Friday Night Lights – Episode 16 – Black Eyes and Broken Hearts
Sorry, sorry, sorry (yes, I know it’s a sign of weakness, but truly sorry), for the delay in getting this recap up. It’s been an unbelievably busy few weeks, but hopefully that’s the last of that (and finally got limited net access for myself at home, so hopefully that will also help…) I watched this when it originally aired, so it’s been two weeks, if I forgot any important plot points, please forgive me, and feel free to add it in the comments ;)
Okay, on with the episode…
We left of the previous episode with Smash and all of his coloured team mates staging a walk-off after Assistant Coach Mac’s racist comments, which basically boiled down to him believing that black players are more physical, whilst white players are more mental – they are better thinkers.
So what was the outcome of this entire storyline?
Throughout this episode Waverley kept on pushing her “man”, telling him that what he’s doing is the right thing, that they should stand for what they believe. And it is, and she’s right, but when his mom tells him that he should start thinking of himself, that crusading against the injustices in the world, whilst noble is a fruitless endeavor, since people have already made up their minds as to what they believe. Is it cynical? Yes. Is it correct? Yes.
Thus, Smash decides to listen to his mom and not his girlfriend (smart kid), and they decide to play in the game. Coach agrees, everybody smile, it’s one heck of a game, a brawl breaks out, Matt stands apart and yells directions (his words, not mine), and the different races stand together for one thing – Football!
On the way back the bus the team is traveling in is pulled over, and the officers say that they have reports saying Smash threw the first punch (untrue), and that they are arresting him on charges of aggravated assault and public violence (or something to that effect). Mac stands up for the Smash, pulling legal knowledge from somewhere, not sure where that came from, and saves the day.
Everybody’s happy, racism lives on, and we live with it.
Between all these racist divides and stuff, Julie, Matt, Landry and Tyra manage to be incarcerated. Yip, they all land themselves in the brig – or at least in juvenile detention area of prison. How, you may ask do they achieve this wonderful feat? Well by going to a strip club of course!
Tyra has to go to her sister (who moonlights as a stripper) and Matt, Landry and Julie tag along. Landry decides to venture into the deeper tresses of the club and is caught by a police officer, or detective or… something.
All of the young ones are caught and let’s just say Mr. and Mrs. Coach ain’t to happy to have to pick up their “perp” – heh. They have a beautiful family fight, no really, nobody fights as well as the Taylors. And I don’t know whether to fell sorry for Julie, or for her parents. They are all just so damn likeable.
Great episode, great tension throughout, and kept you on your seat throughout. These characters are just so damn well written you can’t help but root for all of them!
Friday Night Lights – Episode 17 – “I think we should have sex”
With that episode name, you know you’re in for a blinder. And the show didn’t disappoint.
Jason and Herc is in Texas going for the wheelchair rugby try-outs. Jason meets a girl who has her own tattoo parlor, goes all rebellious on us and gets a tat. Good for you Jason. I like the girl, we’ll probably be seeing more of her this week as well.
Things don’t get of too great at the try-outs, with Jason and Herc both late for the practice, and I have a feeling Jason may be in for a rude awakening, don’t think he’s ready as of yet for the games in China.
Riggins’ dad’s still around, and shows just what big a douche bag he really is. He steals the schools camera, uses his son to hustle a bunch of pool-players out of their money. And basically is an ass all round. Tim gets beat up by the hustlees and takes the stolen camera back to Coach… Coach gets worried… End of that plot line.
Julie… Julie, Julie, Julie…
Young Julie decides she’s ready for probably the most important step in her young life. She wants to have sex. Because, it’s only about one body part going into another person’s body part you know…
It’s pretty clear that this all just some sort of experiment for her. She knows the facts, but the emotions involved in this decision, is still too advanced for her to understand.
Matt of course is over the moon, and a bit nervous as well.
Mrs. Coach sees him buying condoms, confronts Julie in a wonderful heart-to-heart. Deals her some motherly wisdom, and Connie Britton wins and Emmy… Oh… Wait… She WASN’T NOMINATED! Seriously?!!!
Urgh!
Anyways, Matt organizes a night out at a wonderful little cabin, Julie lies to her parents some more, Eric finds out about the whole “I want to have sex” thing. He and Tami fights some more beautiful fights. A Piece of wisdom (that I’ll remember the day I have my own children) is imparted – “We have had the exact same minutes, and hours, days and years of being parents.” Brilliant!
Julie is freaked by an overhead stuffed animal, Matt is all kinds of cute, Julie gets more nervous as the night goes by, Matt’s a sweetheart, Matt doesn’t want to have sex, Julie is overjoyed, Matt doesn’t want Julie to touch him, Snippie is laughing her ass of, Julie and Matt foot-wrestle and talks about having sex with filthy feet – aww…
Eric is the best dad ever! First question he asks as Julie arrives home at probably three in the morning, “Are you okay?”. Aww… Tami is overjoyed that her wisdom kept her kiddy a virgin for a while longer, Eric is sorry for being an ass earlier, Snippie doesn’t know whether to smile or cry and decides on a nice little mix of the two.
The end.
And just one final time… Aww…