Friday Night Lights: 2x03

Friday Night Lights

2x03
Are You Ready for Friday Night?

Another quality episode of FNL. If people don't start watching this show, I'm gonna organize some sort of march on Austin. (Not really, but I'd think about it a lot.) I maintain their DVD guarantee that you'll be hooked after one episode. Seriously... Jenna Fischer joined the train after much persuasion from Angela. People from The Office are rarely wrong.

Dillon needs its golden boy...

Coach: Seriously, I've never been one to agree, unquestionably, with Buddy Garrity, but he's right, Eric needs to come home. He's trying so hard to build and mold the boys at TMU - something their staff doesn't understand or care for. But that's what Eric does - and why we love him. Meanwhile, Glenn's got his hands in Tami's icebox, Julie's in the midst of a teenage melt down and his team needs him. Saracen needs him. (I mean, all the others too, but we all know Coach loves Matt the best.) I'm sensing college ball is not exactly living up to the dream Eric imagined and his deal with the Devil to come back to Dillon, may not be a smooth a road as we'd like, but it's the path he needs to be on. Should be interesting to see how they get rid of crazy town coach...

Julie: Is she really that much of a brat? I mean, she didn't get it from her parents, and I know it's been a hard year and she's a teenager and it all feels strange and confusing and the perfect time to act out, but honestly... "I think your baby's crying," is just bitchy. And the Swede. The SWEDE? Stop being something you're not. Ugh. I'm all about the slap from Tami. Sure, she's stressed and taking some of it out on Julie, but Julie needs a wake up call... like life isn't hard for anyone in the Taylor family but her? Natural teenage self-centeredness that drives me up the wall. Step up, kid.

Tyra and Landry: I'm just not sure what I think. The "morning after" scene was expectedly awkward and strange, but so are they - and I was not the least bit surprised they continued to be friends despite it. I like them for that. I like them as friends. Friends. As twisted as it is, I really liked the scene between them in the watch store, even if they were there, you know, because Landry lost his watch at the scene of a crime. I just don't get how he still functions as Landry with that on his mind. As for the ending, Tyra showing up, more kissing... I have no doubt that she truly cares for Landry, but I only see this ending in disaster.

Matt: If you hook up with the nurse, I will steal your football jersey. Just stop it. Writers, this is a terrible plot device. Don't do it. Also, on a side note, angry works well for Saracen.

Tim Riggins: First off, I think it's important to acknowledge the first shot of him in this episode. Shirtless. Duly noted? Okay, so I fail to see why Rig is constantly being heckled by the new coach. I guess it's the coming to practice drunk and not working like he's supposed to, but the dude needs to chill out before he kills the kid. Of course, what does Riggins care, he had Buddy rescue him and a trip to church with Lyla. I like seeing Riggins wrestling with something that I think he might have actually been a little affected by - but still seeing it as a way to get closer to Lyla. Totally believable. I'll leave my thoughts on he and Street, to the Street section, but needless to say, it seems Riggins is circling the bottom of the barrel.

Lyla: I continue to be impressed by how they're handling this storyline. It's not over the top or ridiculous - Christianity does change people's lives and it can be done without the judgment often associated with the experience, so I admire Lyla's new convictions, and I think it's fantastic she's still reaching out to Tim. But she's still reaching out to Tim... so I'm pretty sure they're gonna hook back up. Something we can all be happy about.

Street: I feel for him. He takes his job seriously and is thrown a bone by the coach, only to see it didn't really matter in the end - he's still the mascot. (Just wait 'til Coach Taylor comes back and you are a coach - fair and square.) I don't know what to think about this whole Mexico/surgery/trip with Riggins. I think a lot of his anger toward Riggins comes from Street being upset that Tim takes what he has for granted - what Street can't have - and it pisses him off. Would me too. As for this surgery. DANGER. DANGER. I'm really wondering what's about to go down... whatever it is, I sort of love the fights he and Tim get in, because they never seem to stick. "You could've knocked, Six." and "Put it away... we're still in Texas. Idiot."

Buddy Garrity: The great motivator. "You listen to me Tim Riggins (stole that line from Bo), I've seen you play with a hangover many times and you played like a champ." Way to mentor, Buddy.

Smash: The Smash is back and loving the attention of the new coach's running game. He's also not worried about what it means to see his team being torn apart, or how it might feel to pull the rug out from under Matty. (In his defense, he is a senior and he wants to prove himself and get a scholarship, etc.) Still, it was good to see The Smash get some air time again. But I'm wondering... where's Waverly? Back in therapy? Another character we've seen no mention of... what is the deal?


Favorite exchange of the night...

Eric: Who's that?
Tami: That's Glenn, darlin.
Eric: What's Glenn doin' at the house?
Tami: Glenn is here, helping me at the moment, trying to get the ice maker to work.
Eric: I don't want Glenn over at the house, with his hands in my wife's icebox. Just tell him to leave it alone, I'll fix it when I get home on the weekend.
Tami: Alright, sweetheart, that'll be great. Well, um, is that what you called to talk to me about?
Eric: No. Listen, did you forget to tell me that Julie and Matt broke up?
Tami: No, Julie and Matt didn't break up.
Glenn: Yeah, they did. It's all over the school, it's huge, everybody's talking about it.
Eric: Hey babe, tell Glenn to sit down and be quiet.

