I’ll give it to 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 17 “Saboteurs,” you made me feel things in this episode. Mainly anger, confusion, and exasperation. But for a spin-off of the OG 9-1-1 franchise, this show has continued to surprise me while setting itself apart. And it’s mainly setting itself apart by making me furiously angry with its lead Don Hart. Because Blythe deserves better than this man. And I’ve gotten to the point where he’s the villain of this story.
But let’s not let Don off easy. Dixie is also the villain of this story.
Dixie is a one note villain who could be layered if Nashville actually made her something more than a woman going after another woman because she blames her for “taking her man.” Because I love a good trash show, which this show is in a lot of respects. But we have been on the cusp of Dixie, Don, and Blythe building something new and different when it comes to family. Except the show keeps slipping back into tired tropes of “you stole my man so I’mma make you pay.”
Blythe didn’t steal anything. Don walked away from Dixie on his own two little legs. But as a viewer, I’m getting to the point where I think Blythe would be better divorcing Don and letting Dixie and Don be an absolute disaster together. Because Blythe, oh she could do so much better.
MORE: Need a refresher of where we left off last? Read our review for 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 16 here!
Dixie is Not the Victim Here
LEANN RIMES
Dixie bemoaning at the beginning of 9-1-1: Nashville “Saboteurs” that Blythe stole her life has everything to do with Don. She’s still bitter that even after finding out that Dixie was pregnant with Blue, Don still walked away from her. And it comes down to the loss of this nuclear family that she had probably always dreamed of. But this is me coming up with that reason because Nashville has made Dixie so one note that even I don’t know what she wants.
What I do know is that I really wish Dixie’s anger was more centered on Don. Destroy his life. Make him pay. Instead we’re getting cookie cutter country villains over here with zero direction besides being petty to someone she didn’t fall in love with, sleep with, and then have a baby with. Because at this point I’m questioning what other reasons could Dixie hate Blythe? Are secret half-sisters? Or does Dixie have the hots for Blythe and she’s pulling her pigtails under the guise of “you stole my man so I’mma make you pay”???
So what will it take to make Dixie happy?
Nothing. The money isn’t going to make Dixie happy. I don’t even think Don “choosing” her would make her happy. If Don chose her then she would actually have to look at herself and confront the reason as to why she’s so afraid to be alone. So she’s stuck being a one note villain who continues to be on the cusp of a character development before being shoved into a soap opera box.
Don Needs to Man Up or Ship Out
LEANN RIMES, CHRIS O’DONNELL, JESSICA CAPSHAW
Just when I thought I was starting to like Don he pulls the buffoonery he did in Season 1 Episode 17 “Saboteurs.” Because I liked when he and Blythe set boundaries with Dixie after the revelation that she got pregnant on purpose with Blue. And I liked seeing him being lovey dovey with Blythe in this episode. But then he had to go and ruin it all by being more concerned about what his wife did when they were separated than the ex that is trying to destroy his wife.
Don Hart has lost the plot.
He fails to notice that a threat to destroy Blythe’s life is also a threat to his life. But his entire focus is on “Who did my wife sleep with when we were separated?” Oh you mean like how you slept with Dixie when you were separated? Because from everything I’ve seen, Blythe has been an actual angel when it comes to having Dixie in her life because she’s important to Don and they share a child. Blythe has even paid for Dixie’s surgery so she can sing again and this is how Dixie repays her, a diss track to destroy her.
JESSICA CAPSHAW
But none of this matters because Don needs to know who Blythe slept with and what she did during her teenage years. Now I do get the teenage years a bit. That would be concerning and I would want to know if it’s something bad because if you’re a good partner, you face troubles head on and together. But Don’s not concerned about that right now. He’s concerned about who Blythe slept with and not about how Dixie’s diss track could destroy his wife’s life’s work, her reputation, and their marriage.
And sorry, not sorry but Blythe was right to call out Don for liking Dixie’s attention. The truth hurts. That’s why Don walked away. And that’s why he’s been a consistent doormat when it comes to Dixie and how she treats Blythe. It’s also the reason why Don consistently chastises Blythe when Blythe stands up for herself against Dixie. Don, Dixie is no wilting flower. So stop treating her like one. Instead, man up or ship out.
Blythe deserves better than a weak and indecisive partner.
Yes, For More Representation
ANNA AKANA, JUANI FELIZ
As a reviewer of 9-1-1: Nashville I have not been shy about the fact that this show lacks representation. They haven’t given Roxie and Taylor enough character development outside of romantic relationships. And the show hasn’t committed to actually going there when it comes to Roxie being into women. That changed in “Saboteurs.”
I liked that Roxie was an absolute disaster when it came to attention from another woman. It goes to tell me so much about her outside of her being a badass when it comes to saving lives. It tells me that she’s still carrying around a lot of pain but is willing to try. And that willingness makes the difference by the end of this episode, where we actually see two women kissing in Nashville. And the angels wept in joy.
Roxie wasn’t the only person to get some development in “Saboteurs.”
HAILEY KILGORE, HUNTER MCVEY
I really enjoyed what we saw between Taylor and Blue. Because it wasn’t some big dramatic moment. It was grounded in the first weeks of dating someone and what happens when you jump into the deep end. And I liked seeingTaylor struggle on what to say when it came to Blue. Not because she couldn’t stand up for herself. But because she didn’t know how to navigate something delicate with someone she cared about. She didn’t want to sabotage it because it mattered to her.
The only place that we can go when it comes to Roxie and Taylor is up in Nashville.
If we’re not going to have big sweeping moments on this show when it comes to these two women because all the drama is being saved for Don, Blythe, and Dixie, I like the beats that we’re working with when it comes to Roxie and Taylor. Because in this episode I learned how different they are in approaching things. But I also learned how they come to each other because their bond is deeper than anything we’ve been shown so far. So if anything, 9-1-1: Nashville needs to tap into this friendship more.
