Don’t mind me, I’m just casually painting over here…

Oh my god y’all! How awesome was last night’s Hart of Dixie? There was just so much crazy going on and yet wisdom was flowing from everyone’s mouth, even Wade acted all smart and strung more words together than normally! And there was leprosy, an armadillo, Lemon the femme fatale, brotherly hugs, and what not! So delicious!

Where to even start?

Zoe wakes up to Wade singing and painting in her bedroom and naturally he is sans shirt. This could not be otherwise. In fact there should be a law or something saying this has to be so at all times. We all know Zoe is super happy to see a half-naked man in her bedroom (I mean, she was wearing that super skimpy t-shirt, right?) but she just hadn’t had coffee yet so she was all morning grumpy.

I mean, I can totally relate, even the sight of Wilson Bethel in my bedroom before 10 am and a cup of joe wouldn’t put me out of my morning misery. So, Zoe, I feel for ya girl!

Anyone else love how Wade’s lack of clothing has become something that is constantly being referred to in almost every episode now? Even Wilson Bethel has made fun of it in the past, bless his heart!

Now, distraction over and done with…let us move on!

In spite of Lavon adorably thinking women put big ass red A’s on their calendars to mark the visit of Aunt Flo, it turns out Zoe does so to mark the visit of a reporter from John Hopkins’ medical school alumni magazine. Apparently moving to Bluebell more or less killed Zoe’s career and she is now “retired” instead of joining Doctors Without Borders or inventing new techniques to detect something or the other.

Small Town Medicine = Career Death (just ask Dr Joel Fleischman).

In a not at all desperate attempt at convincing the alumni reporter that as a beloved GP she is indeed reinventing healthcare in Bluebell, Zoe comes up with the awesome The Dr Zoe Hart’s 3-Point Initiative For Better Living! It has it all! 5-K fun runs, hearty, healthy food, and exercise before sunrise. Turn humiliation into motivation!

Introducing it during lunch hour at the Rammer Jammer may not have been the best idea though…Fun runs just don’t have the same ring to them when you’re busy snacking on deep-fried chicken and guzzling down delicious milk-shakes.

And, to not a single soul’s surprise, in comes the reporter…a day early! And Zoe takes her own words to heart, turn humiliation into motivation. Which involves scaring poor Tom half to death by diagnosing him with leprosy!

Let’s just take a minute here and appreciate VirginTom and his Outbreak reference.

But oh no, it wasn’t a monkey, it was Randy the Armadillo!

Who knew that 15% of the Armadillo population are bearers of leprosy? Poor Randy.

Turns out Tom met Randy while working for Crazy Earl. And Wade, the good son he is, doesn’t want his dear old papa to loose any limbs, ’cause ya know, the man does like his thumbs!

Ah Crazy Earl, I missed you! This has got the be the best moment of the episode though: Crazy Earl half drunk/half sweaty after chasing Randy around the yard, is so happy Wade brought his girlfriend for a visit. Turns out Wade just can’t stop talking about Zoe whenever he’s around his papa. Zoe this, Zoe that.

You know Wade, I don’t think your dear old dad has the leprosy of the brain!

Fast forward: after Wade’s indirect love confession, he and the good doc catch themselves an armadillo (sorry Randy), whiz back to the clinic (procedure room 2), discover that there is no leprosy outbreak and alumni reporter looses all interest in Zoe BUT Wade takes a moment to share his profound wisdom about life, living, existence, and all that.

Just when I thought it wasn’t possible to like Wade more…

Zoe really needs some tough love sometimes so I’m happy for Wade to dish it out. He was right on the spot when he accused her of caring too much about how things should be instead of just accepting things as they are. If you want to be happy then you have to change the picture.

And that’s what Zoe (still) hasn’t quite accepted: she stayed in Bluebell because she wanted to, and she slept with Wade because she wanted to but she doesn’t allow herself to think and accept that these two decisions are good decisions that make her happy. Instead she constantly looks for things that she thinks SHOULD make her happy. So she should stop looking at the things that she thinks will make her happy and embrace the things that do make her happy.

I think everyone could do with some of that kind of tough love! Especially if comes from Wade…

Instead of blowing a gasket, our girl Zoe realises that Wade is onto something here. And that something is….STRIP HALO! Personally, I want to believe Zoe is way better at video games than she lets on and she totally whoops Wade’s ass so he ends up naked. Excuse me for a moment while I think about that scenario.

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OK, I’m back.

Between Zoe failing to prevent the great Alabama leprosy outbreak, meeting George on the street, and going to play strip video games with Wade, I think we can safely assume that Zoe realises there are more sparks between her and Wade than with George. Her wanting to change, wanting to become a happier and more accepting person, leads her to Wade’s door because she knows that this is where she’ll be challenged into it. This is a huge improvement from selfish, bratty Zoe of season 1. And if this continues (and not just Zoe but also the rest of the characters) then this is going to be a really interesting season.

Now, the other people in Bluebell! Apparently there are other people in this town apart from Zoe, Wade, and the armadillo!

George does a decent (?) thing and informs Lemon about his date. Of course Lemon takes this as a direct challenge because nobody wants to be a loser in the post-relationship games. So if George is dating then Lemon must get a boyfriend before the end of the evening. Because that doesn’t sound cray-cray at all!

Does Lemon not know that the smell of a desperate woman looking for a boyfriend scares off every man within a 10-mile radius?

The real crazy in all of this is these two trying to date some 2 weeks after they ended a 15-year relationship! I mean, by all means get back in the saddle and all but 2 weeks?!? Hell, I’d still be sitting at home in my pjs with my pint of Ben & Jerry’s at that point.

But crazy Lemon is my favourite so…

Lemon’s race to be the first to win at post-relationship-dating leads to her coming between Annabeth and her cream puff. One should never get between a woman who just got served her divorce papers and her comfort pastry! Never! Except if your name is Lemon that is.

Playing the single ladies card, Lemon and AB (whom I adore) buy tight dresses and head out on the prowl just to find a suitable gentleman for Lemon who is currently being chatted up by the new bitch in town, Ruby. Y’all get all that? But Lemon is an expert at people-manipulating and turning no into yes so she goes off with the hunk but then discovers, shock horror, that 2 weeks is not enough time to recuperate from a 15-year relationship. So she ends up on the boat AB got in the divorce, they drink red wine, go all insane in the p-brain and end up deciding Lemon should live on the boat! Lemon Breeland. On a boat. Did not see that one coming!

But I love it! Lemon is all growing up now. And I just knew she would end up becoming Lavon’s campaign manager! Hurray! She’s perfect for that. And they can unite against the former Queen of the Blueberry Club. Looking forward to this!

In other news: Georgie went on a date, date went super bad when Brick showed up and they started a shouting match about wedding finances and something or the other. You hurt my daughter, I’m very truly sorry, etc. All of which happened just so Lavon could realise why he wants to continue to be mayor and why he should be: ’cause he’s a mediator (which is a fitting super hero name for Lavon). And due to his mediating, George and Brick realise they still love each other and hug it out in a very manly fashion.

Peace is restored in Bluebell, Alabama!

Clearly the need to accept who you are, where you are, and embrace the things that make you happy was the theme of this episode. Everyone needs to find out who they really are on the inside and what they want to do about it. This is personal growth y’all! We should heed the example.

Next week: Zoe gets jealous and Lemon causes a scandal:

For fun, I’ve decided to nominate two quotes for the best quote every episode because this show is just filled with wonderful one-liners. So which one tickled your fancy the most?

*The cardigan is coming off! -Annabeth with Lemon in the bar.

*I’m the monkey! -Tom, realising he’s screwed.