Hart of Dixie Recap: “Sweetie Pies and Sweaty Palms”

In this week’s Hart of Dixie episode, “Sweetie Pies and Sweaty Palms,” viewers were introduced to another annual Bluebell tradition, the Sweetie Pie Dance. Like all of Bluebell’s big events, the dance was the talk of the town and having the right date was a very big deal.

Zoe decided right of the bat that she wasn’t interested in attending the dance, even though she admitted that she’d had three good dates with Judson. Instead, Zoe opted to let Rose spend the night at her place since Rose’s parents were going out of town and the teenager was too young to spend the night alone. But then a conversation with Wade had Zoe instantly changing her mind and despite cringing at the term ‘sweetie pie’, Zoe called Judson and asked him to the dance while Wade looked on, displeased with the turn of events.

Wade bounced back quickly and made it his mission to ruin Zoe’s date prep, first by stealing her expensive shampoo, changing all her relaxing radio stations to country and then unleashing a possum into her house. Zoe freaked out until she realized getting even would be much more satisfying than just being mad. In my favorite moment of the episode, Zoe knocked on Wade’s door and asked Joelle, current woman in his life, if she would be done with him by eleven that night because Zoe wanted her turn since their little war was their version of foreplay. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

But it wasn’t all fun and games in Bluebell. After Lavon (adorably) asked Didi to go to the dance with him, he spotted her talking to another man. Wade attempted to diffuse the situation, telling Lavon that it was probably her brother but it turned out the man was an ex which triggered Lavon’s relationship panic button after what happened with Lemon. As for Lemon, she was busy trying to set her father up with a new woman and ignoring George in the process. Of course it was hard to feel sorry for George when he couldn’t remember whether or not he’d actually mailed the save the date cards for their wedding or if he’d just lost them. It was the latter. (Tell me again why he’s supposed to be a prize)?

Lemon was more understanding than I expected her to be when George confessed that he’d forgotten to send the cards out, but then he started yelling at her about how they haven’t connected since Christmas and he’s having doubts. Once again, I found myself asking how we’re supposed to root for George in any capacity when he behaves that way. The hits kept coming for Lemon when her father berated her about setting him up on a date and Lemon (finally!) confessed that her mother wasn’t off chasing her dreams but had made a new family for herself. Brick was devastated about his ex and he felt terrible that Lemon had kept the information to herself all this time, something he quickly clued George in on.

Okay, I confess at this point, I was rooting for George to sweep in there and make everything better for Lemon. He did apologize and comfort her and Lemon admitted that the reason she tries so hard to be the perfect southern belle is because her mother always taught her to hide her feelings and keep a smile on her face. George told her that she didn’t have to do that with him and he wanted to know every part of her. It was a sweet moment or it would have been if I could like George. I tried, but I feel nothing for him. Maybe it’s residual hate leftover from Scott Porter’s days on The Good Wife or maybe it’s because I never watched him on Friday Night Lights. Either way, I don’t see what this character can do to win me over at this point.

Across town, Zoe and Wade’s war continued as she watched Joelle beat Wade with his guitar and then Wade stole Zoe’s cell phone and locked her in her house, forcing her to climb out the second story window to make it to the dance where everyone was assuming she’d stood Judson up. The vet was happy to see her and as they shared a dance, Lavon came over to let Zoe know that Wade had sent a text that there was an emergency and she needed to go home. Zoe wasn’t falling for that but she did borrow Judson’s phone to send flowers to Joelle with a note from Wade saying he loved her. Judson was less than amused by her behavior and then Wade showed up to angrily tell her that there was an actual emergency with Rose, who had lied about having another place to stay after Zoe had abandoned her.

Zoe patched up Rose and apologized to Judson, but he (accurately) pointed out that she was obviously more interested in her war with Wade than being on a date with him. Rose then opened Zoe’s eyes to the fact that Wade likes her and Zoe surprisingly did the mature thing and confronted Wade about their mutual attraction. Wade, however, played it off like a joke and told Zoe that he’d won $100 because of her breakup with Judson. This was the point I wanted to throw something through my TV. I understand the push-pull of TV relationships and that the buildup and anticipation is half the (frustrating) fun. But I didn’t like that Wade took about ten steps back in that moment. That being said, he’s still the best part of the show so I forgive him.

Speaking of forgiveness, after Lavon was sort of a jerk to Didi, he opened up and admitted that he’d been hurt by a woman who had chosen an old relationship over a new one with him. He apologized for projecting and then he and Didi took their relationship to the next (naked) level. But the afterglow was short lived when Didi found a picture of Lemon taped under the coffee table (really, Lavon?) and realized that she was the woman Lavon had been in love with setting up what should be a very interesting episode next week.