New country music television drama premieres Wednesday night
As the title sequence kicks in with Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” audiences immediately get the Southern charm they tuned in for.
“Nashville,” ABC’s newest drama about the country music capital of the world, premieres at 10 p.m. tonight. Trying to figure out whether or not to tune in? Here’s a sneak peek at what the first episode has to offer.
Hayden Panettiere stars as Juliette Barnes, a country pop tart with commercial appeal, big endorsement deals and a sparkly wardrobe a la Taylor Swift but a nasty diva attitude and promiscuous reputation. Connie Britton plays Rayna Jaymes, a singer whose star power is slowly fading but who refuses to give up on her career. The two musicians clearly live in different circles and aren’t exactly fans of each other’s tunes, but can they play nice long enough to tour the country on a co-headlining tour?
“Nashville” is two parts “Smash” and one part “Dallas,” a blend of musical performances and scandalous drama, including Rayna’s husband’s campaign for mayor of Nashville, family problems between Juliette and her drug addict mother and a whole lot of hook-ups. While the plot of new and old fame sharing a bill plays out a bit like the 2010 Gwyneth Paltrow film “Country Strong,” the supporting story lines are fresh, and the acting is strong across the board, from the leading ladies to the more minor characters.
While the acting is some of the best seen on television lately, music is the driving force behind “Nashville” and what will keep viewers coming back for more.
T-Bone Burnett serves as the show’s executive music producer, and he’s packing the series with new and old radio favorites (Patsy Cline’s “Stand by Your Man” can be heard in the first episode) as well as original material performed by Panettiere, Britton and several other actors. The two stars show off voices most viewers probably didn’t know they possessed. Even though the plot suggests Juliette can’t perform without Auto-Tune, Panettiere’s got a voice stronger and more compelling than many of the female vocalists dominating the country charts today.
But you don’t have to be a country fan to enjoy “Nashville.” The original songs, written by big names like Elvis Costello and Hillary Lindsey (writer of hits like Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and Swift’s “Fearless”), are pieces worth a second or third listen, especially the episode’s closing duet, written by John Paul White of the Civil Wars.
While the tracks fall into the country genre, the lyrics are rich and poetic, and the performers’ emotions translate across a variety of musical stylings. Luckily for viewers, Big Machine Records will release recordings of all the covers and originals performed on the show.
ABC has been hyping “Nashville” for months, and the first episode definitely lives up to the buzz.