It seems impossible that Hart of Dixie had this in mind when it filmed "Faith and Infidelity," but the episode ended up depicting a stark contrast between Bluebell and Manhattan. Consider:

While thousands Occupy Wall Street in the latter, protesting against the a system that rewards the wealthy 1%, the lesson Zoe learned in Alabama this week was based around a very different 1%, that sliver of hope where cynicism falls prey to optimism.

Was it a bit saccharine? Absolutely. But that's Bluebell for you. There may be sniping here and STD-based controversies there, and the rumor mill may churn faster than it does in the headquarters of Us Weekly, but the message has been the same every Monday night:

This is a calm, loving place in which to reside. Everyone really does mean well and almost every problem really can be solved over the church pancake breakfast.

In this regard, Hart of Dixie is unlike any show on TV. It's not trying to shock viewers on a weekly basis (every single fan had to know the minister wasn't cheating and Zoe would be proven wrong, right?) with twists or turns or cliffhangers. It's simply dropping us down in a southern town and giving Zoe a medical case of the week to tackle. It lacks the technology of CSI or the occasional gore or Criminal Minds, but at its core, this is a procedural.

And that's mostly refreshing. One doesn't need to think very much when viewing. You can just sit back and enjoy Lavon's positive attitude, George's smile, Zoe's one-liners, Wade's singing voice. You can hope Zoe finally gives in and hooks up with her neighbor, too, while wondering how she resisted last week when he rarely wore a shirt and this week, when we learned he's actually the sensitive son of a drunken father.

Still, I can't help it. I could use some kind of ongoing storyline, some sense of urgency each week, as opposed to yet another episode concluding with Zoe discovering something else about Bluebell she actually loves. It's getting a bit repetitive and predictable.

And, man, Lemon is getting more and more irritating. She shudders at the concept of tapas and big cities and just comes across as close-minded and ignorant. Typically, the stereotype works the other way: northerners scoff at southerners and assume they are all the same. But Lemon continues to prove that both sides can be biased. What if George does want to move back to New York one day, Lemon? Would you not go with him? Maybe it would make you realize that while pancakes on Sunday morning are delicious... so are scrambled eggs at 4 a.m. after a night out.

Perhaps, though, Lemon is more afraid of George leaving her than she is of him leaving Bluebell. In which case, allow me to say: do it, man! You two are nothing alike. You want a wide road to help with transportation; she wants to re-cover a bridge to help her standing in some stuff club whose members wear big hats.

Complaints about Lemon and the similar nature of each episode aside, I do look forward to spending time in Alabama every Monday evening. I just itch for a bit more sometimes. Maybe Lavon can find me a powder for that.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.