Friday Night Lights Review S2E1

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 Netflix (and Peacock), and you can follow along each week (on a Friday, of course) as a different episode from season two will be discussed, from the opening episodes with a new coach at the helm to the sudden cliffhanger caused by the writer’s strike.

Random thoughts in live-tweet form.

• Season 2 opens and it’s clear relationships have been strained. Matt and Julie look like they haven’t spoken in some time. Smash is with a bunch of his friends, Tim is with a bunch of girls, and Matt and Landry are by themselves.
• Likewise, Julie and Tammy seem to be fighting quite a lot.
• The episode starts with a bang when Tammy’s water breaks and she has her baby early
• Eric catches a flight back home to get there in time for the delivery. He did end up going to TMU as a coach while his family remain in Dillon.
• In the mirroring the show often does, Landry and Tyra are hanging out more, Matt and Julie are not at all. Instead, Julie is hanging out with “the Swede”, an older lifeguard at the pool
• Lyla gets baptized as she pursues religion to deal with all the issues with her family. It’s clear to see Tim is still in love with her.
• Matt and Eric run into each other and Eric encourages Matt to not let Julie go so easily.
• Tyra seems to have a stalker following her around in their car. She knows it’s the person who tried to rape her at the end of the season 1. In another scene, he is following Tyra in his car and she drives to the police station.
• Julie clearly resents Eric for being gone so much and is rebelling.
• Matt puts himself out there with Julie and asks her to go to the party. She says she will try to make it but it’s not convincing.
• Lyla’s mom Pam is dating a new man, who is more of a new-age vegetarian type of person. Lyla doesn’t approve.
• Tammy and Eric talk and Eric says the team wants him back at the end of the week, even though he was supposed to have two weeks off. Tammy breaks down crying at the thought of him leaving again.
• Eric goes to see Buddy, who tells him how much he doesn’t like McGregor. Buddy has also been sleeping at his dealership.
• Buddy and Pam are still fighting. Buddy went to the kid’s soccer practice and she was upset. Buddy loses his temper with the new boyfriend and tries to fight him.
• Mirroring: Julie blows off the team party with Matt and blows off her dad too. Tyra calls Landry because she hears noises in the backyard. It ends up being a skunk. He stays over for a movie.
• Julie goes to the bar to see the Swede’s band with a friend but tells the friend she can leave. The Swede introduces Julie to his girlfriend and now Julie is stuck at a bar with no ride home. Eric picks her up. He isn’t happy but Julie opens up in her disappointment. Julie confides that she doesn’t want her and Matt to end up like her parents and is looking for more in her life and feels guilty.
• Tyra sends Landry into the gas station for snacks and her stalker shows up and asks her how the movie was, letting her know he was watching her at home. Her starts attacking her again. Landry comes out and fights him and he pushes Landry down. The guy starts to take off and Landry hits him with a pole from behind, killing him. They freak out and throw the body in the river.
• Julie seems to feel left out with the new baby. Something to keep an eye on for future episodes.

Coach Taylor’s speeches.

Football observations.

• Bill McGregor “The Tennesee Tyrant” is the new Panthers head coach.
• The core players are back and Landry is trying for the team. That is going as expected.
• Riggins is out of shape and struggling on the field
• Coach McGregor doesn’t want Buddy at practice and has an assistant coach ask him to leave. Buddy doesn’t like that, as expected.
• He also lays into Riggins, calling him a waste and saying he has no heart. He promptly throws his helmet down and walks off the field.
• The next day, Riggins has to run decks as a punishment. Riggins collapses and throws up at the severity of it.
• Jason Street talks to Coach McGregor about the treatment of Riggins. McGregor tells him to choose between being a symbol/mascot on the sidelines or a football coach.
• Coach Taylor stays in town for the ring ceremony and the Panther’s season opener. But gets back on the plane immediately after.
• It’s clear Smash is getting a ton of attention and hype this season. Matt is taking notice of that.
• In a touching moment, Jason gets his ring as well.

Unanswered questions.

Plot holes.

Quote of the episode.

“ Don’t just stand by and watch it happen.” - Eric Taylor

Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 18

Texas Forever official counter: 7

Riggins quitting the team official counter: 2

Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 2

Jason’s job aspirations: quad-rugby player, football coach