The Potential of Nashville

I am just going to come right out and say that if it wasn't for Connie Britton, I would have never given Nashville a second thought. When I first heard about the show, reading the synopsis and what we were to expect, I simply did not think that it would be a show for me. Especially the fact that it was to be heavy on the hee-haw country music. Oh, but Connie Britton is in the lead? Now you have my attention...

As ABC promoted Nashville, and as I watched the trailers and read reviews, I actually grew excited and curious about what this show would become. I generally enjoy a musical show. I watched the entire first season of Smash (mostly for Vulture's hilarious recaps, but also because sometimes, on a rare brief occasion, it was actually entertaining) and I stuck with Glee way past its peak. I am definitely not a country fan in any sense, but the promise that Nashville was more about the industry than about randomly breaking into twangy song and musical numbers meant I could feasibly put my personal tastes aside. The show also offers a sense of soap and camp which, again, is not necessarily something I respond to (unless done right). So Nashville had a lot going against it. And it is a testament to how much I admire Connie Britton that I gave the pilot a shot. And against all odds, I am really enjoying the show way more than I expected to.

Nashville presents an interesting insight on the music industry today, has fantastic lead performances from not only Connie Britton, but Hayden Panettiere as well, and it is particularly refreshing to see a show filmed in an American city that often gets overlooked. Heck, I'm even enjoying the political subplot because I am a sucker for politics and Powers Booth is just perfect in this role.

Again, I am by no means a country fan, but I genuinely liked the acoustic duet in the pilot. I'm also enjoying how the awful pop-country songs are juxtaposed with genuinely well-written refined Country music (with a capital C). It just adds another layer to the story. It is also refreshing that characters are not randomly breaking out into song. The music and the performances serve a purpose to the plot and character, but they also happen in a matter-of-fact way. These characters exist in the music industry so performances and music videos are bound to happen. And so far the musical performances are used in the same way football games were used on Friday Night Lights. It's a way to bring all the characters together at the same place while reflecting on what that moment means for each of them. And so far this has been executed quite well.

As for Hayden Panettiere, I think she is enjoying this seductress role of hers. Her character isn't just a villan. She is also presented with a desire to mature personally and professionally. The steps she takes towards this maturity is quite destructive, but she's a damaged character with lots of emotional baggage to sort through. And I believe Panettiere is doing a great job thus far. I have spoken to many people who are not Panettiere fans, but I have personally never had a problem with her. Claire on Heroes and Kirby in Scream 4 were two of the best characters in each respective project. And I'm looking forward to what else she does with Juliette Barnes (even if she is a main source of the show's soap). As for Connie Britton? I think we all already know how I feel about her and she is in top form as Rayna James.

Against all odds and expectation, I am thoroughly enjoying Nashville. However, it is currently walking the fine line between a genuinely good show and a soapy one. And I have a feeling they are going to one day fully embrace their camp. I will be very disappointed when that happens, but until then, I am considering Nashville my favorite new show this fall. On the other hand, I've made false assumptions about this show in the past, so hey...what do I really know?

A Long Post About: Glee

Oh Glee, where do I begin?

I watched Glee from the start. I watched a strong yet uneven first season. I stuck with it through its struggling second and even through most of its underperforming third. Along the way, the pattern of Glee had been revealed to us all. It gets ridiculous and hilariously campy--sometimes in a great way...but usually in a grating way--with overly produced pop songs, dance numbers, and sporadic theme episodes. But more often then not, it took the show a few too many steps too far. They would take it to the extreme, going off the rails in zaniness, character inconsistency, and jumbled plot lines. The majority of episodes were examples of writers biting off more then they could chew: telling too many stories at once while desperately trying to remain funny, fresh, and quirky. Even the breakout stars of Sue Sylvester and Brittany became tired caricatures.

However, among the jumbled mess of pop songs, wasted talent, and airborne slushies, Glee would turn out a couple of impressive performances, thrilling dance numbers, realistic story lines, and moments of such perfect poignant emotion that they brought tears to my eyes. And whenever an episode like that came along, it restored my faith in the show and its talented cast. It kept me watching through the grating nonsense because every now and then, it promised greatness. I could rattle off a list of performances I loved and regularly rewatched (from "Defying Gravity" to "Teenage Dream" and back). And I absolutely admire how the show has portrayed bullying, homophobia, physical and mental disabilities, unconventional beauty, teen pregnancy, and underprivileged youth. However, those moments were becoming few, flat, and flaccid as the seasons continued...and I was slowly getting too fed up to care.

