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Hart of Dixie Season 1
File:HartOfDixie S1.jpg
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	The CW
Original release	October 2, 2012 (2012-10-02) – May 7, 2013 (2013-05-07)
Season chronology

Hart of Dixie is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on The CW on September 26, 2011. The series, created by Leila Gerstein, stars Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart who, after her dreams of becoming a heart surgeon fall apart, accepts an offer to work in a small medical practice in Bluebell, Alabama.

Main cast

• Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart; Zoe aspires to become a heart surgeon like her father. After four years of residency at a New York Hospital, she does not get a fellowship because she needs to get experience first and takes up an offer to move to the South and work in a small medical practice in the town of Bluebell, Alabama. Discovering that her biological father had given her the position, Zoe decides to stay at the practice in order to learn more about him. Despite being hightly intelligent and fast-talking, Zoe often finds herself in trouble through not understanding the prideful Southerners' ways. She has feelings for George, but chooses not to act on them until he is ready. She had a flirty friendship with Wade, but as of Season 2, Zoe is in a monogamous relationship with him until she finds out he cheated on her.
• Jaime King as Lemon Breeland; The daughter of town doctor Brick Breeland. She was engaged to George Tucker, but had a relationship with Lavon while George was living in New York. Prideful, conservative and somewhat uptight, Lemon begins a deep rivalry with Zoe when they first meet because she feels that Zoe is interfering in her "perfect" life and they often clash, owing to their different ways of thinking.
• Cress Williams as Lavon Hayes; Mayor of Bluebell and a former linebacker for ten years in the NFL; he has a pet alligator named Burt Reynolds. It is revealed in season 1 that Lavon had an intimate relationship with Lemon, who was engaged to George. Lavon develops a close friendship with Zoe and often gives her meaningful advice on the town's traits.
• Wilson Bethel as Wade Kinsella; A bartender, manual laborer and Zoe's neighbor. He first meets Zoe after a party at his house blows an electrical circuit at Zoe's house. He has an eccentric personality. Initially he appears to be a stereotypical and prideful redneck who is fun loving, immature, unambitious, womanizing and sarcastic bartender who doesn’t give a damn about anything or anyone. But slowly it is revealed that he has quite a sophisticated persona, who seems to care deeply about the people around him though he always puts his best efforts to hide his feelings. He seems to have fallen deeply in love with Zoe and is willing to make amends to his lifestyle and ambitions for Zoe, yet makes every effort to disguise his feelings for her. Despite being aware of Zoe’s feelings toward his friend George, he seems to give Zoe his all without demanding any reciprocation. For the most of Season 2, he was in a monogamous relationship with Zoe until he was caught cheating on her.
• Tim Matheson as Dr. Brick Breeland (recurring role episodes 1–14; regular role episodes 15–present); Lemon's father who is also a doctor and shares of half of the local Bluebell practice with Zoe. He is often very critical of Zoe's medical diagnoses and inexperience of Southern hospitality.
• Scott Porter as George Tucker; George was previously engaged to Lemon. A lawyer, George previously worked at a large law firm in New York before moving back home to Bluebell. He and Zoe frequently bump into each other. George tells Zoe that he is marrying Lemon because she was a wonderful person in high school when he met her. Despite this, he eventually develops feelings for Zoe. After learning of Lemon's affair with Lavon, he kisses Zoe in a New Orleans bar, and then calls off his wedding to Lemon to be with Zoe. However, Zoe tells him that she can not be his rebound girl due to their mutual relationship issues. She instructs him to find a good relationship, which he finds in Wade's ex-wife Tansy.

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (million)
1	1	"Pilot"	Jason Ensler	Leila Gerstein	September 26, 2011 (2011-09-26)	2J6191	1.88
Fast-talking New York doctor, Zoe Hart, has her life all figured out until she is turned down for a prestigious fellowship she had been certain she would get. Desperate, she decides to finally accept the offer of a kindly stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes (guest star Nicholas Pryor), whom she met at her medical school graduation years earlier, and who had proposed she join his small medical practice in the small town of Bluebell, Alabama. Upon arrival, Zoe learns that Dr. Wilkes had died four months earlier and willed his half of the town's medical practice to her, which she must share with the resident doctor, Brick Breeland, who is not very eager to have her there. Zoe meets George Tucker, the town's lawyer and "golden boy", but makes an enemy out of Lemon Breeland, Dr. Breeland's conservative daughter. In her first medical case, Zoe must look after a very pregnant local woman who is trying to hide her pregnancy from and later must be her labor coach when she goes into labor.
