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Hot damn, y’all, we’ve arrived at the Season 3 finale! And what a season it has been!!!!
Last week, the Panthers headed to State, and while they didn’t win, they played a hell of a game (in spite of J.D. being a huge brat, so much so that Coach put Matt back in as QB). Why was J.D. being a brat? Well, because after his dad got violent with him, Tami was legally obligated to call CPS, and now the McCoys are pissed. In better news, Tyra, with the emotional help of Landry, wrote a kickass essay for her college applications, while Matt is thinking about applying to a Chicago art school (his interest in drawing has been mentioned on the show before but not much). And maybe, just maybe, Julie and Grandma Saracen can let him go.
Meredith asked me if I understood why Tami felt conflicted about calling CPS, and honestly, I really do! As much as I hate Joe McCoy and obviously cannot ABIDE hitting people, especially your own children, getting CPS involved can potentially have very serious repercussions, and it would be so hard to know that this could really hurt Katie and/or J.D. Do I think she did the right thing? Yes. But do I think it’s realistic that she wrestled with the decision? Absolutely.
Now, let’s take one last look at our S3 drinking game, because you’re gonna need some liquid courage to deal with all of the cha-cha-changes ahead! (And because it’s Billy and Mindy’s wedding, duh.)
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 finale!
3.13 “Tomorrow Blues”
Five months have passed, and we’re treated to a montage of everyone looking happy and couples (including Tyra and Landry!) being together. But the end of the school year is almost here, and that means eeeeeverything is about to change.
Tyra’s been waitlisted at UT Austin, which is really stressing her out, while Lyla is continuing with her plan to go to San Antonio State with Tim. Tami and Buddy, who worked together to get Vanderbuilt to hold her spot, meet with Lyla to try to convince her to consider it, but she’s worried about the money. Buddy promises that he’ll do anything to make sure she can go, including asking his estranged brother for money. Meanwhile, Landry gets tired of hearing Tyra moan about the waitlist, so they drive to Austin so she can meet with an admissions counselor. Y’all, I love Tyra standing up for herself (drink) but as someone who once worked in admissions, I felt REALLY bad for this guy. He’s nice enough but tells her there are 1,000 people on the waitlist, ouch. Understandably, she freaks out on the drive home, so much so that Landry stops the car and gets out, telling her he can’t take it anymore, that she’s letting other people’s opinions get to her. She replies, “When so many people tell you one thing about yourself, you start to believe it,” and my heart breaks a little, but then Landry swoops in with a pep talk worth of Coach Taylor. He doesn’t care what other people think about her; he doesn’t even care what she thinks about herself. He believes in her. And she’s gotta start believing in herself. ILU LANDRY CLARKE! And then, in very magical timing, he drops her off at home where Angela is holding a letter for her from UT. She races outside, catches Landry before he drives off, and opens the letter with him. SHE GOT IN!!!!! They hug, and Mindy and Angela join, and they’re all crying, and I’m crying (cheers), and Team Tyra Collette forever and ever, amen.
Speaking of college, Matt got into the Art Institute of Chicago, but it’s clear he is gutted by the idea of leaving Julie and Grandma Saracen, who has finally agreed to move into an assisted living facility. When Matt helps her unpack her stuff (including an adorable 7th grade class photo of Matt) in her new room, she puts on a brave face, but after they hug goodbye, Matt stops just past the door, and we see them both tear up. Julie even starts to cry after the Taylors give her her own car (Coach, with a look of consternation watching her climb in: “I didn’t think about her driving it.”), confessing to Tami that she feels left behind. Tami comforts her by saying that if she and Matt are meant to be, they will be, but if not, there’s someone special out there for her. “But it’s not Matt,” Julie replies, and I wanna hug her so badly!
On their way home from an auction to buy a hydraulic lift (more on that later), the Riggins’ brothers truck breaks, and while Billy tries to fix it, Tim complains about having to go to San Antonio State where, he whines, “They don’t even have a place like Smitty’s where I can just go relax, you know, and be me.”
We also get this gem:
Then, he ends up fixing the truck because Billy can’t, and Billy’s like, what am I doing, owning a repair shop when I can’t fix my own damn truck. The brothers start to daydream about working together at Riggins’ Rigs, then Billy reveals that Mindy is pregnant!! Tim is HYPED, miming a baby coming out of his crotch and exclaiming, “We’ve got a little football coming our way!” They end up hootin’ and hollerin’ and tusslin’ in a field as they do.
