JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Acting, Theater, Film and TV Forum JPF Reviews of Nashville-the TV SHOW

well for the first night it wasnt too bad....the storyline is essentially "Dallas Comes To Nashville" with some predictable good guys/bad guys and conflicts set up real early on....Powers Boothe-a great actor-veteran of tv and movies-is set up early as the "JR" character of the show....

it was pretty realistic overall-ageing superstar vs a young up and comer she says has no talent......romances and seductions galore-including some strong cougar appeal between the older female star and a younger guy..

Nashville as a city is pretty well known due to all the tourism but they did the obligatory fly over anyway-this scene and that in Nashville and then the mansions of Brentwood........

what really surprised me was how forgettable the opening music was......I thought they would wanna grab folks with a real memorable theme song for the show....but 2 minutes after the show opening I couldnt remember what the opening music was....that was kind of disappointing cause I thought even if they had to "buy" a major song for the opening would want something memorable......And the graphics for the opening seemed kind of chintzy.....

supposedly this show will premeire alot of original music never heard anywhere before........there was one tune I heard tonight which I thought was exceptionally good and very well done by the two actors...its title was-I think-"Dammit I Do"...sung at the end of the show by one of the Bluebird "waitresses" and one of the wannabe's........

it was nice to see all the shots of places I have been 200 times...as well as nicer places I cant afford to go-lol...

there was realism in the story of local politcs as they mentioned the ongoing fight about getting a decent baseball stadium for Nashville.....as far as I am concerned they can throw the Titans out and use that stadium..........that team continually disappoints us-lol.....

well all in all it was right good for the pilot.......they had a a job to do and they did it-setting up the characters/plots and sub-plots...only so much you can do in an hour..........

be very interested to hear what others thought of the show!

Tom

watched the 2nd episode tonight....

well its good for a nightime soap opera if you like that kinda thing...I like Powers Boothe but none of the other actors in the show really grab me......pretty predictable plot lines once the main characters were set up in the first episode.....the opening shot tonight was a music video being shot at the Roundabout in the park in front of Music Row.....that area was later referred to as Music Circle-which I have never heard used before-little technicality...everyone calls it the Roundabout......the statute of a bunch of naked people reaching for the brass ring is actually called MUSICA..something understood only by the sculptor I think-its an art thing obviously.

the show is doing alot to promote Nashville and the town is trying to reciprocate-hoping it does well.....

the show is even acknowledging that Nashville isnt just country music-which is nice.....folk and rock n roll venues are also featured......

they are showcasing some new songs by local writers-which is nice....

ABC is really betting big on this show-hoping it will be the next Dallas I guess...ABC is doing all kinds of network tie-ins and promotions.........Katie Couric etc........

well as I said its ok for a nightime soap......probaly has my interest as a local more than others may like it.....would be interested to hear from anyone outside Nashville who has seen it-what do you think?

Tom

I like the show. Obviously its a "show" so its gonna have a plot that folks either like or not. I personally can't say one way or the other as to how it represents Nashville... but I'm a California guy and watching the show makes me want to check out Nashville and have a beer at the Blue bird!

glad you like the show Justin

sounds like they are doing a good job if a California guy wants to come check out the town...

of course sometimes it seems like half of California is already here...we have alot of veterans of the LA music scene...and obviously country music has a world wide following.....thanks for telling me how the town is coming off to others.....

Tom

I was really disappointed as it was so cliche.
Just a lot of predictable fluff....boring storyline.
I liked SMASH better....Country Music is JUST so Vanilla.

I think regardless of the music genre-the story is the same in any kind of music.....careers rising and falling...romance seduction sex...from what I have seen everything that happens in rock music happens in country music as well-good and bad......the plot lines in Nashville arent brain teasers thats for sure..and as writers we see everything coming a mile away anyhow cause we are used to doing the drill of setting up themes and having to shoehorn a story into a very tight timeframe....3.25 mins max if that most times........any soap is meant for folks who just want something to make them forget their own lives for awhile and care about who does what to whom on tv......so I would say that based on 2 shows so far-Nashville is getting the job done for a nightime soap.........it is what it is......to be honest I myself would like to write for it....might have to ask around about where they get their script writers.......thanks for your opinion of the show Barry......

Tom

Planning to check out the show this week. I have very low expectations, so it won't be hard to exceed them but I expect to be annoyed and rolling my eyes quite a bit. Knowing all the music scenes in the US and many in Europe at this point, I can say Nashville is different than any others. Sure, people are the same, but the traditions still have a bit of a hold on the town which keep it from being generic like some others.

