Life is better with Coach Taylor in there.
How nice was it to escape my football drama, a fired head coach and GM three weeks after the season ends, and enter the fictional football drama of the Dillon Panthers last night? Friday Night Lights is back and it’s as engaging as it was from the first episode two seasons ago. I’m thrilled to have Coach & Tammy Taylor back in my life! Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins and Smash Williams are lighting up my screen again. You just can’t lose with that combination of people.
I’ll admit there was some confusion for me, it’s been too long since season 2 ended and I forgot a few things. For instance, what’s with the tension between Saracen and Riggins? The only thing I can think of is that time that Riggins brought Julie home drunk and coach mistakenly thought they were hooking up. Did Matt hear about that and get jealous? Not that he really had any right while he was banging granny’s nurse, but I guess that’s possible. Anybody who reads this and knows, let me know what brought that one on.
The battle of Coach vs. Wife is sure to kick off this season with Tammy as the principal now. She’s already mad about them getting new computers while she’s had to fire 4 teachers so it will bubble up rather quickly I think. I did enjoy, though I fully expected, her telling Buddy Garrity that she was going to use his scoreboard money for actual school needs like supplies and teachers.
Coach helps Smash see that his knee is fixed.
I absolutely loved Coach still working out with Smash trying to get his knee rehabbed so he can pick up another scholarship down the road. How many coaches actually dedicate their free time to helping former players rehab when they’ve got to get their new team ready for the season? It’s scenes like those that make you want Coach Taylor to be your father or your coach or just your friend. Kyle Chandler is fabulous. Smash’s decision to quit followed by Coach getting him to play racquet ball at the end and showing him just how strong his knee truly is was great. I was watching him fly around the court saying, look at you, Smash, you’re moving side to side without a problem, making cuts, just like you would on a football field! I can’t wait to see Smash end up on some college team. I know that’ll be the end of him on this show more or less, but still, it’s what I want for him. Him and his mother, who is by far and away the coolest sports parent on this show. I love Momma Williams!
When will Matt go from QB1 to QB2?
Of course this year we have the freshman phenom, JD McCoy I believe, just waiting to take over Matty’s position as QB 1 on the team. From the looks of his arm, it won’t be long before he has usurped Matt, no doubt causing friction in Matt’s relationship with his coach and possibly with Matt’s ex, Julie Taylor, Coach’s daughter. I absolutely loathed the stage father trying to bribe Coach Taylor and kiss ass all over the field, with his smoothies and his scotch and cigars. This is a natural portrayal of a sports parent though, so I guess I welcome it. The only real sports parent we have right now is Buddy Garrity and he doesn’t have a son on the team (thank god). It’ll be fun to watch it play out and experience the angst though. Nobody brings the angst like Matty. The Panthers are 1-0 under his watch for now but JD got to come into the game late and threw a very pretty TD that wowed coach and made Matt quite nervous. Bring on the QB competition!
Tammy & Tyra confront each other over her future.
It was good to see Tyra revving up to kick some ass this season as well. That guidance counselor basically telling her not to bother to apply to college and just to get prepared for tech school deserved to be fired. I was glad when she went in and told him off. I had expected Tammy Taylor to do it after Tyra let her have it for making her care about school, but it was better that Tyra did. Even though they’re the odd couple, I love Tyra/Landry and am hoping they reunite sometime this season.
Shirtless Riggins is always a wonderful thing.
Speaking of odd couples, Riggins and Lyla are together yet again. She was all about Jesus and being pure last season, so embracing the naughtiest boy on the team yet again is quite the turnaround. Not that I can blame her. Any time they want to show Riggins shirtless is fine by me. They managed it several times in the first 10 minutes of the show. Way to know your audience FNL! I enjoyed watching Lyla stew in her jealous juices over all the girls salivating over Tim and then her finally deciding to brand him as hers at the party after the game. That’s right, chick, stand up for your man. We’ll see if she actually gets Tim to straighten up a bit. I absolutely loved Tim’s brother telling him that he was a rebound from Jesus for Lyla though. That was hilarious!
That pretty much hit the highlights of the show for me. It’s good to have the Panthers back on my TV screen. I’ve managed to stay relatively unspoiled on the show so though I can guess where things are going, I don’t officially know. It’ll be fun to watch it play out with you here. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose! Go Panthers!
noleb, I’ve watched the whole third season and I won’t spoil anything for you, but I’ll just say that it’s equally fantastic beginning to end. And make sure you keep the kleenex near-by – in the best way possible.
Ahh I’m so glad to hear that! The 2nd season was a mixed bag but I had heard that the 3rd was more like the 1st which is awesome. I’m prepared for the tears! I hope we get a 4th season to enjoy!
trust me you will love Season 3 =)
Shirtless Tim is always a cause for celebration!
Hee, does that mean I’ll have lots of Shirtless Tim?
Cause then we’re guaranteed lots of love!!!
I know I’ll love it, I was grinning all through the episode cause I was so happy it was back. Seeing the boys again was just awesome, plus I want to be adopted by the Taylors. Such great relationships on this show!
I’ve always meant to watch some of this show but being Canadian I really dont get football at all and I think it’s kind of a turn off with this show.
You know, that’s what I think has happened with a lot of would be fans of this show. I think you should check it out and give it a chance. It’s really not about the football, it’s about the coach and the players and their families. Football is the backdrop, sure but it’s really a rather small part of the show, you might see about 3 minutes of football footage per episode. Try renting season 1 and see what you think, I doubt you’ll be disappointed!
I have to agree on the football thing. I’m Australian, I definitely don’t get the football thing – although I am generally a sport-watching person – but the show isn’t really about that. Or at least not mainly about that. I’d give it a go anyway.
Thanks, zara, good to hear a non-football fan’s agreement on that. I was going to be predisposed to watch due to being a football fan but it’s really the characters that drew me in and kept me coming back. There’s a truly beautiful portrayal of all different types of families and backgrounds and people coming together. Definitely one of the most well written and best acted shows on TV.
i am really baffled by how hollywood has pretty much ignored this outstanding drama … i grew up in a small southern town in a football / baseball family …i have a cousin who played pro baseball and two nephews who coach high school sports now …this show is dead on in showing the politics , the loyalty and the drama that comes from living in a town where football rules and the friday night game is the biggest show in town … maybe adding jeremey sumpter and janine turner to the cast will wake the critics up to the best drama show on television.
Hi HCW, welcome! I agree with you, the drama on this show is spot on and the people are so unbelievably real that you can’t help by being touched by them. I’m so hoping NBC is happy with the ratings this year and will keep it going, even if we had to endure the Direct TV carrying it first thing. That’s fine by me as long as I can keep seeing this lovely show!