MissMolly’s Episode Eval for the Pilot of ABC’s Nashville (Spoilers below!).
Wednesday night, ABC premiered the pilot episode of its highly anticipated new drama, Nashville, and I’m gonna say it straight up, they didn’t disappoint!! Lots of times, trailers and teasers for shows and movies are kinda misleading and the viewing experience is a bit of a let down, but my Nashville viewing experience was quite the opposite. The show producers brought everything they promised and more from the drama to the characters to the music to that authentic country music feel! So, let me tell you what I loved the most!
The Characters.
- I am thoroughly impressed by how written Nashville is, and how well developed the characters already are! I honestly thought all of the characters were complex and interesting! Rayna (Connie Britton) is a super strong woman that clearly knows what’s up, and the moment where she essentially tells the new head of her record label that he can stick his suggestions where the sun don’t shine…well, that was an empowering moment!
- Then there’s Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) who at first I was super annoyed with since it appeared that her one method of communication involved either sex (when dealing with men) or cattiness (when dealing with women). I was disappointed because that is such a cliche! Yet, by the end of the show, we got to peak behind the curtain a little and see that there’s more to her story, and I think it will be super interesting to see that story line develop (not that it excuses her behavior, but still…)!
- All the supporting actors are amazing as well from Teddy (Eric Close) to Rayna’s father, Lamar (Powers Boothe) and sister, Tandy (Judith Hoag) to Deacon (Charles Esten). I think the stand out so far though is Scarlett O’Conner (Clare Bowen) and her impromptu performance at the Bluebird Cafe. Her voice is phenomenal, and that was such an emotional scene!! I can’t wait to see what comes of her and her storyline.
Nashville Looks Amazing On TV!
- As someone who has spent a fair amount of time in Nashville, TN, I was very pleased with how well its landmarks and features were showcased throughout the show. From The Bluebird Cafe to the Ryman to the Grand Ole Opry, its abundantly clear that they shot the show IN Nashville and not on some sound stage in California. This lends an authenticity to the show that I think country music fans will appreciate, and will go a long way to making this show a success! Added bonus: there were a lot of amazing skyline and and overhead shots of downtown Nashville cut in throughout, and the city of Nashville is simply gorgeous!
The Music!
- Appropriately, the music on the show is really amazing. Firstly, I love that the actors are actually singin’ their own songs, and again, this lends authenticity to the show as a whole. Secondly, real life country music was featured on the soundtrack including two of my favorites, Eli Young Band and Greg Bates! They also through in a small clip of Tammy Wynette singin’ “Stand By Your Man” which is one of my favorite classics! I’m really looking forward to more performances from the actors, and seeing which other of my fave country music artists will be featured on the soundtrack!
I’m Not The Only One That Loved this Show!
According to ratings from zap2it, Nashville came out ahead of other networks series with a 2.8 rating compared to CBS‘s long running “CSI” with a 2.6 and NBC‘s “Chicago Fire” premiere with a 1.9. ALSO, the single from this episode, “If I Didn’t Know Better” is #5 on iTunes Country Chart!
My Predictions.
Nashville is going to be hit, and the story line are just going to get juicier and juicier! If you haven’t gotten to see the pilot episode yet you can still watch it on ABC.com NOW!