When I talked to Claudia Lee about this latest episode of Hart of Dixie, she told me it was going to be an emotional rollercoaster of sorts. And after finally viewing “Bachelorettes and Bullets,” I have to say, she was right.

The combination of Lemon’s bachelorette party and George’s bachelor party did not lead to any good time shenanigans but just an endless stream of heartbreak for all 5 members of the Wade/Zoe/George/Lemon/Lavon love pentagon.

Oh, Zoe. The girl just wants to stay out of everyone’s business but soon she winds up smack in the middle of everyone’s. She also nearly kisses everyone, it seems. George (Scott Porter) has her and Wade (Wilson Bethel) stand a little too close so he can tell if he saw Lavon (Cress Williams)  and Lemon (Jamie King)  the night before. Then when George tells Zoe (Rachel Bilson) about seeing the two of them kissing she demonstrates how people can stand close but not actually kiss. It’s all very steamy. But those two aren’t even her romantic pairing for the episode – it’s a hot fake ninja guy named Jesse (Justin Hartley). And while he seems like a stranger in town to Zoe, the girl ought to know better than to think anyone just stumbles into Bluebell on accident. But we’ll get to Jesse in a bit.

Dear sweet Magnolia (my favorite teenager, Claudia Lee) planned Lemon’s bachelorette party to exactly none of Lemon’s specifications. Instead of a boring spa trip, she got a bus. With a stripper pole. And a stripper to go on it. George’s bachelor party has been planned by Wade (is he the best man?!) and involves going to a cabin and hunting. But the two converge when Zoe finds out that Lavon is now going on the hunting trip (guns!) with George who suspects him of kissing Lemon the night before. Zoe goes to tell Lemon and the two (and tagalong Jesse) go to stop the impending disaster.

"Bachelorettes and Bullets" - Pictured: Claudia Lee as Magnolia Breeland in HART OF DIXIE on THE CW. Photo: Michael Yarish

Unfortunately (or I actually think, fortunately) they don’t stop it and the pretty people of Bluebell all fall apart. First, Lavon tells George nothing happened, but since Lavon’s story doesn’t match up with Zoe’s lie she told for Lavon (that he was home all night) things escalate and he admits to kissing Lemon. This is the point where Zoe and Lemon show up. Lemon interrupts and finally tells George the truth – all of it. So he calls off the wedding. Of course, Lemon doesn’t take that, and after a talk with Magnolia (I loved this scene between the sisters, btw) she decides that she is not taking no for an answer and doesn’t even tell the rest of the ladies the wedding is off! Poor Magnolia.

As for Zoe, she lets Lavon know that despite all his mistakes, he is still her BFF. But then they walk into another moment in what Lavon calls the “enchanted forest, only the opposite.” That guy Jesse that Zoe is on the worst first date ever with, that’s Wade’s war hero brother! AWKWARD! Wade was none too happy to see the two together, for multiple reasons. First he is resentful of his brother for going off to war and leaving him to take care of their crazy drunk dad, but acting like he is the big hero when he swoops into town. And he is mad at Zoe because she always chooses the guys that are superior (Jud – the vet, George – the lawyer, Jesse – the war hero/geo eco whateverologist). What he doesn’t say is “Why the hell am I not good enough for you?!” But it’s implied. And Zoe feels awful. As she should. Because Wade is superior to all of them.

And then when it all can’t get any worse for the gang, George tells Zoe that they are through as friends because she knew about Lemon and Lavon and the kiss and not only didn’t tell him, but she outright lied to him. What’s crazy is all of that was basically just the last 20 minutes of the episode! It was a bunch of silliness that led up to it, but I figured we should just get to the important part.

Now where does that leave us? Besides Zoe and Lavon, no one is really talking to each other. But in the previews it looks like George and Zoe have a moment. I’d take that with a grain of salt, if you are worried about Zoe/Wade. Another site posted some pics for the episode in two weeks and it looks like things are still up in the air as far as Zoe/Wade and George/Lemon are concerned. And, I’m hopeful that somehow this continues to forge a bond between Lemon and Zoe. Their scenes together in the woods were really sweet and I think a sign that they could be, at the very least, frenemies and not just enemies.

I’ll admit, those pics made me feel better about the episode. I… well, I’m not sure what I want to happen in the end. I love Zoe and Wade, that is all I’m sure about. But I do know I’m glad everything is out in the open now. I wanted some forward motion on these stories and now we will get it.

What did y’all think of this episode? What do you think the fallout will be?

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae

Tagged: , , , ,