Nashville

Nashville is a show filled with strong female leads, showing insight to the dramatic lives of varying country singers and their families living in Nashville, Tennessee. It premiered in 2012 and as of late 2015, was renewed for a fourth season, and began showing September 23rd.

The show's been nominated for many awards, including Satellite Awards, Golden Globe Awards, People's Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and more, for varying categories such as being a favourite drama television series and Best Actress/Best Supporting Actress for the leading ladies of the ensemble Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere.

Other than displaying the struggles that fame and rising stardom can bring to the country artists featured on the show, it brings to life some truly dramatic story arcs and varied backgrounds of the characters, but in a relatable way. The show has dealt with a multitude of things that viewers can relate to, whilst also being enthralled with the drama and seeing how the other half live. Featured previously have been issues such as drug-addicted parents neglecting their children, cancer, drug abuse among young people, the dangers of a relationship between young girls and much older and controlling men, recovering from alcoholism, sexuality struggles, and other such unhealthy relationships.

Another appealing factor is that it caters to all possible age ranges. The main lady of the show, Connie Britton, portrays Rayna Jaymes, a 40-year-old long-reining country artist with fame and plenty of hits under her belt. She's a family woman, married with two daughters, and with her being a little older, the gap in the market for people such as Rayna is beginning to close. The show follows her struggles to stay in the spotlight, competing with younger artists, whilst also trying to raise her family.

Rayna's main competition comes in the form of none other than Hayden Panettiere's character, Juliette Barnes, a rising young country star with a dark past and the meanest diva streak anyone could have. She's the industry's true nightmare, constantly slipping up and tarnishing her 'good girl' image which she hates anyway, and is determined to break out of the mold that's been created for her. Her path to fame is an unsteady one, as she's constantly in danger of losing all fans over stupid mistakes made in moments of rage or cockiness.

Other characters that make up the ensemble include Deacon Claybourne, played by Charles Esten, a recovering alcoholic who acts as Rayna's musical partner, and interestingly, her ex-boyfriend from their younger days. While Rayna is supposedly happily married to Theodore 'Teddy' Conrad, her husband who starts the show struggling for money after losing his job and having to live off Rayna's income, Deacon has remained single and very much in love with Rayna. A running theme is how this love holds him back in his romances, forever regretting letting Rayna go due to his own mistakes. Teddy and Deacon don't get along for this very reason, and Teddy begins to show his own dark side further into the show when he is elected mayor with the help of Rayna's scheming father.

Deacon's niece, the beautiful and softly-spoken Scarlett O'Connor, also heavily features in the show. Portrayed by Clare Bowen, she starts off as a quiet girl writing poetry but soon shows she too has an immense talent for singing and songwriting, and later, performing, but she struggles with this throughout the show. She could be described as mousy, even, when the show starts, and she's living in Nashville and working as a waitress because she wanted to move in her with boyfriend, Avery Barkley, played by Jonathan Jackson. Avery is shown to be the aspiring musician in their relationship to begin with, but his band don't appear to be getting anywhere, and Avery's willing to do anything to reach fame and fortune, even if it means going it alone. He quickly becomes a selfish personality, but his development over the course of the show is slow-burning and positive. Gunnar Scott, a work colleague of Scarlett's, is the one to support and encourage her musical talents, rather than her boyfriend, who actually appears jealous that Scarlett's talents have her going places faster than he, without even trying. Played by English musician Sam Palladio, Gunnar is also an aspiring singer/songwriter, but is also much more kind-hearted and gentle than Avery.

These are just a few people among the extraordinarily talented cast. Among others are Rayna's talented young daughters, real life sisters Lennon and Maisy Stella, playing Maddie and Daphne Conrad, as well as other musicians with their own personal struggles added as the show goes on.

It is impossible to pick out a piece of bad acting in this show, with everyone involved delivering a believable performance of their characters and their struggles, even those supposedly living the good life of fame and fortune.

Aside from the fast-moving but well-thought out plot with a variant of twists and turns, the music featured is absolutely incredible. Even those not massive of fans of country music can agree that many of the songs are catchy with their pop undertones and bouncy beats, with more heart-wrenching melodies featuring such as "Black Roses", performed by Scarlett and written about her emotionally and physically abusive relationship she had as a child and throughout her adolescence with her estranged mother.

The duets are always top class, everyone's vocals blending together so smoothly to create all forms of singalongs.

Nashville was created by none other than Callie Khouri, writer of the film Thelma & Louise, for which she won the Academy Award in 1992. She is recognised as being a powerful feminist and writing strong female leads. Geena Davis, creator and executive producer of Nashville, said of working with Callie, "She creates characters that are in charge of their own fate to the bitter end. Female characers who are in charge of themselves." (x)

Callie has created television with characters that the world needs to see. Strong women taking charge, making their own decisions, being successful in their fields, and working through the challenges thrown their way. And not only are the women of Nashville strong, they are all so different in their own way. Each and every woman on the show is unique -- as are the men, and they also carry some beloved characters, but the importance of the women being so diverse shines through.

Nashville is currently airing its fourth season, on ABC on Wednesdays.

If you're looking for a new drama to follow, or a show outside your usual comfort zone as I was, I highly recommend watching Nashville.