Tonight on ABC Nashville starring Hayden Panettiere continues with an all new Wednesday April 20, season 4 episode 16 called, “Didn’t Expect It to Go Down This Way.” and we have your weekly recap below for you. On tonight’s episode, Maddie (Lennon Stella) runs away, leaving Rayna (Connie Britton) and Deacon (Charles Esten) frantic with worry.
On the last episode the Exes found navigating their newfound fame tricky business when they went out on the road with Autumn Chase (played by Alicia Witt). Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the ABC synopsis, “Maddie runs away, leaving Rayna and Deacon frantic with worry. Meanwhile, Riff goes missing, forcing Luke to find a replacement for him; Avery and Layla’s bond makes Juliette uncomfortable; and Autumn causes a rift between Gunnar and Scarlett.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our live coverage of ABC’s Nashville at 10:00 PM EST!
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
#Nashville starts with Riff’s wife Heidi telling Luke that Riff has gone missing right before their tour. She says he won’t answer and said he wouldn’t be home til he was ready. Rayna is on the tarmac in Dallas stuck in the rain when she takes a call from Deacon about Maddie.
Rayna fills Bucky in but says it will be okay. Autumn pours drinks down Gunnar and asks him about his CMA. She says he has an old soul James Taylor vibe. Gunnar is flattered. She says James is her neighbor and asks if he wants to come to New York and meet him.
He says Scarlett would love that but Autumn says maybe just the two of them. Gunnar makes an excuse and says he has an early morning. She flirts and he goes. Juliette makes breakfast for Emily and Glenn and asks what they think is next to resurrect her career.
Emily asks about Cadence and Juliette says just an album so she can spend time with her daughter. He says Luke is going on tour and will try to reach him. Juliette says it’s great to have the team back. Glenn says she needs a producer – she’s thinking Avery.
Will comes down tired and tells Avery he was up all night looking into online dating. He says it’s all about hooking up and he just wants to date. Avery says he’s not going on Layla’s tour since he has to think about Cadence and Juliette just got back.
Will asks if he’s staying for Juliette and he says no. Luke leaves Riff an annoyed message. Ken rants to Luke that the tour is sold out and they’re hosed. Luke says they need a Plan B in case Riff never shows up. Layla meets Glenn who says he had a morning meeting with Juliette.
He says he’s representing both of them. He says Layla is his priority and says he’s having her debut tonight filmed and it will be an amazing launch. She says she still needs a band leader. Juliette shows up to pick up Cadence and holds her while Avery packs her things.
They touch hands and it’s awkward. She tells him she’s starting a new album and asks if he wants to produce her album but he says he’s going on tour with Layla starting tonight. Rayna is home and tells Deacon sorry.
He says Maddie doesn’t want to see him so he’s giving her space. Deacon says Cash is the problem and she needs to stay away from her and they need a restraining order and is a bad influence. He says she should have seen the way Maddie was dressed and singing.
Rayna goes to talk to Maddie and opens her door and sees she’s gone and her bed hasn’t been slept in. Her window is open. Avery gets Cadence’s bag packed and he says sorry to spring the tour on you but I just found out about it.
She asks what about Cadence and he says he’s bringing her along but Juliette can visit anytime. She offers to send Emily along to help with Cadence and he thanks her for being so understanding. Deacon and Rayna make concerned calls trying to find Maddie.
Daphne comes down and asks where’s Maddie. Rayna says they don’t know and Daphne asks if she ran away. Deacon says it’s like she disappeared. Maddie texts that she’s safe but Dad is insane. She won’t tell Rayna where she is and Deacon says she’s at Cash’s place.
Rayna tells him to take Daphne to dance while she deals with this. Gunnar and Scarlett are on a radio show for their debut single. They thank the deejay then take off. Their manager says the song is a hit on iTunes. Gunnar wants to celebrate but Scarlett says Autumn invited her to hang out.
