The bulk of The CW’s programs are dark dramas that frequently have some sort of supernatural component. Black costumes and handsome dudes abound at the network, but for the last couple of seasons Hart of Dixie has gone in a pretty different direction than most of the network’s programming, giving the CW a small town drama with plenty of southern charm—although handsome dudes still abound.
Hart of Dixie has a pretty loyal following but doesn’t crush in the ratings, so when the show was on the network’s bubble regarding a cancellation or renewal, I got the feeling that Hart of Dixie would try to tie up as many loose ends as possible in the Season 2 finale. As it turns out, however, I was wholly incorrect. Our characters ran in a thousand different directions. Zoe Hart inappropriately spoke out about her feelings for George, causing a rift between George and Tansy. Then, she hopped into the sack with her ex, Wade, who broke her heart earlier in the season by cheating on her. Then, she decided to head to New York for the summer, leaving Bluebell behind. Elsewhere, Tansy and George broke up and Lemon got a little nostalgic thinking about her feelings for Lavon; regardless, when she saw how happy Annabeth and Lavon are together, she perked up a little. In short, there were a lot of relationship switch-ups in Season 2 and in next week’s premiere, it looks like there will need to be a lot of cleanup.
In the opening moments of Hart of Dixie’s Season 3 trailer, we see Zoe’s big return—with bagels! She might be enthused about coming back, but unfortunately, people don’t seem too happy to see her. Honestly, Zoe doesn’t look particularly surprised in the trailer that she’s gotten on people’s bad sides, but she should feel a little ashamed. She spent the first two seasons trying to ingratiate herself into the community and get the residents of Bluebell to trust her, yet she managed to make a complete mess of things in just a couple of episodes at the end of last season. Zoe’s not always the most self-aware individual, so we’ll have to wait and see if she is able to work her way out of the mess—although, since the show wouldn't be the same if it wasn't set in Alabama, you would think her occasional charm and ability to help people as a doctor will shine through again at some point.
In the trailer, we get to see everyone from Lemon to Cricket to Tom express dislike for Zoe. One of the reactions I am more interested in seeing, however, is that of Brick Breeland. Zoe shared a practice with him in Bluebell for nearly two years before she opted to just jetset to New York for the summer, leaving Brick presumably in the lurch. I’m hoping her return to the practice will be addressed in the new episodes. Even if Brick was cool with Zoe leaving, her decision certainly left him with more work for the summer and I’m guessing it might mean extra hours for the tiny doctor.
Hart of Dixie has generally been more about the characters and their relationships than any doctoring, and I’m looking forward to the return of Leila Gerstein’s drama not only for the relationships, but also for the quippy dialogue. The new season premieres on Monday, October 7 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
