Friday Night Lights Review S3E2

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 Netflix (and Peacock), and you can follow along each week (on a Friday, of course) as a different episode from season three will be discussed, from the opening episodes with an up and coming freshman QB all the way to the big game in the season finale.

Random thoughts in live-tweet form.

• Billy finds Tim and Lyla in bed and Billy is surprised that he is getting colleges wanting him to play football for them.
• Tami decides to table the scoreboard to prioritize basic schoolboard needs.
• At the doctor, he is concerned about Matt’s grandma and tells Matt she is at the point where she can no longer handle her own affairs. Once again, Matt is left to deal with something far heavier than what he should be asked to do.
• Tami is really excited about an article in the paper about the new school improvements, but instead, the article is about how her and Eric are at odds over how to spend money at the school. Neither of them are happy about it.
• Tami arrives to work with Buddy and the Mayor in her office. The Mayor tells Tami that the money was raised with the understanding it would go to a new scoreboard and that she should admit her mistake and change course. Tami stands her ground.
• Lyla wants Tim to come to dinner with some family friends and Buddy says he doesn’t know if Tim is the right guy for Lyla.
• Julie helps Tyra pass out fliers with her campaign for class president. She discovers that someone ruined her sign by drawing all over it. She takes it to the guidance counselor, who says she can’t enter the race late and expect people to respect her.
• A lawyer advises Matt to become his grandmother’s legal guardian. He says it’s not a good situation as he is 17 and is trying to go to college next year. The lawyer said he can become an emancipated minor and become his grandmother’s guardian or put her in a nursing home.
• Matt tries to get his grandma to take the pills and she refuses. He doesn’t know what to do and kicks boxes outside. Julie sees him and they have one of their classic awkward interactions, as she is working at Applebee’s now. Matt vents to Julie and she tries to make him laugh/feel better.
• Lyla is shopping with Tim for clothes to go out to a nice dinner with.
• Tyra changes her campaign strategy to include more sex appeal. It’s extremely effective with the students, as she brings her sister’s work friends from the Landing Strip. Tami and the guidance counselor are not happy. He tries to suspend her but Tami stops it.
• At the school debate, Tyra continues to appeal well to the students but Tami isn’t impressed as she isn’t taking it seriously.
• None of the boosters are talking to Tami, mad at her for the scoreboard. Tami is upset Eric isn’t defending her. They fight about it.
• Matt takes care of his grandma and she is telling him what a sweet child he was and now he’s grown up taking care of everything and how she doesn’t know what she’d do without him.
• Matt wakes Landry up at his house asking if he can borrow his car for something. He drives all night and arrives at a house. Matt seems very unsure as he comes to the door. A woman answers and Matt says “I’m Matt, your son.”
• His mom seems excited to see him in a surprised way and it’s clear they haven’t seen each other in a long time. Matt explains he needs her to sign the papers for him to become emancipated. She isn’t aware that Matt’s dad is in Iraq and doesn't know his grandma has dimentia. She questions why his dad left Matt to deal with this and he says she’s not in a position to judge.
• Tami wins the election and is happy but Tami is not happy about the way she won. Tami says she stuck up for Tyra and doesn’t like how that was repaid to her and she needs to start living up to that trust.
• Tim is nervous walking into dinner and is all dressed up. They are having dinner at the McCoy’s. Buddy has a private word with Tim and says he doesn’t like that he’s with Lyla and also he should not jeopardize Buddy’s relationship with Joe McCoy. It’s interesting how much Buddy likes Tim on the field and not off of it.
• Tim struggles through dinner, not able to make conversation and has trouble ordering. Lyla is upset at him for not being polite and Tim is upset at having to do something he doesn’t like. It’s clear Buddy’s conversation had a negative effect on him before dinner and they break up.
• Buddy stops by the Taylor house wanting to talk to Tami about the jumbotron. He says the boosters met with the superintendent and mayor and the funds are frozen until a public hearing in two weeks to make a final decision. Tami walks off fuming and Eric gets a call.
• Tim gets home and Tyra is there. Tim vents to her and they watch tv on the couch. Lyla shows up as well to make up with a cheeseburger (since Tim ate pigeon).
• Matt is driving around and sees Julie getting off her shift. He offers her a ride and he confides that he went to see his mom and she signed the papers. She shows him the kind of car she wants to buy and they bond.

Coach Taylor’s speeches.

Football observations.

• Smash continues to workout with Coach Taylor, who notices that he cuts differently on his injured leg. Coach Taylor says if you work on the speed, I’ll work on the tryouts.
• We see Coach Taylor working on the colleges and it’s not going very well.
• Riggins is playing defense on Smash in workouts and pushes him down. Smash flips out, clearly still afraid of getting hurt again. He walks off the field.
• Coach Taylor goes to visit Smash at work. Smash admits he is scared and maybe he was only great because he was part of a time that needed him and now he’s by himself and knows there aren’t any try outs at this point. Coach Taylor isn’t taking no for an answer.
• On game night, the Panthers are rolling, once again playing with a big lead (42-0). Riggins continues to play extremely well also.
• At the victory party, a booster comes up to Coach Taylor asking why didn’t JD McCoy play. Coach Taylor responds saying Matt Saracen had a great game.
• Smash is working out on the field and is joined by members of the Panthers who came to support him. Smash’s entire demeanor changes, he is smiling and ready to go.
• Smash is taking a beating but responding well. He tells Riggins he got a lucky hit on him and calls for the same play. On this play, Smash breaks two tackles and takes a hard hit into the endzone. It looks like he hurt his knee again but just needed a second on the ground. He announces he’s back.
• Coach Taylor makes a late house call to the Williams’ residence to see Smash. He tells him that in two weeks he will have a walk-on tryout at Texas A&M. Smash says he will make him proud. The entire Williams family is ecstatic.

Unanswered questions.

Plot holes.

Quote of the episode.

“No excuses. None” - Tim Riggins

Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 20

Texas Forever official counter: 7

Riggins quitting the team official counter: 3

Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 7

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