Nashville, A Star Is Born...

♥When I heard one of my favorite actors Jonathan Jackson had been cast in a new series called Nashville, I was thrilled.  After a crazy week, I finally got the chance to watch the pilot episode and I absolutely love it!  I'm hooked and if you haven't seen it, here's a little run down... (Spoiler Alert!)

♥Within the first few minutes veteran country music star Rayna James, played by Connie Britton, quickly learns her record label has doled out an ultimatum- open for rising star Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panttiere) or no tour!  My favorite scene is when she tells the label executives to shove it and walks out of the meeting!  Meanwhile, we learn our new starlette has her sights set on fame and doesn't care who she has to step on to get there! There is no love lost between Rayana and Juliette, with obvious rivalry escalating.  Juliette strategically, as well as underhandedly has gone after Rayna's lead guitarist and right hand man Deacon Claybourne (Charles Esten) by what else...sleeping with him!  Of course it will really hit Rayana when she hears about this because they were lovers at one point.  Juliette also has demons in the form of her strung out mother Jolene Barnes, who hounds her famous daughter for money constantly to support her drug habit.

♥As the episode progresses, we learn there is major conflict between Rayana and her father Lamar Wyatt (Powers Boothe), who is a heavy hitter in Nashville within the political arena.  Rayana's sister Tandy Wyatt (Judith Hoag) seems to be poised to take over once daddy is gone and tries to keep the peace between them.  It appears Lamar has tried to get his hooks into Rayana over the years and has finally found a way in...her husband!  Teddy Conrad, with the support of his father-in-law, decides to run for Mayor. What will unfold next???

♥Finally, Deacon's niece Scarlett O'Connor (Clare Bowen) is dating bad boy and aspiring musician Avery Barkley (Jonathan Jackson).  Interestingly, he literally bumps into Juliette and I have a feeling things are going to get very messy for our good girl Scarlett.  Gunner Scott (Sam Palladio) has a crush on Scarlett and at the end of the episode, they sing a song they wrote together.  Rayana's manager hears them and it appears they are going to hire them to get her career back on track!

♥Nashville is definitely a star! It's well written, with a stellar cast and I really felt a connection to each of the characters in some way.  Ratings for the pilot were great so congratulations to the cast and crew!  Looking forward to seeing next week's episode! 

♥Catch Nashville, Wednesdays at 10pm (ET) and watch online at: Nashville

♥Did you know Jonathan Jackson has his own band called Enation?  
 Check out their music at: Enation Music