About:
So, y’all, a MAJOR thing happened last week: Tami Taylor wore a long sleeved white Panther P shirt that I now OWN. Like, literally, the shirt she is wearing. I own it! (Henri got it for me at an FNL auction because he has clear eyes and a full heart.) Yes, I have worn it, and sorry, yes, I have washed it, but I choose to believe that the spirit of Tami Taylor is embedded in every fiber of that shirt though my hair has never magically gained lustre. (As to Meredith’s question, obviously, I would want Tami to lead my team AND my life to victory.)
Oh, also, some other things transpired: Tami took over as volleyball coach and got Tyra to join; Lyla shut down Tim telling her that he loves her but still helped him pay off his debt to the meth guy, only to have Billy basically ruin it like a FLIPPIN’ IDIOT; Landry gained a romantic admirer named Jean who is an adorable nerd; and Smash got suspended for defending his sister against some racist white boys.
And there’s more where all that came from so get those drinks ready!
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!
2.14 “Leave No One Behind”
I hope y’all are prepared for a whole lot of Matt Saracen MOOD because ugh, this episode is not his best look. So yeah, he’s upset because Carlotta’s gone, and not just because he’s back to making Grandma Saracen breakfast. (“You know I like those Jimmy Dean’s tender.” Respect!) His car breaks down on the way to school; he calls his art teacher a bitch under his breath (MATT!); he skips practice and goes to look at motorcycles which is so cliché it physically pains me. Fortunately* for Matt, Tim drives by, insists he get in the truck, and takes him to a local bar, where Matt drinks way too much beer and vents about Carlotta. I am already SO over this. In the midst of Matt telling Tim he wants to be just like him, irony of ironies, Lyla walks in with Chris (I guess this is more like a roadhouse with food situation because these two Christians aren’t straight up walking into a bar at 3pm), and Tim is overtaken with jealousy. He heads over to their table to chat, and it’s extremely awkward, so Tim decides to just go to practice after all with Matt in tow. Great choices this afternoon, boys! Matt is SLOSHED on the field, and I’ll admit I cackled when he gets hit in the face with the ball.
*Fortunate in that he didn’t buy a motorcycle; unfortunate in that Tim introduces him to binge drinking.
The next day, it’s hello hangover! Landry scolds Matt over lunch in the cafeteria—”I just don’t want to see you become at risk youth”—but Matt is committed to his new Tim Riggins Lifestyle [TM], and next up is the Landing Strip! Of course! While Matt’s there, he gets a call that Grandma has hit her head and is in the hospital, so a very nice stripper gives him a ride. But THEN, because this episode really is one of the closest times you’ll come to despising Matt, he passes out in the waiting room, so the staff calls Coach, who arrives and immediately asks Matt what the hell he’s thinking. (Answer: he’s not thinking at all!) Coach gets them both back home, where Grandma, the hostess with mostest, asks if he wants her to fix him a sandwich. After she’s in bed, Coach basically wrestles Matt into the bathroom, throws him in the tub, and turns on the water to shake him out of this cloud of self-pity. Matt begins to sob about how everyone leaves him—his dad, the Coach, Carlotta—and okay, okay, where’s my glass because I have quickly pivoted to wanting to hug Matt fiercely. He cries, “What’s wrong with me?” to which Coach gently but firmly responds, “There’s nothing wrong with you, there’s nothing wrong with you at all.” Okay, writers, you got me! What a heartache of a scene.
Meanwhile, jealousy seems to be spreading like a pandemic (too soon?) because in addition to Tim, Tyra and Julie are positively green with envy. The volleyball team has drawn Tami and Tyra even closer, and while I don’t blame Tyra for leaning in to Tami, I completely understand why Julie’s feeling left out. Hell, even Coach notices and brings it up with Tami! She dismisses him, but when she forgets about meeting Julie for her driving test because she’s celebrating the latest volleyball win, she realizes that yeah, she effed up. So Tami rushes her to the DMV office, which is closed, and begs the poor state employee to take Julie out for her test. While her attempt at pulling the old Dillon football card does not initially get results (Tami: “Hey, are you a Panthers fan?” DMV Guy: “No, I hate football.” Reader, I guffawed.), he finally relents, and Julie aces the test. I’m honestly glad Julie got a win here!
As Meredith reported last week, Tyra is feeling very threatened by Jean, whose full legal name is Jean TIGI Bed Head—I say lovingly, as someone who used that product for many years even though it was basically a glue stick. The beauty of the situation is that Jean is the one who has the guts to confront Tyra, even though their height difference is, well, I mean y’all look at this:
No, Jean isn’t standing in a hole, and no, Tyra isn’t standing on a box. Now are you proud of Jean or what?
I gotta hand it to Jean, a measly freshman, for marching up to Miss Thang Tyra and asking if they’re in competition for Landry. Tyra denies any romantic feelings and tells Jean to go for it, so she does with a dope invite to watch some Mystery Science Theater 3000 videos on YouTube. (I like to think of this as the original Netflix & Chill.) But as much as she tries to deny it, Tyra wants to be with Landry, so she shows up in the movie theater parking lot, which is really not a cool move, and accosts him walking out of Jaws with Jean. She tells Landry she likes him, and that she wants to give “us” a shot, but Landry stands up for Jean—she’s not embarrassed to be with him, unlike some people. While I agree with Tyra that their relationship came together under unnatural circumstances, and she needed time to adjust, I also really feel for Landry here, not to mention Jean TIGI Bed Head, who crushes on Landry with no pretense! But the next day, Landry follows his heart and tells Jean he can’t ignore his feelings for Tyra, so he doesn’t want to lead Jean on. She responds that he’s making a mistake, and I think I agree, but I also am suddenly wondering if this is the silver lining of the whole murder plotline because Landry and Tyra’s relationship is so wildly nuanced and weirdly murky and when he goes to her house and lays a big ole kiss on her lips, I am both happy and fearful because these two are so beautifully doomed.
