Friday Night Lights – Season 2, Episode 1 – Last Days of Summer
I’m so sorry that I haven’t posted on this site in forever, it’s been a combination of lack of time, inconsistent internet access and, I have to admit, lack of interest in quite a number of TV shows I used to love. However, when Alex asked if I wanted to co-write recaps for this lovely show with her, I just had to jump at the opportunity, so I hope you’ll enjoy our takes on things. We most certainly enjoy doing it this way.
On to the episode:
Snippie:
The episode starts with a lovely shot of a football gliding through the air before splashing into a pool filled with lovely toned bodies. We see Smash, (Howza! Does he have a ripped body or what?) trash talking with some friends, throwing the ball and generally having a great time.
Tim’s also there, looking HAWT!!! surrounded by a couple of beautiful girls, whilst sitting in a small life-raft type boat. Matt and Landry sits on the edge of the pool, Matt staring at Julie, who looks an absolute babe in a red one-suit costume. Apparently she’s taken up life-guard duty other the past eight months...
Matt stares longingly, but Julie absolutely refuses to meet his eyes. She very obviously flirts with a guy, whom we later figure out from Matt’s convo with Landry is a Swedish dude, before her attention is pulled by her VERY pregnant mom showing up – Looking lovely as well, absolutely glowing!
ALEX: Ah, summer pool scenes! There was no better way to open this season, I'm afraid... We were immediately reminded of what makes this show so compelling, the hot, young bodies (Riggins, we missed you!) and Tami Taylor, who, without saying a word, just pretty much proved why she is one of the strongest characters on TV.
Here's a woman, eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and looking like a goddess and not caring who sees her! Those aviators and that cute little green costume, wow. She sure gave Matt and Landry a new perspective on the whole MILF idea, lol!
Whilst this is happening, we figure out from Matt and Landry’s conversation that Landry is still pining after Tyra, who happens by as well – also, again, looking hot, her new hair-cut absolutely suiting her. Landry is, apparently, also trying out for the football team... Which, I just can’t decide... Is this a good thing?
I realize this is a football crazy town, but Landry has always been the one I identify with most. The smart, awkward kid, that doesn’t excel in sport, that doesn’t know exactly how to deal with the opposite sex, but that tries his best to be there for those he cares about. Will Football Landry still be the same guy? Only time will tell...
ALEX: I dunno yet, I think Landry joining the team is perhaps a way to preserve his friendship with Matt coz now that Matt is a State Champion and town hero, he will likely drift further into the whole football culture while Landry will only have his Christian metal band and Tyra-crush to keep him company
He may be a total dork but Landry is still the wittiest guy around: (looking at Riggins and his posse of girls in the pool) "Riggins is captain of the S.S. Ta-Tas over there."
Tyra, BTW, is looking absolutely gorgeous! That slo-mo scene of her eating that ice-cream popsicle thingie - HAWT!
Anyway, it’s clear that Matt is not happy with where things are currently at with Julie, and that just makes me so SAD! It’s like Julie tells her dad later on, they’re the IT couple, the Coach’s kid and the QB that just has to be together until the end of time... They just seem to fit so beautifully together, but, as I can attest from personal experience, many times it’s not the person that you think will be your perfect fit that you end up with. There needs to be a spark; that something that will keep each other interested after ten years together. If one of you starts looking around for something better after less than a year... Well maybe then you’re not as perfect a fit as you originally thought...
ALEX: Oh man! The whole Matt and Julie romance was, for me, the highlight of last season. Their relationship was so sweet and innocent, and it meant THE WORLD to Matt that he had someone in this world, other than his grandma, who loved him unconditionally.
And now, to see them clearly not getting along (although I must add this all due to Julie) just breaks my heart seeing Matt so sad.
Okay, back to Julie and Tami. They have a lovely mother-daughter argument, where Julie accuses Tami of spying on her, and Tami strongly denies this, stating that “there is no room in their house that’s big enough to fit her”, and since Coach T is in Austin, Julie is the next best person to hang out with. – Not in those words, but it basically comes down to that.
Julie continues whining, in an absolutely spot on sixteen year old – I DON’T WANT MY MOM WITH ME EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY – way. Tami rebuts that she just wants to know what’s going on in her daughter’s life, what’s going on with the Swede? What’s going on with Matt? It’s loud; It’s Friday Night Lights; It’s the Taylors, and I LOVE it!
