It is traditional for the mid-season finale and the last episode of a season to end with a cliffhanger, and “Nashville” has followed the familiar formula to a T. Although Rayna and Deacon are performing at the CMA Awards with country superstar Brad Paisley, things are not as happy as they seem in Music City.
In Episode 20, a confused and angry Maddie Conrad (Lennon Stella), who had already come to the conclusion Rayna (Connie Britton) was dating Deacon (Charles Esten) before she was born, discovers some papers that show Teddy (Eric Close) is not her biological father. In Episode 21, Maddie goes to Deacon’s house and informs him he might be her father, and Deacon turns to the bottle.
Deacon also becomes angry about the deception, and after their performance with Paisley, he confronts Rayna backstage at the CMA Awards to ask if he is Maddie’s biological father. He is upset she never told him the truth, but she explains he was not sober at the time. Deacon heads to a bar, gets drunk and picks a fight with Teddy.
Gunnar begins to try to win back Scarlett with flowers, but she blows him off and goes to Avery’s show where they perform together. Gunnar is not ready to give up, and he proposes to Scarlett in one of the episode’s cliffhangers.
“Nashville” continues its walk on the raunchy side of life with Will who is living a double life as an apparent homosexual making eyes at men and having sex with women.
Juliette wins Female Vocalist of the Year, but she finally has deeper things on her mind. Mourning her mother’s suspicious death with Dante, Juliette begins to learn the truth when the police show her a damaged SD card that had been shoved down the garbage disposal – the card that held Juliette’s sex tape. Then she receives a letter from her mother revealing the truth about Jolene saving her daughter from scandal, the mother she had only started to get to know and now must bury.
The U.S. Attorney General’s office gives Teddy a call, so he sets up a meeting with Peggy (Kimberly Williams-Paisley, wife of singer Brad Paisley who makes an appearance in this episode) who has been keeping a shocking secret of her own.
Coleman tries to get Deacon to a meeting, but he goes to Jolene’s funeral instead. There Rayna confronts him and discovers he has been drinking. She takes Deacon’s car keys and starts to drive him home. The two argue while she is driving which causes Rayna to crash the car. The vehicle flips over several times before landing in a ditch.
‘Nashville’ Episode 20: Scandals, Breakups & Heartache (Recap)
Fun Facts about “Nashville:”
- New Exhibit Based Upon Hit Show ‘Nashville’ at Country Music Hall of Fame Through Oct. 31
- Fun Facts About ABC’s ‘Nashville’ — Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne
- Four Fun Facts About ABC’s ‘Nashville’ Characters Rayna, Juliette, Avery & Watty
- Fun Facts About ABC’s ‘Nashville’ — the 5 Spot
- Fun Facts About ABC’s Nashville: What Did Hayden Panettiere Reveal on Jimmy Kimmel Live?
