BWW Recap: It's Not over Until NASHVILLE Throws Every Imaginable Curveball

Okay ya'll- it's winter finale time. We know a wedding is happening (I think it's safe to say this is the equivalent of Beyoncé and Jay Z's union to NASHVILLE's country world) and, it being the last episode for at least a couple of months, we know a pretty great cliffhanger is coming, as well. The skeptic in me things these two things will be one in the same- anyone else fantasizing about Deacon stopping the wedding?

Meanwhile, Juliette and Avery have gone from completely in love, to completely devastated and broken up, to on adorable speaking terms, to Avery moving in...and the relationship we all know and love being just within reach.

Gunnar's "Daddy" storyline is getting old fast, honestly. And apparently not a moment too soon, as the not-quite in-laws show up with the news that they are taking Micah to Texas with them (something I'm sure will ignite some sort of fight but eventually get Gunnar away from parenting and back in the music studio...preferably with Avery and Scarlett (I'm still not over that charming performance from last week.). And here comes possible cliffhanger #1...Gunnar won't end up being the true father (the minute the lawyer suggested a DNA test I saw this one coming). Calling it now.

Teddy is all but obsolete to the show at this point. Jeff Fordham's evil plan to sign Rayna's girl mysteriously disappeared into thin air, and Teddy is in love with an escort. There's literally nothing else I can say to remotely fit him in to the plot...and it's been that way for at least 4-5 episodes. They need to give that poor man a relevant storyline or character arc, please!

However, I'm thrilled that Ms. Laura Benanti's Sadie Stone storyline is just getting started. The 60-second drama with her ex-husband was just a tease of the drama and anguish to come, and I love it- especially if it means more of our Broadway favorite Laura Benanti. And speaking of anguish, this Jeff Fordham/ Layla Grant relationship literally wants to make me throw up.

Let's check the time...yup...24 minutes into the built-up wedding episode and the betrothed couple are already arguing. Team Deacon is slowly but surely creeping up into the lead here (wishful thinking, maybe...). Speaking of- we're nearly halfway thru this episode- where is the wedding?

Will finally finds out the repulsive hook up situation we've endured for almost an entire episode now, and while it seems as if his confrontation with Jeff is more to protect his image, I can't help but think he is genuinely concerned for Layla. The reality show success (and reputation backlash, lack of privacy, and speculation it all brought) bonded the two, and up until the mess of drama that incurred at the music festival last week, they seemed pretty cute (in a platonic way, of course). Will may try and pass this off and needing Layla to be his beard on tour, but I'm going to make the assumption that deep down he- knowing Jeff Fordham as we all do- is concerned for her well-being. Which Jeff is clearly not, as he not so subtly snuck her a bottle of pills. Nice move, Jeff. Cliffhanger prediction #2: Layla's overdose.

43 minutes in and we're at another Deacon drinking binge. It's not so much that it's hard to believe- it is the eve of Rayna's wedding after all, it's just been such a back and forth with this drinking addiction that it's getting a bit tired at this point. Not to belittle alcoholism, of course it's a serious disease that lends itself to relapse, but we've grown to love Deacon so much- he's grown as a person (I'd say the most character development thus far), his relationship with Scarlett and Maddie are adorable, and he even had the strength to admit his feelings to Rayna, knowing she probably wouldn't reciprocate. Just because a relapse is imminent and even obvious given the timing doesn't mean the audience has to like it.

Layla's popping pills and Gunnar is (imagine me saying this in a Maury Povich voice)...not the father! 2 for 2 over here, y'all. 48 minutes in and no wedding yet. Talk about a bait and switch, NASHVILLE.

And OH MY GOSH. There is the eleven o'clock moment we were waiting for! Avery and Juliette are getting married! It happened so quickly I'm still processing it a little bit, but forget everything I just said, we all know Avery Juliette are he best couple on this dang show.

And then we're hit with the eleven thirty shocker of the episode. And the eleven forty five. Deacon hadn't been drinking, and we're about to be knocked in the head with some form of a fatal disease or life sentence. (update: liver disease that will most likely lead to cancer). And Rayna is deeply, madly, truly, forever and ever in love with Deacon- and finally- after an entire season of waiting and wishing and hoping- calls of the wedding and admits it to Luke. Which, by the way, exposes a tempered, angry, awful version of Luke. Tonight is a fabulous evening for the Team Deacon and Team Avery fans out there (ahem...me).

ELEVEN FIFTY FIVE SHOCKER: Micah is Gunnar nephew. Not his son. Micah is Gunnar's (deceased) brother's son. There is literally too much going on to process. I can't even enjoy Juliette and Avery's wedding my brains are so far splattered against the wall (Clarification: i'm not referring to the actual times here, I'm talking about the complete surprises that followed the alleged and predictably only eleven o'clock shock).

The writers of NASHVILLE most definitely left little to be desired tonight. After a somewhat slow-paced third season, NASHVILLE more than made up for it with a fantastic, suspenseful, jaw-dropping mid-season finale. And thank goodness there aren't more episodes for a couple months, because I think I need that long to process everything that just happened. Talk to me in January.

What do you think was the most shocking moment of the night? Tweet me @WendiReichstein or let me know in the comments!

Photo Credit: ABC