Oh, a Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) heavy episode and I couldn’t be happier, even though what happened wasn’t so pleasant. While I always thought it was a well-known fact that you shouldn’t steal from drug dealers, no one told Tim Riggins. While the actual theft took place in the previous episode, the consequences played out last night, and considering that the meth dealer in question is shit-can crazy, it could have been so much worse for Tim. But, why can’t Billy (Derek Phillips) act like an adult until Tim is about to get killed? I really want Billy to just get it together. More importantly, how can Lyla (Minka Kelly) say she has no feelings for Tim when she, again, bails him out of trouble. And come on, he pulled out all the horrifying clichés to tell her that he loves her and she just walks away? Tim gets an A for effort, and Lila gets an F for lying. I just hope Jesus-boy (Matt Czuchry) doesn’t get too hurt when she eventually ends up back with Tim. Now, does Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) still get to have the ex-girlfriend righteous indignation? I think that enough time has passed, and it is not Tim’s fault that she lost Landry (Jesse Plemons), so girl needs to let go of her anger. She keeps up blaming Tim for everything then she will become embittered like her mom, and she deserves better than that.
Speaking of Landry, Jean cracked me up. I know Landry is just trying to make Tyra jealous (and man did she take the bait), but he needs to give Jean some credit for taking an interest in Crucifictorious. And for showing her interest in front of the bozo-brigade, aka the Team, she deserves at least a date, if not a real chance. Landry needs to see that Tyra has residual Tim issues, so he should maybe take stock of his options.
On the unfunny side things: Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) keep your mouth shut! Hasn’t this kid figured out that (apparently) everyone in Texas, aside from the main characters of Dillon, is a raging racist? This is, for me, one of the less realistic elements of the show. My friend Marcey was watching with me last night, and she assured me that the show’s presentation of this issue is rather accurate, but I don’t quite buy it. Even so, he is not doing his sister any favors by shooting his mouth off at every turn, and wasn’t he trying to protect his sister in the first place? I can’t wait for next week, because I want to see what Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is going to do with him suspended.
I said in my last entry about FNL that I missed Jason (Scott Porter). His return was better than I could have ever hoped for. No one gives an inspirational speech like Jason Street. I cheered out loud when he convinced that guy to buy the truck. Hell, I wanted to buy the truck. I am so glad to see Jason successful at something other than football, because he is too strong a person to remain self-pitying and lost for too long.
I understand why there isn’t a game in every episode, but I need my Panthers fix. Is it Friday yet?
Final Thoughts:
If you’ve never seen this show, I should say something about the format. It is shot using three cameras running simultaneously, so the angle of scene will move unexpectedly. It doesn’t look smooth and polished like other shows. This jumping around can take some getting used to, but the more you watch the more you see that every single shoot is crafted towards a specific purpose. If they aren’t showing a character’s face it’s for a reason.
I am not pointing out any note-worthy performances because FNL has the best cast on TV, hands-down, without a doubt, no argument. Every single person who appears on screen is amazing. I really have no way of describing how good these people are. Watch, and be blown away.
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- I guess you would like to know a little bit about the person making all these proclamations upon good taste and horrid characters. I'm Andrea and when I was 15 I fell in love. An hour after meeting "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" I was forever altered in the way only love can, and I never questioned for one minute afterwards that television offered me an amazing chance to experience lives and moments that I could never imagine. So now, when I'm not getting distracted by my real life, I write about TV. I also read, am finishing a Master's degree in English Literature, travel, am attempting to learn vegan cooking, am the 5th of 6 children, and drive my roommate nuts by constantly cleaning our already clean apartment. Now that we're old friends, time for you to take my opinions as the be all and end all.
8 comments:
Ohh...i LOVE marcey. tell her i said howdy.
I'll do that.
I started watching FNL on Netflix. I'm not yet sold but I'm getting there.
Lyla gets an F for lying? TOTALLY. I sensed hesitation when she said "it's never gonna happen." And plus, she didn't really answer the question cause he asked do you love me, not is it going to happen. She's totally hopping aboard the Riggins train. Who wouldn't?
Regarding the racism storyline, it's weird cause didn't they do almost the same story line last year with Smash? Gaius Charles is a good actor, he must tired of reading his scenes like "oh great, I get racism again."
But whatever, I can't be too critical this is my favorite show! Loved your recap.
PS question re Football. What is the Panthers record? When Smash got suspended for three games, and he was like "how are we going to get to the playoffs" i was thinking, oh, are they good enough to get to the playoffs? They lost 2 games to start the season before Coach Taylor returned..and then that weird game with the coach interference, did they win that?
I was also wondering the same thing about their record. Unless there are games they haven't been showing in the eps, or every other high school team in Texas sucks eggs, I don't think there is any way they could be in the playoffs. But playoffs equals more games equals happy me.
And yes, they have done this whole racism storyline, but I think this one is better than last year's.
If Lyla wants to keep lying, and (your right) avoiding the actual question, I would be more than happy to take her place
Pardon a rant... but the football criticism got me going. For a show as "realistic" as this show claims to be, the football is SORELY lacking:
1) The games are unrealistic. The writers clearly show very little knowledge of the game of football. The football is filmed poorly, with very little attention to the field and actual game play. You never can see a play develop, or figure out how in the hell Riggins just got THAT open. The playcalling is ludicrous and shows Taylor to be an utter moron of a coach. They call runs when they should call passes and passes when they should call runs.
2) This deserves its own bullet... The number of times Dillon wins on the last play is insulting.
3) You need to win a minimum of 16 games to win a Texas state championship... I am only 2/3rds way through season one, and there is no way that they play enough games to even make the playoffs.
In my mind, for a show which is based on the concept of small town American football, this is lazy and inexcusible. It feels like the writers are not even interested in football at this point, though we are constantly reminded how important it is to these characters. It is possible to show character development through the playing of games, and sports can have enormous dramatic potential even when the game isn't won on a last second touchdown. To me the failure of the writers and producers on the football front lessens this show.
Okay, Luke's very valid opinion will be taken into consideration in during my discussion of this Friday's episode. Plus, I think we need to talk about this in person, since it goes without saying that he knows way, way, way more about football than I do.
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