Will is in the studio recording and it’s a different sound. Some guys hang out and listen as he sings. They applaud when he’s done. Brian, one of the backup singers introduces himself and says he’s a big fan. He tells Will he’s something special.
Avery shows up to see Layla and says he can’t turn down the chance to make great music with her. Luke shows up and speaks to Layla. She tells him she’s excited and wants to meet Riff. Luke says Riff may not show up and they’re trying to find a replacement.
Deacon drives Daphne to dance and she says this is her fault for telling him that Maddie went to the show. Deacon tells her she did the right thing but Daphne worries something bad could happen to her sister. He says it won’t.
Rayna comes to Cash’s place calling out for Maddie and Rayna asks where she is and where she went to. Rayna rants at her about Maddie running away and Cash says she’s surprised someone didn’t call the cops on Deacon. Rayna says she can call the cops on Cash.
Cash shows her video of the night and Rayna says she doesn’t have to defend him protecting their daughter and leaves. Cash had his Maddie out back. After Rayna goes she asks what she wants to do but Maddie isn’t sure.
Juliette asks Emily if she’s okay going on the road as a nanny and Emily asks if she’s okay with it. Juliette says this is all confusing with Avery working with Layla and Layla touring with Luke. Juliette says Avery has all the power and she has to be happy he’s letting her visit.
She says she put Avery through a lot and is just grateful they can talk. Avery and Layla talk and she’s upset but Avery says Luke will find a replacement. Avery says let’s just film the sound check so even if tonight is canceled, they have something to show for it.
Rayna calls Deacon and says she didn’t find her at Cash’s place then she says Cash showed her the video of last night and it was intense. Rayna says Maddie has issues with his anger and Deacon says a guy grabbed her leg and Rayna says she would have done the same thing.
Ken and Luke talk about who they might get and they make calls for a fill in artist. Then Heidi is there and says Riff is in a hospital in New Orleans. Luke says they can go in his jet and they take off. Will listens to the backup singer Brian talking about his breakup with Riley but is that a girl or a guy?
Juliette shows up to Layla’s sound check and watches her and Avery working together. Ken is there and introduces himself and says Luke had to take off with an urgent matter. Ken says he’s sorry and she says nice to meet you and he wanders off.
Juliette watches Avery sing up close with Layla and glares at their chemistry.
Will calls Avery to ask how you know a guy is gay and Avery says are you kidding. They wonder if Riley is a girl or guy’s name and if Brian is a guy. Will freaks and Avery says ask him out and man up. Scarlett and Autumn are in the spa chilling out.
Scarlett thanks her for bringing her on tour and Autumn congratulates her on the single blowing up. Autumn then asks if there’s something still between them and Scarlett said they decided to keep the below the surface stuff out of it for the band.
Autumn says it’s never good to complicate things on the road and Scarlett says he’s learning a lot from her. Heidi and Luke talk to Riff’s doc in New Orleans. He says Riff was brought into the ICU by a hooker after a drug, Viagra, and booze binge.
The doctor says he had a brain hemorrhage and a stoke (OMG it’s a Lamar Odom moment) and the doc says he can’t perform anytime. Juliette comes home and complains to Emily about Layla and Avery almost grinding on stage and Luke not showing up.
Juliette says she and Avery had a moment this morning then he saw him on stage with Layla. Juliette says she doesn’t deserve him but maybe can relax knowing Emily is on the road keeping an eye on him. Layla brings Avery on the tour bus and shows him a studio set up.
She says this is so they can record on the road and even put a crib in the room and says he can have her bedroom and she’ll take a bunk. Avery starts to freak and walks away. Cash is stunned once she hears the details of Sony’s offer to Maddie after she makes some calls.
Maddie is thrilled but says she has a contact with Highway 65 and needs parental consent. Cash says she found out something else on the call that Maddie needs to know. Rayna talks to her lawyer who says they need to keep looking or call the cops.
