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Welcome back to our Friday Night Lights rewatch! Last week… happened.
After they briefly bond over Patrick Swayze (who among us etc.), Tim realizes his new housemate Ferret Guy (whose name is actually Guy lol) also cooks meth, which scares him into his redemption arc back on the football field. Smash goes on a college recruitment trip to McNair State and gets literally chased off campus after unknowingly hooking up with a football player’s girlfriend. Matt breaks up with his age-appropriate girlfriend Lauren so that he can pursue age-inappropriate Carlotta, who ends up doing a statutory rape when they have sex. Eric and Tami’s marriage is still a bit disjointed; he expresses his frustration in the worst way ever, but they still make up because the bar for men is in hell. Tami’s alarm bells are going off over Julie getting real chummy with English teacher Noah; she also expresses herself poorly (aka issuing threats witnessed by plenty of students), and Julie is big mad at the one adult in Dillon who can spot a problematic adult/teenager relationship. Last and certainly least, Landry meets with the dead rapist’s brother Because Plot Contrivance and then turns himself in for the murder.
Stephanie asked which plot line am I most over. Other storylines might have persisted longer, but this show’s obsession with inappropriate adult/teenager interactions is easily the worst thing about it, so OBVIOUSLY MATT/CARLOTTA.
… Please save us from Season 2, Drunk Dirtbag Riggins.
The Official FYA Friday Night Lights Season 2 Drinking Game
Drink once every time:
You want to give Matt Saracen a hug
Tami Taylor drinks a glass of 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
Lyla Garrity is a little (or a LOT) much about the Jesus
You think, “It’s JUST football, people.”
You are not a fan of the romantic relationship you’re seeing on screen
Glen is just SO Glen
Baby Gracie appears in a scene
You are reminded why no one likes Season 2
Drink twice every time:
The Panthers score a touchdown
Tim Riggins makes poor choices
There’s a classic Coach Taylor pep talk
Landry and/or Tyra stress you out
Tami and Julie clash
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”
Landry straight up kills a guy
On to the episode!
2.9 “The Confession”
Let’s get this over with because it feels like it’s from an entirely different show than the rest: despite the police and his lawyer trying to help him with a self-defense claim, Landry still feels extremely guilty over murdering Mike Caldwell the five-time rapist. To his (questionable?) relief, he doesn’t get charged with anything, and he shares the good news with Tyra.
Let’s get this over with because I’d rather talk about ANYTHING ELSE, as previously established: Matt and Carlotta are still happening, sometimes right in front of Grandma Saracen without her noticing. They make mole, and I make barf.
Let’s get this over with because ’tis the season of Tami and Julie beef: the quarrel of the week is over Gracie’s christening. Tami expects Julie to help out as both sister and godmother, while Julie feels overwhelmed by yet another opportunity for Tami to nitpick her choices. Mother and daughter come to a truce, at least for now, to celebrate Gracie and becoming a family of four.
(And now let’s drop the schtick because I still have half the episode to recap.)
Still on his town-wide apology tour, Tim gets volun-told by Eric to help out with the other sports teams at Dillon High. Tim’s surprisingly dedicated, but so is Ferret Guy in lurking around all these same sports events. After getting woken up at gunpoint to join Ferret Guy’s drug party, Tim finally gets the fuck out of there and OF COURSE ends up sleeping in his truck in front the Taylors’ house.
Buddy helps Santiago prepare for the upcoming game, and the pressure’s getting to Santiago. He lashes out at Buddy, who tells him not to waste his chance to turn his life around. During the game against the Fort Hood Cougars, Dillon’s down at the half, so Eric puts Santiago into the game — and Santiago makes a tackle that sparks the team’s comeback win!
Jason goes on a date with Isabella, whom he meets through a dating website for wheelchair users. They seem to be hitting it off until Isabella brings up her interest in water sports, so Jason ditches her with the help of their waitress. The unnamed waitress drives Jason home after staying out all night with him (apparently on the Streets’ driveway?), which freaks Jason’s parents out and prompts him to move in with Herc for more independence.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
24 drinks.