Desperate narcissistic artists, under appreciated writers, ambitious sleazy executives, plenty of young newcomers in all 3 areas who want to do the right thing but learn the sad truths all too soon about the very worst of human nature. In other words, it's like any profession in any town. But of all of them, Nashville's Country Music scene and NYC Broadway scene (see SMASH, a FANTASTIC show!) have some unique factors that make them more interesting fodder than most if they stay true to reality.
(Atlanta would also be interesting for the producer rich Urban music community that works there... ).

Brian

I figured it would bear a resemblance to Dallas.

These TV shows always do. There is either bribery and/or threats, or someone who thinks that every time they come up with a show like this, it ALWAYS HAS TO be about the richest idiots and their silly excuses for life problems.....

Wanna impress us? Abandon the rich.

watched the show a 3rd time last night..I think the lead female-played by Connie Britton-lacks any real star appeal or acting ability....I wonder how she got the gig in the first place....She just isnt-in my opinion-interesting...Granted the show itself is a cliche ridden soap opera-but at least it could have an interesting appealing lead actress..I think the producers should kill her off while the show still has a chance.......The quality of the shows songs is steadily improving-except for the opening theme song..The song they gave the kids to play in the talent show last night was pretty good.....The kids did a good job with it....Its still a very new show and any new show needs a chance to get into its groove...But I personally think Connie Britton should get the hook...........There was a commercial for Reba Mcintyres new show last nite and the difference between them was just the Grand Canyon..Reba is attractive and lively and Connie always looks so blase and run over no matter how they try and dress her up.....I just dont find her believable as am aging superstar cause I dont think she ever would have made it in the first place....Yes its TV-make believe-but I think the selection of her was bad casting......The others are good enough to carry the how if given a better lead actress to draw folks in...The last scene of last nites show was Haydens character shoplifting a tube of lipstick in a drug store and getting videoed by some young girls with a cell phone camera.....Believable enough..But I think this show needs something really exciting right now and killing off the main character would-in my opinion-give it the chance for a fresh start with audiences before its too late and Connie Britton turns off too many potential viewers....

Tom

watched the 4th episode tonight........

I am liking this show more and more...I am even finding the female lead-Connie Britton-more appealing..She seems foxier than I first thought..Maybe they are doing her makeup and wardrobe better-whatever....The cast seems to be getting into the grooves of their roles and the plot lines seem more interesting....Or at least are getting more fully developed now-the show is still very new of course....The songs are better each week it seems.

I think they are doing a good job of representing todays Nashville versus the old stereotypes of the country music scene..

The music is more popish and less twangy..And none of the cast have overdone southern accents or a IQ of 15......

My favorite character is Powers Boothe-who plays Nashville's answer to J.R. EWING of Dallas....

I have seen them setting up for filming around town a couple of times now.

They also use some of the area's most expensive houses-places that are on the market for sale-in case you have $20 million dollars thats just burning a hole in your pocket.

Saw where they were advertising for extras for the show on Nashville Craigslist..Pay aint much-$8 bucks an hour-but then this aint LA or NYC..Wages are always lower here in the South...I noticed they have at least 4-maybe 5 Executive Producers listed in the credits..So those poor folks gotta make a living of course-lol...The cast members are doing all the usual promotion-appearing on this show and that and saying how they love Nashville and have been warmly welcomed by the real music stars yadda yadda...If you havent caught the show yet and are totally bored on a Wednesday night check it out...

Course if they ever need more realism they can film in my apartment-but the sounds of sirens and gunfire might creep in and cause em to have to do the scenes over again once they get up from the floor-lol....


Tom

Just saw where ABC announced that the show will indeed run for a whole season.

Thats good-means they think its got a chance or they are gonna give em a chance to build a big enough viewer base to justify the expense of $4 million cost an episode........

I saw one quote of a 6 million viewership.....Course its all about Who is watching meaning the all important youth demographic-the big spenders in our economy with "disposable income" What a concept-lol.

Most of us have direct deposit and direct withdrawal and just slide into home plate at the end at the end of the pay period...

Hope the show does well-I mainly watch the show for the local scenes of places I go alot....And window shopping of the places I have never been and will probaly never get into anyway.....But oh well thats what this town is mainly about anyway-dreams of doing better.....I see where Taylor Swift dumped another boyfriend.......If I could just get her to give me fair chance-lol.....

