BWW Recap: Country, Con Artists, Derek Hough Take Over NASHVILLE

Ruke or Layna? Country's newest power couple is all NASHVILLE is talking about. While Luke is soaking up the spotlight and scheduling wedding dates in between world tours and press appearances, the (god awful) celebrity nickname is the least of Rayna's worries. Always one for family over fame, her apprehension is palpable, as is Maddie's. The romantic in me hopes their anxiety stems from the same source- Deacon. The Nashville fan in me knows we won't know the answer any time soon. But as the November date is set, and the wheels start turning, we can all see it's only a matter of time before something breaks Rayna.

Despite her flaws we got to know very well in the previous seasons, I can't help but finally sympathize with Juliette. Whether it was her adorable, down-to-earth relationship with Avery, her subsequent broken heart, or her unexpected baby that we now know is not Jeff's, Juliette has finally been grounded in a very relatable way.. Can someone just give the girl a hug? The former diva can't even enjoy landing a role in a Hollywood blockbuster. That, my friends, is what we call character development. One plus to come out of Avery and Juliette's breakup? The extremely catchy "Most Beautiful Girl in the World," sung by the reunited Gunnar-Zoe-Avery band.

The Deacon vs. Luke tension is growing in the most passive aggressive way possible. What's even more obvious? Luke's blatant jealousy. It doesn't take an expert to see he kept Deacon on his tour to keep him away from and make him get over Rayna (which, by the way Deacon rejected the backup singer who nearly threw herself at her, isn't exactly working as he planned). Add in his fury over finding out Deacon told Maddie about his proposal to taint his relationship with her (though when Luke and Maddie had a relationship is beyond me), and you have the beginning of a very rocky engagement. I'm biased, I know, but I'm with Deacon on this one. Yet it seems Rayna and Luke are more compatible and like-minded than I originally thought. Rayna is the one to eagerly suggest a "Honeymoon Tour" featuring the power couple, minus Deacon. Brilliant for business, not so much for this dysfunctional love triangle (or for Team Deacon).

"I may be gay, but you are insane..." is blatantly (and truthfully) yelled by none other than Will Lexington to manipulative wife Layla. Finally pushed over the edge, Will, fed up with Jeff Fordham's allegations and Layla's conniving nature, says what needs to be said. Where this will leave the marriage and the not-so-reality television show is yet to be seen, but I doubt he will continue to be, as Jeff pointed out, "number 5 and falling." Or in the closet, for that matter.

A guest appearance by Dancing with the Stars vet Derek Hough was immensely overshadowed by Juliette's depression. Slated to play Patsy Cline's husband on the silver screen, Hough's attempt to befriend his new Patsy was rejected in the place of stress and anxiety. His maybe 10-minutes of screen time could have been more memorable, especially for a guest star. Should Juliette land and keep the part, however, something tells it won't be the last we see of him (who, by the way, for a dancer, doesn't have bad acting chops).

Avery is still in love with Juliette, whether he's willing to admit it or she's willing to let him go. After being treated to an admittedly awkward, Glee-esque moment of Avery bursting into emotional song, we're given a rare glimpse of a breakdown that we cannot help but identify with. Much like Juliette's character development, Avery is no longer the arrogant, jealous, shell of a boyfriend he was when we first met him. And it is for this exact reason and these exact character parallels that he and Juliette belong together.

And as Juliette, tear-stained, defeated, and sitting on Rayna's front porch, she shows her rival and boss the photo of her ultrasound- making her the first person to be told of this pregnancy- we're left once again wanting more.

What do you make of all of this NASHVILLE drama? Let me know in the comments below. Until next week, Nashies.

Below, check out a sneak peek of next week's episode titled 'I Feel Sorry For Me':

Photo Credit: Mark Levine | ABC

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