After facing massive Friday Night Lights withdrawal, I was delighted to see that Connie Britton (aka Tammy Taylor) was returning to television with a starring role in Nashville. Created by Callie Khouri, who won an Oscar for her screenplay for Thelma & Louise, the show follows ABC's tradition of addictive, soapy drama featuring powerful female characters and engaging story lines.
Britton plays Rayna Jaymes, a well-respected country singer who is now past her prime. Her last album didn't sell well and her upcoming tour hasn't been selling out arenas like her managers hoped. Their solution is to have her co-headline a tour with Juliette Barnes, a young pop-country crossover artist who is beloved by tweens and makes the kind of music that Rayna hates. Juliette is played by Hayden Pannetiere, back to television after her memorable turn as the cheerleader on Heroes, and she plays a bitchy pretty young thing opposite Rayna's regal has-been.
The contrast between these two women is interesting and highlights the divide in country music, between the purists and the pop wannabes. Thrown into the crossfire is Deacon Clayborne (played by Charles Esten who used to feature on Whose Line is it Anyway? back in the day), who is Rayna's lead guitarist and co-wrote many of her songs. The two of them have a complicated romantic past, and now Juliette is trying to poach Deacon to be her guitarist and something more. In the meantime, Rayna has to deal with the fact that her manipulative father has coaxed her husband, Teddy, into running for mayor, a move that is laden with ulterior motives on all sides. There are several more characters and story lines, all interesting and engaging in their own right, but you'll just have to watch the show and get thoroughly invested in this world.
Of course, the most important part of any show about musicians is the quality of the music. And here's where Nashville has hit a home run. Callie Khouri is married to legendary music producer T. Bone Burnett who did the music for Walk the Line and Crazy Heart, amongst others. The first two episodes of Nashville featured original songs that were utterly bewitching and memorable. Later episodes have been slightly lackluster on the music front, focusing instead on the expanding complications of the various story arcs. But I'm certain Burnett will throw in some heartbreaking surprises throughout the season and make the show's soundtrack an album worth buying.
Nashville was a highly-anticipated show and it was well worth the hype. As the season progresses, I hope it continues to deliver the high quality promised by its initial episodes, with great music, amazing actors, and twists that keep you on your toes week after week.
Britton plays Rayna Jaymes, a well-respected country singer who is now past her prime. Her last album didn't sell well and her upcoming tour hasn't been selling out arenas like her managers hoped. Their solution is to have her co-headline a tour with Juliette Barnes, a young pop-country crossover artist who is beloved by tweens and makes the kind of music that Rayna hates. Juliette is played by Hayden Pannetiere, back to television after her memorable turn as the cheerleader on Heroes, and she plays a bitchy pretty young thing opposite Rayna's regal has-been.
The contrast between these two women is interesting and highlights the divide in country music, between the purists and the pop wannabes. Thrown into the crossfire is Deacon Clayborne (played by Charles Esten who used to feature on Whose Line is it Anyway? back in the day), who is Rayna's lead guitarist and co-wrote many of her songs. The two of them have a complicated romantic past, and now Juliette is trying to poach Deacon to be her guitarist and something more. In the meantime, Rayna has to deal with the fact that her manipulative father has coaxed her husband, Teddy, into running for mayor, a move that is laden with ulterior motives on all sides. There are several more characters and story lines, all interesting and engaging in their own right, but you'll just have to watch the show and get thoroughly invested in this world.
Of course, the most important part of any show about musicians is the quality of the music. And here's where Nashville has hit a home run. Callie Khouri is married to legendary music producer T. Bone Burnett who did the music for Walk the Line and Crazy Heart, amongst others. The first two episodes of Nashville featured original songs that were utterly bewitching and memorable. Later episodes have been slightly lackluster on the music front, focusing instead on the expanding complications of the various story arcs. But I'm certain Burnett will throw in some heartbreaking surprises throughout the season and make the show's soundtrack an album worth buying.
Nashville was a highly-anticipated show and it was well worth the hype. As the season progresses, I hope it continues to deliver the high quality promised by its initial episodes, with great music, amazing actors, and twists that keep you on your toes week after week.
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