FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Recap: “Let’s Get it On”
November 5, 2007 by Kath Skerry
I’ve received your hate mail about not covering FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, so here it is – an overindulgent recap of this past week’s episode. I am expecting to see multiple comments from all of you watching FNL!!
I often wonder if there will come a time when I turn off the latest episode of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and say ‘that show just wasn’t that great’. I’m not sure if that’s even possible, because with the writers and the actors they have on board, it’s almost like they can do no wrong (I did say ‘almost’).
Picking up where we left off last week, Coach Taylor is finally home with his wife and his two lovely daughters (well, Gracie is lovely and Julie is a little selfish brat that needs a kick in the head). Having been gone for quite some time now, Eric is all about reuniting with Tami, and yes I mean “reuniting”. It seem the Coach went to the store and picked up “Seduction for Dummies” because he had the candles going and Barry White on the stereo. Oh Eric. Tami, being the most kick ass woman on television, saw right through it and not only denied her hot hubby but also ordered him to the couch to be on full baby duty. Love it!!
Mac gives Eric some advice on how to get Tami ‘back in the saddle’ and offers tips he used on his wife after the birth of their child (send her out to get drunk with her friends). Eric asked that they never talk about this again, but it seems he did hear him. The next morning Tami wakes up to a clean house and a husband cooking breakfast. Eric tells her that he’s going to take care of the baby tonight and she is to go have some wine and enjoy book club with her friends.
While Tami is out, the Coach invites Smash and Saracen over to dinner to air out their issues. Both guys are pretty stubborn until Matt finally breaks and goes off on Smash, the coach for leaving them and even Julie (who had asked Matt to go with her to a concert after things didn’t go well with the Swede). Seems there is a little more going on with Matt than just football. Poo guy, I need to give him a hug.
It seems that the Coach’s plan to get his wife a little tipsy has worked. Tami is feeling good and extra affectionate. Sadly for Eric, Tami one again saw right through his conniving ways and it was couch snoozing once again for the coach.
The Coach can’t seem to catch a break. During Friday night’s game, Coach Taylor stuns all of Dillon by benching Smash and Saracen just as the game is starting. After a disastrous first half coach demands to know what the hell is going on. Offering his words of wisdom is rookie Landy Clarke who takes a page out of the LOST handbook and says that they need to ‘win together or lose alone.’ The team seems to take this to heart and goes out on the field to give it their all. But without their star players all hope seems lost. That is until Landry makes a crucial hit to keep the Panthers in the game. With seconds to go, Smash and Saracen decide to put their issues aside for the sake of the team and they head back out on the field. Matt calls a play that sends the ball to Landry rather than Smash. Landry doesn’t make the catch and the Panthers lose. Or do they? A flag is thrown and the defender is called for pass interference in the end zone. Given a second chance, Matt hands the ball off to Smash who takes it in the for winning six. And the crowd goes wild (just imagine the hootin’ and the hollerin’).
Landry Clarke is being hero worshiped by the town of Dillon, but his joy is quickly dissipated by Tyra who breaks up with him in a very cruel way right in the middle of the celebration. Tyra tells him that they never would have gotten together if it wasn’t for the murder, and that Landry should look in the mirror because under normal circumstances a girl like Tyra would never go for Landry. Ugh, my heart broke a million times. What the viewers knew that Landry didn’t was that Tyra was forced to break things off with Landy after his father ordered her to. He’s suspicious of Tyra and of Landry and I think he’s starting to put together the pieces of the dead guy off the bridge puzzle. Even with all that, it was painful to watch Tyra hurt Landry like that, and equally as painful to see her breakdown in her car.
Also in some pain is Jason Street. Still in Mexico with Riggins awaiting his surgery, Jason is less than thrilled to see Lyla show up. The three try to have a little fun, but when Riggins makes no move to confront Jason about the surgery, Lyla decides to leave. Riggins pulls the “that’s not the Christian thing to do” line on her and she is guilted into staying. Ah, the Christian guilt…works every time. The threesome (oh did I say that, I meant the three of them) go on a booze cruise as Tim thinks it’s a good way to get Jason’s attention and confront him about the surgery. Tim says that there is no way he will allow Jason to have the surgery and tells him that he will NEVER walk again and he just needs to deal with it. A stunned Jason waits for his friends to leave him alone and then throws himself out of his wheelchair and off the boat into the water. By the time Tim and Lyla notice Jason can’t be seen. While underwater, Jason seems to have some kind of awakening and does all he can to swim to the surface and the shore that isn’t too far away. Tim and Lyla find him there and Jason tells them he’s not having the surgery and he’s ready to go home. Finally!!