2	2	"Parades & Pariahs"	Jason Ensler	Leila Gerstein	October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03)	2J6152	1.75
Hoping it might help the residents of Bluebell accept her as one of their own, Zoe agrees to join Mayor Lavon Hayes on his float during the town's annual Founder's Day Parade, but accidentally crashing the float doesn't exactly help Zoe win over the stuffy Lemon Breeland and the rest of the residents of Bluebell. To make matters worse, George Tucker, informs Zoe that contractually she needs to bring in thirty percent of the business or Dr. Brick Breeland will have the option to buy out her half of the medical practice. Also, Zoe deals with Lemon's visiting cousin, Betty, whom is showing signs of the early onset of multiple sclerosis, but wants to keep her medical a secret.
3	3	"Gumbo & Glory"	Andrew McCarthy	David Babcock	October 10, 2011 (2011-10-10)	2J6153	1.57
Zoe enters the annual Bluebell gumbo competition hoping that people will start to accept her as one of them. One patient she sees was bitten by a snake, and in the process of finding out what kind of snake, Zoe gets bitten and can only use one of her hands. When she has a particularly challenging medical emergency, she needs help from Brick, who also benefits from her expertise in another attempt to oust her from his medical practice. Meanwhile, Lavon develops a crush on Zoe's new receptionist Didi.
4	4	"In Havoc & In Heat"	David Paymer	Rina Mimoun	October 17, 2011 (2011-10-17)	2J6155	1.65
As Bluebell is hit by an intense heat wave, Zoe discovers that the hot weather makes everyone act differently and with a lot less inhibition intact, it takes all of Zoe's strength to ignore her heat-induced attraction to Wade until it gets the best of her. Meanwhile, Lemon prepares for the arrival of George's family, determined to win them over, but her uptight emotions get the best of her when Lavon shows up to the same restaurant with his date, Didi.
5	5	"Faith & Infidelity"	Ron Lagomarsino	Debra Fordham	October 24, 2011 (2011-10-24)	2J6154	2.01
Zoe receives test results which say the town minister has syphilis. She tells his wife that he must have cheated, despite a 1% chance that he could have contracted it another way. Meanwhile, Lavon is asked to endorse an itching cream. Wade runs over an old drunk who Zoe learns is Wade's estranged father and George and Lemon argue over the town funds.
6	6	"The Undead & The Unsaid"	Tom Amandes	Donald Todd	November 7, 2011 (2011-11-07)	2J6156	1.45
Zoe believes she is being stalked by a man who has been dead for over a year after running him over with her car. Zoe's mother (JoBeth Williams) returns to town wanting to settle their differences. Meanwhile, Lemon's younger sister, Magnolia (Claudia Lee), causes trouble within the Breeland household over her outgoing ways.
7	7	"The Crush & The Crossbow"	David Paymer	Leila Gerstein	November 14, 2011 (2011-11-14)	2J6157	1.62
Zoe backs out on a date with Judson Lyons, a single veterinarian, and spends time with George after seeing a movie. Lemon and Lavon host a turtle race. Wade gets divorced from Tansy (Mircea Monroe), a woman that he hasn't had contact with in years.
8	8	"Homecoming & Coming Home"	Jeremiah Chechik	Rina Mimoun	November 21, 2011 (2011-11-21)	2J6158	1.77
Zoe recruits Gigi, her party planner friend from New York, to help her plan Bluebell's homecoming football party, but it naturally does not go as Zoe plans it. Two of the high school quarterbacks may miss the homecoming game due to flu-like symptoms and Zoe must figure out what the ailment is. Meanwhile, Lemon helps George and Wade set up a prank on an old high school bully.
9	9	"The Pirate & The Practice"	Joe Lazarov	Debra Fordham	November 28, 2011 (2011-11-28)	2J6159	1.90
Zoe plans on going back to New York for Thanksgiving to visit her mother until she learns that she needs a few more patients to keep her half of the practice with Brick. Meanwhile, George's parents scheme to have George and Lemon move out of Bluebell by giving George a lucrative job at a law firm in Mobile as part of their continuing agenda to keep George and Lemon apart. Also, Lavon encourages Wade to express his feelings for Zoe.
10	10	"Hairdos & Holidays"	David Paymer	David Babcock	December 5, 2011 (2011-12-05)	2J6160	1.81
It's Christmas time in Bluebell and Zoe encourages Rose (McKaley Miller) to enter the annual Miss Cinnamon Cider Beauty Pageant competing against Lemon's younger sister, Magnolia Breeland, resuming the bitter rivalry between Zoe and Lemon. Meanwhile, George and Wade get arrested for illegally chopping down a tree to be the Christmas tree for Bluebell's town square. Also, Lemon looks back on her relationship with her mother (guest star Meredith Monroe), who walked out on her family on Christmas Eve without a word or warning 12 years ago, which led to the start of Lemon's past relationship with Lavon.