Friday Night Lights: 2x02

Friday Night Lights

2x02
Bad Ideas

Yes, and there were lots of them in this episode. So many it's hard to choose. Returning to the scene of the crime, The Swede, Buddy Garrity (Just in general... "Rig-O"), The Taylor family split (which is taking its toll, obviously) ... and let's not forget Landry and Tyra doin' the dirty.

Where do I even begin?

I have a wonderful group of TV obsessed friends, with whom I can have endless conversations about fictional characters. I've had my boss remind me that Jim and Pam aren't real while, discussing them with A, I've sat at length while pondering LOST in a room full of faces, and now that FNL has entered my life, there's T-shirt making and Facebook groups. In said (and very exclusive, I can't even discuss it) Facebook group, I'm an officer. Julie Taylor is my name. And last night... I was ashamed of myself. But more on that later. There's something else bigger on my mind...

Forget WWJD. Let's ask what Kyle Chandler's hair would do... because it has a life of its own and I love it.

Sometimes it's easier to write my feelings down. You know, letters you'll never send...

Dear Landry and Tyra,
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Do you hear me? NO! I loved the funny Landry/Tyra dynamic. The mismatched hot girl/goofy good guy friendship. I'm not sure I can handle the angsty, "I killed him for you," subplot. *facepalm* I mean, between the MURDER (What? Why was there even a murder?), the river, the hand holding, love confessions and the ohmygodI'mfreakingoutandyou'retheonlyonewhoknowshowifeel sympathy sex, I just can't take it. (Still, even if I have issues with the storyline, kudos to Jesse and Adrienne - they really impressed me tonight.)

Dear Tami T,
I just want to sit down and cry with you. Or get you a maid. And ground Julie. Seriously, you are stretched thin. You're strolling down the street in 105 degree Texas weather, ending up with a sick baby, a long distance husband and a TEENager. Nevermind you have your own life to deal with - and you're missing your job. You need help, I mean, come on, the constant and spontaneous tearful breakdowns? You need Coach and his sexy hair to come home. Good thing I sense the winds are a-changin'.


Dear Julie,
You suck for a number of reasons. 1) It's not you, it's me. 2) Stringing Matt along. 3) Breaking up with Matt. 4) Kissing The Swede. 5) Being rude to your mother. Alas, you are a teenager... I expect remorseful, angsty, up and down emotional upheaval. *sigh* At least they're writing you true to teenage character, no matter how much I want to pull out your hair, strand by strand. And can I just ask - how old is The Swede supposed to be? Because one minute he's acting like your dad, patting you on the head and patronizing you with terms of endearment like, "kid," and then he's making out with you in the car. I'd be insulted if I were you... I'm just sayin'.

Dear Matt,
I love you, really, I do. And I'm sorry Julie is dragging you through the mud (I bet she realizes her mistake before too long), and you have grown up things to do like look for medical assistance and take care of your family, but if you hook up with your grandmother's new sit and be fit , in-home nurse, I will strangle you. Kisses. P.S. I still think you should find some way to show Jules what she's missing, just... not that way.

Dear Jason,
Okay, the dream is kinda creepy - not because of the walking, I'd love for you to walk - but because it includes Coach's wife. Weird? Yes. And also... I NEED some information on Street and Lyla. Seriously, they were together for like, their whole lives and suddenly... nothing. I need closure, even if you don't.




Dear Coach,
Go, go Coach! Go, go, go Coach! You tell that hyped up, full of himself punk college kid where to stick it! "Who am I talking to? Who am I? Who the hell are you?" Ooooooo! Too bad you got a little zing and a cut when you got back to the office, "I bet you were one hell of a high school coach, Taylor." What exactly is that supposed to mean? He's just one hell of a coach in general.



Dear Lyla and Riggins,
We all know you still want to do it.















My favorite exchange of the night:
Matt: Grandma. What... what'd you order?
Mrs. Saracen: Is that my tiara?
Matt: (as if he's never heard the word before) Tiara?
Mrs. Saracen: Is it? (gasps) Look how pretty!
Landry: That... that'll be beautiful for whenever you just... zip on over to the Rite Aid.
Matt: Grandma, no, no, no, no. It's $2400. We gotta... it's... we gotta send this back.
Mrs. Saracen: Look how pretty!
Landry: Beautiful.
Matt: It's really pretty, but it's really gotta go back.
Mrs. Saracen: (puts on the tiara) Oh, boys.
Landry: Look at... look at her...
Mrs. Saracen: You can't put a price tag on happiness.

Next week on FNL: Tyra hits and runs, Buddy calls a late night coup, and Tami bitch slaps Julie... just another Friday night in Dillon.

And now...
a little somethin' for the ladies.