ALEX: I lurve the Tami/Julie spats! Julie is being really bratty though. Does she expect her mom to just sit at home all day by herself while her dad is away in another bloody city while she's at the pool, flirting with this dodgy-looking Swedish dude?
(Snippie – I agree, Julie is most definitely being a brat, but she’s at that age, where although it isn’t accepted, it kind of comes with the territory and people forgive you easier for acting that way... Hormones is an UGLY thing!)
Of course we knew this was going to happen as soon as the extremely pregnant Tami walked onto our screens, but Tami suddenly looks very surprised and tells Julie that she’s pretty sure her water just broke.
ALEX: Ha! I kinda saw that coming. Nice way for Tami to get Julie to shut up with all her whining - just go into labour there and then!!
Next scene we’re clearly in a hospital, Tami is lying on a hospital bed, presumably in the maternity section, Julie by her side, holding her hand. The scene ends with Tami asking exhaustedly and just a bit peevishly of her daughter – “Where the hell is your father?!”
Said father is actually on a plane, worriedly staring out the window... And can I just say here, that Kyle Chandler looked absolutely roguishly handsome in this episode. He has grown a bit of a beard, his hair is all over the place - clearly just as confused as we are with everything that has been, and is, happening.
ALEX: Agreed! As much as I perve on the boys, Coach Taylor is the real deal. I got really excited when he finally made his appearance. That roguish look about him is clearly the look of a man who misses his pregnant wife and daughter terribly. I could really sense the agitation he was feeling as he stared out of that plane window. Poor guy!
His plane must have been close, because suddenly he is running through the hallways as if the devil himself is behind him. He bursts into the room, clearly with a purpose, and just keeps on soothing Tami.
It’s just such a lovely moment. This family; going through such trying circumstances - together as always - ready to welcome a new member into their little circle.
Tami is in pain, she’s not having fun here... But Eric is there, Julie is there, and together they all support each other, right until the newest Taylor is welcomed into the world.
ALEX: Brilliant birth scene. You'd think that after worrying the entire time where Eric was, and obviously being in so much pain, that Tami would just snap at Eric as soon as she saw him and give him a piece of her pain-riddled mind. But thankfully she didn't. She was so happy and relieved to see him.
And then, I must admit, the tears started flowing as Eric took Tami's hand and just said "Hey babe. Hey babe" over and over while Tami cried and pushed and yelled a bit until their new baby daughter was born. So beautiful, this scene. And I just loved the music they used here. It was perfect. And my face was drenched in tears...
I’d also like to thank the show at this point for NOT scarring us with the birthing process. They didn’t go for cheap laughs, or make the process out to be worse than death itself. They showed a strong woman, going through the birthing process in pain, but strong enough to handle it with her family around her.
As somebody that’s probably about five or so years away from having to go through this (if it doesn’t happen a bit sooner), I’m really glad they did it this way. THIS is why I love this show, it’s a realistic portrayal of life in general!
ALEX: Hehe. Yep, you pretty much summed it up. There didn't need to be huge drama for this scene. It was kinda low-key in the way Eric just whispered into Tami's ear and kissed her forehead.
That baby is lucky to be born to such great parents. And let's hope Julie realizes that too, coz she's already gotten up my nose this season - and we haven't even gotten to the opening credits yet!
Credits – Loved the clips they showed here, some of my favourite moments from last season were added in there – it also sounded as though the theme had been sped up just the slightest, but that could have been my imagination. But man, it really was good to see this opening theme again, just warmed the heart.
ALEX: I always thought the opening credits were great. But this time they have more scenes to include (loved the one of Matt looking upset, looks like that's gonna be a recurring theme, and the two hands clasping - wonder who that is?)
Part 2: (Non-Bold parts by Alex)
So, back to the football action, and the radio commentator is back to remind us that we are in for an interesting new football season, particularly coz Coach Taylor is no longer around (sad!) and has been replaced by some chump named "Bill McGregor, the Tennessee Tyrant".
Now we haven't met this new coach yet but I’m pretty sure I don’t like him – coz he’s NOT Coach Taylor!