Did the Panthers win?
Yes!
MVP of the Week
I can’t believe I’m doing this, because this is the second (and third-ish) Garrity that I’m the first to choose for MVP. But I have to go with Buddy and Santiago!
What goes unspoken is that Santiago just as much Buddy’s chance at redemption as Buddy is Santiago’s. Obvs everything Buddy does somehow serves the cult of Dillon football, but he also clearly cares for Santiago. His “What’s wrong with my boy?” sounded so paternal (and not uncomfortably tinged, unlike his “street fighter” comment later), and he even gave a Taylor-esque pep talk!
Meanwhile, Santiago conquered his nerves (and stomach) to help Dillon snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! This gem of a subplot also made me realize that Santiago’s the first defensive player that we actually care about. (Bobby Reyes played defense, but doesn’t meet the second criterion.)
Most 2007 Play of the Week
It’s a tie between Matt’s Livestrong bracelet, the reference to Screech porn, and the Geocities-quality dating site. And, I suppose, the notion that you can only meet weirdos through the internet. (I mean, you still definitely can, but not exclusively weirdos.)
Best Taylor Couple Moment
No Hashtag Couple Goals scene, since their only interactions were her reminding him about his christening chores, and him trying to intervene on Julie’s behalf.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Tim as the Dillon Athletic Department Go-fer was GOLD. I love how quickly he became a gymnastics expert, just like we all do during every Summer Olympics.
The Taylor Advice of the Week
Tami agreeing with Julie that a thank-you would be nice, because 1) we could all probably show more gratitude towards the people who raised us, and 2) what exactly does Julie want to be thanked for lol. The screaming matches while Tami’s trying to get Gracie to sleep? I get that Julie feels neglected, so would the thank-you be for the sacrifice of no longer being her parents’ only concern? For not being an even BIGGER brat than she could be? (I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, JULIE, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU.)
Post-Game Breakdown
- What does the rest of Dillon think of the rapist murder case? Did Landry not play in the game? I’m just trying to see how the murder plot fit in with anything else, because it really doesn’t.
- I love how Lyla’s helping Jason move in with Herc. She really is the best Christian that Jason knows! (And they’re both REALLY mature for teens with a broken engagement.)
- Why does Matt still take relationship advice from Smash at this point?
- We’re done with the murder, right? Why are we lingering on Landry’s pensive blue steel as the final shot? WE’RE DONE, RIGHT?!??!?!?
Join us next week as Mandy C. recaps “There Goes the Neighborhood”. My burning question for y’all: which sport would you like to see Tim assist with?
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“Let’s get this over with” – gold! Also you are SO right about how bizarrely separate the Landry plot is. This is a small town – it’s ALL anyone would be thinking or talking about!
I feel like Tim would make an excellent curling Assistant Coach??
– Right, like even if no one knows about Landry and Tyra’s involvement, it’d at least be like OMG THERE WAS A SERIAL RAPIST WHO GOT MURDERED?!!?
– I could totally see curling! I was leaning towards hockey myself because Taylor Kitsch played junior hockey, so I like how we both leaned towards ice sports 😂
Damn, Mandy, you killed it!! (Just like Landry… too soon?!!)
– I loooove Tim Riggins as Athletic Dept Go-fer. I know I keep saying this but I’ll say it again: Rigs is the best thing about S2, hands down.
– VERY good point re: murder in a small town. Then again, do we know anything about local journalism in Dillon (outside of the school paper, of course)? Like, there’s a chance that it’s pretty much all football all the time.
– I completely agree, re: Buddy and Santiago. It’s really refreshing to see this side of Buddy.
– Never too soon to mock the murder plotline! We had to watch it drag out over half a season!
– Agreed; Riggins might be the overall S2 MVP! If only everything outside of him didn’t suck lol
– Not only just the small town bit, but I don’t think even MATT ever learns that his best friend did a murder?!?!
– Buddy Garrity really taking us on a JOURNEY. Although I’ll never stop rolling my eyes at his football shenanigans.