Commitment issues on 'Friday Night Lights'
The first 50 minutes or so of this week's Friday Night Lights? Pretty strong, with only a quibble or two about Smash's recruiting. The last 10 minutes, though? Oy.
(I verbally commit to give you some spoilers.)
In terms of the pressure applied to a star player to pick a school, the phalanx of recruiters promising the world to Smash feels pretty accurate. Recruiting has become a cottage industry, with players tracked practically from the time they put their pads on, and top prospects sometimes declaring their intentions on national TV. So it's no surprise that Smash is being deluged, and that his mother is increasingly peeved about it.
That said, verbal commitments are about as valuable as the paper they're printed on; it's true that there's more pressure than ever to give them, but all that really matters is when a player signs a letter of intent in February. But since Friday Night Lights sets its TV-season calendar to the Texas football season, which ends in December, it doesn't get to do a singing-day episode.
So, fine. If the show's intent was to illustrate the weight of expectations on kids (and their families) who may or may not be ready to handle it, then well done. Loved the scene with Mrs. Williams, Tami and the Oklahoma Tech recruiter at the grocery, and the smack-talk between Smash and Chip about who was recruiting whom. Coach's chat with Smash and his adviser/girlfriend Noelle hit its mark too, as it dawns on Smash that he might not be The Man right away in college, wherever he decides to go.
Still, for all the talk about him taking his time and not making an emotional decision, didn't it seem like Smash made up his mind awfully quickly after the TMU recruiter showed up? Granted, TMU has become a stand-in for the University of Texas, and as far back as the pilot, Smash was talking about going to Austin (although UT was actually referred to by name then). Hope the fine print works out for him.
In the Taylor household, Tim Riggins has been shown the door (and has taken to sleeping in the Panthers' training room), and now Eric is hoping Tami's sister Shelley will be following him. He sees an opening when Shelley announces she passed her real estate exam, but no, she's thinking about setting up a phone line for her and Julie to share.
Tami, too, is getting exasperated over spilled eggs and shorted-out hair dryers, and things come to a head when Shelley erases Eric's game tape for The Office ("I don't know if you'd like it," she tells Eric. "It's very talky"). He blows up and asks just when the heck she'll be getting her own place -- and immediately regrets it, both because it's not really his place (she's not his blood relative, after all) and because, well, it just wasn't very nice.
It was, however, a pretty nice way to usher out Jessalyn Gilsig's guest stint. Shelley got more interesting as her stay lengthened, largely because of the dynamic between her and Tami; their final scene was appropriately bittersweet, and the two talks Eric and Tami about it were just two more showcases for how wonderfully Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton play off one another. Neither one contained any big, emotional moments, but instead showcased the smaller gestures and inflections they use to make just as big a point. Just really good stuff.
Eric's moment with Julie when she finally fesses up to being drunk and Tim trying to help also blew me away. All he says is "Damn, Julie. Damn," but his look and body language convey about a hundred times more than that.
As for Riggins, he finally works up the heart to go home, only to find Billy gone and delinquency notices on the door. Jackie, whose taking up with Billy made Tim leave in the first place, explains as she's loading up her car to move that Billy lost his job and is at some seriously loose ends. It was a reasonably tidy (if overly belated) way to tidy up the Jackie story, and it would have been nice to see the brothers try to work through their problems.
But instead, the show has them go and rob Tim's ex-roommate the meth dealer. Never mind that it was really stupid for them to take the money; it also feels a little bit lazy. It's emblematic of some of the other problems the show has had this season, smacking of network notes and promo-driven storytelling, and it left me shaking my head.
For that matter, so did the explanation for the Laribee coach's meltdown. You probably saw his hit on Riggins multiple times before the episode actually aired, so the act itself couldn't have come as much of a surprise. But why the coach needed an excuse (his wife is dying) is beyond me. Can't a jerk -- especially one we had never seen before last week and probably never will again -- just be a jerk? It's not like a coach who gets too wrapped up in his own game is such a reach in this world.
Other thoughts from tonight's episode:
- Some bad football continuity tonight. For starters, it appears the Laribee QB wears number 24, which you just wouldn't see in big-time high school football. Additionally, before the final sequence leading to the coach tackling Riggins (at least on the DVD screener NBC sent to critics) the radio announce says Dillon trails by five. Yet the scoreboard reads Dillon 45, Laribee 43. It's not the first time that's happened on the show, but it was a pretty bad goof. Here's hoping someone caught that before the final version went out.
- I can't quote the rulebook or anything, but I'm guessing that Riggins was awarded a touchdown on the final play, as he appeared to have no one else in front of him. Thus, Dillon wins.
- Loved the talk between Tami and Shelley about Tami's shirt -- "It's too sexy for you. ... You can't wear it to school, what about the boys and their hormones?" Shelley says -- and the fact that Tami's wearing it in their goodbye scene.
- Mama Smash to the recruiter at the grocery: "You need to relocate your butt up outta my way." And, "Mister, you might be the nicest person I ever met, or you might be Satan himself. But either way, this conversation is over."
- Lots of missing folks tonight: No Lyla, Buddy, Landry, Tyra or Street, who's been missing the last two episodes. Where'd you go, Six?
- Also really liked Coach's apology to Riggins, and the way it was juxtaposed with Tim and Billy counting their stolen money.
How'd you like this week's Friday Night Lights? There's no way things can end well for the Riggins boys, is there?
The scoreboard shot I saw read: "Dillon 38, Laribee 43."
And yes, Riggins would be awarded the touchdown just as has happened in real life on two occasions I can recall.
