Hart of Dixie Review: Teenagers & Tiaras
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For the record, all beauty pageants should feature at least one contestant who uses sock puppets as her talent. Come on, no offense to clogging, but who out there would not tune in for a serious sock puppet-off?!?
Sorry, Rose. But that's what lost you the title of Miss Cinnamon Cider.
Sparkly dresses, Scarlett O'Hara-based monologues and a showdown between the pale and the short aside, "Hairdos and Holidays" was really all about Lemon and Hart of Dixie's attempt to make her more savory in the eyes of viewers. Did it succeed? In a word: Eh.
George's fiancee has major mother issues. I get that. It definitely serves to humanize her and to explain why she can get so crazed around town. Because her mom abandoned Bluebell, Lemon is intent on doing the exact opposite, on growing into the woman she always thought her mom had wanted to be. It's a sweet idea and it adds a layer to the character, no doubt.
But the details of Lemon's backstory were a bit sloppy and most definitely unoriginal. We've seen the storyline of a parent leaving one child and starting a new family somewhere else a million times before (Meredith's dad on Grey's Anatomy comes immediately to mind). It's also unclear exactly what George and Lemon's status was during the flashback. Lemon apologized for calling because George apparently told her not to when he was in New York... but he ended the chat by saying he loved her and would call her later.
Were they full-on together at the time? And, if so, I understand Lavon being the one in the immediate proximity... but why wouldn't Lemon open up to George about her mother soon after that? I know long distance can be difficult and I can maybe see Lemon having the misguided notion that she'd be burdening George while he's up north on business - but I keep going back to one fact: this is George Tucker! He's been presented as the kindest, most understanding character on television.
Does she really never talk to him about her mother? That seems hard to believe.
The entire arc felt a bit too obvious, like the writers slamming viewers on the head with the message: We will make you sympathize with Lemon Breeland this week and see why she has a connection to Lavon. I prefer my storytelling a bit more subtle, a bit less manipulative. I'm aware you're pulling those strings, producers, but the less I see of them the better.
Elsewhere, Rose and Zoe continued to make for an adorable paring, even when the latter was doing her best impression of Dina Lohan, stage-mothering Rose to death. The girl just wants to don her natural hairstyle and clog until her Frederick-loving heart is content! Give her a break! Zoe finally did, of course, as the episode ended with her letting go in more ways than one.
Have we finally seen the last of her inappropriate flirtations with George? Can Team Wade members really start to cheer? I have no idea why Zoe turned down a drink at the Rammer Jammer, except to continue to tease this relationship into 2012 when the show returns, but, hey, it's a start! Seriously, Z. You've gotta go out with a guy who makes a hilarious Shawshank Redemption joke ("Wade was here") after spending one night in jail.
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Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.