“Who does George Tucker end up with?”, “Does Zoe ever have her child?”, and “What happens between Lavon and Lemon?” are all good questions forHart of Dixiefans trying to reacquaint themselves with the series finale. Back beforeThe CW was filling its timeslotswith fantasy and superhero shows; dramas and quieter series, often targeting a female audience, ruled the airwaves.Hart of Dixielanded right in the sweet spot of what The CW viewership was looking for, and the small-town comedy-drama lasted for 4 seasons, earning a solid 81% onRotten Tomatoesduring that time.
The series followsThe O.C.’s own Rachel Bilsonas Zoe Hart, a NYC medical doctor who moves to the tiny town of Bluebell, Alabama in the hopes of improving her bedside manner so she can get a fellowship. A charming and funny show,Hart of Dixiehad a rough pilot episode that turned some off with its cutesy sweetness, but the series quickly found its footing.The final season, season 4, sees all the tumultuous relationships that have been winding throughout the season come to satisfying ends, making the finale a particularly romantic affair.
What Happened In The Hart Of Dixie Series Finale
Zoe And Wade Have Their Baby
Whilenot every storyline inHart of Dixieended up being resolved, the key ones, fortunately, were. The most important, the relationship between Zoe and Wade Kinsella (Wilson Bethel), did get its much-deserved attention. Zoe and Wade agree to get married and are betrothed. During the celebration, however, Zoe goes into labor. After four seasons ofHart of Dixie, Zoe’s business is basically Bluebell’s business, so the hospital is filled with everyone she’s met since moving to the small Alabama town.She realizes then that this is the perfect place to be married; forget a long engagement.
5 Ways Hart Of Dixie Has Aged Poorly (& 5 Ways It’s Timeless)
Hart of Dixie was a charming show about a city girl who moves back to the rural south. In some ways it’s timeless, but it also hasn’t aged that well.
Wade finds a rabbit, Zoe’s mom gets on Skype, Tansy Truitt (Mircea Monroe) does some impressive hairstyling given the circumstances, and Zoe and Wade say their vows in between contractions because Zoe is being wheeled into the delivery room on the way. Then, in a surprisingly fourth-wall-breaking moment, the characters begin singing together to welcome Zoe and Wade’s baby boy to the world. They then turn to the camera and sing to the audience as scenes from the next two most important couples inHart of Dixieare shown on screen.
George And AnnaBeth Make A Go Of It In Nashville
George Makes Sure To Be There For The Birth Of Zoe’s Baby
A big question for four seasons ofHart of Dixiewas, “Who is George going to end up with?“George Tucker (Scott Porter) had several love triangles over the years, even having romantic entanglements with Zoe and Lemon Breeland (Jaime King). Then there is AnnaBeth Nass (Kaitlyn Black), a former member of the Belles, along with Lemon. Lemon thinks that AnnaBeth and George would work very well together as a couple and so arranges a meet-cute for them. When that fails, she does it again, and it’s that second occasion that convinces them to start dating.
Bluebell is a wonderful place, but for some people, they are better off getting out, and George shows some important growth by leaving.
George spends the lead-up to the finale debating his move to Nashville and leaving AnnaBeth behind. He chooses to do so, but in the series finale, he returns to Bluebell in time to witness the vows exchanged between Zoe and Wade. He also makes a stop at AnnaBeth’s and convinces her that she’s the only one for him, and he wants her to come to Nashville, which she agrees to. Bluebell is a wonderful place, but for some people, they are better off getting out, and George shows some important growth by leaving.
Other Characters' Fates In The Hart Of Dixie Ending
Lavon And Lemon Get Married
Several other characters get their happy endings in theHart of Dixieseries finale. Lemon and Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams) tie the knot, a wedding that serves as the main part of the ending montage that’s overlaid with the cast singing to the audience. After many seasons of affairs, break-ups, and love triangles, it’s very rewarding to see these two accept one another’s love. Having the whole town come out for the wedding is the cherry on top andshows how integral these two characters are to the town and Bluebell to them.
