"Nashville" Season 5 might have been left hanging by ABC but the series is ready to start anew on its new network CMT, in partnership with Hulu. "Nashville" will reportedly enjoy a slower pace compared to before and the first episode teases hope for Rayna (Connie Britton). Viewers can get a taste of the new season during the "Nashville" special preview this week.
It turns out that Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) survives the plane crash at the end of season 4. But this will not be immediately revealed to the characters in "Nashville" Season 5. Viewers will catch Rayna suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as part of the aftermath of Juliette's supposed fate. But not all hope is lost as Rayna will reportedly embark on a journey of self-discovery.
Under the guidance of showrunners Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, the "Nashville" Season 5 is rumored to be exploring new themes - perhaps even Tennessee's passage of regulations that are claimed to discriminate against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders.
"Nashville" Season 5 may feature more of Will (Chris Carmack) and Kevin (Kyle Dean Massey), who are in a same-sex relationship in the show. In an interview with TV Guide, Herskovitz said that instead of focusing on the actual law, he'd rather highlight the issues surrounding it. "The Will storyline - which, by the way, is not defined by the fact that he's gay, but he is gay, and we're not shying away from the fact that he's gay - is one we're very excited about," Herskovitz added.
The special preview for "Nashville" Season 5 airs on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 9 p.m. EST. Catch the two-hour premiere of "Nashville" Season 5 on Thursday, Jan. 5, at the same time slot on its new network, CMT. All episodes for the season can be streamed on Hulu the succeeding day.