About:
Welcome back to our Friday Night Lights Rewatch Project! Even the show’s glad to be rid of Season 2, on account of how it doesn’t even bother with the Previously segment. (Which could just be a premiere quirk, but I’m choosing to believe it’s because of Season 2.)
I’ll only revisit the Season That Shan’t Be Named one more time for Steph’s questions. If I were Erin, I don’t know if I’d keep Jason’s miracle baby, but I’d definitely tell him that everything he’s doing is actually working against his favour lollllll like you’re not about to pester me into having a baby. And for my Season 2 highlight, it’s gotta be the Tim Riggins glow-up!
We’re starting a new season, which means we have a drinking game update!
The Official FYA Friday Night Lights Season 3 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
You think, “It’s JUST football, people.”
Gracie appears in a scene
You want to punch Joe McCoy in the face
Grandma Saracen gets riled up
Billy and Mindy are too much but you love ‘em anyway
You tear up
Drink twice every time:
The Panthers score a touchdown
Tim and/or Billy Riggins makes poor choices
There’s a classic Coach Taylor pep talk
You think, “Cash is bad news.”
Devin is the shit
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”
Smash gets into college
On to the episode!
3.1 “I Knew You When”
It’s a new school year, and the show yada-yadas over the past few months since the last episode.
Smash hurt his knee during the playoffs, effectively ending the team’s championship defense and his own college hopes. Eric’s been helping with Smash’s rehab, but he’s still nowhere close to his personal bests and is resigned to working at the Alamo Freeze and being just plain BRIAN. But Eric’s going to do everything in his power to get The Smash on a college football team.
Back in Dillon High, the team’s still finding its way without Smash. Hotshot freshman quarterback JD McCoy has arrived from Dallas, solely because his rich overbearing beer tycoon father Joe wants him to play for THE Eric Taylor. Dillon dominates in the season opener, so Eric puts JD in for a few plays, and the kid absolutely lives up to the hype.
Tim switches from fullback to tailback, but the positions he’s most interested in are the ones with Lyla (HEY-OH!). She’s now living with Buddy to finish her senior year, with Pam (and presumably the younger Garritys) moving to California with her fiancé. After Lyla calls Tim out for not taking anything seriously, he gets his shizz together on the field and she hard launches their relationship right on his face at the dealership afterparty.
Dillon High has a new principal, and it’s Tami Mothercussin’ Taylor! First order of business: the annual budget, which is in shambles — except for the football team, of course. Tami does some creative and above-board accounting by reallocating the boosters’ Jumbotron fund for academics. Malicious compliance!
Tyra and Landry broke up but are still good friends, as perhaps to be expected when one is willing to literally murder for the other. Tyra’s determined to ace her senior year to get into college — until shitty Vice Principal Trucks bursts her bubble. But with some encouragement from Principal Tami, Tyra’s college plan is back on — starting with a run for student council president.
Remember when Billy was dating his brother’s ex? He’s since moved on with his brother’s ex’s sister, Mindy. After five blissful weeks together, Billy humbles himself in Seven Señoritas Cantina to propose — and Mindy accepts!
Julie’s life seems to have been relatively stagnant, since her biggest concern is rearranging her school schedule so that she can get a job. Tami doesn’t approve of the schedule changes, but she’s busy with her principal duties so Julie sneakily gets Eric’s sign-off instead. It’s a whole boring thing with lots of yelling, as this mother and daughter duo are prone to do.
No status updates for Jason, who wasn’t around; and Gracie Bell, who’s still a baby. (She might have new teeth?)
How many times do I have to take a drink?
33 drinks, in Riggins’ honour! JK, there were A LOT of touchdowns and annoying white men behaviour.
If this episode’s any indication, I’ll be invoking the Joe McCoy rule FREQUENTLY. Although I’ll have to apply it somewhat judiciously, since having a face alone is not a punchable offense. (But he’s making a strong case for it!)
Did the Panthers win?
Sure did! The blowout against the South Pines Tigers might have kicked off a quarterback controversy in the process!
MVP of the Week
Tim has a higher volume of wins, but Tyra’s was more satisfying for telling off a vehicle-named man who has zero clue on how to work with teenagers — all while rocking her new cute curls. (Side note: why is a new terrible man filling in as guidance counsellor? Was Glenn busy lol)
Best Face of the Week
Top tier awkward reaction shots this week! And because I love a poll: let’s put it to a vote!
Best face of the week:
- Tami (50%)
- Tyra (50%)
- Landry (0%)
- Buddy (0%)
Loading ...Best Taylor Couple Moment
Shallowly, expositionally, and accurately: Eric starting the episode with “Principal Taylor, you look hot”. But my real answer is Tami owning up to mishandling the Julie drama, which couldn’t have been easy on account of how often she’s right, and Eric accepting the apology graciously.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Free from the angst of Jason betrayal and Jesus cockblock, Tim and Lyla are TOO CUTE. (This isn’t actually my pick, but how could I not I make these GIFs?!?)
My fave is actually the heart-to-heart between Tim and Smash, especially knowing how far they’ve come since Season 1!
