Get ready to strap on your cowboy boots tonight for the sophomore season premiere of country soap "Nashville."
With Rayna (Connie Britton) and Deacon's (Charles Esten) car crash and Gunnar's (Sam Palladio) unexpected proposal to Scarlett (Clare Bowen), fans can't wait to see the outcomes of the cliffhangers. "Nashville" showrunner Dee Johnson gave an inside scoop to TVLine about what viewers can expect to see tonight and on the rest of the season.
After the near-fatal car crash in last season's finale, Rayna is left in a comatose state. As a result, Johnson revealed that the "Red Lips, White Lies" tour will go on hold, and Rayna and Deacon's rocky relationship might as well. Johnson commented on the complicated relationship. "For Rayna, it's a wake-up call... That said, you know what? They are star-crossed lovers and now, especially, will always be tethered because they have a child in common," Johnson said.
This season, viewers will also actually get to hear the full argument that Rayna and Deacon were having right before the crash, which Johnson said was a mix of scripted lines and improv.
After the crash, Maddie, played by Lennon Stella, will be confused about what to feel or how to react. But she will eventually seek comfort from a newly discovered family member. "Initially, she's [Maddie] not going to seek Deacon out, and he's not going to seek her out, for his own reasons. But down the line, how could you not be drawn to wanting to know more or develop some kind of relationship with your biological father?" Johnson revealed.
As for Deacon, he will be in "his own form of rehab," Johnson said.
Johnson was tight-lipped about the resolution of the Scarlett/Gunnar proposal, but reassured fans that they would find out what transpires early on in the season.
Zoey (Chaley Rose), Scarlett's childhood friend from Mississippi, will be in the music capital to try to achieve her dreams of country music superstardom. Yet, her experience will be different from Scarlett's. Johnson said that her career trajectory will be full of "fits and starts." Zoey will also add a lot of interest to the Scarlett/Gunnar storyline. "There is definitely an interesting relationship that evolves in how much she knows about the Scarlett-Gunnar relationship," Johnson said. "She's working at the Bluebird and so is Gunnar, so there you go."
A new character, Layla, played by Aubrey Peeples, will also come to Nashville looking for fame. Layla is semi-well known for coming in second on a singing competition. "It's a way in that even Juliette can sort of look down her nose at," Johnson said.
"She's [Juliette] been performing since she was 14. She pursued it," Johnson continued. "She didn't just drop into a competition and get second place and then get a deal. So she has an opinion about that particular way in."
Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) will still be grieving when this season opens, and will try to deal with her sadness by throwing herself into her work. "She's sort of embarking on trying to protect her heart as much as she can, as the song in the finale alluded to," Johnson said. "But how long can a person do that? [Laughs] She's gotta open herself up eventually to a true, emotional romantic situation. And that's going to unfold along the course of the season."
Avery (Jonathan Jackson) also had his share of ups and downs last season. After having a "healthy share of humble pie," according to Johnson, " He is more comfortable with his truer self going into this season, which is something Juliette appreciates. It's hard in her world to trust anybody's motivations. He has come full circle in terms of being as honest as he can be."
The second season premieres tonight, Wednesday, September 25 at 10 p.m. on ABC.
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