A second aneurysm leaves Beverly brain dead and Deacon consumed with guilt, while Scarlett is forced to decide whether or not to keep Beverly on life support. Juliette continues a destructive pattern of erratic behavior, pushing Avery to make the heart-wrenching decision to file for divorce.
"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" is a very emotionally raw and devastating episode of Nashville. All of the characters are faced with painful decisions that leave them in a very vulnerable state. It's very difficult for the show to produce in an episode where characters are seemingly crying in every story - but they're not all crying for the same reason. This episode doesn't completely nail it either. It does some things very well and some other things not so well. But the overall effect is really strong. This episode is going for big emotions as a turning point for the season so far. It does achieve that in a way that is as affecting as it is devastating.Scarlett is faced with the heart-wrenching decision of taking her mom off life support. The family has been on such an up-and-down ride this season with Beverly. She's been in a coma and has woken up. Now, she has suffered a second devastating aneurysm that leaves her doctors without much hope of her ever recovering. Deacon refuses to believe that his sister won't want to fight. She can beat the odds. She just has to be given the chance. Now is not the time to give up on her. And yet, the choice isn't up to Deacon. It's Scarlett's decision alone to make. She's not certain how to feel about the massive responsibility of this decision. She knows how Deacon feels. She also loves her mother and can't believe all the time they spent being angry with each other. And yet, she also doesn't want her mother to suffer any more than she already has. What's happened to her isn't right. It's a tragedy. But it's one that they will have to make their peace with. Neither Scarlett nor Deacon know how they'll be able to deal with this emotional wreckage without each other. But that's exactly how they're left at the end of the hour. Grieving in their own ways will help each move on from this horrible situation. But it's clear that the emotions of this event are going to continue to dominate both of their stories throughout this fall run of episodes. The show tends to do these big emotions well. So far, this story has been good. But will it still be after a few more episodes of wallowing in grief? That's uncertain.
While all of this is going on in Nashville, Juliette and Luke are off partying in Indianapolis. It starts harmless enough with some fun NASCAR racing. Things take a turn when Juliette decides to return to her kind of partying. She takes Luke along for the ride and he sees firsthand just how self-destructive she is being right now. This story definitely plays for the levity in this episode. While everyone else is off dealing with big decisions and important life issues, Juliette and Luke are at a bar singing Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation." That is a lot of fun. But the story can't live in that moment forever because it still has to get to the root of what's going on with Juliette. Luke offers some wise advice about needing to focus on what's important in life. She listens and then goes straight back to day drinking and not caring. This story with her is starting to get a little repetitive. Every time it seems like she might be making progress, she then goes back to the more comfortable partying lifestyle.
Despite that though, Avery can't bring himself to actually go through with signing divorce papers. He's furious enough at Juliette to get Emily to watch Cadence for a little bit so he can talk with a lawyer. He is serious about wanting this divorce. No one can really blame him either for the way that Juliette has treated them over the past two months. And yet, his love for her is still present. He hates how awful she is being right now. But he still holds out hope that one day she'll return his calls or come home and want to be a family again. Now, they are just in this weird limbo where he's not sure what else he can do. Their lullaby to Cadence is still able to calm her down for a nap. The same happens to Avery as well. However, it's just so easy to predict that those divorce papers he put in his desk will come back to cause a big fight later on in the season. Let's just hope that doesn't led to Juliette leaving the family again.
And lastly, Rayna has to decide what to do with Maddie and Daphne regarding Teddy's current imprisonment. Teddy being locked up has had a huge effect on Daphne. It hasn't been a great story this season so far. I'm still just so grateful that Teddy is off the show as a regular character. However, this episode does bring a nice conclusion to that character arc. Daphne and Maddie are furious when they learn that Teddy is guilty of the crimes he is accused of doing. It leads to an unintentionally hilarious scene where the two of them are ripping apart old photos from the family scrapbook. As is often the case, Rayna has to bring her family back together in a time of crisis. She points out all the good things that Teddy has done for the family. Sure, none of those ever materialized in interesting dramatic ways on the show. But he did have an impact on this family in the show's previous three seasons. Now, he's going to be spending some time in jail. He won't be able to cause too much trouble while in there. At least now, the family is on good terms with each other. The truth is out there in a way that's painful to hear but also very cathartic. Only now can the family learn how to move forward. That's what so many of the characters have to do following the events of this episode. The fallout of which may provide some intriguing drama.
Some more thoughts:
- "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" was written by Debra Fordham and directed by Stephen Cragg.
- Apparently, Luke was able to sneak Juliette out of the bar by stuffing her into some instrument case. Why would the show share that information with us but not deliver the actual visual?
- Now that Luke has mentioned that he was the person who tore his first marriage apart, how soon until the drama introduces his ex-wife? He doesn't really deserve a solo story at this point on the show. But it's not out of the realm of possibility.
- Will struggles with the pressures of being an out gay man in the country music business. Everyone in that community has high expectations of what he should do to move the conversation forward. And yet, he doesn't know if he can handle all of that. All he knows is that he loves Kevin - who stays supportive despite the uncertainty.
- That being said, Kevin's writing friends were very broad caricatures who spoke in laughably broad dialogue.
- Both Caleb and Gunnar are there for Scarlett as she is faced with this huge decision. They both react in ways that are in keeping with their characters while being sensitive with how life-changing this conversation is. No one is completely painted as being in the wrong - even though she pulls away from Caleb slightly and embraces Gunnar more.
