9-1-1: Nashville Season 2 Episode 4 Review: A Cold-Blooded Snake in the Grass

9-1-1: Nashville Season 2 Episode 4, “In Cold Blood,” delivers a zany and entertaining ride.

The biblical arc continues as the Pharaoh unleashes his next plague — snakes aboard Flight 729.

As we inch closer to the Pharaoh’s reveal, we must address the elephant in the room: Blythe and Dixie’s rivalry. This outing confirms that the war is far from over after Dixie makes a bold statement during a concert.

On “In Cold Blood,” Dixie announces that her diss track “Hey Lady B” is about Blythe.

This petty move drives the final nail in the coffin between her and Blythe as Dixie reclaims her power. Blythe’s control over Dixie’s music releases doesn’t prevent Dixie from using the situation to her advantage.

While Dixie’s indebtedness to Blythe still lingers in her mind, the announcement lets Blythe know she isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe. Dixie’s tour not selling is one of the many forces that bruise her ego, but it doesn’t stop her from pursuing her music career.

In Dixie fashion, she does whatever it takes to get what she wants.

What makes Blythe different from Dixie is that she can admit her mistakes and put her family first before making tough decisions. Blythe has self-control and fights back when provoked, whereas Dixie only cares about herself and won’t back down without a fight.

Nevertheless, this episode is a major leap for Dixie and Blue’s relationship.

Dixie wears her heart on her sleeve and asks Cammie to tell Blue she’s proud of him — a small token of Dixie’s love for her son.

Dixie and Blue’s relationship has come a long way from the days of degrading and gaslighting him. That said, the character development is only temporary.

9-1-1: Nashville could have made us believe that Dixie has grown from her past mistakes, but her reversion to her old self after trying to be a good person is more realistic.

Dixie reigniting the feud with Blythe puts Blue back in the middle. Hopefully, Blue recognizes that she hasn’t changed.

She has broken his trust before, so it’s reasonable to assume she’ll do it again. This will be the ultimate test for Blue of whether he wants to be on the side of good or evil.

“In Cold Blood” begins with Dixie ready to give up on her dreams and throw it all away. However, during a chance encounter on her flight to Wisconsin, she discovers her life isn’t completely over. 

9-1-1: Nashville makes Dixie a lot more bearable when she’s away from Don and Blythe. Dixie is ready to give up on her music career, but meeting Danny changes her perspective.

She never leaves Danny’s side, especially after he tries to retrieve her fake cigarette from the ground. After Danny gets bitten, she never gives up on saving his life. For once, Dixie prioritizes someone else’s life before her own.

Danny enjoying her music is a small part of this newfound bond, but what stands out most is that she isn’t seen as a villain. He treats her like a real person and shows a genuine interest in her music career.

Dixie saving Danny puts her in a more favorable light. However, after discovering Russell Dickerson’s son is Danny, the episode reintroduces the Dixie who seizes any opportunity to her benefit.

This is what makes Dixie’s characterization so complex because you never really know what to expect from her.

9-1-1: Nashville continues to portray how Cammie is an exceptional dispatcher due to her caring spirit and assumed leadership role.

However, with the arrival of the new 9-1-1 operator supervisor, Dr. Marcia Zellner, she doesn’t believe Cammie’s technique is appropriate.

“In Cold Blood” is a prime example of the harrowing realities of coercive power in the workplace. Marcia’s scathing assessment of the team’s performance instills fear in the 9-1-1 dispatchers and puts everyone’s jobs at risk.

From Marcia’s perspective, you can understand wanting dispatchers’ heads to be clear on calls. Marcia doesn’t want these intense calls to affect their ability to do the job because lives are always on the line.

This approach may seem like the most reasonable route for 9-1-1 dispatchers in the long run, but how can they eliminate what they do best — showing empathy?

Across the 9-1-1 universe, we have dispatchers like Maddie Buckley-Han, Grace Ryder, and Cammie Raleigh.

What makes each of them impressive is their ability to connect with callers and remember they’re real people. Their efforts leave a lasting impression on callers, and most rescues can’t be done without dispatchers.

Marcia will do everything in her power to terminate anyone whom she deems unworthy of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher.

Stray Thoughts

• Rogue shattering Ryan’s spirit by saying he’s living a “cop fantasy” is painful to watch. Rogue sees him as a liability and doesn’t think he’s worthy of being a police officer, yet he couldn’t have gotten this far without Ryan’s help.
• Don has come around to Rogue; the old Don surely would’ve resisted Ryan tagging along with Rogue.
• The Staten Island Strangler’s role in killing Rogue’s wife is surprising, but it explains his deep investment in the Pharaoh.
• The inclusion of Keystar Airlines is another great way to tie the 9-1-1 universes together. For any future characters, avoid this airline at all costs.
• It’s always a delight to see Blue, Taylor, and Roxie together; we need more scenes of them outside the firehouse.

---

What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1: Nashville? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

Critic Rating:

Audience Rating:

 

9-1-1: Nashville airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!