Since Nashville moved to CMT, we've seen some major shakeups for the show's two main characters, Rayna (Connie Britton) and Juliette (Hayden Panettiere). Juliette's been undergoing a spiritual awakening after surviving a plane crash. And Rayna signed a risky deal with a Silicon Valley billionaire — while dealing with a mysterious stalker.
Fans have been wondering where the show is taking things for Rayna since Nashville first introduced the stalker storyline. We saw earlier this season that she feels conflicted about the future of her music. She wants to release a concept album with Deacon (Charles Esten), though he's hesitant about it. But could the stalker situation be a way to write Rayna's character off the show?
Last week, we learned Rayna's stalker is named Carl Hockney, and she got a restraining order against him. But considering the fact that he approached Daphne after it was filed, it doesn't look like he's going away yet.
Of course, there's no proof that a stalker plot means Rayna (and Britton) will be leaving the show. But we do know that Rayna would do anything to keep her family safe — even if that means moving out of Nashville.
A new Deadline report suggests that Britton is available for pilot season, which hints that she may be leaving Nashville after its fifth season ends. TVLine also reported in August that Britton would exit the show after the current season. There's no word yet on whether CMT plans to continue the show for a sixth season.
For now, there's no definitive evidence that the introduction of Hockney's character is a way to write Rayna out of Nashville. In December, though, Britton told The New York Times that if Rayna were to "go out" from the show, she'd want it to be "in a blaze of country music glory." So whatever happens, it looks fans won't be disappointed.