Then, in the third season there was one particular episode that was the final straw for me. It started with a suicide attempt (a promising hint of raw emotion that Glee has presented so well in the past) but then quickly moved on to engagements, then regionals, and finally an absurd texting-and-driving cliffhanger. All within the same installment. Separate things that entire episodes once revolved around were all thrown together in cacophonous hour of television. And I realized that for three years, through all the awfulness, I was still defending this show, saying how good and sweet and heartfelt it could be. I was like a battered spouse defending her choices. But after that atrocious episode, I just couldn't take the abuse any longer. I swore off the show. I knew in the back of my mind that the things I once loved about Glee were likely to turn up. And it pained me to cut ties. But as weeks passed and the season wrapped up, I didn't miss it. At all. And I took comfort knowing that trusted sources would let me know when it was worth turning in for that one-off episode of promise.

And it just so happens that the fourth season's fourth episode was one of those times.

"The Break-Up" delivered on everything Glee has ever promised its audience. It perfectly captures growing up, leaving high school, disillusionment with life and relationships, betrayal, letting go, aimlessness, maturity, and heartbreak all with a restrained rawness that has been absent from the show for so long. All of this was paired with near perfect musical numbers (including an incredible, stripped down "Teenage Dream" reprise that in context shredded my heart to pieces). Acting skills have been honed and characters we followed for four seasons were given time to shine and sort through the experience of adolescent transition. A reason Glee can be great is its unique ability to capture certain growing pains that many other teen shows neglect. And "The Break-Up" offered them all, letting us focus and reflect without trying to juggle three other nonsense plot lines. Its an example of the show taking a time to pause, stretch, and flex before continuing forward.

Even though Glee loved living up to its name in being over-the-top-smiley™ in a cringy manic fashion, there has always been a darker tone to it. An inherent sadness that I frankly believe, when embraced, were the times the show has been its best. I accepted a long time ago (long before I stopped watching) that these moments are rare. I am by no means going to fall for the same old trick by tuning in weekly in hopes of glimpsing it again. But I'm not any less relieved and gleeful that they can still bring it on. This is what the show has always been. And for any casual viewer or hater, I highly recommend giving "The Break-Up" a go. It's a great hour of television and hits all the right notes in all the ways a great pop-song does. So watch it, maybe.

Homeland: "Beirut is Back"

SPOILER ALERT: This post is about the most recent episode of Homeland. Obviously, spoilers are sure to follow. Enter at your own risk.

Can we just work in reverse and talk about that ending real quick? I had a suspicion that what Saul was digging for may be the Brody video, but I also could not let myself believe the writers would play that card so soon. I wanted it to be the video, but oftentimes shows like Homeland prefer a slow burn of twists and turns. So I was expecting a fake out similar to the Abu Nazir assassination attempt five minutes earlier. But instead I got exactly what I wanted at the same precise moment I realized I wanted it. And its an example of what makes the show so good. Here is one thing I love about Homeland, the writers know exactly when to follow through. What happened at the end of this episode easily could have been the season finale of a lesser show. But instead, the writers decided to throw us this curve ball early on. And we know its going to shape the entire rest of the season. Whether for good or bad, we cannot say.

To put that ending in perspective, lets look at the whole episode. Carrie is still clearly recovering from the Brodie debacle of last season. She even says so herself whilst on the brink of a serious psychotic episode (and possible withdrawal). She's so used to following her gut and being right. And the fact that she could be so incredibly wrong about something she felt so sure about is leading her to question not only her abilities as a professional, but the very fiber of who she is. This is something we all expect Carrie to deal with for quite some time. The scene on the roof was so strong, we could easily see multiple episodes ahead of Carrie still dealing with the fallout. Instead we have her redemption handed over to us within the same hour of television. Its not only satisfying, but incredibly bold. This show has been impressing me nonstop since its debut and this is a perfect example of what made season one award worthy television.

In terms of the Abu Nazir operation, everyone expected him to get away. Once capture was no longer an option, I am pretty sure every viewer was confident in expecting Nazir to elude the ops mission. Because we all know there's more for him to bring to the show. He is what all the main characters have in common, giving each of them a separate purpose. So clearly there was going to be a near miss and a fake out. It wasn't any less satisfying when it happened, but it was definitely expected and formulaic. The Nazir appearance validated Carrie and strengthened Brody's loyalty. Having served its purpose, Nazir was quickly escorted out of the viewer's mind.

Now consider the end of the episode again. Here another fake out was sure to occur. We all think we know what is on that hidden chip. At least we all know what we were hoping for. But there's just no way that the Brody video would pop up so soon. More has to play out before a bomb like that goes off, right? Especially not after we just heard Carrie Mathison admit her self doubt and most significant professional misstep. A main character's redemption just doesn't come that easy. But instead we were given exactly what we wanted. And we were faked out of a fake out. The writers are jerking us around and its amazingly satisfying.

The tape being introduced so early is definitely going to shape most of the season. Whether its simply used as an excuse to give Carrie her job back, or if Saul chooses to sit on the tape, or if the CIA actually acknowledges this video as credible evidence worth investigating, anything that happens is going to be an interesting ride. At the very least we know Carrie will probably be back with her old swagger. She can start trusting herself again. And that is definitely something I am looking forward to.