Nashville “I Can’t Get Over You to Save My Life” 

I Can’t Get Over You to Save My Life: Ruke Selfies, Locker Room Rumbles and How To Lose Millions of Dollars in the Music Business

Nashville started off this week at a rapid tempo with Rayna & Luke (Ruke? Layna?) scrambling to find a wedding date, Juliette puke-dialing Avery, and Will pumping more than just a little iron with his trainer. Lots of hookups, attempted hook-ups and jealousy in this episode.

On the road, tempers flare between Luke and Deacon. Who saw that coming? Everyone loves Ruke, and even the glamour mag-photo shoot dude wants a selfie with them, which Rayna promises to retweet because she’s on Twitter with a checkmark.

Luke’s the alpha country star and seems to enjoy rubbing his engagement in Deacon’s face, but when Rayna tries to push back the wedding it’s pretty obvious Luke is threatened by Deacon’s proposal. But when Rayna flies all the way to LA to make up with Luke, Deacon storms off-stage and works through his jealousy with a forward new back-up singer. “You’re the only damn woman in the world who doesn’t know I’m in love with Rayna Jaymes.”  Oh she knows, but at least she’s not assuming his ex’s identity during foreplay like someone else we can (and will) mention shortly.

Drunk Avery is back, and he is stumbling and sexing his way through Nashville. He got all dark on stage with Zoey & Gunnar, and when he took home yet another groupie-type, she tried her best Juliette imitation.  But once you’ve had butter it’s hard to go back to margarine and Avery sent her home before closing the deal.

Watching Juliette was really sad this time around. Shutting out Glenn, looking for advice from an angry Deacon, trying to find a way to talk to Avery, and then finally winding up on Rayna’s doorstep because, of course, who else could understand her situation better? 

Layla and Will fake their way thru a fantastic duet, once again fooling the cameras. However, once the cameras are off, Layla is back to the crazy. Will, who has finally had enough, storms out with, “I may be gay, but you’re insane!” This was my favorite quote of the night, and apparently I wasn’t the only one judging by the tweets I’ve seen from fellow Nashville fans. A few scenes later, Will and his buff trainer take their workout behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, Layla, realizing her threats aren’t working with her husband, turns her wooky-eyes onto Jeff Fordham, which I personally love. His character could not deserve it more! You know what would be even better? If Highway 65 would sign Sadie Stone (played by Tony winner Laura Benanti) instead of Edgehill Republic.

One final observation on the Ruke/Layna situation: what decent manager would even allow the financially crippling idea of combining two conflicting already-booked blockbuster world tours? “Hey hon, let’s do twice as much work for half the money! Excellent! I’ll get my people on it.” However, it will throw Deacon into Rayna’s path daily, and that’s good news for all the folks on Team Deacon.

Nashville airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.