And finally, I will get to the cliffhanger from the last episode: Smash’s suspension! Man, this sucks guys. His fellow players keep giving him a hard time, and then TMU revokes his scholarship, which is TERRIBLE, and as Smash throws away all of the recruiter swag, Mama Smash comes in and tells him she loves him and believes in him, and I want to cry! At the end of the episode, before the game, Smash comes into the locker room to wish the team luck, and as he looks around, he says, “This might end up being the last place I ever play.” Matt (sober!) stands up for his friend and says Smash is still a part of the team, and then Smash tells them, the best thing they can do for him is to win. They rush out of the room to the field, leaving Smash alone in the locker room, where he breaks down. And okay, maybe we all break down a little here.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
16, plus one shot.
Did the Panthers win?
Well, I hope so, because Smash asked them to, but we don’t know yet!!
MVP of the Week
You know, I’m gonna give this one to Coach. He hasn’t been his best this season (understatement), but in this episode, he not only gave Matt the tough love he needed, he also was really tuned in to his daughter’s needs and made a point of talking with Tami about it. It’s almost like he was… not just thinking about football?!
Best Austin Location of the Week
This is not the first time we’ve seen the old Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar, but it is the first time we’ve seen the whole exterior of the building, and y’all, I had soooo many flashbacks! (The theater is still there, but the exterior has completely changed.)
Best Taylor Couple Moment
When Tyra is over for dinner, she asks Tami if her jealousy of Jean is weird. Tami tells her that she had her very own Landry in high school (!), but the kind thing to do is let him go. Coach makes a face and says, “Good guys always finish last, that’s what she’s trying to say.” Tami retorts, “That’s not what I’m trying to say, sweetie, look at you, you finished first.” He chuckles and says, “I don’t know about that.”
And okay, maybe on the surface, that doesn’t seem sweet, but there’s something about their long history, and that shared high school experience that really captivates me. I also REALLY wish I could get Tami wine-drunk so I could hear the full scoop on her Landry!
Speaking of…
Landry’s Date Night Flick Picks
I swear, Landry agonizing over which movie to take Jean to is the geekiest, cutest thing. It also leads to a classic moment with him and Smash at the cafeteria:
Landry: “What do you think, The Wrath of Khan or Jaws? Like for a date.”
Smash: *gets up and leaves*
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
We got about 98% Dirtbag Tim this episode, but we also got one of my favorite quotes (on our Taylor Kitsch’s Birthday Bingo Card, obvs) when he drives by Matt looking at motorcycles and asks him about skipping practice. Matt asks him the same question, to which he lazily responds: “I always skip Wednesdays.” That drawl! That languid attitude! That pick-up truck lean! It’s quintessential Riggins hotness, and he’s not even hitting on anyone!
The Taylor Advice of the Week
It’s been a while since we’ve gotten an impassioned locker room speech from Coach, and this week’s was a mighty fine one as he tries to inspire a Smash-less team. “This is about more than just football, gentlemen. It’s about adversity and how we stand up to it… we’re going to take that adversity and turn it into an asset, we’re gonna ride that asset all the way to the damn playoffs.” Hell yeah we are!!
Post-Game Breakdown
For real though, how do we feel about Landry and Tyra getting together, without the duress of a dead body and possible prison time? Are we glad? Do we think this is still a trauma thing? Are we upset on Jean TIGI Bed Head’s behalf and could she possibly be a better match for Landry in the long run? I don’t know!! I have a lot of mixed emotions here!
As we await Stephanie’s recap of “May The Best Man Win” next week, my question to you, readers, and to Stephanie, is this: For a first date, would you rather see The Wrath of Khan or Jaws?
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Team Jean! Tyra pulled a classic dude move here and wasn’t interested till there was competition. Boo!!
I think Jaws makes more sense for a first date. Wrath of Khan requires some backstory/franchise knowledge! (Although I bet Jean is well-versed.)
SUCH a dude move. Ugh. I love you Tyra but come on.
I am Team Tyra Collette always. But Jean is a far better match for Landry.
Poor Saracen. You know Coach just wanted to give that poor wet boy a hug. And I’m glad his Riggins impression doesn’t last long.
VERY relieved that Matt is no longer Riggins-in-Training. Though the idea that he thinks he could keep drinking pace with Tim is ADORABLE.
– Thinking about that Eric speech and then finding out how the playoffs ended in Season 3 feels so anticlimactic. And that’s SO MUCH shit for Smash to deal with over a matter of WEEKS.
– OK, maybe controversial, because there’s just something about Jean that doesn’t work for me. Maybe because I was first introduced to Brea Grant in Heroes, and that character’s energy seemed to be a better fit for her than Jean (like a slight edge of danger?).
– I haven’t watched either Khan or Jaws, but I gotta go with sharks!