As one chapter ends on Nashville, another begins.
Showrunner Marshall Herskovitz reveals in an interview with Entertainment Weekly how the show will move forward after the death of Rayna Jaymes, played by Connie Britton, teasing the beloved character will re-appear in flashbacks in the coming episodes.
“Shows always move forward ... What people will find as they process their feelings—and maybe fans will be angry at us or at her for this happening—but they’ll find the fabric of the show more than holds,” Hersokovitz says. “It’s still this vibrant passionate creative world of people who live their lives in a way that has a fire beneath it. That’s always been the heart of Nashville.”
Adding “the show is completely intact,” the showrunner also reveals the best episodes of Nashville are yet to come.
“I think the best episode we’ve done this year is the one that follows her funeral. I would put that episode against any I’ve done in my entire career,” he says. “It’s an astonishing symphonic beautiful tribute to this woman and human connection and grief. That’s one I hope nobody misses. It really goes to the heart of what it means for people to be truly connected to each other.”
Nashville airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CMT.