Review: Hart of Dixie, Season 1 Premiere – Pilot
Air Date: Monday, September 26, 2011 9/8c on The CW
Rating
Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart
Being a southern gal, I’m always curious to see how much ‘knee slapping, hew-hawing’ stereotyping writers will try to incorporate into a series based in the southern states in order to give it some presumed authenticity. Well, Hart of Dixie does have a heaping helping of what many non-southerners think is typical about the South peppered throughout the premiere, but in all honesty, it isn’t too far off base. I’ll gladly admit I still say “y’all” an awful lot. And yes, an “awful lot” is something said often ’round them parts. But I think the series does a good job of showing the quaint southern charm of a small rural town, as well as its pointy thorns. I was anxious to watch the premiere but nervous that I wouldn’t like it. I am happy to say I actually really like it! Despite some of the cheesy elements sprinkled into the pilot, the series is entertaining, charming, funny, and full of the best southern hospitality this side of the Mason Dixon line! But don’t cross a Southern Belle – their bite may not seem so bad, but the venom left behind can be deadly.
Unlike Zoe (Rachel Bilson), I always dreamed of moving out of the South to a big city. While living in Columbus, GA, I drove to Atlanta as much as possible and eventually moved to an even bigger city – Los Angeles. I think being from the South is great but being from the South and moving to the South are two totally different things. As an NYC gal, Zoe is going to get a few eye-opening experiences she never expected and all in her first day!
Zoe (Rachel Bilson) learns the truth about Harley Wilkes from Emmeline (Nancy Travis)
After being turned down for a prestigious medical fellowship because of her bedside manner—or lack thereof—Zoe finally accepts a four-year-old job offer from a kindly older gentleman named Harley Wilkes (Nicholas Pryor) of Blue Bell, AL. Unfortunately, when she arrives in Blue Bell, she learns from Emmeline Hattenbarger (Nancy Travis) that Harley passed away four months prior. The post cards he sent each month since his death were sent by Emmeline at his bequest. But there’s good news: not only is Zoe employed but Harley left her his half of the private practice he shares with another local doctor, Brick Breeland (Tim Matheson). Don’t adjust your eyes or ears – yes, his name is Brick (“Brick the Dick” as some of the locals call him)! And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, his uppity daughter’s name is Lemon (Jaime King). I’d laugh along but unfortunately, I think I knew a Lemon once. Or was her name Daffodil? Either way, you can’t help but think of the color yellow (like lemons or butter) when you see Lemon all dolled up in her dress.
Of course, our sweet (and very sour) Lemon is engaged to George Tucker (Scott Porter), the same gentleman who offers Zoe a ride after she gets off the bus three miles outside of town. But if you ask me, I think Lemon may have had a little fling with the Mayor of Blue Bell, former NFL football player and Roll Tide alum, Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams), while George was living in NY after law school. There’s only one thing about Lavon I don’t like – and no, it’s not his pet alligator Burt Reynolds – it’s the way he refers to himself in the third person. I think it’s a little weird when people do that all the time. Occasionally is fine, but let’s limit it to no more than twice in any given day please. Just saying.
Zoe (Rachel Bilson, back) gets scolded by Dr. Breeland (Tim Matheson) as he exams an unconscious George (Scott Porter)
Now Zoe must figure out how to get the local townsfolk to accept her after she nearly gets George killed. She unknowingly signs off on old man Jackson’s (Moses Gibson) eye exam, not realizing he’s legally blind (and memorized the chart). After getting his driver’s license renewed, Jackson accidentally runs George over as he’s jogging. So to recap – a run-in with an alligator named Burt Reynolds, check; nearly (inadvertently) killing a guy, check; and making out with Wade (Wilson Bethel), a local bad boy (also her neighbor) during a drunken self-pity party, check. Zoe easily becomes tempted by her mother Candace’s (JoBeth Williams) suggestion to return to New York and leave the alligators, humidity, and box-o-wine behind.
It hasn’t escaped me that there are some heavyweight actresses in this show. One – JoBeth Williams. Hello, Poltergeist is one of my favorite scary paranormal/supernatural movies. And two – Nancy Travis. I absolutely love the movie So I Married an Axe Murderer and I’ll admit it, I like Three Men and a Little Lady,too. Did you notice how they subliminally (or was it?) throw in “axe murderer” in the beginning of the show when George offers Zoe a ride into town?
L-R: Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart and JoBeth Williams as Candace Hart
George: “Can I offer you a ride m’am?”
Zoe: “Thank you, but I have a strong policy against strangers chopping me up into a million pieces.”
George: “If it helps, I’m an attorney, not an axe murderer.”
If you’re wondering why Harley, a stranger who happened to be at Zoe’s medical school graduation, leaves her half his practice, well, it wasn’t her commencement speech. It looks like Candace had a fling on a cruise and Harley is Zoe’s biological father. Of course, this changes things between Zoe and Candace, solidifying Zoe’s decision to stay in Blue Bell.
Tune into Hart of Dixie, Mondays at 9/8c only on The CW.
For more on the show go to http://www.cwtv.com/shows/hart-of-dixie.
Twitter @CW_Network #HartofDixie
LIKE Hart of Dixie on FACEBOOK
Photos © 2011 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Judy Manning
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2 comments
Hi! Just wanted to thank you for the positive review. It got dumped on by the reviewer for my local paper, The Washington Post, who called the series, Southern Exposure, which sounded good to me. Instead of Alaska, the New York doctor (now a woman) goes to Alabama. Anyway, I’ve been enjoying it, even though Nancy Travis left after two episodes to co-star in the new Tim Allen series.
Author
Hi Rolf, WOW, the Washington Post – big paper. But I think coming from a fan’s perspective (which is what I am) I write it as a fan. I really enjoyed the show. Is Rachel Bilson truly believable as a surgeon…not really but I love her enthusiasm! I did love Northern Exposure, it was a really good show > come one, with Janine Turner, Rob Morrow, and John Corbett…good casting. The CW’s approach is geared towards a younger market but I (being slightly older than their target range) think it is entertaining. The last episode with the Gumbo debacle was good. Thank you for commenting! And I too am disappointed about Nancy Travis! Loved her in ‘So I Married An Axe Murderer.’ I guess I’ll have to tune into Tim Allen’s new series ‘Last Man Standing’ to see her again.