Deacon wants to do that and Rayna says that will put Maddie in the system and then it’s public record and can end up in the tabloids. Deacon rants and asks what can they do. She asks why he had to blow up like that last night.
Rayna says she knows what it was like to have a fight with your daddy at 16 and leave the house forever and doesn’t want that for Maddie. Deacon says he’s scared to death and doesn’t know what to do. Rayna says she has an idea where they can look.
Heidi tells Luke she made Riff retire to save him and says he partied too much before. She says he never came home after he played the Beverly and Luke apologizes. She says it’s not Luke’s fault and says their life wasn’t perfection and Riff is an addict.
Heidi thanks him and tells him to go on and she can handle it. Layla goes looking for Avery who says he needed to process. Layla says she knows this happened fast and he says this is exactly what he needs and she’s been thoughtful and generous.
Avery says he’s not used to being put ahead of someone else and it means a lot. He thanks her and Layla says she deserves it. Glenn comes and tells them get ready for the show and says Luke found a replacement.
Gunnar and Scarlett get more good news about their single and Gunnar then asks her how it went with Autumn. She says Autumn is a role model and now a friend. Gunnar is less happy. Scarlett suggests he try hanging out with her.
Brian thanks Will for letting him sing on the record and then Will asks if he wants to grab a beer. Brian says sure. Rayna shows up to Juliette’s and asks if she’s seen Maddie. Rayna breaks down crying after Juliette asks if things are okay.
Deacon goes to talk to Frankie who says Deacon lost her mind and Deacon says Cash took Maddie out to a bar and she’s a minor. Deacon snaps and says he was protecting his daughter and did the right thing. Frankie says if it was the right thing, why did your kid run away.
Rayna tells Juliette what’s going on with Maddie and says she can’t contain her since she went onstage with Juliette and she says she’s sorry but Rayna says it was inevitable. They talk about how to deal with people you love and Juliette is obviously sad about Avery.
Luke introduces special guest Thomas Rhett for the show and he takes the stage and sings Northern Lights. Luke tells Ken he owes him big time and they wonder who can replace Riff permanently. Luke wonders if they should cancel the tour.
Ken says no way can they do this and says it would wreck Luke’s reputation he just restored. Juliette shows up to see Luke and they hug it out. She asks if she can do the tour. Deacon sits outside Cash’s place and takes a call from Rayna.
He says it sounds crazy and says he came on too strong. Rayna says they’re doing the best they can. Deacon says he sees her and she’s at Cash’s. Rayna says she’ll be right there. Brian is stunned that Will thinks this is a date then says he’s not gay.
Will is shocked and says he’s worse at this than he thought. Brian offers to fix him up with his gay cousin but Will says he’ll just stick to music. Gunnar goes to Autumn’s room and she invites him to New York again. He says he can’t go with her.
He says Scarlett looks up to her and he doesn’t want to mess with that. Autumn says it’s a shame and says it’s sweet how he cares about Scarlett and asks if she would have made the same decision for him. He says she would have.
Autumn says make sure you look after yourself. She says one always outshines the others in duos and kisses his cheek. Scarlett sees Gunnar leaving her room wiping lipstick off his cheek. She’s not happy and walks off.
Luke takes the stage and Avery and Layla watch him sing. Glenn comes over and says this is an amazing night. Luke then thanks the crowd and says Riff is dealing with some health issues and they got a replacement in his new tour mate Juliette.
Juliette tells Avery she can spend plenty of time with Cadence now and he’s stunned. Juliette takes the stage and says she’s not performing tonight but wanted to say hi. Layla is floored and not happy. Deacon and Rayna come to the door to talk to Maddie at Cash’s place.
Deacon says sorry and Rayna asks her to come home. Rayna says she’s a bad influence. Maddie rants about Sony and Edgehill wanting her and talked to a lawyer about a case for emancipating. She shuts the door in their face.
Deacon bangs on the door and demands she let them in as Rayna walks away sadly. Rayna starts crying and Deacon holds her.
THE END!