Friday Night Lights Review S1E18.

During the offseason, we are continuing our weekly series discussing thoughts on 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.

• Meanwhile, Pam and Buddy Garrity are fighting. Dishes are being broken. Lyla has to play the role of a responsible older sister and gathers the younger kids into her room. Pam kicks Buddy out of the house.
• Lyla calls Jason in distress but doesn’t want to ruin his fun night, so she doesn’t tell him what’s going on.
• Billy and Tim host a party after the big win. A neighbor comes and complains about the noise.
• Buddy shows up at the Taylor house, as he apparently doesn’t have any other place to go. He asks if he could stay with them. Awkwardness ensues.
• Tyra consoles her mom, as Angela is trying to get over her relationship with Buddy.
• Waverly sneaks into Smash’s room at night and is coming across as very friendly. THey go for a midnight swim and Smash is all for it.
• Lyla is lying awake in bed waiting to hear from Jason who never called her back. She hastily decides to pack a bag, assumingly to go visit him.
• Julie wakes up and walks into the bathroom to find Buddy shaving.
• Tim is fixing his truck and the new neighbor’s son comes over to talk, and he seems to see Tim as his hero.
• Jason excels in the drills and practice. Lyla surprises him down in Austin. She breaks down telling him what is happening in her family.
• The boy is all about football and Tim teaches him how to throw a spiral.
• Jason and Lyla talk. Lyla isn’t confident her parents will stay together. Jason admits this is the happiest he has been since the accident, being able to compete in a sport again.
• Also, Lyla finds the tattoo. She says it’s not him. Jason says “it is now.”
• As Tami worries about Buddy being at the house, Eric tells her they have a dinner with an athletic trainer at TMU (a college) to “discuss his future.”
• The boy invites Tim over for dinner, although it doesn’t seem like Tim nor his mother are thrilled.
• Julie objects to having to stay home with Buddy by herself (which is valid).
• Waverly’s dad asks Smash if he has noticed anything different about her. The talk becomes very serious very quickly.
• Lyla becomes instantly jealous of Susie, the tattoo artist at the sight of her.
• Buddy presses Julie about where her parents went to dinner. It’s a quick convo before Julie leaves.
• At dinner, the boy is having a blast and Tim seems to be enjoying himself.
• Jason asks if they think he will start on the team. Herc tries to temper his expectations. Lyla reminds them all of how athletic he is. Lyla doesn’t make a good impression with the group at the party.
• Waverly’s different and outward behavior continues.
• Julie goes to Tyra’s house to a party but feels guilty. She shares she isn’t supposed to be hanging out with Tyra. Matt and Landry show up.
• Tyra’s mom Angela comes out and changes the tone of the party. She tries to sit on the glass coffee table and breaks it, prompting them to call 911 as she is presumably hurt.
• At dinner with the Taylor’s, the TMU staff shares that they are very impressed with the job Eric has done this year.
• Julie calls her mom saying Angela Collette got hurt and needs her mom to help.
• Tim offers to fix things up at the house to help out Jackie and Bo.
• Waverly admits to Smash that she stopped taking her medication, which would seemingly explain her change in behavior. She says it was for a mood disorder but it’s better now and she feels more like herself. Smash questions her but she says her dad wouldn’t understand. Waverly says she feels alive now.
• Sitting in the ER waiting room, Landry thinks he had a breakthrough with Tyra. Tami arrives and asks Matt and Landry to take Julie home.
• Buddy figures out who Eric and Tami had dinner with. He is of course worried Eric is leaving for TMU. Side note: remember earlier in the season when most of the town wanted Eric to be fired?
• Lyla asks Jason if he loves the tattoo girl (Susie). Clearly, her parent's situation has her thinking about the worst-case scenario. She sees Jason is changing and is afraid because she isn’t changing with him. Jason reaffirms his love for Lyla.
• Tami helps Angela get home and for the first time, sees all that Tyra has to deal with at home. Tyra confronts Tami about her friendship with Julie. Tami opens up about her fears as a mother and apologizes to Tyra.
• Buddy decides to leave the Taylor home to go to a hotel. He feels betrayed about Eric meeting with a college. Eric asks him how he can care about high school football at the expense of his family and his role in that. Buddy tells Eric he will always care about the Panthers.
• Tami tells Tyra to meet with her on Monday to discuss her academic future. Tyra asks if she is Tami’s next project and Tami says absolutely. It’s the first moment they truly connect and it seems like they are both invested in developing their relationship further.
• Tami gets home and gives Julie a hug. There are no words exchanged as Julie breaks down.
• Tim starts fixing the gutters on his neighbor’s house.
• Smash goes over to Waverly’s house and finds her on the kitchen floor crying. He finally starts to realize how serious things are.
• Eric tells Tami that TMU offered him a job.

Coach Taylor’s speeches.

Football observations.

• The episode picks up with the Panthers up 5 later in the 4th quarter of the game. It’s a Hail Mary play and after being tipped in the endzone, the ball drops to the ground. The Dillon Panthers are advancing to the state semi-finals.

Unanswered questions.

Plot holes.

Quote of the episode.

“I will always care about the Dillon Panthers. Always” - Buddy Garrity.

Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 15

Texas Forever official counter: 4

Riggins quitting the team official counter: 1

Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 2

Jason’s job aspirations: quad-rugby player