Snippie: Agreed, I just knew I was going to hate the guy, since he wasn’t OUR Coach. And, having the nickname Tennessee Tyrant – well that also counted against him... Btw. Didn’t you also just get gooseflesh hearing good ol’ Sammy Mead back again doing his usual radio stint.
I haven’t the foggiest who does the voice work for these segments, but that voice, it’s just such an integral part of FNL, hearing that was the final straw, that voice beckoned, telling us that this is your show, and we’re back for more laughter, tears and sexy bodies...
We get to see Landry on the field, and of course, he is not doing well at all. The other players keep pummelling him to the ground. Really, why is our favourite Christian metal-head doing this to himself? Then we see the happy Taylors arrive home with their new baby girl, Grace (sweet!) and are met by a seriously messy living room.
Jeez, couldn’t Julie have cleaned up a bit? Julie points out that her sister’s head is looking unnaturally pointy before rushing out the door to go to work, and flirt some more with Swedish non-hunk. Teenagers, hey?!
Snippie: Hee! Grace is just such a sweetie! And agreed that house was in serious need of Oprah’s hoarding expert ;)
Back at the pool, Landry and Tyra are looking chummy, layed out on the grass. Tyra of course, needs someone to put sunscreen on her back and asks Landry to do it. Landry is a nervous wreck as he surveys the sun-kissed skin before him. It’s such pleasurable torture for him!
Snippie: These two might just become the new Julie/Matt to me. Landry is obviously smitten, but I feel that Tyra might feel a lot of the same, she just hasn’t been able to admit this to herself yet. Oh well, we’ll see... They obviously are going somewhere with these two, especially after what happens later in the episode.
Julie and the Swede are talking about a show the Swede’s band have coming up. How is this boy Swedish? I don’t hear an accent. Then we check in with Lyla, who is be-robed in white as she is baptised in a river.
Later we see her looking drop-dead stunning in a sundress and cute ponytail. She’s placing flyers under the car wipers in a parking lot. Enter Tm Riggins, in a black sleeveless T-shirt!, chatting up some random girls and Lyla looks on disapprovingly.
Uh-oh, here comes the righteous lecture for the episode… Lyla hands Tim a flyer and tells him its for a teen Christian group who worship together. Tim asks (while swigging a beer) if it’s a cult. Ha!
Then he flirts with her a bit, coz really, she’s looking v. hot. And then they get into this delicious little argument about Tim’s sinful ways (he boasts he’s had a three-way with a pair of sisters!) and ruffles Lyla’s god-fearing feathers a bit. Sjoe-wee! That was a smoking scene.
I know Lyla and Jason were meant to be the "It" couple, but her scenes with Riggins are misting up my TV screen!
Snippie: I absolutely LOVED these scenes. Lyla going through this Christian “rebirth” of hers, and then her meeting up with Tim in the parking lot. SMOKING!!! And him ruffling her feathers – “even after all that, you’re still the best I’ve ever had” – OMG, LOVED it!
Then probably my 2nd best scenes of the ep (after the birth one) Coach Taylor runs into Matt and his Grandma (LOVE her!) in the grocery store and Grandma proceeds to freak out at the sight of Coach! He hugs Grandma and takes Matt’s hand before giving him a hug that Matt seems to so clearly have needed. Sob!
Then Coach has a sweet, fatherly-like chat with Matt. Why hasn’t he come to see baby Gracie yet? What’s up with him and Julie? Matt stutters his way through it and it becomes pretty clear that Julie’s been blocking this boy out of her life - and its worrying Coach a bit. Coach then tells Matt "Don't just stand by and watch it happen. You know what I'm sayin'?"
My heart just went out to Matt then. Coach was the one male role model in his life - and then he went off to go coach a bunch of probably-ungrateful college knuckleheads. They don’t need him nearly as much as Dillon does. Then coach gets a call, he’s gotta be back at TMU that Friday. Bummer.
Snippie: Agreed - Lovely scene this! My heart went out for Matt, having to discuss this with Eric. And I agree as well, the Dillon boys need Coach T a hell of a lot more than those College kids (well, I’ll feel this way at least until we meet some of the college kids, and maybe learn some more about Coach’s life in Austin).
It’s closing time at the pool, Landry and Tyra say their goodbyes as she makes her way to her car.
