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Welcome back to the rewatch! Last week, Meredith C. asked which new drinking game rule do we think will be the most deadly, and for me, it might be a tie between Billy and Mindy being too much and the Riggins boys and their choices. Luckily, there were plenty of other reasons to drink this week.
Previously, Saracen went to see his mother to have her sign emancipation paperwork. Tami started a beef with Buddy and the boosters over using the jumbotron funds for academics. And Coach scored Smash a tryout with Texas A&M.
Let’s refresh ourselves on those handy drinking game rules.
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!
3.04 “Hello, Goodbye”
The entire town turns out for the rodeo. Landry brings refreshments and Tyra is kind of mean to him, laughing at how he’s having his wisdom teeth removed the next day, but she agrees to go visit him and watch a movie when he’s done. Billy makes them all stop talking to watch one of the bull riders, Cash (Zach Roerig of The Vampire Diaries), who Mindy notes is one fine ass cowboy. Tyra definitely notices as well, and he notices her right back, tipping his hat from the arena. Later, they get acquainted at the honkytonk before hitting the dance floor, and Cash confirms that Landry and Tyra are just friends. The next day, Landry calls Tyra while hopped up on pain meds after his wisdom teeth removal to tell her he wants to watch Repo Man and eat ice cream with her and how he loves her even though she’s not his girlfriend anymore before his mom is able to grab his phone out of his hands. It’s adorable, but also, a lot to hear from an ex. That evening, at a crawfish boil on the Collettes’ back deck, it becomes clear that Cash and Billy go way back, and Billy seems to have a bit of a man crush over what a Renaissance man Cash is, even though he currently makes a living winning cash prizes getting tossed off bulls. Later that night, Tyra and Cash head out once Mindy and Billy start making out on the sofa. That’s when Tyra realizes she missed a bunch of texts from Landry. Cash distracts her with his mouth and she decides to skip going over to Landry’s, and later tells him she had a family emergency come up.
Poor Matt is frazzled trying to look after ornery Grandma Saracen, so when his mom, Shelby, stops by, saying she’s passing through town and offers to help him out while she’s in town, he takes her up on it. However, Grandma Saracen strenuously objects to change of any kind and is angry about Shelby taking her to a doctor appointment. When Shelby stops by unexpectedly with groceries, trying to get in good with Grandma by bringing her favorite cookies and some baby photos of Matt, Grandma stomps off to her room and Matt tells Shelby that she can’t just act like everything is normal when it’s not. He could have used her help five or ten years ago, but he says he doesn’t need it now. Matt apologizes and tells his Grandma that it was a mistake to let Shelby back into their lives. Grandma Saracen says that even though she doesn’t like Shelby, Matt’s dad is difficult, and maybe she could have helped Shelby more, though she refuses to elaborate on that. Matt meets Shelby at her motel diner and tells her that he knows his dad is a jerk. Shelby says she’s not going to talk bad about his dad, but she was 17 when she got pregnant, and they’d only been together a few months. She says she’ll never forgive herself for leaving Matt. She felt bad when she realized that Matt’s looking after his grandma all by himself while his dad is in Iraq and she just wants to lend a hand for a little while, and he agrees to accept her help.
Buddy is having surveyors out planning for the new Jumbotron, which pisses Tami off since they haven’t had their hearing to decide the matter yet. And while there, he makes sure to drop the news that he’s already been speaking with one of the school superintendent about it since they’re golf buddies. Tami recounts the conversation while angrily speedwalking with Katie McCoy. Katie advises that nobody likes an angry woman, which unfortunately, isn’t wrong, but still sucks a lot. Hilariously, Tami yells that she’s not angry. Katie suggests that Tami find out where the superintendent likes to get coffee and pretend to run into him so she can plead her case. When Tami stops in at a diner wearing a low-cut halter top with her hair down, she’s terrible at faking casual and comes off way too intense, which he interprets as anger. UGH, WHY ARE MEN. Tami just cares about the kids, y’all!
Coach Taylor is being pressed by the assistant coaches on whether he plans to let J.D. start in the next game, but he isn’t ready to commit to anything yet. At practice, Coach has Saracen and J.D. throw some passes, with J.D.’s arm obviously coming out ahead. When Eric finally makes his decision, he calls Matt and J.D. into the office to let them know they’re gonna shake things up Friday night. Matt is going to start, but he’s going to rotate the two players in and out, giving them equal time. He says it’s unorthodox, but he thinks it’ll help them win. Based on Matt’s face, he is extremely displeased.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
17. And then we finished all the drinks, because Smash is going to college, baby!
Did the Panthers win?
It was a bye week. But get ready, because next week, we’ve got two quarterbacks.
