What I like so much about Friday Night Lights is that it showcases the everyday drama behind a fairly ordinary event that almost anybody can relate to: the local high school football game. For the most part (bludgeoned rapists notwithstanding), the dramatic situations that go on are normal situations that we can all imagine our acquaintances, friends, and family going through, if indeed it isn't something that has happened to us. This weekend was an exceptional example of that type of drama.

I think a lot of people, like me, were deeply concerned by the Julie/Tim storyline last week. Those two just don't go together. It's not out of character for Julie to have a bit of a crush, I think. First of all, who doesn't have a crush on Taylor Kitsch? Secondly, Julie seems to have a kind of a Rory Gilmore circa season 6 syndrome going on, where she wants to be bratty to her perfectly cool parents and be drawn to inappropriate boys. But after this episode, it was even more abundantly clear that Tim seems to see her as a little sister, so I don't think anything is going to come of it. I liked that Julie owned up to both Tim and to her dad, and that the misunderstanding didn't drag on for longer.

The other news in the realm of Tim Riggins this week was that he returned home to find a mortgage overdue notice on the door, and we learned that Billy has lost his job and been dumped by Jackie. The brothers made up, but still needed cash. The problem was solved, sort of, when they went back to crazy tweaker ferret guy's house, where Tim discovered thousands of dollars taped to the bottom of the coffee table. Unfortunately, the reason he was in a position to see it was that he had knocked down the guy's gun, which he put right back where it had been after taking the cash. Now, does that strike anybody else as poor judgment? If you're going to steal a bunch of money from a mentally imbalanced drug dealer, why would you make sure he still has his gun for when he decides to come after you? Not smart, boys.

Also at the Taylor household, Eric and Shelley finally had their long overdue showdown, and she packed her bags. It was time for her to go, since she was getting on everybody's nerves with the possible exception of baby Grace. It's nice that they all worked that out with minimal drama, and she headed off to Dallas with no hard feelings.

Smash's recruiting saga continued this week, with visits from several colleges and a lot of pressure to make a verbal commitment. Everything came to a head when Mrs. Williams was accosted in the grocery store by the guy from Alabama. Tami was shopping too and stepped it in to help, but it was clear that the pressure was only starting. After playing well in the game, Smash got the offer he was hoping for from TMU and accepted it on the spot. So...is that over? Because it seemed too easy. I am wondering how binding the verbal commitment is, and if we might revisit this in a future episode. I don't trust Smash's new girlfriend, Noelle, who knows a lot about the college football game because of her older brother, and seems like she might have an agenda beyond just helping Smash. The players aren't allowed to take bribes or gifts from recruiters, but I am suspicious that she might be on somebody's payroll.

The week's drama came to a head at the week's game against the Lions. After conflicts all week about the locker room and practice time on the field, the Panthers were falling behind until Riggins got the ball and seemed to be making a good run for it...until he was tackled by the Lions coach. Coach Dickie later revealed to Eric that he has been distracted (earlier, he left his playbook on the field) and agitated because his wife is ill and has three months to live. This is the type of revelation that just makes you feel like you've been punched in the stomach, isn't it? And that's the point this episode drives home...you never know just what the people you interact with on a daily basis are going through.

* * *

Amy Kane spends as much quality time with her television as possible, when she's not busy at her day job as a cube dweller.

Recommend (0)

|  Comments (0)

|  Email

|  Share

Share  Facebook Digg del.icio.us