Tom

well the 5th episode really was bizarre I must say...


it reminded me of that old show Twin Peaks so much that I expected Log Lady to show up in one of the scenes......

if my TV set had a BS meter it would have burst into flames...

one of the young aspiring sweeties had a fight with her b/f so her best girlfriend advises her that the best way to get over an old boyfriend is to get under a new one......well ok that could happen-gals do talk like that sometimes........

but then she picks out this hot new tramp outfit for her to wear for a night of going on the prowl and being seen by new guys to let em know she is available again.....

but instead of a sexy country western outfit they put her in something you would expect to see in a disco.......

it gets better

they go down to Laylas BlueGrass Inn on Broadway....a real place-one of my favs in fact......

her girlfriend gives her a drink-and little miss heartbroken is suddenly inspired to jump up on stage and sing a song in her disco outfit......okkkkkkaaaaaaay....broadway bands do allow jump ups as they call em........believe me I have seen 10,000 blue haired old ladies off the senior tour buses doing Patsy Cline renditions of varying quality........but hey its Nashville-a real friendly let er rip place...........its good for business and the tip jar....

but little miss heartbroken wannabe singer who is a waitress at the Bluebird for her day job jumps up and blows through a perfectly horrid rendition of some old classic.....I mean it really sucked-it was def get the hook time even for a jump up performance....but no-nnnnnoooo-the band and crowd act like she nailed it-not polite applause but wow honey that was great....

in another scene the hot young superstar-another ditzy blonde-who is also the town tramp-throws herself at a new guy-one of the few in Nashville she hasnt already had sex with-aside from me (guess she is going alphabetically)) anyway she throws him on the bed-gets on top and is stripping and commencing to do him.....he is supposed to be a football player but is tall and skinny and has a long hideous tattoo on his left arm that makes him look like he came out of some gay bar in San Francisco.......anyway she wants its and is fixin to get it.......but he stops her cause he wants it to be special and is saving himself for marrige........cause he feels she might in fact be the one.....

so she doesnt get any with the "football player"...but he assures her he isnt gay...

in the final scene-the hot young superstar and the aging used to be have been ordered to do a duet by their label for a big show at The Ryman.....cause the hot young superstars image needs damage repair due to a recent shoplifting bust......and the old used to be needs to be seen with the hot new superstar...so the two of them bury the hatchet and work on writing a new duet for the performance.......showtime comes and they go on stage and belt it out.....but the old used to be is wearing a mini skirt which she just doesnt have the legs for anymore........well in my opinion anyway....but the hot young superstar is outdoing her cause she is wearing a MICRO SKIRT and I mean you could almost see the promised land.........but the crowd at the Ryman doesnt to notice or mind......and they applaud wildly...........whew I may need a new TV set after that one.....I dont know what to expect next week......Log Lady stealing the football player away from MS.MICROSKIRT at the RYMAN.........or Rod Serling introducing the acts at the Bluebirds Open Mic night............but clearly anything is possible with this show..........they have truly decided to go for it-whatever it is in their opinion......ABC said its gonna run a full season so catch it sometime just for a laugh.........locals will laugh more believe me but you are guaranteed a laugh at least.............

Tom

If I remember right, the Del McCoury Band got featured (a tiny bit) on the show. Shame that Freeview won't give us channels like that over here, as I'd watch the show just for the fun of it, aswell as the fact that I'd have to record all the shows featuring Del and the band on, so I could get a glimpse of Jason and his fiddlin' (had it not been for him, I'd have not latched onto the fiddle)

JPF Member Chris Young was on the most recent episode. I haven't seen it yet, but plan to check it out.

The show is typical soap opera with the skin of the country music world. There ARE poor musicians represented, but the story centers around the rivalry of an aging female star and a young pop influenced upstart. There are family issue as well.

I've spent time living in destitute poverty for years at a time and I have lived in middle class comfort and I have even gotten to spend significant time with all classes of wealth (also through years of volunteer social work and hanging with famous wealthy musicians via JPF) and money matters cause as much negativity in each of their lives, they're just different types of problems. That is the fallacy of wealth.. it does not make you a better or worse person than you would have been without it, nor does it make you happier with your life than you would have been without it. I know tremendously happy people at the bottom of the wealth ladder and at the top and in between. I know miserable people on every rung as well. And if you changed their places on the ladder, most of them would be just as happy or just as miserable. I had very happy and sad times across all my levels of success, though I have never been at the higher levels, I certainly have been comfortably in the middle without serious financial woes hanging over me. But I was happier when I was poor and healthy than I can ever be with more wealth and terrible health. And even if my health were perfect, I miss those early days when I played music and dreamed of my future to come. Money is the least important factor in happiness. Now if you can't find food or shelter or medicine/medical help that is tragic. But outside of that, you can be happy.. I have been there... I know people still there. I also know terribly sad and miserable millionaires.

And I have witnessed this in app. 40 different countries, though not in some of the poorest yet. But I am told by those who spend time in those places that they find people full of joy anywhere they go and full of misery right beside of them. Money isn't the issue because with it comes all new types of miseries that people don't expect or the same old ones you drag with you that money can't cure.

Brian