Deacon & Daphne
No one knows where grandpa is, and Deke says it’s not their concern anymore. Daphne, who has a heart, says that he has nowhere to go. Deacon is unmoved. Hey look everyone, Bucky’s here! Good news, he can get Deacon out on tour — as a headliner! The internet has expanded the country music audience, says Bucky, and old guys are back in style. Haha, yeah it’s been tough out there in the country music world for middle-aged white guys. Deacon says he’ll think about it.
He runs into Jessie at the kids’ school, she’s very sad because her son is getting shipped off to the disgusting hell state of Connecticut. Deacon has an idea! He calls his billionaire friend Zack, who is now running for Senate (the only people who have it harder than white men in country music are billionaires who want to go into politics) and they start ~scheming~ something. Later, he’s STILL FIXING SCARLETT’S SINK and tells her about the tour. She tells him to stop being a scaredy baby, and Deke throws a rubber/glue on her.
Daphne is one of three contestants left on Brad’s singing competition show, and for the big finale he wants her to sing — gasp — a mainstream pop country song! Everyone finds this very insulting, especially Ilse, who knows that’s not Daphne’s style. Brad says whoever wins the show has to compete on country radio, so I guess the guy is gonna win? Grandpa sent Daph a good luck letter, but Deacon says this is mere manipulation meant to divide the family. But Daphne stands her ground and says she can invite anyone she wants to her television show (haha) so she’s inviting Grandpa.
Deke angrily stomps over the the motel (so he didn’t have NOWHERE to go) and is like, “How dare you write a nice letter to your granddaughter.” Grandpa tries to explain himself, about how he really didn’t drink for 28 years but losing his house in the hurricane kind of messed him up! He insists he wasn’t, like, FULL ON drinking, just taking a nighttime sippy to drift off to sleep and try to forget his hell life of mistakes and failures and regrets. When Daphne caught him drinking it fucked him up and he hasn’t touched a drop since.
Finale time! Daphne is still very sad about singing country music and Deke advises her to make the song her own. Daphne hates Deacon. Ilse gives the same advice. Daphne loves Ilse and takes it. The other contestants sing: a pretty pop singer, a campy pop-rock normal dude and a young teen. Daphne does her own thing! Grandpa is moved. Pop Singer is jealous. Normal Dude is smiling and clapping and generally seems to have a healthy sense of proportion about this competition.
Daphne … doesn’t win. The pretty adult singer takes the prize, and gets groped by Brad. Uh, congrats? Daphne is crying and says she doesn’t want to go back to her normal life. In the mansion? But everyone knows great things are just getting started for her! Deacon thanks Ilse for helping Daphne. They’re in love now, and want to write a song together when Deacon gets back from tour! (Deacon decides to go on tour.)
Wicked Brad Maitland
Daphne’s not the only one with a big career ahead of her — Alannah is still in the game and, whoops, Brad is over at her apartment. I honestly cannot wait for her to murder him. He’s set up a gig in Memphis for her and they’re both taking the trip: two rooms, he says. Post-show, Brad says there’s a party up in his room and Alannah had better come up and glad-hand with assorted industry leeches and addicts. Even worse: It’s a trap! There’s no party!
He’s kissing all over her, trying to be a seducer, and it’s so gross. She’s like, you’re a married man! He gets very, explicitly grabby and she punches him good in the nose. He’s like, “You know the rules about power and money and gender! You have clear skin and nice hair and I have an expensive watch so I should put my dick in you!!" She leaves the room and Brad tells her she’ll never work again.
… Or WILL she? Flanked by Deacon and Zach, the trio heads into Brad’s office with an offer: $15 million dollars for the label (~scheming~). Brad says it’s worth way more than that, first of all. But! If he doesn’t take this offer, Alannah will tell the world her story about Brad. She’s got the whole incident recorded on her phone, hooray! And then the elevators open in the background and like 10 more women fill the office, all of whom Brad has harassed and paid off. Jessie is there! She wants full custody of Jake! Looks like Wicked Brad Maitland is boned for good! Let this quasi-justice be a lesson to all women: If a man is ever messing with you like Brad did with Alannah, make sure you have a billionaire acquaintance who can help you threaten him.
