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Howdy, y’all, and welcome back to our Friday Night Lights rewatch!
Last week, Mandy W. posed this question: Which new character are you most excited about? I have to say Vince, as much as Luke’s a dear. Michael B. Jordan is such a stellar actor, and it’ll be fun to see how far he’s come. (And see Vince and Eric’s relationship blossom!)
The previous episode saw Luke McCafferty’s deception come to an end, Matt’s internship with Richard Sherman start, and the Riggins’ brothers’ animosity continue.
The Official FYA Friday Night Lights S4 Drinking Game
Drink once every time:
You want to give Matt Saracen or Julie Taylor a hug
Tami Taylor has a glass of wine
Tami Taylor says “y’all”
Landry Clarke rambles or goes off on a tangent
Tim Riggins is exasperated / perplexed by Becky
You want to give Vince a Coach-style talk
Luke is just so earnest!
Gracie appears in a scene
You want to punch Joe or J.D. McCoy in the face
There’s a scene with BBQ
Stan is a LOT
You ship Jess and Vince (sorry Landry!)
You tear up
Drink twice every time:
The Lions score a touchdown
You think, “F**k the Tami haters.”
You’re (surprise!) Team Buddy Garrity
Tim and/or Billy Riggins makes poor choices
There’s a classic Coach Taylor pep talk
Take a shot when:
You hear, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!”
You hear, “Texas Forever.”
Smash is mentioned
Glen shows up
Skeeter arrives
Finish your drink when:
The Lions get their new uniforms
There are two major goodbyes at the end of Episode 6
The Lions win their first game
Steven Hannibal Riggins arrives
And now, on to the episode!
4.03 “In the Skin of a Lion”
As part of his plan to turn the East Dillon football program around, Eric has the team push a car around town to drum up funds. (Most of which end up being his, via his proxy Tim.) Under Armour comes a-knocking regardless, and Eric makes a (really dumb) decision to write a check his mouth literally can’t cash. When Tami questions him about the missing check, he lies at first, but then comes clean when he continues to struggle to find replacement funds elsewhere. Tami’s rightfully peeved, but the two reconcile before the end of the episode, because Taylors.
The team continues to struggle at practice, and Eric makes decisions on where to put people that has certain members of the team—Luke and Vince, and to a certain extent Landry—questioning his sanity. Eric’s coaching prowess shines, though, when the Lions finally get a touchdown. Thanks and no thanks to Vince, whose struggle to be a team player almost costs them the chance.
Elsewhere in town, Julie questions her faith, which sends Tami spiraling a bit, and her role in Matt’s life. (She is not a “ball and chain dragging him down, Richard Sherman. You are a douche. And a sad stereotype of a “tortured artist.”) Matt struggles to see the worth of his internship, especially when Richard Sherman makes Matt drive him 400 miles for some car parts. Tim continues to be eighteen steps behind Becky. Landry gets some pointers from Jes. And Buddy makes a grand gesture at a Panthers Booster Club meeting and “quits” the team.
How many times do I have to take a drink?
25 drinks, one shot (Thanks, Buddy!), and my whole drink gone, in celebration of the new Lions uniforms.
Did the Lions win?
Ha, no. But they got on the board, and looked good doing it.
MVP of the Week
Tami’s excellence at being both mother and wife shone during this episode. She showcased the former while working through her internal turmoil over Julie’s thinking of church as a “family tradition” rather than something she really believes in. And the latter through her rational yet perturbed reaction to Eric writing The Check and later making it clear that they’re on the same team, regardless. Mom+Partner goals, for sure.
Early Aughts Fashion Play of the Week
What was Jess wearing when she happened upon Landry at the field? Sleeveless hoodie with hood up over a driving cap with sweats tucked into knee-high black galoshes? I want to talk to the person who came up with that outfit.
Best Taylor Couple Moment
This exchange—
“She’s a teenager. Give her a week and she’ll turn around. Be 180 degrees.”
“Yeah, but who knows where she’ll go from there.”
“Well, I don’t think she’s going to hell any time soon, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
—had me cackling. Especially when Eric changed the subject immediately and gave Tami no time to comment.
Tim Riggins’ Finest Moment
Asking Becky if she had a boyfriend, then suggesting she talk to Luke so that Tim doesn’t have to drive her around (“boyfriend duties”), had the poor girl experiencing hope whiplash. I’ve rarely seen someone go from elated to deflated so quickly.
The Taylor Advice of the Week
“They may be new, but they’re still work clothes.” Way to keep the momentum of taking high school football too seriously, Eric. But it worked!
Post-Game Breakdown:
- I’m glad the show’s taking its time with the Lions, making their turnaround more believable.
- Although my parent-forced Presbyterian childhood had me cringing at the faith storyline of this episode, I appreciate where Tami landed with her struggle. (No offense to anyone who’s kept up with their childhood church-going efforts!)
- I know this episode aired in 2009, but the problematic race relations/stereotypes persist. While I fully agree with Vince’s friend that white people are the worst, the rest of his assertions weren’t healthy.
- Do we agree with Matt that Richard Sherman’s angel (?) piece was “a beautiful piece of crap”? And why do I feel the need to always refer to Richard Sherman by his full name?
- Will this season take us too far from the people we’ve come to know and love (or hate, as the case might be) in previous ones? Or is it good to bring in a whole lot of new blood?
Come back next week for Meredith C.’s recap of “A Sort of Homecoming.” My question for her—and you, gentle readers—is: Do we want to see Vince and Luke become more than just teammates? And if they do become best friends, will it feel as unrealistic as that moment in Step Brothers? (Which, side note, released in 2008, so someone could totally reference it in-universe.)
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– Every time I read the episode title I just hear, “this is the skin of a killer” in my head. 😂
– Sad Angry Sack Richard Sherman is forgettable without his full name, I guess. Him telling Julie she’s a ball and chain and then forcing the poor college student to use up his gas to drive him hundreds of miles pissed me off so much again. Matt should’ve left his ass at the dump and driven home.
– I also was trying hard not to roll my eyes during the faith crisis of 2009 as someone who also always felt like church was an obligation as a child, but yes, I did like where Tami left it.
– I’m so over Richard Sherman! I hate that Matt is yet again saddled with an awful storyline.
– Always weird to be on Team Buddy!
– Whatever the show’s doing with Tim/Becky… I do not want an inappropriate adult/teen pairing. (Even though Tim is fresh out of high school lol but just the mom thing makes it ick. Even more ick, since the mom was wrong as hell for that, too.)
– Julie’s date outfit was also SUPER ’00s; she practically walked out of a CosmoGirl issue.
– Vince and Luke becoming BFFs would be a more interesting route, since we’ve already had clashing Black/white players with Smash and Tim. (But also, when you say “become more than just teammates”…. 👀)
– I definitely want Luke and Vince to be friends; I think besties is unrealistic but friends for sure.
– 1000% agree on Julie’s date outfit, omg.
– BUDDY!!!! Damn, his speech at the booster party made me want to stand up and cheer. See, who knew we’d ever been on Team Buddy Garrity?!