‘Nashville’ Season 5, Episode 8 Spoilers: “Stand Beside Me” – Hockney Continues to Threaten Rayna, Deacon; Juliette Struggles with Plans for Gospel Music Album

‘Nashville’ season 5’s episode 8, titled “Stand Beside Me,” is set to follow Rayna and Deacon as Hockney’s presence in their lives continues to threaten them. Meanwhile, Juliette has set her mind on working on a gospel music album but will find herself struggling with trying to put it together.

The synopsis for “Stand Beside Me” posted on TV Guide reads, “Rayna (Connie Britton) and Deacon (Charles Esten) take precautions as Hockney (Linds Edwards) tests the limits of the restraining order; Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) asks the church choir to work with her on an album; Scarlett (Clare Bowen) finds herself drawn to Damien (Christian Coulson).”

The promo opens to Rayna and Deacon clearly distraught to find Hockney loitering outside their home. Hockney is stopped by authorities, who have him by the light of flashlights. Rayna reassures herself by saying, “He still has to stay 300 feet away from us.”

Deacon talks to the police as they watch Hockney behind security cameras. He insists, “So you’re gonna let him stay out there right now just threatening my family – you’re gonna do that?”

An agent explains, “He’s not threatening you right now. He’s taunting.” Rayna expresses her anxiety saying, “He’s turning our lives upside-down.”

Carl Hockney is a man obsessed with Rayna and was first appeared in season 5’s episode 3, titled “Let’s Put It Back Together Again.” He first made himself known to Rayna when he approached her and Bucky (David Alford) on the streets for a selfie.

However, Rayna was taken by surprise when he asked about her daughter Maddie (Lennon Stella) being home. She did take dismiss it initially, thinking that he only knew about her personal life since she was famous. He then continues stalking Rayna to the point that she had to take a restraining order out against him, which he deliberately violates in order to get close to her again.

This may pose some problems for Rayna and Deacon, just as they were back to making things right in their relationship again. The previous episode featured the two going on a date and enjoying each others’ company as they navigated through their personal and professional lives, according to the recap posted on Parade.

Meanwhile, Juliette is facing problems of her own when she decides that she wants to put out an album that features gospel music. It seems that she intends to collaborate with some members of a church choir for her project. However, this plan is met with hostility as hinted in the promo.

When she announces her plans for the album in front of a group of men and women, someone retorts, “You know this is black music, right?” Her sarcastic remark is met with a flurry of chuckles among the others. The woman continues, “Isn’t your think a little… sexier than that?”

‘Nashville’ season 5’s episode 8, titled “Stand Beside Me,” is scheduled to air on CMT on February 16, 2017. It will be followed by episode 9, titled "If Tomorrow Never Comes," scheduled for February 23.