Oh before they go home, they decide to enjoy one last night in Mexico. This night includes booze and hot weather – quite conducive for a threesome. They start to go down that path with Lyla smoochin’ up on both Jason and Tim, but when things start getting heated Lyla leaves and tells the boy she’s go to pray. Praise Jesus!! I was so not ready to watch that scene play out. No way!!
While those three might not be getting any, things are going a bit better for Eric Taylor. After an exhausting football game, Tami and Eric plop down on the coach and unenthusiastically discuss whether or not they should fool around (in a scene that again is so realistic and demonstrates the brilliance of the show). They decide to go for it and the two run like teenagers to the bedroom.
Next week: Riggins is kicked off the team and Landry is confronted by his father about the murder when blood is found in the car.
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Filed under Friday Night Lights
This show is so amazing. Seriously Kyle & Connie need Emmys.
I really loved Friday’s show, especially Matt telling Julie to Eff off. The only thing I wasn’t feeling was the whole Lyla makes out with both Riggins and Jason. What was that?
I love when Tami tells Eric she wants to fool around and he responds with “I don’t sense a real commitment…” or something like that! I love everything about them! I’m glad that Matt finally told Julie how he feels and let her have it. I’m not sure how I feel about Landry as a football hero – but since it was only one big play and on the final one he didn’t actually make the catch, it wasn’t too bad. Sooooo glad that they didn’t go through with the “threesome” – when the scene started I was really dreading that would happen.
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Great recap. What an amazing show. I want the Taylors to be my parents.
As much as I love Matt and Julie together, I’m so happy he stood up to her. I also want to see more play out between Matt and Coach. Matt still seems very bitter that Coach up and left the team for TMU.
I definitely was thinking about Jack & Lost when Landry said that line during halftime! I loved Coach’s “welcome” to Landry at the end of the game, too, and that he still thinks his name is Lance!
Also loved that Matt told off Julie – she definitely needed a kick in the head from him and maybe now she’ll start appreciating him – hopefully it won’t be too late!
This is definitely the best drama on TV right now and I agree that the cast and writers can do almost no wrong. Although I still hate the Tyra/Landry murder subplot, I do love those two actors together and Landry’s dad as well, so it’s making that storyline bearable to watch.
Just wanted to say thanx for recapping the show again… I’m sure it’s harder to remember now that it’s on Fridays.
I really enjoyed Matt’s scenes this episode, I never liked the thought of him being Julie’s doormat.
Even though the general storyline of Landry and Tyra continues to bug me, I’m so glad that they haven’t let that plotline completely hijack the show. Also, I really like what Glenn Morshower is bringing to the show(Landry’s dad…and thank goodness we get to see another good parent, I was worried they might write him like Riggin’s or Matt’s dad)
As far as the ‘threesome’ scene goes…I was surprised I wasn’t more uncomfortable, but then again that could be because of Taylor Kitsch, who’s goal in life seems to be to TURN ME ON 🙂
I’m so glad that Matt told of Julie. Even though I LOVE THEM together, she needs a kick in the ego majorly. Its imperative that she get over herself. I just hope its not too late, but I’m sure they’ll drag this out for a longg time. 🙁
Here’s the really giddy comments I wrote about the show right after I watched it; ignore my.. um, enthusiasm 😉
Matt: Wow! Just wow.. I can’t believe he said all of that! To coach and to Julie – he was just so brave and out spoken tonight. I was so proud, I think I might have cheered. I completely agree with his stance on Julie.. she played him like a fool and he deserves better. Although I think they’re a great couple and should be together; she needs to prove herself again and perhaps do a little more growing up. I’m glad he and smash are “BFF’s again” – that cracked me up – I
I was yelling at the TV when Julie first started talking to Matt. I was like Landry, “No…no…no.” Thank goodness he came through in the end and didn’t go with her. She doesn’t deserve him right now. Who was he making out with in the previews?!