That Eric moment with Julie was w-a-a-a-y too contrived: if she was going to 'fess up (and in that family she always was!), she would have done it the next day, and not set up that contrived tension for po' Tim!
You also missed the Parthian shot Tim gave Jackie: "If you wanna try for the Riggins boys trifecta, I can give you my Daddy's address."
And c'mon, Rick... it's "butt" when you're talkin' 'bout somebody's backside... which Mama Smash clearly was!
Glenn Morshower was announced as a Guest Star in last night's episode... but if he was in it, I never saw him.
Rick, you never did come back to comment on the last 10 minutes of the show, but for my money those last two scenes are what makes the show so great. Especially in the Taylor house, which started with Coach and Julie and ended up with movie night - Foul Play vs Cinema Paradiso. And the closing moment with Smash and his mom was nice too.
I really like this show and hope that it can continue...but NBC won't be like Fox has been to its poorly rated, but critically acclaimed shows (eg, Party of 5).
The acting is great....
Taylors could have been a little more appreciative of Shelley's help with Grace...she is watching their kid after all as a favor to them.
Didn't like the football scenes...it'd be nice for them to have to get an important 1st down to secure a win as opposed to having to drive the length of the field for a winning TD for once.
I'd say Riggins was either awarded the TD or Laribee was forced to forfeit. Either way a win for Dillon.
Bringing back the tight shirt at the end was hilarious. I love when shows do sublet things like that.
It's great the Coach can't ever discipline Julie. That's so true of some fathers and their daughters. He just tells her he's hurt and that's supposed to make her feel worse than punishment. I'd be the same way with my daughter.
Actually, the coach for Laribee has appeared before in one of the best season 1 episodes: Mud Bowl. So I thought the payoff with his wife was great. I was surprised he was being such a hard-*** and a jerk to not just his players but everyone else around him for stuff he shouldn't have reacted to in the first place and for some of the pettiest things because he came off as a competitive (as all coaches are) but an all-around nice guy last season. So the payoff explained that. Not only that, but he even admitted that he did NOT use it as an excuse and gave the coaches really great emotional material which was acted amazingly by both of them.
As for Billy and Tim stealing the money, if you're desperate enough, as stupid as it is, you when you're not thinking strait and rushing because meth-ferret-rifle guy could show up any moment, you'd take it, not realizing that it will bite them in the *** in the future (it probably will). It was a pretty stupid act though, because he didn't want to leave a trace by picking up what ever fell off the table, but meth man would know he was there because his bags weren't. But the payoff was the heartfelt apology (one of the greatest moments of season 2) Coach Taylor gave him, stating he was "honorable" and that he "never complained." Although stealing the money was the exact opposite of honorable and shows (a brilliant silent Taylor Kitsch moment) his body and face language saying "What have I done?"
A brilliant episode on par with last week's (if not better) pretty much getting rid of the worries we had that season 2 would never be as great as season 1. Although tonite I would have like to hear "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can;t Lose" (haven't heard it since 205 Let's Get It On) and see Street (haven't seen him since 209 The Confession). Still an episode worthy FNL hall of fame.
RICK:
I have been saying since The Landry Incident that it seems like some network interference has been influencing some poor storylines this season. I did not think that Landry needed to kill someone to add depth to his character, nor do I think that the Riggins boys need to steal from a meth dealer to create drama. Don't get me wrong-- I still love FNL, but sometimes it seems like the network executives (FOX is notorious for this as well) have been asking the writers for more sensationalistic storylines lately.
DEAN SPEIR:
I also ntoiced that Glenn Morshower and Daniela Alonso (Carlotta) had their names included in the Guest Star credits, yet neither of them had any lines. I saw a quick glimpse of Carlotta in the stands during the game, but I don't remember seeing Mr. Clarke. I ***umed that they were originally in some scenes, but the director had to edit them out for the final version. I think it has to do with some Screen Actor's Guild rule that the actors names still have to appear in the opening credits if they have been contracted for a certain number of episodes, regardless if they even had any speaking parts.
I agree with Rick-- I enjoyed the episode up to the point where Tim and Billy decided to steal the money. Wouldn't Tim's ex-roommate automatically ***ume that Tim was the one who broke into his house, since Tim took back all his clothes? Couldn't Billy sign up for unemployment, since he is Tim's legal guardian and needs the house?
Overall, I loved seeing more of Smash's mom and her no nonsense advice. However, I was disappointed in the absence of Jason. I know that he quit the coaching job, but the least they could do is have Tim or Lyla mention him once in a while.
Oh, and did I mention Ms. Williams was totally underused this season, but this episode put that to rest as well because she was an absolute stand-out in this episode. It brought to mind the time she first found out Smash was using steroids; shear top-notch emotional acting. She deserves an Emmy nomination for best guest actress. Just putting it out there.
Dean and Paige, all 3 of Brad Leland (Buddy), Glenn Morshower and Daniella Alonzo were given guest starring credits and all 3 were given crowd shot(s) during the game. None of the 3 had any lines. For that matter, Matt's grandmother was also in the crowd during the game. Not sure if she was given a closing credit though.
I liked having Shelley around because she told us a little about pre-Taylor Tami. I'd like to know more about their backgrounds, how they met, etc.
Loved the Riggins trifecta comment to Jackie, she did deserve it for hooking up with Tim AND his brother right next door. Wish they would have shown her little boy, he's adorable.
There will trouble down the road with the methferret roomate... really hope there are no more scenes of him in his underpants!
Just a typo on the Mama Smash quote, Dean. It's fixed now.