MVP of the Week
Coach helps Smash practice drills at night to get ready for the Texas A&M tryout, and then he drives him to College Station and does all the dad stuff of double-checking that Smash has all his gear and giving him some tips in the car and while they’re waiting on the sidelines that Smash is too impatient to listen to. When Eric’s contact from the front office comes out and tells them they’ll have to reschedule, he loses his shit and stomps out onto the field to confront the A&M coach. Eric manages to piss him off, but also convinces him to give Smash a shot. Just before they put Smash in to run some plays, Coach takes him aside and tells him exactly which game it was when he knew Smash was going all the way. It’s exactly the kind of inspirational speech that makes him the greatest and helps Smash play his heart out. When Smash gets the call that he got in and gets to tell his mom that he’s going to college, she and I both cry. Smash stops by the Taylor house to let Coach know that he got in and to thank Eric. Smash knows he couldn’t have done any of it without him. Eric shakes his hand and gives him an emotional yet manly hug. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Worst Second Break-Up Ever
When Landry sees Tyra walking outside the burger joint with Cash, he goes out to confront her and refuses to shake Cash’s hand when they’re introduced. Cash goes inside, and Landry and Tyra end up in a huge fight and it becomes clear that Landry didn’t really believe they’d broken up since they still hang out and she held his hand at a scary movie. Tyra is forced to yell that she chooses Cash to get through to him that they’re done. Landry’s poor face, y’all.
Best Taylor Couple Moment
Coach and Tami are driving through town while Tami dithers about Katie McCoy’s advice to track down the superintendent and Coach abruptly pulls into a bar parking lot.
“I need a drink.”
“We’ve got a bottle of wine at home…”
“I need a scotch-flavored drink.”
They sit at the bar while Eric verbally works through how he has to choose between Saracen and J.D. Tami loves that Eric’s conscience informs his decisions about the team and she thinks him being “a molder of men” is sexy. She’s not wrong.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Tim is barely in this episode! He and Lyla are at the rodeo and at the honkytonk later. But we really don’t see him again until he tosses a ball around with the guys before they head out of town. Hopefully, this situation is temporary.
The Taylor Advice of the Week
Coach was really on a roll this week, helping Smash get into college, and worrying over how Matt might react to being replaced as quarterback, but he still had time to comfort Tami when she tearfully confesses to him that she’s realized she should never have picked this fight over the Jumbotron. He says she should have because she’s right, they don’t need a Jumbotron, they need more teachers. He also agrees that she will probably lose this fight, but says she should definitely make them feel guilty about it.
Post-Game Breakdown
- Poor J.D. his dad won’t let him have fried foods. In Texas! I can’t believe I actually feel sorry for this kid.
- On their way out of town to drive Smash to College Station, the guys (Smash, Riggins, Saracen, and Landry) stop at Panther field to throw the ball around one last time together.
- In the end, Tami plays the good sport about the whole Jumbotron thing, but in a fantastic dig at Buddy, she volunteers him to host the PTA winter silent auction at the dealership, clearly without his knowledge.
- Julie is still making overtures to Matt, and he’s receptive, going so far as to have her over to study at his house. But that girl has zero game. How did she manage to date him, let alone anyone else?
And my final question for next week’s recapper, Meredith B., and you, whose side are you on in the Landry/Tyra break-up?
Be sure to join us next week for “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”.
I LOVED this episode. It’s been so long since the Taylors have been this good together, flirty and supportive, talking each other through their respective dilemmas, saying exactly what the other person needed to hear. It’s a breath of fresh air, too, seeing Matt finally catch a break at home (if not on the field), and I cried so hard at Smash getting into college. I’m crying right now, just thinking about it!
I’ll get into my Tyra/Landry feelings next week, but yeah, I HAVE THOUGHTS. (Mainly: cool it, dude.)
Somehow I’d forgotten how great this episode is. I remember Smash getting into college being super emotional. And I cried all over again. But the Coach and Tami stuff is so good, Coach storming out onto the A&M field? Perfection. But yes! Casting Kim Dickens as Shelby is exactly what that storyline needed to make Matt’s absent mom sympathetic. And that poor kid really did need the help.
Yes, this was a great episode! Like, screw you Matt’s mom but also, good on you for showing up when you realize he DOES need you and for not making excuses.
I totally cried for Smash multiple times in this episode, especially on that ending shot of his joy-filled grin. All the tears and he was not even a top 5 fave character! Who I will ALSO really miss is Mama Smash, as she became one of my fave side characters during this rewatch with her practicality and dreams for her kids’ better lives.
There have been such good Taylor moments this season, and that bar scene was definitely a highlight.
I hadn’t watched The Vampire Diaries during my first go-round with FNL, so I was that Leo meme during this episode when Cash shows up. It’s weird to see TVD Matt with such…confidence, lol.
– SO HAPPY FOR SMASH! What a beautiful send-off for a character (and actor) who wasn’t always given the best material, but the show definitely stuck the landing.
– Landry/Tyra/Cash is a classic Everyone Sucks Here. Landry for the weird entitlement; Tyra for being a shitty friend; and Cash for being yet another Dillon adult creeping on a teenager. (It’s possible that Cash and Billy overlapped as freshman/senior, but they seemed to be good friends, which would indicate closer in age.)
– Also in casting ages all over the place: not sure if I’ve ever read Henry Saracen as a former teen dad, but I do have a sliver of sympathy for Shelby (although still the most for Matt). It’s awful that she left Matt when he was 7, but she was 24 herself. Also not great that she hadn’t reached out herself before Matt did. But like him, I’m willing to give her a chance!