Nashville Season 3 Episode 17 Review: This Just Ain't a Good Day for Leavin'

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Mom looks good on you, Juliette.

Baby Barkley made her grand debut in Nashville Season 3 Episode 17, but credits began to roll before we could hear her name.

Other than Juliette's outrageous outbursts and welcoming her daughter into the world, this episode was dealing with some serious storylines.

Before we get to all the Juliette stuff, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this was one of my least favorite episodes of the season.

First we have the aftermath of Sadie fatally shooting Pete. I thought Laura Benanti did a stellar job at conveying a wide range of emotions from relief to guilt. Her scene at the end with Luke made me sad we didn't get to see their relationship develop further.

Hopefully she won't be gone for too long.

Sadie: Thank you
Luke: Sadie, it was the right thing to do. You okay?
Sadie: Not really. It does make me feel better to know that there are good men in this world. I just wish I'd known that sooner.

What I didn't like about her storyline was how it all got resolved so quickly. The episode took place in the span of a day. I highly doubt the police would believe Luke's statement about being a witness without looking into the matter further. 

I found it to be completely unrealistic for Sadie to be able to leave town the day after she kills her ex husband. 

Next we have Maddie acting like a total brat (again!). I understand she was having a difficult time processing her feelings, but her actions toward Deacon didn't come across as sad.

Instead, she came across as an immature girl lashing out. Maddie tends to act like a brat a lot, so her acting this way wasn't a surprise. I think her reaction to Deacon's cancer would have been more effective if this type of behavior was uncharacteristic of her.

Teddy continued his annoying blackmailing. I want this storyline to get wrapped up as quickly as possible. Who else got a bad feeling when Teddy promised Maddie he wasn't going anywhere? Perhaps Teddy will be the father to die on Maddie and not Deacon.

On the road we had Gunnar acting like a jackass toward Scarlett. He had the audacity to slut shame her and criticize her for not focusing on the band enough. I get he was jealous, but his behavior was beyond childish.

I'm not anxious to see these two back together. I liked the idea of them when the series first started, but both their characters have progressively gotten more annoying that I just don't see it anymore. 

Now we get to the bright spot in the episode: Juliette.

Her reaction to no one being able to come to her baby shower was hilarious. Her self-absorbed nature reared its ugly head as she freaked out. Yes, it was over the top, and it definitely brought us back to the entitled diva we met in season 1.

Glenn: Sadie Stone shot her ex husband. Rayna's with her down at the police station.
Juliette: I cannot believe she would choose to shot someone on the day of my shower.

However, the scenes of her with her baby girl reminded us how far she's come since the early days of the show. 

I appreciated seeing Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere share a decent amount of screen time. I loved the scene where they shouted at each other. Juliette recognized what we all have for years: Connie Britton's hair is flawless!

I am relieved since now I know exactly where I stand. Somewhere below your precious little label and your stupid, perfect hair.

Juliette

I could have done without the cheesy duet by Juliette and Avery at the end, but I'll let it slide. They were just gushing over their yet to be named daughter.

Favorite Performance of the Week: In a surprising twist, I'm giving this to non-cast member Ron Pope. I've enjoyed his music for a long time, and it was a treat to see him show up. 

So over to you guys! What did you think of the episode? Were you excited to see the arrival of Baby Barkley? Do you think Sadie's coming back? What are your predictions for Nashville Season 3 Episode 18 when special guest star, Christina Aguilera shows up? 

Sound off below, and don't forget you can catch up on any missed episodes when you watch Nashville online via TV Fanatic!

This Just Ain't a Good Day for Leavin' Review

Editor Rating: 2.9 / 5.0
  • 2.9 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 (12 Votes)

Amanda Steinmetz was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She went into retirement in June of 2027. Follow her on Twitter.

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Nashville Season 3 Episode 17 Quotes

When Pete showed up, I was just so scared. I wanted something to just make feel a little bit more in control. A little bit safer. But I never thought that I would kill him. I did not mean to kill him.

Sadie

Glenn: Sadie Stone shot her ex husband. Rayna's with her down at the police station.
Juliette: I cannot believe she would choose to shot someone on the day of my shower.