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Howdy, y’all, and welcome back to our Friday Night Lights rewatch!
Last week, Mandy W. posed this question: What would you like to have seen on Tim and Jason’s sightseeing tour of New York? I was really jonesing for a romcom-style shopping montage, but this isn’t exactly the kind of show that veers into that kind of camp.
The previous episode said goodbye to one of the OGs: Jason went to New York, got a job at a sports agency, and asked Erin to become a family. Back in Dillon, Tami pined after a house but Eric said no, Matt practiced as a wide receiver against Eric’s wishes, and Tyra decided to join her supremely undeserving boyfriend on his rodeo tour.
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
And now, on to the episode!
3.09 “Game of the Week”
Tim returns to Dillon after a mere three days in NYC to find his truck crashed into a bush in his front yard. Inside the house, he finds a drunk and distraught Billy, who’s been dumped by Mindy and is dealing the only way the Riggins brothers know how. Tim is approached by a recruiter from San Antonio State who’s willing to do almost anything to get Tim to go to their school. Because Riggins, Tim does his best to sabotage himself and his future, and even Lyla’s fed up with his shit. Thankfully, all’s well that ends well, as Billy makes a grand gesture of apologizing to Mindy and Tim gets a second chance from the recruiter that he actually takes.
Tami’s birthday is coming up, but she doesn’t want to celebrate. Going against her wishes (but knowing his wife), Eric books a hotel room for the two of them and plans to treat her right. Their night is cut short by a phone call from Tyra, but more on that later.
While they’re practicing, Buddy Garrity announces to the team that the Panthers have been picked by “the TV people” to be the nationally televised high school game of the week. The entirely of Dillon High is stoked about the idea, and even Landry gets some of the action when the TV people want to highlight him as a student athlete. During the actual game, the Panthers struggle, but they ultimately eke out a win over Arnett Mead.
In Dallas, Tyra thinks she’s having fun on her adventure with Cash, but it quickly goes sour when Cash reveals that he owes some rough dudes a ton of money. He tries to win it back at poker, but soon runs out of money. He goes looking for more, leaving Tyra in a sketchy bar filled with sketchy men. Cue her call to Tami for a rescue. Naturally, the Taylors don’t hesitate to rush to her aid.
And in the continued saga of Matt Saracen Can’t Catch a Break, Grandma Saracen picks a fight with his mom—who’s only trying to help—and guilts Matt into feeling like he can’t go to college. A light comes on at the end of the tunnel, however, when his mom and Grandma celebrate Matt’s success in the week’s game together.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
30 times. Cash is THE WORST.
Did the Panthers win?
Yes! And on national TV to boot!
MVP of the Week
Tami Taylor, y’all. Such a quality person and a terrific (even when at her worst) mom. I want to be like her when my son gets older; someone who he and his friends can rely on for help, whenever, wherever, and for whatever reason.
Word Play of the Week
I cackled when the TV announcer said “That boy held on like he was holding on to his mama.” What does that even mean?
“Best” Taylor Couple Moment
The few moments the two had together in the hotel room—and their subsequent rescue of Tyra, even when they rarely get a night alone—was a perfect example of why we love the Taylors so much. They’re so grossly in love, and they’re so willing to put everything on hold to help their kiddos, even those that aren’t blood related.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
“I want to celebrate, and I only want to celebrate with you, because I wouldn’t be here without you.” Even I, FYAHQ’s resident Riggins denier, swooned a little at his declaration to Lyla. His childlike excitement was so sweet.
The Taylor Advice of the Week
They didn’t put it in words, but their actions for Tyra definitely got the “do whatever it takes to support your people” message across.
Post-Game Breakdown:
- Who are “the TV people” and why couldn’t the writers have come up with a fake channel name? This had the markings of a “let’s just put this in the script for now and we’ll come up with a better name later” situation gone wrong. That said, it is 1000% something Buddy Garrity would say.
- Do we think Lyla and Mindy could bond over anything other than their frustration with the Riggins brothers?
- I do not blame the TV people for wanting to interview Landry. That guy’s impressive. And how does one get a 4.6 GPA in such a small town?
- I don’t know if this is the last we’ll see of Cash, but I really, really hope so. That guy’s bad news.
Come back next week for Meredith C.’s recap of “The Giving Tree.” (One of the all-time worst children’s books, but I digress.) My question for her—and you, gentle readers—is: What advice would you give Tyra now that she’s realized what a mistake it was to run off with Cash?
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“The TV People” makes me think of Poltergeist, lol.
Sorry but I’m DONE giving advice to Tyra. I’m honestly so annoyed with her Cash plot. She went through SO MUCH to be considered college-worthy, and she threw it all away for this dumb boy she barely met in spite of DOZENS of red flags, and now she ruined Tami’s birthday with her drama. That said, Tami and Coach are the BEST.
Oh, for sure. She’s just not learning at this point. 😛