Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY
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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Thursday 28 December 2017
Stars, fans say goodbye to “Nashville” in final season
By KRISTIN M. HALL “A lot of people look up In this July 27, 2012, file photo, Connie Britton, left, and Hayden Panettiere attend the “Nashville”
Associated Press to us and idolize people in panel at the Disney ABC TCA Day 2 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — the limelight like that,” said
“Nashville” survived one Panettiere, who has expe- Associated Press
previous cancellation, but rienced her own share of
the final curtain call is com- tabloid gossip in real life.
ing for the TV melodrama “It’s hopeful to know that
about the trials and tribula- the people in that posi-
tions of country music stars. tion, that you idolize, that
Lionsgate announced in you think are these perfect
November that after 120 people who live perfect
episodes, the time had lives, you realize that they
come for the series to end. are not. They are imper-
The sixth and final season fect. They are broken. They
premieres Jan. 4 on CMT. It are hurt.”
will air in two parts, with the The show’s plotlines and
finale coming this summer. characters often veered
Although it was always soft into soap opera territory
on ratings, the fans — who with a lot of breakups and
called themselves Nashies makeups, sudden deaths
— were loyal to the series and terrible judgment
starring Connie Britton and calls, but the music held it
Hayden Panettiere, who together. “Nashville” fea-
both earned Golden Globe tured guest performances
nominations for their roles. by Brad Paisley, Christina
“Nashville” spawned more Aguilera, Steven Tyler and
than a dozen soundtracks Florida Georgia Line. T
featuring songs from the se- Bone Burnett and Buddy
ries, concert tours with the Miller both served as exec-
actors and singers, and a utive music producers dur-
tourism boom in the South- ing the series.
ern city where it was filmed. The TV world of “Nash-
ABC canceled the show ville” was sometimes more
after the fourth season. progressive than the way
Fans mounted enough en- country music and South-
thusiasm online for the se- ern life has been typically
ries to be revived for two portrayed on television
more seasons on CMT, but and in film.
Britton’s exit last season “Nashville” has an open-
signaled that an end was ly gay male country star
coming. character, and a transgen-
Show creator Callie Khou- der actress was cast in a
ri gathered members of recurring role.
the cast and crew on the “I think a lot of people will
set version of Nashville’s now see even country,
famed Bluebird Cafe to even the South, as being
give them the news, said progressive in that way,”
actor Charles Esten. He Panettiere said.
said he was grateful they Esten, who has made
got a chance to say good- Nashville his home, said
bye. he doesn’t know how the
“Too often in this business show’s writers will conclude
you find out that last epi- his character’s story arc.
sode that aired was your “I don’t know what they
last episode and you didn’t are going to do, but for my
know when you were mind, it doesn’t need to be
shooting,” Esten said. tied up in a perfect bow,”
“We get that time together Esten said.
and the show writers get to “’Cause this has always
end it in the way that they been a journey.”q
see fitting as opposed to
just some cliffhanger.”
Panettiere, who spoke to
The Associated Press be-
fore the cancellation was
announced, said the series
attempted to show celebri-
ties with all their flaws. The
actress played country star
Juliette Barnes, who butted
heads with just about every
character on the show.