Now, for my least favorite storyline of the episode: Coach’s contract with Dillon High is up for renewal, and Joe McCoy is actively working to make sure Wade Aikmen gets the job—unless, of course, Eric promises to let J.D. start every game and let Wade make all of the calls. Eric basically tells him to shove that offer up his ass, but Tami’s worried, and she urges Eric to figure out a strategy to project his job. He does show up to the school board meeting to speak on his own behalf, though I feel like we didn’t see the normal Coach Taylor “rallying speech” passion. (Maybe it was his pride, which he said he would never give up.)
Then the big day arrives: Mindy and Billy’s wedding! Y’all, it’s as wonderfully tacky as we could have hoped for! There’s a band in white suits and cowboy hats singing (I use this word loosely) “Baby, I Love Your Way” as the wedding party walks down the aisle; the reception is at an Elks Lodge complete with a sweaty cover band; Tim and Billy are wearing white suits and white cowboy hats while the bridesmaids are rocking (?) pink satin; and, thank god, Mindy decided to buy that wedding dress with the wings!!
Tami arrives a little late and, with the saddest look on her face, tells Eric the board gave the job to Wade, and they are offering Eric the head coaching job at East Dillon High. He is in utter shock, and I have never wanted to punch Joe McCoy more than I do in this moment (and I’ve reeeeeally wanted to punch him on numerous occasions, as evidenced by how many drinks I’ve been taking this season).
At the reception, Buddy asks Angela to dance and she says yes?! Whatever, I’ll allow it. Lyla admits to Tim that she got the money to go to Vanderbuilt (more on that below) while Julie tells Matt she doesn’t want to hold him back, and therefore, she’s breaking up with him. He refuses to accept that and insists that they’ll be okay, and Julie really wants to believe him. She remarks that Grandma Saracen would’ve loved the wedding, so Matt heads to the home and tells her that he’s taking her to the wedding… and then he’s taking her home, as in, to their house: “You’re the only person who’s never left me. I’m not gonna leave you.” It’s such a sweet moment, but also, I’m like, noooo Matt!
Then it’s time to throw rice and watch Billy and Mindy get in their (frankly, amazing) old white limo to head to their honeymoon in Puerto Rico, but Tim intercepts them first. He tells Billy he doesn’t have to go to San Antonio State now, since Lyla’s not going, which means he can stay, and they can work together at Riggins’ Rigs. Billy, in perhaps his finest moment on the whole series, isn’t having it. He says that Tim has to go to college, and get a degree, because he’s about to have kids, and he wants them to see that they can be anyone they want to be—they don’t have to settle for being second best. “We gotta do better by our kids,” he says, and Tim really and truly hears him. It’s a beautiful moment between these two brothers!
The finale ends with Coach and Tami, still in their wedding gear, arriving at the East Dillon High football field, which is in shambles. They survey the field, arms around each other, as the sun sets and the camera slowly zooms out.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
10
Did the Panthers win?
Well, technically no, because there wasn’t a game, but I would also say yes, they did lose, because Coach Taylor won’t be their coach anymore.
MVP of the Week
I gotta give it to Landry again! His speech to Tyra was so heartfelt and passionate and, even though she found out she got into UT only hours later, I’m confident she’s going to remember his words for years to come. LANDRY CLARKE BELIEVES IN YOU, TYRA! And we do too.
Best Worst Purchase of the Week
So, after the Riggins brothers win their bid on the hydraulic lift (Tim gets VERY excited), they also decide to bid on a longhorn (drink). YES, a living, breathing, hugeass longhorn. Tim thinks of it as a brilliant marketing move: “I defy anyone to pass through Riggins’ Rigs with that steer in front of it and not go inside.” Fortunately, they don’t also buy the chair with a deer butt on the back made to look like an owl face. (I tried to find an image online to better capture what the hell I’m talking about but I don’t recommend Googling “deer butt owl face chair.”)
Best Taylor Couple Moment
At the reception, Tami and Eric start to slow dance, and Tami, with so much love and conviction, tells her husband that no matter what he does or where he goes, she’ll always be behind him. It’s a tender moment and, given how Eric’s entire career has been pulled out from under him, it’s a powerful testament to their strength as a couple, because I found myself thinking, “You know what? They’re gonna be just fine.”
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
When Lyla admits to Tim that she got the money to Vanderbuilt, but she’s still sticking to the plan to go to San Antonio State with him, he immediately tells her she has to go. “I’m not gonna be that guy that’ll stop you,” he says, staring into her eyes. “Don’t make me be that guy.” I know he’s already told Lyla he loves her, but this scene really proves it, because he truly wants the best for her. Tim Riggins Forever!
