Hey Panthers! So, last week, Tim had Daddy issues, Matt effed up by lying to Julie after getting “kidnapped” by rally girls, and Jason blurted out his Lyla engagement news to Buddy in a way that is NOT what theknot.com would recommend. It was a messy episode, but oh boy, does shit get worse! This episode is both a compelling example of the writers exploring the racist side of Southern culture while also being, well, a real bummer to watch.
In other words, y’all are gonna need the drinking game this week!
The Official FYA Friday Night Lights Season 1 Drinking Game
Drink once every time:
You want to give Matt Saracen a hug
Tami Taylor drinks a glass of white wine
Tami Taylor says “y’all”
Landry Clarke goes off on a tangent
You’re Team Tyra Collette
Buddy Garrity makes you roll your eyes
You think, “It’s JUST football, people.”
The quick camera cuts make you reach for the Dramamine
Drink twice every time:
The Panthers score a touchdown
Tim Riggins makes poor choices
There’s a classic Coach Taylor pep talk
Grandma Saracen says something sassy
Take a shot every time you hear:
“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!”
“Texas Forever.”
Finish your drink when:
Hands slap the Panther “P”
Jason’s incident happens
Book club admits they don’t read the book
On to the episode!
1.15 “Blinders”
The episode opens at the tail end of the game that was starting last week, with Coach making the right call and Matt throwing successfully to Smash, who scores the winning touchdown! Drink! The Smash is back, baby. But unfortunately, it’s more like he’s out of the frying pan into the fire, because racism is about to rear its ugly head in Dillon, TX. (I mean, to be clear, more than it already was.) When reporters ask Assistant Coach Mac McGill for his thoughts on the Panthers’ next game against an all-white team that recently made the news for a player sporting Black face, and the reporter happens to mention that Dillon High was one of the last schools to be integrated in Texas, I temporarily lost my hearing due to all of the ALARM BELLS BLARING IN MY HEAD. And sure enough, ole Mac McGill takes the bait and lets his racist flag fly, calling the Black players on the team “junkyard dogs.” YIKES YIKES YIKES.
Smash doesn’t think it’s a big deal, and his mom (who is potentially about to buy a house!) tells him to keep his head down, but Waverly thinks otherwise, especially after Mac offers a half-hearted apology on the local news. This only happens because Coach ordered him to do it; Eric lost some points with me here since it was clearly more about the bad press (though he does scold Mac for “making generalizations about people’s abilities based on race”). Hanging at the local diner, the players catch the news clip, and of course the white players (including Tim, ugh) think it’s fine, but the Black players agree that it was an empty gesture.
Tensions continue to rise: a Black player responds to Mac with a “Yes, master,” at practice, while Tami tells Coach she had to break up a fight in the hallway. In a concerned but methinks misguided move, Tami decides to host a forum after school to address the brewing conflict. (Non-spoiler spoiler: it goes TERRIBLY.) Meanwhile, Matt does the right thing and tells Smash he doesn’t think the current situation is okay (Smash again says it’s fine), and then Tim does the wrong thing by stopping by the Alamo Freeze and telling Smash, “You talk to your boys and tell them to calm down.” NOPE NOPE NOPE. That finally gets a rise out of Smash, as it should, and later, when his mom doesn’t get approved for the loan (at the bank which is entirely composed of white people, I will add), he finally goes over the edge. Mama Smash urges him to calm down, because white people expect him to be violent, and everything fully and finally clicks for him. He decides to confront Mac, who reacts like the POS he is and warns Smash that if he keeps it up, he’ll bench him. So Smash does him one better: he rallies the Black players in a meeting (we don’t actually see it) and the next day at practice, they all walk off the field in solidarity. IT. IS. AWESOME.
Since the main plot this week is pretty damn heavy, the writers served us up a super fun B plot: powderpuff, bitches! Julie and Tyra got caught skipping school, so as part of their punishment, Tami requires them to participate in the upcoming powderpuff game, which deeply appalls both of them. Even better (at least, for punishment purposes), Matt and Tim are the coaches! And Landry is the ref, because of course he is. WELCOME BACK LANDRY WE MISSED YOU. The coaches pick their teams, and Tim picks Lyla while Matt picks Tyra and then doesn’t pick Julie until his fourth choice like the sweet little idiot he is. Fast forward to practice, where Tyra and Lyla’s feud continues, and we see what a terrible coach Matt is. (Tyra quickly takes over, of course.) At her urging, Matt begs Julie to be QB, and she very grudgingly agrees.
