Friday Night Lights Review S2E6

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.

• As they drive back to Dillon, Jason reflects on turning 19 in a few days.
• Tami’s sister Shelly comes in to help take care of Gracie as Tami returns to work
• Eric gets his first paycheck and it’s about 40% less than what he was expecting (and likely what it was last year)
• Shelly quickly makes her presence known and isn’t afraid to speak her mind about things.
• Eric confronts Buddy about the salary. Buddy explains they had to give Coach McGregor a severance and pay his salary and that depleted the booster funds. Then he promises to find a way to fix it.
• A new cheerleader comes up to Matt in the hallway and flirts with him. Smash says his Julie problem may be over.
• Landry is spending all of his time in his room and has lost his appetite after Tyra broke up with him. His dad comes to talk to him about it.
• Shelly buys new clothes for Julie and irks Eric and Tami. She also promises a trip to Costa Rica with Julie and a Dixie Chicks concert as well. Tami feels her relationship with Julie slipping again.
• Landry sees Tyra talking to another guy and becomes sad all over again.
• Lyla comes to see Tim and talk to him about Santi.
• Buddy and the principal come up with a solution, having Eric become the athletic director as well as head coach. It’s a part-time position and supposedly is a “gravy-train job, because the department more or less runs itself.” That salary will put Eric within “spitting distance” of what he made last year.
• Billy comes up to talk to Tami about getting Tim back on track in school and to discuss all the assignments he missed. Billy also mentions putting in a good word to Coach Taylor to get Tim back on the team.
• In the murder case, they found some car upholstery on the body. They have narrowed it down to a few different brands of cars, and Landry’s dad continues to put the pieces together.
• Julie comes to see Matt at work. More awkward conversations. Julie ends up telling Matt he was right and she was wrong and wants to apologize for how she’s treated him.
• Jason comes to see Lyla at church. He tells her how no one changes in this town, everyone does the same thing all the time and he feels stuck. And how Lyla is the only one who has changed her life here.
• At dinner at Smash’s house, Tim says he doesn’t know what to do. Smash says even though they are very different, neither of them can be who they are without football and that he shouldn’t give up on it.
• Landry comes home and his dad meets him outside and tells him the details of the case. And how the only evidence would be from the car upholstery. Landry comes clean and explains the truth of what happened. Landry’s dad tells him they are going for a drive.
• At Jason’s party, everyone is there. They are watching highlights of Jason’s high school career as he breakdowns film and explains what happens on each play. Matt is there flirting with the cheerleader. Jason doesn’t seem to be sad watching them, but he is reflective.
• Matt and Lauren start making out in the car and Julie sees them. Tyra takes her to her house to eat ice cream and cry it out.
• Landry and his dad go to an abandoned quarry and light the car on fire to destroy all the evidence.
• The women’s soccer coach comes in and puts Eric in his place a bit and makes some demands and points out all of the disparities between the football team and women’s soccer team. Eric quickly realizes his job will not be a gravy train.
• Tami explains to Shelly that she can’t always have fun because she has all of these responsibilities and she is overwhelmed with it all.

Coach Taylor’s speeches.

Football observations.

• Riggins returns to the locker room and his teammates are all happy to see him. However, Coach Taylor tells him he missed a week of practice, they have been down this road before, and he is out of chances. Riggins is left on the sideline not sure what to do.
• Smash and Matt discuss the pros and cons of Coach Taylor’s decision with Riggins
• Buddy brings Santi in and says he needs to be checked out. He is raw but his athleticism is very apparent. Catching the ball, however, is not his specialty and he has not played any organized sports before.
• Coach Taylor comes to see Jason now that he’s back. He asks him if he’s still coaching and Jason says he is trying to figure out his life and isn’t sure.
• Jason is back at practice making an instant impact coaching the players up, but his heart doesn’t seem in it.
• The running game continues to struggle without their lead blocker, Riggins. Smash gets upset and goes to talk to Coach Taylor. Coach Taylor isn’t in the mood to talk and tells him it will be taken care of.
• Smash goes to see Riggins and asks him to come to dinner in hopes to talk to him about how to get back on the team.
• Jason gives Coach Taylor his old football stuff and tells him he can’t keep coaching. He needs to figure out who he is now and not who he used to be. Coach Taylor tells him coaches learn from players too and that Jason lifts up everyone around him and hopes he didn’t him down. He also tells him the box of Jason’s things will be at his house whenever he wants to pick them up.
• Riggins goes to help Santi with his blocking while seeing Santi work as hard as he can to get on the team. The other guys walk out of the locker room after practice and see the two of them working. Coach Taylor comes out and sees Matt, Smash, and Riggins all helping Santi. He tells Santi to join practice tomorrow and be in his office and not to be late.
• As Coach Taylor walks away, Riggins shouts “Am I showing you something coach? Coach Taylor replies “Yes you are.” Then Riggins another question “Does this mean I’m back on the team?” Coach Taylor smiles but doesn’t break stride and says “Not even close. Not even close.”

Unanswered questions.

Plot holes.

Quote of the episode.

“You just do it.” - Lyla Garrity

Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 19

Texas Forever official counter: 7

Riggins quitting the team official counter: 3

Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 6

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