The Taylor Advice of the Week
I’ve already covered Tami and Tyra, so let’s give some love to Eric and Smash! A lovely example of Coach Taylor’s dedication to these kids extending beyond obligation — and graduation. (Playing squash in regular clothes, though… I have questions.)
Post-Game Breakdown
- Wtf are peg and eggs?
- Lololol at Buddy using Jumbotron engagements as a selling point, and someone (the mayor?) unironically calling the Jumbotron beautiful. RIP Buddy Garrity, you would have loved the Vegas Sphere.
- Joe McCoy telling Eric “All you gotta do is sniff”… JAIL. Who do you think you are, Torrance Shipman?!
- I know this kind of thing happens all the time, but I can’t get over the game afterparty being held at Buddy’s dealership lololol. Or that he was in the same room as Angela without her kicking his ass. (Small town etiquette, I suppose!)
- Did Julie not get the memo that the Season 2 terribleness is over? (Also: very funny that Tami’s beef over her schedule is that one of the AP English teachers suck. You mean the one on your payroll???)
- Speaking of left behind in Season 2: I might be the only person who cares, but now that Lyla’s living with Buddy, WHITHER SANTIAGO?
- Also on the missing persons list (but I know we haven’t seen the last of): it’s pretty funny how there wasn’t a single non-football thought about Jason. Tim going to Smash for Lyla advice makes sense given their complicated history, but Jason got name-dropped SO MUCH, like the show really needs you to know they haven’t forgotten about him. (Unlike Santiago and Matt Czuchry.)
Join us next week as Mandy C. recaps “Tami Knows Best”. My burning question for y’all: Which character’s storyline are you most excited about this season?
Shop Our Friday Night Lights Themed Merch
Wither Santiagoooooo (you are not the only one who cares!!). I’m so excited to see happy Riggins and Lyla 🙂
– I looked it up, and Santiago and Chris are just never mentioned again?!? Not even a “Poochie went back to his home planet”; wild choice.
– Happy Lyla and Tim are so great! And at least Buddy’s disapproval should be more fun than cheating angst. (Him clutching his grapes while watching them make out lololol)
— LOL to Gracie’s update, and, once again, I got through that whole episode, having JUST watched the one about Jason’s miracle pregnancy, and completely forgot he wasn’t there, not bothered by it at ALL.
— I know they had to move on quickly from the Season 2 Writer’s Strike, but I do miss the connective tissue moments between Tim/Lyla’s church flirting to her breaking up with Matt Czuchry and them getting together. I wanted to see it happen!! And I’ll pretend Santiago graduated and moved onto a vocational college where he was able to get financial aid and is successfully doing something with his hands.
— Tyra’s hair is so cute!
— Ugh, that jumbotron. I legit forgot about Tami becoming Principal. If she’d asked me, being in charge is for THE BIRDS and she should’ve stayed in her guidance counselor office so she could have fun lunches with Glenn instead of worrying about textbooks. (Yeah, yeah, we need good people in charge and willing to step up, blah blah fishcakes. I’m BITTER.)
— To answer your question, I don’t remember ANYONE’S third season storylines, lolol, so, uh, I hope Matt can finally catch a break and doesn’t get involved with any more inappropriate and annoying caregivers.
– I really felt the need to include Gracie’s update to emphasize how little Julie has going on 😂
– YES YES YES to the connective tissue! Maybe less of a problem watching in real time, but real whiplash during a rewatch.
– I also have questions about the qualifications required to be a principal lollll but from the state of Dillon High, obvs beggars can’t be choosers.
– FROM YOUR LIPS TO… no one in particular, given that everything’s already occurred. But much like Lyla/Tim finally getting to be FUN, I also want that life for Matt. (Although I’m remembering some of the few things I know, and idk idk lol)
It was so damn REFRESHING to watch this episode and be like, “Ahhh, THIS is the show I love.” Though yeah, I had significant whiplash going from the last episode of S2 to this because… a lot of stuff happened but not shown? Characters are just gone? Relationships have ended and begun? Did this have something to do with the writers’ strike? (I’m too lazy to look it up.)
– With that said, I am super relieved that the writers chose to break up Landry and Tyra off camera. Though there is still some fallout we’ll have to deal with…
– As a fan of Mindy & Billy, I am STOKED that they will be more prominent in S3.
– I applaud Tami for the effort but girl, you do not go up against Buddy and THE MAYOR and THE ENTIRE TOWN.
– Yeah, Wiki says the abrupt S2 end and lack of resolution was due to the strike: “Some plots are quickly summarized, while others are never again mentioned in season 3.” lololol
– I was going to say that I don’t mind Landry/Tyra minus murder stuff, but then also thought of some things that I didn’t like with them together, like the jealousy subplots and them being isolated from the rest of the characters. If Tyra needs a friend, Julie is RIGHT THERE (… because she doesn’t have a car to go anywhere else).
– Tbh the most surprising thing about Mindy/Billy is them not getting together sooner!
– Yes, Tami vs. Football is probably not going to go well for her lol but I can hope!!!