Previously On Friday Night Lights
Each week, in another desperate attempt to spread the joy that is Friday Night Lights, I’m going to briefly recap the previous weeks’ episode and look forward to the upcoming week. I do this “recap” a week later because the show is on Friday, and I’m not going to recap a show on a Saturday when no one watched it on Friday and no one would, on Saturday, read a recap of a show they didn’t watch on Friday. So, you had the week to watch last week’s season premiere on NBC.com or TiVo. If you didn’t, well, I’m going to talk about it pretty soon. So, read it or not. But since you probably have something to do tonight, TiVo Friday Night Lights and watch it later, but be sure to buy the products advertised even though you fast forward through the commercials.
Anyways, even though the last year’s championship t-shirts for the Dillon Panthers mistakenly said “2007 State Champs,” we are now actually in 2007 in Dillon, Texas. And there’s some new — and old — issues for the residents of Dillon.
- Coach Taylor is in Austin coaching TMU, Mrs. Coach is in Dillon with a newborn baby, born early in the season’s premiere. (Mrs. Coach’s water broke in the pool where Julie was lifeguarding. I was slightly concerned that Julie didn’t clear everyone out of the pool after learning of the additional liquid volume. I mean, sure your mom may be going into labor, but her water broke IN THE POOL. Lifeguards must be ever vigilant.) Coach Taylor was called back to Austin early. The best part of the show has always been the Taylors, and it appears that we the viewers will have plenty of impressively done Taylor family discussions this year.
- Speaking of the Taylor family, Julie has been flirting with some Swedish guy, who’s in a band that’s not Crucifictorious. Matt Saracen is jealous. Mrs. Coach is impressively understanding. Coach Taylor is perplexed. Pretty much par for the Julie Taylor course.
- The new Panthers head coach is clashing with Buddy Garrity, Coach MacGill and Jason Street. I’m beginning to wonder when Coach MacGill will be upset about being passed over twice for the Dillon job. I’m also beginning to wonder why the team doesn’t have defensive coaches. But when Buddy Garrity called the new Coach a stonewalling hillbilly, well, it was classic Buddy Garrity. You can’t shut Buddy out of practice!
- Lyla Garrity has found Jesus. I hope the writers tread carefully with this topic. I thought that FNL has done a fantastic job of neither glorifying nor condemning the culture of Dillon. I fear they may be going in a less nuanced direction with this one.
-Speaking of show directions I’m none too excited about, the delightful Landry - Tyra connection has taken an OC-esque turn with the self-defense killing of Tyra’s obsessed attempted-rapist/stalker. Goodbye subtlety, I at least hope good ratings arrive as you leave. Although, I can hold out hope, considering that last year the show gave the star quarterback a devastating spinal injury, so who knows, maybe they can pull of this secret self-defense killing angle. But I remain concerned, as does NBC itself.
- As always though, the show found at least one fantastic moment. The ring presentation montage was as good as television gets. Proud family members like Grandma Saracen, Billy Riggins, and Mama Williams were gushing. (This was an especially Smash-light episode, but I can’t get enough Mama Williams.) The onlooking younger players nervously stood in the background. The new coach stood stoically strong-jawed. Jason Street got his state championship ring. Scenes like that are the reason I watch the show. And you should too.
Remember, Fridays at nine on NBC. DVR it. Watch it, whatever.
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1 opinion for Previously On Friday Night Lights
kevin
Oct 15, 2007 at 10:23 am
I am still debating if the murder was a good move or not. I hope it doesn’t ruin the show.
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