Nashville: Pilot

This show is crazy. So much stuff happened; there are tons of characters and this was only the first episode.
Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) is a famous country singer. She has won nine Grammys, four CMAs and has stayed with the same record company since before they were anything, for twenty-one years. But her new record is failing, her tour is losing money at an increasing fast speed. Rayna is no longer on top.
Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panittere) is the next best thing. Though her voice is sometimes auto-tuned, she is famous and popular. Everyone loves her, even Rayna's young daughters, but Rayna herself.
Juliette and Rayna do not get off to a good start when the two are introduced. But because of Rayna's failing tour ticket sales, her record company has ordered her to team up with Juliette or else they will stop supporting her new but failing record. At a meeting with the new head of the company, as Rayna tries to explain her loyalty, reason and a compromise are not reached. Rayna walks out the door. She is no longer supported by the company.
In addition to her failing career, Rayna's personal life is not that great. Sure her husband may appear to be supportive, and he is, but also, Rayna is his meal ticket. His own career has been sidelined by the recession and as the episode progressed, Rayna's father chose his only son-in-law, Teddy (Eric Close) to run for mayor of Nashville for the sole reason of allowing him to build a ballpark in the city. That's a great reason to decide to make your son-in-law your puppet. Now, you should also know that Rayna does not get along with her father (Powers Boothe) at all, even though, as he admitted late in the episode that he was the one who paid for her first record, not that little pissant record company, almost a direct quote from that scene. Rayna's sister is his handler.
Now back to Juliette. She has a crack head for a mother, so the audience can understand why she's a witch, but so far I feel more sympathy for Rayna.
Also, Juliette has recruited Deacon, Rayna's longtime guitarist to play on her tour, if he chooses, and then she also wants to record one of the songs he wrote. Rayna has never done that because she knows that all his songs are about her, and he admits that they are. Needless to say, Juliette and Deacon are soon sleeping together, though Rayna warns him to stop getting married and start dating again. So who knows how many ex-wives he has.
In yet another plot line, you have Scarlett, Deacon's young waitress niece who writes poetry. There is also her boyfriend (nice to see you Jonathan Jackson, finally in something after Tuck Everlasting) and another waiter, all of whom are trying to make it to the big time. The episode ends with Rayna hearing one of Scarlett's poems being put to music. Who knows what the rest of the series will bring, but I will be there watching every second. Grade: B+