11	11	"Hell’s Belles"	Janice Cooke	Donald Todd	January 23, 2012 (2012-01-23)	2J6161	1.23
Zoe discovers that the women in her family were once southern belles and decides to join Lemon's clique of belles to get more in touch with her family history. But Lemon is determined not to let Zoe join her group and instigates a brutal hazing on Zoe to break her spirits. Meanwhile, Lavon's dating life is continually ruined after his one bad date with dim-witted Didi (Nadine Velazquez) who is under the delusion that Lavon is in love with her and wants to marry her. Also, George tries to get Wade to stop his father from selling his property to a retail company.
12	12	"Mistress & Misunderstandings"	James Hayman	Beth Schwartz	January 30, 2012 (2012-01-30)	2J6163	1.54
Zoe and fellow Blue Belle Annabeth are secret girlfriends... secret because Annabeth doesn't want Lemon to find out, which would ruin Annabeth's reputation since socializing with "people of lower class" is forbidden among the traditional residents, all of whom still resent Zoe's presence in town. Zoe's happy behavior makes the people of Bluebell suspicious and Wade mistakenly thinks she's having an affair with Judson, who shows up asking Zoe to reconcile with him. Meanwhile, Lemon is doing everything she can to become the new Memory Matron but with Zoe's help Annabeth gets the job. Eventually, Zoe is forced to take matters a little further with Judson, leaving Wade jealous and defeated.
13	13	"Sweetie Pies & Sweaty Palms"	Patrick Norris	Leila Gerstein	February 6, 2012 (2012-02-06)	2J6162	1.52
It's dance time in Bluebell for the annual Valentine's Day Sweetie Pie Dance. George plans a romantic evening at the dance with Lemon, but his plan backfires as Lemon tries to set up her father, who still pines for his wife, with another woman hoping it will help him move on. Zoe initially declines Judson's invitation to go to the dance after feeling they are rushing the resumption of their romance, but changes her mind when Wade manipulates both Judson and Zoe into going. Meanwhile, Lavon is shocked when he sees Didi with another man, who he later finds out is her ex-boyfriend. Lemon breaks down after the dance when her father comes home without his date. She tells her father to get over her mother as she's not coming back and she finally reveals that she indeed located her mother at Christmas time and she is living in a nearby town under a new name and has a new husband and daughter. Also, Judson breaks up with Zoe as he sees the chemistry between her and Wade. Didi and Lavon make up, and Didi finds a photo of Lemon in Levon's desk.
14	14	"Aliens & Aliases"	Tom Amandes	Debra Fordham	February 13, 2012 (2012-02-13)	2J6164	1.64
Lavon asks Zoe to help him figure out why Didi has been avoiding him, but once Zoe uncovers the shocking reason that Lavon used to be romantically involved with Lemon Breeland and still pines for her, Zoe is unsure what to do with the information. Meanwhile, Wade convinces Lemon to dress up as Joelle in order to convince Joelle's jealous ex-boyfriend that he didn't actually see Wade and Joelle together. Also, George comes to Zoe for advice in determining whether there is a medical explanation for the behavior of one of his clients.
15	15	"Snowflakes & Soulmates"	Andy Wolk	David Babcock	February 20, 2012 (2012-02-20)	2J6165	1.57
Zoe is thrilled to see snow fall for the first time in Bluebell, but the rest of the town is superstitious that it will bring bad luck. Meanwhile, Lavon's parents (Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford) make a unexpected visit to Bluebell and Lavon thinks it's the perfect opportunity to introduce them to Didi, but the introduction doesn't exactly go according to plan which prompts Wade to help Lavon out with his parents predicament. Zoe tries to reach her estranged father living in Europe but learns that he has disappeared with no explanation. Elsewhere, Lemon and George make a big decision about their future when they decide to travel to Charleston, South Carolina to elope, but Magnolia as well as Brick learn about it and insist they tag along.
16	16	"Tributes & Triangles"	Joe Lazarov	Michelle Paradise	February 27, 2012 (2012-02-27)	2J6166	1.41
George is named Bluebell's Man of the Year, making everyone happy, except Brick who wanted the title for himself. As the town's mayor, Lavon is expected to host a cocktail party in George's honor, but this is a difficult situation for Lavon given his history with Lemon and his fear of public speaking. Zoe agrees to step in and help Lavon organize the party, but things take a turn for the disastrous when Zoe has to improvise a speech at the gathering and reveals her secret crush on George. Meanwhile, Magnolia begs Wade to write a song and perform it with her at the party as part of her agenda to get closer to him as well as use it as an outlet for her rebellious nature just to spite Brick. George's father also arrives back in town after Zoe persuades George to contact him, but the visit leads to a downbeat outcome.