Then we see an ominous figure watching her from his car. Oh my word. It’s him – the guy who tried to rape Tyra in season 1 – you know in that awesome episode called “Mudbowl” which I’ve unfortunately never gotten around to recapping…- and he tries to mow her down in the parking lot. Tyra is of course freaked out, and Landry comes over to see if she’s OK. She clearly is not.
Snippie: Oh man, seeing that guy again, sent shivers up my spine. Poor Tyra! Poor Landry – How do you deal with this?
Back at the Taylor house, Coach tries to bond with his daughter, but she wants none of it. She hates that her dad has been so absent from her life and storms out the door with Coach yelling after her. So maybe there is a good reason for Julie’s brattyness thus far?
Snippie: I agree, it’s obvious that Julie’s attitude comes from this forced estrangement with her father, but even so, that’s not excuse for acting the way she does with her mom and Matt. However, she’s young, she’s still growing up and still need to gather some life-experience before she’ll truly understand her actions and the hurt she causes others by her attitude.
We finally meet the new coach, whatever his name is, who is putting the boys through drills and getting irritated with Buddy’s presence at practice. He then instructs Ass. Coach Mac to tell Buddy to buzz off coz he runs closed practices. Bad move, new coach dude, who digs an even bigger hole for himself by picking on Tim Riggins, who then storms out of practice. Jason Street looks on with growing concern.
Snippie: Yip, new coach is a jerk! I mean, he got me to root for BUDDY GARRITY of all people in that scene!!!
Tyra is now being stalked by arsehole rapist guy. His evil car is right on her tail and she freaks out, driving to the police station nearby to ward him off. Oh boy. I don’t think she goes in to report him though.
In the convenience store, Matt and Landry are admiring a magazine cover with Smash on the front and run into Julie, who looks like she wants to be wherever Matt isn’t.
They greet awkwardly and Matt asks her to join him at a football party “coz all the players will be there with their girlfriends, and since you’re my girlfriend, I was kinda hoping you’d go too.” Sweet! So Julie has to suck it up and agree to go.
Snippie: This scene clearly showed how far on the outs these two really are. If you think back to the end of last season, how much Julie fought her father to stay – BECAUSE of Matt, to see her acting this way now... It just breaks my heart. Matt doesn’t deserve this, he doesn’t deserve it at all.
At the Garrity broken home we meet Mrs Garrity’s (Pam?) new boyfriend, a rather offensive New Age kinda guy who serves everyone tofu for dinner. OK, I hate this guy already. So do the Garrity kids it appears.
Lyla puts him in his place with a fantastic little prayer before they eat, asking God to let the adults at the table know that Pam is dating and not yet divorced and is too old to be wearing skinny jeans. Hee!
Snippie: I LOVED that scene. The kids' obvious disgust, Pam trying hard to figure out how to control the situation, and lastly Lyla’s oh so funny, yet a bit offensive prayer. It just rang absolutely true for somebody in that situation.
Then a sad sad scene at the Taylor home as Coach breaks it to Tami that he has to go back sooner than planned. Tami is too heartbroken to tell her husband how she really feels and waits for him to leave the house before she breaks down into tears.
Coach heads off to the dealership to see Buddy, who’s clearly been living out of his office, and Buddy complains about how new coach dude is “mistreating” him. Enter a very pissed off Pam, crapping all over Buddy for going to their son’s soccer practice. He gets on her case for seeing a “tree hugger”.
Then things get ugly when Buddy notices that Tree Hugger came with her and tries to attack the idiot new boyfriend through the car window. Coach has to break things up so I’d say he saved Tree Huggers tofu bacon there.
Snippie: Agree, Tami crying after Coach left just about ripped my heart open. And Buddy trying to attack Tree Hugger? Hilarious for all the wrong reasons. Probably a good thing that Coach had been there, wouldn’t want any MORE blood shed in this episode ;)
New Coach loser dude is making Tim run the stairs on the field until the boy pukes from exhaustion.
Later a worried Jason meets with the coach to ask him to let up on Tim a bit, but he doesn’t take it well at all, calling Jason the team mascot (cruel!) and telling him he has to decide whether he wants to be a coach or everyone’s friend.
Snippie: This scene just solidified my hatred for new coach. Acting that way with Jason (who looks absolutely SMOKING! Those glasses!), just about had me jumping into the tv in order to strangle him.
