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Howdy, y’all, and welcome back to our Friday Night Lights rewatch! Fair warning, I’m pretty much a FNL n00b; I watched the first season years ago, and none of it stuck in my brain, so it’s like I’m watching it for the first time. I didn’t really enjoy it, but the majority of ATX FYA is obsessed, so I’m here to give it a proper go. I do have a connection to the show, however, and it’s not just having eaten at EZ’s multiple times: My cousins attended the high school at which they filmed most of the locker room scenes and games, and were extras in the crowd on more than one occasion. So it’s basically like I know the entire cast!
Last week, Mandy W. asked what our most and least favorite subplots are so far. I’d have to say my most favorite is Matt Saracen taking care of his grandmother, who’s a hoot. As for least favorite, it’s definitely the “relationship” between Lyla and Tim. I get that grief makes people do weird things, but I can’t condone cheating.
The previous episode ended with Ray “Voodoo” Tatum joining the team. What happens next? Before we dive in, let’s revisit the drinking game—
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!
1.04 “Who’s Your Daddy”
It’s a bye week this week, which means no game. But it’s also Rivalry Week, which means no shortage of shenanigans. When players from Arnett Mead trash the Panthers’s locker room, Coach Taylor tells them there will be no retaliation. But since no one ever listens to Coach Taylor, Smash, Tim, Matt, and some randos head to take their anger out on the Arnett Mead quarterback’s car. Matt loses it a bit, which leads to the other guys shouting his name … and him getting the crap beat out of him when he won’t tell the Arnett Mead goons who else was there with him. And for Coach Taylor to force the whole team to run the stairs as punishment.
Rivalry Week also means a party at the coach’s house, with the team … and their families … and pretty much anyone else in Dillon who’s even tangentially related to someone on the team. Naturally, Eric only tells Tami about it a couple of days prior, so she scrambles to get everything sorted. Like the Boss she is, she gets it done. And Eric finds himself in the doghouse.
Over at the rehab center, Jason meets his roommate, a frustrating guy named Herc, and is visited by a Lyla with a guilty conscience. His recovery is going slowly, but Herc angers him enough to get him to use his arm, so perhaps Herc’s particular brand of tough love might actually work? Lyla tells Tim that she feels nothing for him, but when he sneaks into her bedroom, it’s clear that she’s feeling something in her pants.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
25 drinks, most of which went toward cheering up Sad Sack Saracen.
Did the Panthers win?
It was a bye week, so no. But they also didn’t lose? (Unless you count getting their shizz TRASHED, ’cause that felt like losing to me.)
MVP of the Week
Let’s give a hearty round of applause to Tami for organizing a party for a hundred people in like two days. I would have KILLED Eric were he my husband.
Most “I Take That Back” Play of the Week
When Eric realized he told Matt to get his own daughter in the backseat of a car to loosen up, I cackled. That’ll serve him right for being so sexist and gross during that pep talk to a, what, fifteen-year-old? You’re better than that, Eric.
Best Taylor Couple Moment
I might be stuck on the party, given that it’s kind of my worst nightmare, but Eric’s “I’m sorry that you’re mad at me,” made me laugh in a “flames on my face” kind of way. You might not think that the argument that followed was a “best” moment, but it led to a great makeup—and makeout—session later in the ep.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Telling Matt to get in the car was a great moment because it made Matt feel included (even if it did end up poorly in the end). Getting Matt involved in the destruction of personal property might not have been the best way to include him in teammate bonding, but it was very On Brand.
(Full disclosure, I am not a Riggins fan. But I promise to do my best by this category!)
The Taylor Advice of the Week
Well it’s certainly not to get a girl in the back of a car in order to loosen up …
Best/Worst Small-Town Moment
Grandma Saracen getting brought home in the back of a cop car was absolutely heartbreaking, but a wonderful example of how it can be nice to live in a small town in which everyone knows everyone.
Post-Game Breakdown
The bye week for the team meant a slow week for the episode as well. It felt a lot like a bridge episode; not all that much happened that will affect the rest of the season. Not every episode can be a total winner, of course, but I would have liked a bit more action. And not of the Tim and Lyla variety.
Come back next week for Meredith C.’s recap of “Git’er Done.” My question for her—and you, gentle readers—is: How would you have retaliated against Arnett Mead? Perhaps something not as illegal?
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– Gah, when Matt can’t find his grandma and then she gets brought home by the cops, and she’s so scared and bewildered, it KILLS me.
– My personal fave Taylor couple moment was when they were arguing under the table at the party. Just SO good. Tami is fierce as hell, and even when Coach is in the doghouse, their dynamic is so charming and funny.
You could FEEL her fear. Such a powerful moment!
The under the table scene was great, too. I wanted to punch Coach a little bit, though; Tami totally deserved to stay under that table as long as she needed.
— Julie’s dance recital outfit was so, so 2000s 😂
— Does Buddy Garrity ever work? He ostensibly owns a car dealership, but he always has time to attend football practices or join a radio interview???
— Eric being better than his sexist advice to Matt — is he, though? He’s obviously a bit clueless when it comes to the ladies in his own family.
— Maybe this is just me viewing with 2024 eyes (and also Texas), but I was briefly afraid that someone at the Arnett Mead QB’s house with a gun or something 🙃
THE CAMISOLES. She had like four stacked up. Amazing.
And someone at the QB’s house totally had a gun. Good thing they got out of there semi-quickly.