The powderpuff game arrives, and look who’s in the stands proudly sporting a “Julie Quarterback,” it’s Grandma Saracen, being the CUTEST and clearly choosing the right side here. As the teams huddle up, the difference between Tim and Matt has never been more hilarious: Matt assures his players that “No matter what happens today, we’re all winners,” while Tim shouts, “WE WILL NOT ACCEPT A LOSS!!!” Tyra spies Buddy and her mom, who have been giving Affair Vibes (to the shock of no one), hanging together in the bleachers, and she channels her rage into tackling Lyla even though technically tackling isn’t really allowed per se. Lyla is like, what the hell, and Tyra angrily spills her suspicions about their parents. In better news, Julie suggests a play to Matt, which he gladly agrees with, and then she scores!! (I drank because surely this counts as a Panther touchdown.)
And finally, Jason Street is back at school, and he’s miserable. There’s a particularly awkward scene in biology class where Jason is determined to dissect a frog, and the teacher stops by and says, “If you just want to observe, it’s okay, it’s all anybody expects.” I’m sorry I love teachers but please fire this one IMMEDIATELY. Jason’s frustration only serves to fuel his excitement when Herc (who’s been teaching him to drive, btw) offers him a spot at a quad rugby training camp in Austin that could lead to a spot on the national team. Later, he tells Lyla that he wants to get his GED so he can head straight to camp, and naturally, she’s concerned.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
12
Did the Panthers win?
Hell yes!
MVP of the Week
Smash has been going through a LOT this season, and in this episode, he proved that he can put aside his personal gain (i.e. playing on a winning team) to do the right thing. For too long, he’s chosen to let racist shit slide, and it was truly inspiring to watch him rally the other Black players and make a stand. You know Waverly is so proud!!!
Best Father Daughter Play of the Week
After Coach (sporting adorably ruffled hair) chastises Julie for skipping school and breaking her parents’ trust, she breaks into tears and mentions Matt yelling at her about QB stuff. His entire posture shifts immediately, and he eagerly gets Julie to head out to the front yard to practice plays. It’s SO sweet and reminds me of them playing ping-pong, except this time, they’re playing FOOTBALL guys like this is Coach’s DREAM! (And Tami is all smiles.)
Best Taylor Couple Moment
When Tami gets home after the disaster of the student forum, she confides in Coach (who is eating fistfuls of corn flakes while drinking a beer, don’t hate it) that it was awful, and she’s absolutely wrecked over the fact that she can’t do anything. “It’s real hard to make a change around here,” she sighs, and then Coach comforts her by saying the truest words: “You know you’re an example to aspire to, don’t you? You’re always there ready to listen to them. They know they can trust you.” Y’all I most definitely had some water in my eyeballs in this moment!
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Um, I’m sorry, is this JORDAN CATALANO?!!* I did a double take when this scene (picking the powderpuff teams) started, because I am a sucker for this look. Also, it cracked me up when Tim’s first question to the potential players was, “Does anyone here know how to chock block?” And then he chose the first girl who raised her hand but be honest, honey, you don’t know what that is.
As smokin’ as Tim looks in that scene, I am VERY UNHAPPY with him. Yes, he is a product of the culture in which he was raised, and one of the things that makes this show so brilliant is how layered and imperfect each character is. But still, dude, your behavior is NOT OKAY.
*He wishes!! Even Tim can read, as we have learned.
Ref Landry Might Be My Favorite Landry
Landry’s confidence as a ref is incredible to behold. Nothing has tickled me more this entire season than when Coach yells at Landry that he’s blind (when he disagrees about Landry’s call against Julie at the powderpuff game), Tami tells him to calm down, and then Landry hands him a yellow penalty flag. It’s just TOO GOOD. Landry, never leave us again.
Classic High School Moment
In addition to his coaching duties, Mac teaches Driver’s Ed. Of course he does.
Guide to Austin
When Jason meets up with Herc and the gang, the establishing shot shows the sign for Hole in the Wall, a bar on Guadalupe (the UT Austin drag) that is still there! But the interior was shot in Buffalo Billiards, which is now a vacant spot on Dirty Sixth.
Post-Game Breakdown
I greatly admire this show for portraying small town Texas life accurately and unflinchingly, and this week’s episode leans toward the more negative aspects. Even though it’s not fun to watch, I consider this to be one of the more powerful episodes of the season, and the message is all the more compelling via its messengers, who are all flawed people.
But to end on a lighter note, my question for Stephanie, and for the rest of ya’ll, is this: if y’all had to pick a team, regardless of gender, who would be your first choice?
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My team would be made up of Tyra, Grandma Saracen, Tami, Landry and Walt’s ex. We may not win but we would be fun and hilarious.