Nashville Season 4 Episode 20 Review: It's Sure Gonna Hurt
Jay Ruymann
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It's heartbreak for everyone on Nashville Season 4 Episode 20.
For Scarlett and Gunnar fans, get your champagne poppin' because Scarlett's made a startling self-discovery. One which prompted a montage of scenes from the past four seasons: she's still in love with Gunnar.
Autumn: Why haven't you tried doing it by yourself?
Gunnar: I know Scarlett and I have our issues, but I can't imagine doing it without her.
As if we didn't already know Scarlett was still in love with him, but she's finally come to that conclusion on her own. Too bad Gunnar and Autumn were hooking up as she did.
Who thought the actors who play Gunnar and Autumn have any chemistry together? It's bland, boring, the characters don't mesh at all.
Autumn is just a nasty human being used as an obstacle for The Exes to reunite, but do they have enough time?
The series finale is coming and how can they reconcile four seasons of angst in one episode?
Just like every other damn couple on this show, Scarlett and Gunnar can't put aside their past to be together and happy.
Speaking of, Rayna and Deacon took their issues to therapy and found out what's been apparent since Nashville Season 1. They don't know how to love each other.
This cycle just keeps repeating itself over and over again! Betrayal, destruction, abandonment, forgiveness.
Rayna
With Maddie gone, their problems are as apparent as ever and Rayna can't forgive Deacon for going to the bar and confronting Frankie.
Rayna's always put up a wall between her and Deacon. She married Teddy as the anti-Deacon and the therapist pointed out she picks men that disappoint her.
Deacon has never felt worthy of being with Rayna. He can't move past his actions from the past, the pain he caused her, and his alcoholism.
I've had to wrap my mind around trying to live without her too many times.
Deacon
They don't know how to function being together because it's always been an unattainable idea.
How can they forgive one another and forget the past when the sight of each other pulls them back into their 20 years worth of history?
Maybe it's a good thing the series is ending, because Nashville doesn't know how to work with Deacon and Rayna as a happy couple.
The past three season have been a constant struggle between these two, yet every time they were close, something horrible would happen and knock them back into reality.
We've endured hardships, Deacon's ruining his sobriety, Rayna almost marrying Luke, and for what?
To see them married and domesticated with Deacon as Maddie and Daphne's father figure for less than five episodes?
They're so far apart now and only Maddie's return could spark the reunion that us fans hope to see in the finale.
After all they've been through, Deacon and Rayna deserve to find their happy ending, but it may just be impossible for them.
History can be a blessing and a curse.
The relationship drama doesn't stop there.
Noah makes an appearance in Nashville, determined to stick to his word and give his relationship with Juliette a chance.
Lucky him, he gets to meet Cadence and the baby daddy on their second date, but his presence doesn't sit well with Avery.
Noah and Juliette try, but their differences were too apparent. He makes spaghetti with cantaloupe. What kind of nonsense is that?
When he insulted Juliette's favorite movie, that's what really pushed her over the edge, so she had to sleep with him once more.
Because who can deny that Derek Hough is too attractive to just break up with.
Avery tags along to Layla's album release party, a night that's supposed to be special, but his mind is on Juliette and Noah and whatever dirty things they could be doing.
Which doesn't sit well with Layla. Layla may be a lot of things and manipulative is definitely one of those things.
Whining about Rayna missing her launch party and all of the other injustices Rayna's caused her to distract Avery from Juliette and make him feel bad for her and stay.
They've barely been together for a week and Layla's unleashed the crazy partner routine.
Stay tuned for a very special episode of Jerry Springer featuring Layla and Avery and their already-failed attempt at a relationship.
Clearly Juliette and Avery are jealous seeing each other with other people, but they have such deep problems that need at least a season to be resolved.
How are Juliette and Avery supposed to get back together in one episode? Set your expectations low for this last minute series finale, y'all. I doubt we'll get any closure.
Poor Will. He's come so far, yet he's still never accepted his sexuality. Hopefully that's changed after the fan claimed that Will gave him the courage to come out.
If there's anything I want in the finale, it's for Will to finally just be ok with being gay. Maybe going on that horrible, homophobic woman's show will help him accomplish that.
By being an openly gay star, he has to take some of the burden from the LGBT community and help represent the discrimination the community still faces today.
If Luke is losing fans because of Will's sexual orientation, this story doesn't seem like it'll ever be over, unless Will's story ends. The whole world isn't just going to wake up one day and no longer be discriminatory.
Perhaps this story is just for Will to understand that and be okay with himself, regardless of what horrible blondes are saying about him.
That's how his story should end. Not a love story, Will just needs to learn how to love himself after four seasons, one where he ran out in front of a train because he couldn't deal with his sexuality, if I remember correctly.
Lastly, Elton John made a special cameo and sang a wonderful duet with Gunnar, because Gunnar loves Elton John.
Elton John? I love Elton John.
Gunnar
Will this be the end of The Exes?
Go ahead and watch Nashville online right here at TV Fanatic, if you're like me and want to remember a simpler time when they actually sang in each episode, like the adult, soapy, country version of Glee.
One song with a special guest doesn't count.
Here's the promotional photos for Nashville Season 4 Episode 21, the series finale. It's going to be a sad one, y'all. I'm really going to miss seeing Connie Britton's hair every week.
Jay Ruymann was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in January 2018.
