Nashville Watching

I already have a whole load of regular favourite TV series, but I've recently added a new one into the mix-Nashville, written by Thelma & Louise screenwriter Callie Khouri.

It's the story of Rayna Jaymes, a 40 year old Nashville superstar whose star is beginning to fade. Rayna wants to continue with her career and singing is her first love, but her husband Teddy is keen to run for Major, with her controlling rich father's support, and Rayna feels the pressure of having to support her family in the meantime. The need for money means she's being pressured from all sides, her agent wants her to do a tour with up-and-coming country singer Juliette Barnes (something she doesn't want to do) and her husband wants her to do a commercial. She's also torn between Teddy and her guitarist ex lover and songwriter Deacon Claybourne.

The two women clash when Juliette makes moves on Deacon. He's a fantastic songwriter, and she wants him to go  on tour with her, to write songs for her and she also fancies him rotten. The fact that he's devoted to Rayna is a thorn in her side, and her life is far from easy too. She's plagued by her addict mother, and her career is in jeapordy when she's filmed shoplifting.

If the two women, one man thing wasn't enough, there are an excellent side plot going on with Deacon's niece, Scarlett, who's stuck in a love triangle with her boyfriend and co-songwriter.

But what really makes Nashville compelling viewing for me is the music. The actors who play all the characters actually sing the songs in the series, most of which seem to have been comissioned for the show, and they are really great. So much so, that the album of songs from Nashville titled The Music of Nashville: Season one, Volume one sold 56,000 copies on it's first week of release.

If you haven't watched it yet, do!

Here's a sample from YouTube, Rayna and Deacon singing in a club. With Juliette casting daggers in the audience...