"Nashville" is pure soapy country music.

"Nashville,"  the underwatched series created by "Thelma and Louise" scribe, Callie Khouri, is a show that is fantastic when it's running on all cylinders and a poor man's "Knot's Landing" when it isn't.  Of all the offerings on Wednesdays, especially "American Idol" as it moves into the boring Hollywood weeks before the actual competition, "Nashville" should be the number one choice for viewers.  Five reasons are below.

Connie Britton--The actress can be fantastic with the right material ("Friday Night Lights, certain episodes of "American Horror Story") and blah with bad material ("Spin City" and certain episodes of "American Horror Story").   This role gives her the material in which she excels--smart, spunky, take no prisoners.  And she runs with it, stealing the show from the rest of the cast, even though she is the worst singer on a show about music.  That's acting.

The basic premise--Throw away all the sometimes irritating subplots (political campaigns, alcohol-abusing mamas) and relish the central focus--imagine Taylor Swift and Faith Hill going on tour.  One is a young starlet who scores hit after hit and the other is an aging music legend who can't buy a hit.  The best scenes are between Britton and Hayden Panittiere and they crackle with an addictive "All About Eve" punch.

The music--A show featuring an insider's view of the country music industry rises and falls on the music and the show doesn't disappoint. The show's music producer is Khouri's real-life husband, T-Bone Burnett, who is a Grammy and Oscar winner for music in such films as "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" and "Crazy Heart."  His work in film shows as he chooses music that works to the actors' and the story's strengths.  As mentioned, Britton isn't a fantastic singer, but Burnett is able to cover the flaws in her voice with songs that work for her.

Supporting cast--Chip Esten, Eric Close, Claire Bowen, Jonathan Jackson, Powers Boothe, and, yes, the cheerleader from "Heroes" herself, Panittiere, do the most with the material they are given.  Boothe, in particular, is stuck in a thankless part as Britton's father, but he does bring a scary realism to it. 

The men--While the show doesn't exploit its' cast's genetic awesomeness to its fullest potential, the men on the show definitely give good chest.  But for the love of God, give Close a shirtless scene now--the audience would be more invested in the love triangle between him, Britton, and the often shirtless Esten.

Below in order, top to bottom: Chip Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladino, and Eric Close.

"Nashville" is far from a perfect show, but unlike "Smash" which premiered last night, it achieves such musical heights when it hits that it is worth consuming every flawed minute of the country soap opera with heart and twang.