17	17	"Heart to Hart"	Tim Matheson	Rina Mimoun	April 9, 2012 (2012-04-09)	2J6167	1.20
Zoe decides upon acting cold and aloof towards her father Dr. Ethan Hart (Gary Cole) when he arrives to operate on George's father, but this proves difficult as he seems glad to see her. Unfortunately, he seems to want a purely friendly relationship, while she still desires a father. Meanwhile, Lemon decides to befriend Zoe, believing it will prevent the exposure of her affair with Lavon. Elsewhere, Mr. Maynard (John Marshall Jones), the owner of the Rammer Jammer has Shelley and Wade face-off in a signature cocktail contest for the establishment's anniversary, with Wade finding his gift of making cocktails.
18	18	"Bachelorettes & Bullets"	Patrick Norris	Donald Todd	April 16, 2012 (2012-04-16)	2J6168	1.37
George remembers seeing Lavon and Lemon kissing and asks for Zoe's advice, if it really happened. Zoe, already knowing the truth, lies about it to protect her friend Lavon. Due to a series of circumstances, George ends up on a hunting trip that doubles as his bachelor party, with both Wade and Lavon tagging along. During the trip in tracking down a large bear, George confronts Lavon who finally tells him the truth about his brief affair with Lemon while George was living in New York two years prior. Predictably, George takes the news very badly, later breaking off his engagement with Lemon as well as telling Zoe that they are no longer friends for lying to him about Lemon and Lavon. Meanwhile, Magnolia plans Lemon's bachelorette party on a party bus complete with a male stripper. Also, Zoe begins a romance with a patient named Jesse (Justin Hartley), later finding out that he is Wade's estranged brother.
19	19	"Destiny & Denial"	David Paymer	Leila Gerstein	April 23, 2012 (2012-04-23)	2J6169	1.28
Zoe and Lemon attempt try to apologize to George about keeping secrets from him, but see that he is in a very pleasant mood about the situation. George then goes on a spontaneous trip to New Orleans and invites Zoe to join him, where they finally kiss. Meanwhile, Wade wakes up in the morning after a crazy night of drinking and begins to re-evaluate his relationship with his ex-wife Tansy.
20	20	"The Race & the Relationship"	Ron Lagomarsino	Alex Katsnelson	April 30, 2012 (2012-04-30)	2J6170	1.39
It's time for the annual Bluebell Battle competition. Wade signs himself up for the battle in hopes of winning a $5,000 cash prize and asks Zoe to be his team mate after Lavon injures his foot. Zoe agrees, but has an ulterior motive in hopes to get close to George. Meanwhile, Frederick Dean finally asks Rose out on a date, which happens after Zoe convinces Rose's mother Annie (Ann Cusack), to let them have it. George and Lemon meet with Reverend Mayfair to discuss their relationship issues which leads to them competing in the Bluebell Battle.
21	21	"Disaster Drills & Departures"	Jeremiah Chechik	Donald Todd	May 7, 2012 (2012-05-07)	2J6171	1.37
Zoe blames herself, and nearly everyone else in town does the same, when Rose is hospitalized with appendicitis and Zoe mistook the symptoms as love sickness. After much encouragement from Lavon, Wade explores the idea of opening his own bar in Bluebell. Meanwhile, Lemon plans a romantic night for George, hoping to get their relationship (and wedding day) back on track. Also, Zoe's father, Ethan, arrives back in Bluebell which makes her consider leaving town for good.
22	22	"The Big Day"	Tim Matheson	Leila Gerstein	May 14, 2012 (2012-05-14)	2J6172	1.60
George and Lemon's wedding day finally arrives, except a big thunderstorm suddenly rolls into Bluebell which puts everyone's lives at risk. Zoe, while doing an errand for Lavon, seeks shelter from the storm in a barn with Wade, leading to some awkward moments between both of them. Zoe and Wade finally give in to their emotions. But at the end, George walks away from his wedding and confesses his love for Zoe.

• Notes: On the DVD edition of season one, episodes 4 and 5 have been swapped around. Episode 4 (Televised) "In Havoc & In Heat" becomes episode 5, and "Faith & Infidelity" becomes episode 4 instead of the televised episode 5.