Only one episode remains in the first (and hopefully not last) season of Hart of Dixie. So far over the season I’ve laughed, rolled my eyes, sighed, fell in and out of love with almost every character. But I’ve only done one thing once so far- cry (when Lemon found her mom). In “Disaster Drills & Departures” I cried again. But to be fair – I, like most TV characters it seems, have Daddy Issues.

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I kind of loved this episode. Again – Daddy Issues rear their ugly head. In the wake of not realizing that Rose had appendicitis, hurting Wade, angering Lavon, getting chewed out by a kind of bitchy nurse and losing George to Lemon (all in a matter of hours) Zoe, understandably, kinda loses it. What does she do in her moment of weakness? She calls her Dad, Ethan Hart. Fun fact – every time I type “Ethan Hunt” first and then realize that is the Mission: Impossible character not a CW character. Anywho, Ethan Hart, not Hunt, comes to Zoe’s rescue in Bluebell (though wouldn’t it have been cool if Tom Cruise showed up?) and lets her talk it out.

Her decision – to take a cardiothoracic fellowship in Boston. Why? Because when she is doing that instead of being a General Practitioner in a small town she doesn’t have to worry about caring. She doesn’t have to worry about her 14 year old friend dying or why her friend is lying about how she got injured. Much like Ethan has always done, Zoe chooses to run. And much to Lavon’s dismay, she does so without saying goodbye.

That scene where Lavon tells her that she made a difference and it would hurt people if she just left, especially Lavon and Rose, was so moving. And one of the things that made me a little misty. I think that conversation said a lot about how close they are and who they are as people. Zoe took an argument to be the end of a friendship. Lavon referred to them as “breaking up” because, let’s face it, they are about 2 weeks shy of making that “if we are both still single at 40…” pact. It was a lovely scene. But it ended up not moving Zoe to stop her from leaving.

What did? Well, oddly enough, Brick. When Zoe finally realized what Annabeth was lying about (her husband left her and she was hiding it) she had one last patient meeting and helped her friend realize she needed to stop lying and just come clean. Brick hears this and lets Zoe know that yes, being a GP hurts because you care about your patients on a personal level, but not caring at all isn’t really living. And whether or not she wants to admit it, Zoe is good at caring.

Yep, this started me crying a little again. And I was made even more weepy when Zoe went back to the airport to tell Ethan. He said that while it’s career suicide, as her dad, he is very proud of her. Oh Zoe… the girl who started out the season with one absentee father who turned out not to be her real dad and a bio-dad she never knew now has not one, but 3 father-figures. Harley Wilkes may be dead, but his ever-lasting presence in town acts as a symbolic father. Ethan finally came through and did right by her. And Brick – the man who worked so hard to get her out – was the one to give her the fatherly advice to get her to stay. It was really beautiful.

So Bluebell is whole again as Zoe stays. Lavon gets his big goofy grin. Wade, who screwed up getting a bank loan by, well, being Wade, is annoyed because with Zoe sticking around he has a reason to keep trying to be a better man. And Rose, sweet, sweet, slightly evil, Rose, still gets her friend. I love the scene of Zoe and Rose in bed gossiping. And only a little bit because it reminded me of Summer and Marissa. (I also love Rose screwing with Magnolia, who had wished Rose dead when she found out she was on a date with Frederick Dean.) As for Lemon and George – well they were completely unaware of all of this as they tried to get back into the groove (horrible euphemism for having sex). While I wasn’t as invested there, I will say that story did let you remember why those two were in love anyway.

Next week is the season finale – George and Lemon’s wedding. Do they get married? Who cares! Wade is soaking wet in the previews thanks to an unfortunately (for Lemon) timed storm! Meet you back here next week so we can discuss the happenings! What are you hoping for?

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae

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