At the party, Matt sits alone. Why? Coz Julie has totally stood him up to go see Swede-losers band at a bar instead. She arrives at the bar with her friend Lois, who does not like the look of the place. Really, 16-year-olds should not be allowed in there. So Lois abandons Julie who gets a little thrill watching the Swede’s band in action.
Back at Tyra’s place, Landry has been called over to check out a suspicious sound but its just a raccoon or something, so he stays over to watch a movie with her.
He calls Matt from the bathroom to ask advice for making a move on the girl of his dreams. Matt advises an arm brush and to see where that leads. On the couch, Landry tries in vain to get his arm to touch Tyra’s, kinda sweeping his in her general direction. And when he does make contact Tyra sort of bolts upright and suggests they get some food.
Snippie: Hee! The way he was caressing Tyra’s hand in this scene, trying his best to get up the courage to throw his arm around her was just so sweet. But Tyra obviously felt comfortable enough with him holding her hand, caressing it ever so softly – so maybe there’s hope for him yet! And that scene where he phoned Matt for advice from the bathroom, can totally see that happening!
Back at the bar, Julie is turning on the charm, gushing to the Swede how great the show was. Then a girl comes up and kisses the Swede and he introduces her as his girlfriend. Julie just about dies a thousand deaths on the spot! Poor girl!
We then see her standing all alone outside the bar, before Coach comes tearing in his car to come pick her up. Oh boy, he is suitably pissed. Julie breaks down and goes on about how she totally embarrassed herself and misread all the signals Swedish boy was giving her.
Coach is still unsure why she’s chasing after an older guy if she has Matt. Julie tells her dad that she is sick of being the “It” couple with Matt and she’s scared coz she sees how she is turning into her mom and Matt is turning into her dad.
Well frankly, I don’t see anything wrong with that at all, but for a 16-year-old, it can be very daunting to see your whole life mapped out before you like that. Coach assures Julie that no one would hold it against her if she broke up with Matt. Except me. I absolutely would!
Snippie: Oh, this scene was heartbreaking! Coach obviously pissed, then so caring and understanding. Kyle Chandler NAILED this scene, and I have to say, Aimee Teegarden, the girl that plays Julie is absolutely brilliant when she plays opposite him. I won’t be surprised if these two have developed a kind of father-daughter relationship in real life as well, since they play these scenes so naturally!
And then the big freaky incident occurs. At the convenience store, Landry goes in to get some snacks while Tyra waits outside. In the dark. Alone. By herself. With a rapist stalker around. Urgh!
Of course, said creep appears and threatens Tyra, throwing her around and being a TOTAL CREEP! Landry arrives and tries to push him off but the creep easily shoves him aside. The creep then saunters off saying he’ll come back for Tyra.
Landry, in a moment of pure madness, grabs a metal pole lying nearby and thwacks the guy twice over the head – and kills him. They freak out and decide to put the body in Landry’s car and throw him into the river.
Snippie: This scene was just so unexpected and fast, I didn’t know what to think of it at first. But then after going through everything that happened, I realized, had I been in their situation at that age, with my best friend in Landry’s place, I can see the same kind of thing happening.
You’re freaked out, you just killed a guy (and I can totally see Landry killing somebody by accident, trying to protect those he cares about), and you don’t know what to do. If such an obvious solution, like throwing him into the river, appears before you, well I’m pretty sure you’d go that way. Especially if you have had a bad experience with going to the police before.
So again, I didn’t know what to think of it at first, but now I have to admit, I can see it happening exactly the way the show made it happen. They’re SIXTEEN/SEVENTEEN! They will act rash, they will not necessarily do the right thing. It’s horrifying but real... all at the same time.
The final scenes are of the triumphant Panthers getting their championship rings, with Coach Taylor present, as well as Jason. It’s a particularly special moment for his parents.
And then we see Coach back in a plane, watching the bright lights of the stadium from up high. Its a sad conclusion, because he again is leaving behind everything and everyone he loves - and who love him.
Snippie: Yip, the scene with the championship rings was pretty special (although I would have really loved if Coach T had handed Matt’s to him). But Jason being there was a lovely touch!
It was obvious that Coach would have to leave, but I agree, that was just such a sad reminder of everything he has lost in his move to Austin.
Let’s hope something happens soon that he has to return full time to Dillon (as long as that something isn’t serious injury/illness to any of the Taylors or other lovely people of Dillon).