Juliette
I guess Juliette’s work with the State Department, to take down that cult or whatever, is winding down because she’s packing up house. IN FACT, she sold the house without even telling Avery! Classic Juliette. She’s moving to the farm she bought, and tells Avery that it won’t be so bad, she’s only moving 30 minutes out of town so custody stuff with Cadence should be fine. She doesn’t mention custody arrangements for In Utero Barnes, because she’s yet to tell Avery that she’s pregnant. Hallie is in the studio recording when Avery walks in. Like, he literally walks in on her and stands five feet away, in the same room, while she sings into a microphone. She’s a pro and finishes the song even though, like I said, Avery barged in on her in the middle of this and made pointed, direct eye contact while she was trying to sing. This is the most distracting thing I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m still grinding my teeth about it on Hallie’s behalf. He tells her Juliette’s leaving, she tells him Juliette is pregnant. Haha! Per Hallie, this pregnancy was the only thing that gave Juliette the strength to escape the cult and get from Bolivia to Nashville. (Sorry, Cadence.) He asks Juliette why she kept this secret from him. Well, he’s not her husband anymore. Well, he’s the father. She didn’t want to unduly influence his feelings about her. She doesn’t want to trap him; she wants him to need her. She Will Survive. She finishes packing the house and writes a song on an electric keyboard about opening doors and new starts and whatnot.
Maddie
Maddie’s singing and Twig is producing and she’ll put out an EP and go on tour and Twig will come along for the ride, he says!! Props to my man Twig and his incredible scamming. Maddie is “Hmm” about this. She and Scarlett (she has no friends her own age) catch up on the bridge by the river. It’s been so long since this show had a riverside conversation! Scarlett (the last pack of Emergen-C) notes that Maddie doesn’t “light up” when she talks about Twig. She’s still sad about Jonah and feels like she should give Twig a chance because he likes her so much. Scarlett gives good advice for the first time ever and is like, “Honor urself bb girl, b free.”
Maddie takes Twig out for coffee and he’s suspicious. “Only adults get coffee,” he says. Uh-oh, is Maddie in a Vincent Adultman situation? Was he posing as an adult and then someone asked his name and he looked over at a tree and was like, “Uh, Twig, yeah, that’s it, my name’s Twig, that’s the ticket!” She thanks him for being honest with her about her cheating bf and gives him fancy headphones. He’s like, this is a sad consolation prize. She says he needs to find someone who can put him at the center. He also needs to find a place to live! Bye to Twig! I thought you were fine, but I guess you’re a mooch.
Will & Gunnar
Working out in their living room/gym, the bros discuss making music together. Gunnar really wants Avery back in the band, and so he asks him. Gunnar insists that he’s changed and learned, he no longer thinks a girl will solve all his problems like he believed two weeks ago. They’ve known one another for about six years, they say, golly, and have done a lot of growing. Hm. Avery was a tool, Gunnar says. "I was insecure," Avery says! Good luck in Atlanta, douche! Anyway … I wonder if the band will get back together??????????
A few months later…
The band gets back together! The Lost Highways are a hit!
Alannah is opening for The Lumineers at Bridgestone! She’s gonna be a superstar! Jessie got her son back! Will and Zach are back together! Make that money, Will! Maddie is taking her turn living rent-free in Deacon’s old house! Daphne signs with her family’s record label!
Visibly pregnant Juliette and Cadence are playing at the farm mansion, and Avery arrives with a suitcase. He says all the things she wanted him to say! He’s so smart, just do what Juliette wants and you’ll be happy! The family is back together!
We’re at the Ryman! Scarlett is engaged to a new guy! (Clare Bowen’s real-life dude!) Well, that was fast! I wonder if that solider she was kissing six months ago is going to get a divorce?
Guess who else is at the Ryman for Deacon’s big show — Grandpa. Oh my god is Deacon still fighting with him? “A dream come true for you, right?” Haha. and then Deke’s dad tells him he’s proud of him! THE GHOST OF RAYNA JAYMES ARRIVES AS WE ALL KNEW SHE ONE DAY WOULD. Well, less ghost, more flashback. It’s Rayna and Deacon’s wedding night, and they love each other and Deke thinks it’s too good to be true and they’ll just keep on loving each other, amen, cry emoji. Nashville: The Story of Deacon. Deacon’s onstage! Does he call the Ryman “the Mother Church?” Oh hell yeah he does. He invites his father onstage! “Do you know this song?” “Son, I know all your songs.” Haha! Maddie and Daphne join! Then Scarlett! Will, Gunnar, Avery, Juliette — the gang’s all here!
It’s the whole cast and Callie Khouri giving a goodbye. The crew is goofin’! Behrf! Oh shit, there’s Teddy! Thanks for six years!
That’s Nashville!