The Taylor Advice of the Week
Tami and Coach were too busy dealing with their own crisis to dish out any pep talks, but I think Landry and Tim filled the void beautifully.
Post-Game Breakdown
Well, that was a helluva season finale! It’s bittersweet to know we’re saying good-bye (mostly) to certain characters, but I’m also excited to enter the very different yet equally as layered world of East Dillon in Season 4. Kudos to the writers for finding a way to reinvent the show while staying true to its spirit; I can’t WAIT to experience it with y’all again (or for the first time, for some of you!!).
Next week, I’ll unveil the Season 4 drinking game (y’all are gonna love the Becky rule), and then Stephanie has the pleasure of covering the premiere, “East of Dillon.” In the meantime, I wanna know how everyone feels about Matt’s decision to take Grandma out of the assisted living facility. I’m VERY conflicted!
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Ahhhh, what a season, what a finale!!!! Loved every single minute. The wedding was PERFECT, and I actually lol’ed when Coach said, “What am I even doing here? I barely know Billy Riggins!”
I feel SO complicated about Matt’s decision. He is such a sweetheart but also AUGH he puts everyone in front of himself all the time.
So excited to experience S4!
Hahaha YES that line from Coach was great. Like a nice lil wink from the writers.
LOL yes it’s so true there were plenty of people there that really had no reason to be!
– I feel like Buddy made less sense as a wedding guest than the Taylors 😂 although at least there was the tiny moment with Angela to signal that they’re cool now.
– I get why Matt put Grandma ahead of himself yet again, but it really is like the same song and dance again and again. Although I don’t know what neat and tidy solution there really could be where everyone’s happy. (It does suck that everyone else who graduated has an I CHOOSE ME storyline, whereas Matt’s is just lol jk never mind.)
– I’m glad that Billy talked some sense into Tim! And now to see if he’ll follow through 😬
– Tami’s wedding fit? HUMINA. Maybe one of her all-time looks!
– Yes, I loved Tami’s wedding attire!
– I actually think Tyra looked cute in that bridesmaid dress, as shiny as it was. I loved her hair in the curls.
– Maybe Angela hoped Buddy would give Mindy a really nice wedding gift, lol.
Omg I forgot to mention: I assume Rich Uncle Gary is Pam’s brother (although I would not put it past Buddy to be in a feud with his own brother), but I also love the idea of a Gary Garrity 😂
I love you Matt Saracen, but 18 year-olds should not be making decisions about care for their elderly relatives. Grandma Saracen needs specialized care! And Matt need to go to college!
I will never forgive Joe McCoy.
– Fuuuuuuck Joe McCoy. That actor plays smarmy too well. Also, you know what, fuck everyone at that school board meeting who threw Eric under the bus and voted him out as well, spineless and greedy arseholes every one of them.
– As someone who married their boyfriend they met at 17 (technically we met in college since I went early, but still) AND kind of “followed” him to school out of town (I didn’t have any strong feelings about WHERE I went for my last two years, and the school he picked ended up being great, haha), I totally empathized with Julie for feeling left behind, especially when we know that they do end up together in the long-run. So it’s like, yes, not every high-school couple can or should work out, but sometimes when you know, you just know, and being apart from that person for logistical reasons really sucks.
– HOWEVER. Oh, Matty. I do just so wish he was able to freely leave and get to be a “kid” experiencing a carefree college experience. He’s had so much responsibility shoved on his shoulders. I totally understand why someone with his abandonment issues would feel like he was the worst person in the world for leaving his grandma, and while I think they could’ve given it a bit more time (Grandma Saracen is so social I bet she’d end up enjoying the home once she got used to it), I get why he made the decision he did out of fear. While we’re throwing them out, also fuck his dad for abandoning him and not even helping out with his own mom. Like Shelby isn’t perfect by any means for leaving when Matt was young, but at least in the present once she saw how Matt was really struggling with Grandma, she put in the effort to help out, even when it was thankless (I always lol at how much Grandma hates her).
– My husband watched this episode with me and kept saying, “How did Riggins get so much younger?!?” Apparently a lighthearted, earnest and joking around Tim, compared to perpetually guilt-ridden and drunk season 1 Riggins, looks like someone shaved a few years off Taylor Kitsch’s face. (I think it’s ALSO because his hair isn’t greasy and hanging in his face, haha.)