Across Bluebell, there are some other key moments in the finale, many featuring Zoe, of course. For one, she’s officially made a partner in Dr. Breeland’s (Tim Matheson) business, and she makes sure to go to her father’s grave and thank him for bringing her to Bluebell all those years ago. Lemon also asks Zoe to be a bridesmaid, which would have been unheard of a few seasons ago. Zoe ends the show as a favorite in the Breeland family. Rose (McKaley Miller) gets into Columbia, and Zoe gives her a pair of high heels, perfect for NYC.
Hart of Dixiewas built on its web of love, setting up one that even the audience won’t be privy to is a winking and smart way for the show to go out.
Another love triangle is hinted at in the series finale. Dr. Brick Breeland brings in a new male associate to his practice; Wade hires a young, single female bartender; and George convinces one of his buddies in New York to relocate to Bluebell for a year to oversee his practice while he’s in Nashville.Hart of Dixiewas built on its web of love, setting up one that even the audience won’t be privy to is a winking and smart way for the show to go out.
Hart Of Dixie Was Likely Canceled Because Of Declining Ratings
Rachel Bilson Dispelled A Rumor About The Show
Curiously,Hart of Dixienever had an official announcement about its cancelation. The news was broken by the show’s creator, Leila Gerstein, in a series of tweets in March 2015 where she wrote (viaX),
“The final three episodes of #HartofDixie begin tonight. Buckle up, I think you will enjoy the ride. Xo”
Though no exact reason has ever been given for theHart of Dixiecancelation,CW president Mark Pedowitz hinted at what the problem could be when he discussed the future of season 4(viaENews),
“We have to see the ratings. If [Dixie] ends, it’s a great series finale. And if it doesn’t end, it’s a great season finale.”
Ratings were going down for three seasons, but they jumped back up for season 4, though average viewer numbers were still about 100,000 or more off from seasons 1 and 2. One rumor circulated that the show was canceled because Rachel Bilson got pregnant in real life. She cleared up any speculation, saying (viaInstagram),
“Missing the #zoehart #hartofdixie days, especially this outfit and this lady. Just wanted to clear something up, the cancellation of HOD had nothing to do with me or my pregnancy. I loved my show and loved playing Zoe Hart, thanks to everyone who watched.”
It appears thatHart of Dixiewas canceled for the same reason a lot of shows are: they run out of steam with viewers, and executives want to move onto something else. Scott Porter gave his thoughts about the ending ofHart of Dixie. He said (viaCW33),
“Both of them [George and AnnaBeth] went on serious searches for themselves, to find themselves, throughout the series… With both of them being happy with who they are individually, they can now really be happy with each other. I think that’s the most important journey that a person has to go on. You have to love yourself before you can love someone else, and they both got to the point where they really loved themselves, and now they’re capable of loving another person in a real way. I think AnnaBeth and George are doing that, in Nashville, probably.”
Porter seems to have accepted the cancelation of the series, taking comfort in the fact that George got his well-deserved happy ending.
The Real Meaning Of The Hart Of Dixie Series Finale
The People Of Bluebell Are The True Stars
The end ofHart of Dixieis a classic drama series finale, where loose ends are tied up, romances are crystallized, and the main character gets the spotlight, as Zoe should. All the main characters get their happy endings, and in a show likeHart of Dixie, where romance and love are clearly important goals for the characters, it’s rewarding to see them achieve it.
The fourth-wall-breaking musical sequence at the end of the show may throw some viewers off, but it also goes to show howHart of Dixiewas really about the community. Questions like “Who does George Tucker end up with?” are well in good, but it’s the people of Bluebell who made the show, and that final sequence gives them a chance to come together. It may be cheesy, but it’s also heartfelt and welcoming, the same asHart of Dixie.
