Can Highway 65 survive if Zach walks away?
Farther On opens on Deacon waking up on the couch and looking tired.
Get used to that image, because Deacon looks wiped out for 99 percent of this episode.
Credit: Mark Levine/CMT
Its kind of a huge deal.
Due to all of HW65s brand partnerships, shes shooting her first commercial.
That night, Maddie has to attend a party with all the commercial peeps.
I dont blame her.
They cant stop touching her and chanting her name.
(Maybe not Zach, but hes loaded, so alls fair.)
Theres a reason shes the best in the biz, folks.
Back on set the next day, Maddie is doused in water.
(Her lashes do look great, in all fairness.)
Alyssa is tasked with making Maddie okay with the change.
Maddie begs him not to make her do it.
(Id just like to point out that despite the tears, her mascara is STILL on.)
Deacon relents, appreciating that her integrity as a new artist is on the line.
Heres the thing, though: Britney Spears Pepsi commercials were some of her best work!
Different times, different genres, I suppose.
Back at the office, Zach is not willing to take no for an answer.
He says he cant keep pushing the boulder up the hill.
(Recap continues on page 2)
And so Deacon invites over all the artists, a.k.a.
the entire cast, to talk through the situation.
Deacon wants to figure out what they all believe and how much theyre willing to sacrifice.
Scar says no; they wont let her.
Will, Budweiser star and Zachs boyfriend, says nothing.
Then Daphne the smartest one on this show pipes up with, So this is about fear.
In the end, they all tell Deacon they support him and trust him to make the right decision.
Not helpful, guys.
Juliette, for one, is not on board with losing the label.
To be fair to Avery, Mollys doing most of the flirting while hes just kind of perplexed.
She keeps putting ideas in his head like, Relationships are supposed to be fun.
Avery is very confused.
Way to stay faithful, Avery!
She drives him to a lake and kicks him out, telling him to take an hour for himself.
Deacon is pissed he has work to do!
but she locks the doors, forcing him on his way.
Then Jessie ruins it with a metaphor about birds singing purely because they can or something.
Deacon, feeling at peace, smiles and thanks Jessie.
With that, Deacon goes to see Zach and Alyssa and explains that theyre at a crossroads.
Zach thinks theres a way through it, but the D-man doesnt not this time.
He informs them that theyve come to a consensus, and theyre done with branding.
Zach is hella pissed and calls them all a bunch of hopeless romantics.
He reiterates that if they walk away from branding, its all over.
Deacon says theyre doing what feels right and he should do the same.
Oh boy, I bet were just scratching the surface of Zachs wrath.
For now, hes out of HW65.
Despite all the drama of the past few days, Deacon decides to perform at the Opry.
(Literally everyone has told him he has to do it.)
Hes getting ready for the show when Maddie shows up, still crying.
(But the real question is: Is her mascara still intact?)
Just then, Pam Tillis invites Deacon to the stage.
Jessie, who has been watching backstage, gives him a knowing look.
He walks toward her in slow motion and thanks her before embracing her, too.
Daphne does not look impressed.
Its the season finale next week, guys.