Connie Britton is just pure brilliance. Everything she does and says is to perfection.
I almost cried for my poor little Lance at the end. I couldn’t even watch the break up the first time. I was cringing at Tyra’s HARSH words (even though they were necessary).
Thanks for the great recap!
Ah, sorry – it cut me off ’cause I made a Lessthanthree for Matt 🙁 I’ll try not to express my love in that way anymore.
continued..
Landry: Oh Lance… he did so well in the game and I was so proud and his father was proud and the crowd was chanting “Landry, Landry” and then Tyra went and broke his heart into a million pieces. I cannot BELIEVE she said that stuff to him – “look in the mirror, did you ever really think we’d be together if not for what happened”… Jesus, Tyra! That was way colder than it needed to be; I understand she had to hurt him to make him back off but I think that was way too harsh. He just needs a Matt-hug.
Jason / Lyla / Tim: First of all, oh my God.. right when Tim said to him “you’re never going to walk again J, fact” – I thought Oh man.. he’s gonna jump off the boat, that’s what I would do if I didn’t want to live. I didn’t think they’d actually LET it happen though but it did and I was so scared! I guess he needed to have his Merideth Grey moment though and realize he wants to live and fight. I just want to give him a big hug. Now, the ending – what the hell is Lyla doing?! Are they going to have a three way because.. that’s hot but I don’t think it will end well for anyone involved. I’m a full on Tim/Lyla shipper myself but I want Jason to have someone as well.. they can’t both have Lyla. That’s just not practical.
This was an episode that made me remember how much I absolutely love “Friday Night Lights” – there were laughs, tears, gasps and drama. It’s everything I want from a TV show!
Having had two children myself, I was laughing my @ss off during the Coach’s “seduction” scene. Man was that realistic. Maybe not the candles and Barry White, but the “How did your 6wk appnt. go?” And the follow up of “You’ve got to be kidding me, right? I’d rather sleep.” Great writing on that one (as usual). The Taylors continue to be one of (if not the) best written couples on television.
I seem to be in the minority with the Tyra/Landry storyline. I don’t hate it. Do I love it? Not really, but it’s giving a lot more screen time to two talented actors who we really didn’t get to showcase their talents last season. Plus, it will be interesting to see how Landry/Lance and his dad work through this (although the station wagon engulfed in flames seems to give us a clue). Love, love love Landry, and Tyra has really grown on me.
Again, I’m in the minority. I would like to see how things play out with Lyla and Riggins. He’s obviously searching for something this season, and she’s got issues of her own, but I’d rather see her with Riggins than with the juvie kid. Plus, any Riggins screen time is goo screen time.
Julie and Matt? Well, I’m glad he stood up to her, but yet again, I have a little more sympathy for her than other people seem to. She helped Matt out with all of his stuff last year (grandma, dad coming home and leaving, work, school, football, etc.), so I think she deserves a little slack for being a jerk for a while. Her dad was gone, her mom was a sleep deprived zombie, and she was feeling abandoned. That being said, I hope Matt continues to make her work for it before he takes her back. And who was he kissing in the preview for next week?? Better not be the nurse!!!
Overall, another kick @ss show.
THANK YOU! I’m so glad you’re recapping FNL again. I knew you were slammed with new shows and the Red Sox, but it is so good to have FNL recaps back! And now for my rants/raves: I love Matt Saracen! He finally stood up to Julie, but I really don’t want him falling for the home health nurse. Love Eric and Tami: been there, done that on the 6week appt. scenario and that was very realistic! Please, please, please, do not let Lyla fall for Tim again. She needs to learn to be strong on her own (or with God, however that works out).
Best episode of the season. Saracen finally stepped up and said everything he’s been wanting to say. The show needs to get over the whole Lila-Tim-Street triangle. I thought we had resolved that last season.
So happy that Matt didn’t let Julie walk all over him. This show is AMAZING.