Nashville
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Nashville is aimed at families with older kids and will probably appeal to both parents and teens. But there are some sexually charged scenes, albeit brief, that include steamy kissing and suggested nudity, along with a teen character who sleeps with multiple partners. Language is mild, with audible words like "hell," "damn," and "shut up," and there's some social drinking with allusions to alcoholism.
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User Reviews
A soap opera that pushes the TV-PG limit.
Makes me ashamed to be a Nashvillian.
OK show
What's the story?
In NASHVILLE, there's a battle brewing between two talented country music artists: fading country queen Rayna James (Connie Britton) and rising superstar Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere). Rayna's label wants her to tour with Juliette to boost her flagging sales. But Rayna's staking her comeback on some new songs from a talented pair of virtual unknowns (Australian singer Clare Bowen and Cornish singer-songwriter Sam Palladio). Meanwhile, Rayna's husband (Eric Close) is running for mayor with her powerful father's (Powers Boothe) backing, and Juliette is trying to steal Rayna's lead guitarist (Charles Esten) -- and former lover.
Is it any good?
If you can't take Glee's syrupy pop sweetness or bear the Broadway razzle-dazzle of Smash, Nashville just might be the place for you. Being a country music fan isn't a prerequisite either, thanks to an ear-pleasing soundtrack that mixes lots of different country styles -- from alt-country rock to straight-up CMA hits. Listen up, and your ears will thank you.
Nashville also earns points for casting talented leads who can not only talk the talk, but also sing their own notes. Britton is more than believable as a once-unstoppable country queen, and Panettiere is pitch-perfect as her chart-topping rival. But Bowen and Palladio's beautifully haunting blend is the real find -- and we dare you to catch their Southern accents slipping.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why kids tend to look up to popular young musicians like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and Katy Perry. What qualities do they have that make them such appealing role models? When celebrities mess up, how can kids learn from their mistakes?
Do you think Nashville is an accurate representation of what goes into being a country music star? Do the main characters remind you of any real-life country music artists?
How important is making money in the music business? Does the desire to be profitable negatively affect the art of music-making? Would you be willing to compromise your artistic principles if it meant you could be wildly successful?
TV details
- Premiere date: October 10, 2012
- Cast: Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Powers Boothe
- Network: ABC
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
For kids who love music
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.