Friday Night Lights Review S1E9

The Friday Night Lights Review is back! Between now and the start of football season, we will finish up season one of arguably the best football TV show ever in Friday Night Lights.

If you haven’t seen it, there is no better time to start. If you have seen it, there’s no better time to rewatch it. And if you’re like me, and watch an episode or season every year in preparation for college football, you’re right on track. Regardless of which category you fit into, it’s on Hulu, and you can follow along each week (on a Friday, of course) as a different episode from season one will be discussed, from the heartbreaking cliffhanger of the pilot to the final nail-biting game.

Random thoughts in live-tweet form.

• Smash’s church continues to support him. Smash continues to deceive everyone.
• Lyla comes to have a difficult conversation with Jason about her cheating on him. Jason takes down all his pictures of her and tells her to leave.
• Smash and his family are from Gatling, and we learn that Smash’s father died before they moved to Dillon.
• One of the Panther players tells Matt to deal with Riggins. The players all stare at Tim in silence as he enters the locker room. In the hallway, Tyra confronts Lyla.
• The principal coerces Tami to help deal with the hotel situation for the away game in Gatling.
• Julie’s friend tells her not to date a football player and that even Matt will turn into a jock. Meanwhile, Landry tells Matt he needs to change himself in order to impress Julie on their date.
• Members of the team come to see Jason and make it known that they are on Jason’s side and not Tim’s. They also come to hear about the rumors and say they will “take care of it,” which can’t be good for Tim.
• Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ is one of the best running jokes of the series.
• Smash questions if they moved to Dillon to get away from the ghetto or to get away from his dad. His mom is having none of it.
• Things get awkward when Matt comes to pick Julie up. The Taylors make them both change their clothes. Coach Taylor offers Matt a beer; he declines because “he’s driving,” and Coach Taylor isn’t at all pleased with that response.
• Matt tries to impress Julie on the date. She isn’t impressed.
• Landry calls Matt in a panic because his grandma isn’t doing well at all under his care.
• Matt pretends to be his deceased grandfather to calm down his grandma while she has a dementia spell. Julie sees Matt in action caring for his grandmother. She seems moved by it all but asks Landry to take her home, and the date is over before it can even begin.
• Tami tries to get Julie to talk about the date. Julie says it was the first time she got to see the real Matt Saracen. However, Matt thinks he screwed everything up, mainly because she didn’t stick around to talk.
• Smash idolizes his dad, but the rest of the family doesn’t seem to at all. Also, Smash got his nickname from his dad after he crashed into the water heater.
• Smash’s sister Sheila suspects something is up with him. He ends up telling her he’s taking steroids, but she agrees to keep it quiet for now.
• Tim gets home and is blindsided by the offensive line lined up with baseball bats in his driveway. They destroy his truck and take off.
• Coach Taylor comes to see Jason during his quad rugby practice. Jason seems to appreciate each visit, and it looks like the only time he can truly speak his mind.
• Tim is cleaning up his truck, and Lyla comes over to slap Tim in the face after hearing the news about him and Lyla. It’s not his week.
• Tami works her magic to secure a better hotel in Gatling.
• Tyra comes to see Jason and brings some alcohol. They pay some drinking games and have a good time mocking Tim and Lyla.
• The Williams family comes back to Gatling and catches up with old friends. Smash overhears his mom, saying she doesn’t miss his dad at all. He walks out of the party, upset.
• Smash misses bed-check. He and his mom talk about what happened. His mom decides to tell him the truth about his father. She explains why she said what she said and tells him that she loved him and that he loved Smash, and she thanks God Smash got the best parts of his father.
• Buddy goes to console Lyla, and she opens up about what she did. He stops watching the game to be there for her, which is what any father should do, but she takes note of it as if Buddy wouldn’t normally do that.
• Julie finds Matt after the game to congratulate him. He surprises her by kissing her. She is too shocked to speak and runs off.
• In a touching moment, Smash seeks out his mom and sister to share the special moment with them.

Coach Taylor’s speeches.

• Coach Taylor tells them they knew what was coming, and they have to play smart.

Football observations.

• The radio talk show is setting up a big game for the Panthers against Gatling. Their defense hasn’t allowed a TD all season, and their best player, LB Junior Silverio, is a childhood rival of Smash.
• Coach Taylor focuses on neutralizes Silverio in order to breakdown the Gatling defense to win.
• Coach Taylor asks Matt how he’s feeling on date night. He also wants to know what is going on with Tim and how it will affect the team.
• Junior Silverio is talking a bit game as they take the field and takes a cheap shot at a Dillon player. He seemed like a good guy the night before at the party, stating that he and Smash seem to be the only guys who can break out of their old life.
• It’s Smash vs. Junior all night. Junior and Gatling have won most of the night, and the game picks up in the 4th.
• Silverio gets the best of Riggins, resulting in a safety, and he leaves the field hurt. The students take this as an opportunity to mock Lyla and dump water on her as she is cheering.
• Down to their last opportunity, the Dillon offense retakes the field. Tim goes back in with an injured shoulder. His teammates take notice and appear forgiving and inspired by his act.
• Tim delivers a crushing block on Junior, which opens up a massive hole for Smash, who scores the game-winning touchdown. It’s also the first TD allowed by the Gatling defense all season. Panthers win 7-2.

Unanswered questions.

• How is Matt driving? Where did he get a car when Landry drives him around the rest of the time.

Plot holes.

Quote of the episode.

“It’s time for you to give the best you got.” - Coach Taylor.

Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 12

Texas Forever official counter: 4

Riggins quitting the team official counter: 1

Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 1