlines to fill 4 seasons of series television. 

To fast forward through the salient points of season #1:

Rayna is married to the newly elected mayor of Nashville, who left her because he can’t compete with her fame or her affection  for Deacon Claybourne, one of Nashville’s best guitar pickers, Rayna’s former lover and father of her eldest daughter, Maddie (a fact that Rayna has never confessed to him).  Oh, and Deacon is a recovering alcoholic and Rayna’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Teddy is having an affair with a former colleague and devoted (indeed) campaign worker.

 Juliette starts the season sleeping with everyone, then actually falls for 2 guys:  an evangelical star football player from a snooty family, whom she briefly marries and he annuls, and the sobriety counselor of her addict mother; the mother loves her recovering ex-fraudulent-businessman counselor but also really loves her little girl, Juliette. (She is short).  Of course, the hard-scrabble life her mother gave Juliette has fueled the younger woman's ambition and ability to write some kick-butt country music.

Then there’s the truly talented (if prissy) Scarlett, niece of Deacon, and her boyfriend Avery, who starts out as a real asshole but ends up humbled and working as lead guitarist in Juliette’s band.  But when a door closes, a window opens:  Scarlett finds a new love in her songwriting partner, Gunnar, who is guilty about his ne’er do well brother’s conviction for armed robbery. (He dies a few episodes later but not before making Gunnar feel even crappier about his brother!).

Deacon winds up going off the wagon after Maddie discovers he’s her father (and tells him), then he and Rayna get into a monstrous car wreck while they fight over his getting drunk and her failure to tell him that her daughter Maddie is his.  Nothing good can come of this -- brain surgery?? Spinal reconstruction?

Juliette’s mother ODs but not before killing the former sobriety counselor who's become Juliette's business manager before absconding with millions of Juliette’s money and a sex tape of Juliette with him in flagrante delicto!  Staring into her mother’s coffin, Juliette vows she’ll never let anyone hurt her again. I don't blame her.

And then there’s Scarlett and Gunnar:  After a few bad moves on his part, leading to Scarlett throwing him out of their house, Gunnar shows up with a ring and a marriage proposal – happy ending?

No $#@*&#! way.

My Season 2 predictions:

Rayna and Deacon are toxic together.  Actor Charles Esten is one hot dude, a terrific singer and guitar player, and he’s completely believable in the role.  If I wasn't happily married and 60, I'd consider a face lift and losing 50 pounds for him.  However, after further reflection,  I am terribly worried that he’s a dead man.  This show might just make him a big star.  Just like that poor heir to Downton Abbey -- the movies wanted him and he was so done with the TV show.

Of course, Deacon and Rayna have great chemistry but, honestly, Connie Britton could have great chemistry with a frog, she’s that terrific. 

If I'm right, Rayna will have to learn to walk again, sing again and love again, but not before she mends those fences with Maddie.  If I'm wrong, Rayna will have to learn to walk again, sing again and love again, but not before she mends those fences with Maddie. 

Rayna’s poor, floundering husband Tom now becomes just like Deacon, whom he loathes:  the father of a child out of wedlock.

And there's a 12-step program in Juliette’s future and more hit singles. 

Scarlett is the next big thing in Nashville and on the show – a true country artist.  She will be the one keeping Juliette awake at night.  Which brings us to Avery….and Gunnar.

Will the Circle be Unbroken?  Will I try my hand at writing a country song while pining through the summer months with only my Nashville album download to keep me company?  Will series' creator Callie Khouri please let Deacon live to drink another drink -- and will he ignore his agent's siren song to "take a hike"?

Stay tuned.