Friday Night Lights Review: Why Don’t You Stay?

Anything would have been considered light fare after last week’s two-ton heavy episode, so I reveled in the more carefree moments we got this week as Lyla returned for another, more final, goodbye, and the Lions had a fighting chance against an undefeated team. But there were extremely emotional moments which should not be taken for granted as Matt, somewhat randomly, drove off on the open road, and Tim had to let go.

Things start to get back to normal in Dillon, as Matt tries to move on with life after losing his father. He even pals around with Landry, who sweetly offers an ear because they’ve been best friends since the age of five. But Matt really doesn’t want to rehash the past, even the very recent past. So when Julie offers up a road trip to an Austin music festival, there’s not a hint of sadness in his eyes. Coach and Tami aren’t so keen on the idea though. Julie may be 17, but she’d miss two days of school, and Tami wasn’t having any of that. So instead of continuing to whine and beg for mommy and daddy’s approval, Julie went along anyway, not even telling Matt that she lied to her parents.

The trip started out well. There was cute banter as they picnicked on the side of the rode. Then, the two danced in their hotel room with the Austin Capitol building in the background. But things get a little dicey at the concert. Matt wants to get going because he really does value her parents’ opinion of him, and with all those tensions, Julie blurts out that she doesn’t want the responsibility of Matt staying in Dillon for her. Now, this season I’ve seen Julie go from a brat to someone who’s actually feeling and processing emotions like a normal teenager. She’s so raw in this moment of breakdown, in the middle of this crowd. She repeatedly tells him that she loves him over and over again, and you can see in her eyes and hear in her voice the fear of losing him. Still stepping outside of TV Land, I can’t help but wonder what the big deal is. If they do love each other and want to be with each other, can’t they just go to school in some mind-opening city together? Seems like Julie has her pick of many schools, and Chicago, where Matt was going to go to art school, has many great colleges in the area. A little melodramatic in my opinion, but I get the idea.

I also enjoyed seeing this situation from Julie’s parents’ eyes. Tami was distraught, while Coach maintained the voice of reason. I love the snippets of the dozens of messages Tami must have left for her daughter, chiding her and then asking her to call her back “thank you very much.” (I’ve been there!) And telling Gracie Belle that she’s her favorite daughter. Tami then broke down when she realized that as much as she wanted to go down to Austin and search through hundred of people to find her, that her little girl was growing up. Deep down, she knew Julie was okay, but the worry just heightened all those feelings of not wanting to lose her daughter in a year. And when she breaks down to Coach, he’s there for her, telling her he supports her no matter what she decides to do but that he knew Julie would be okay.

Coach also had to deal with the media flocking to East Dillon as they faced McNulty, a school who hadn’t let their opponent score a touchdown in two seasons. (I’d like to know why they’ve never played them in the State finals, but again, I’m not a football know-it-all.) He tells everyone to keep their mouths shut, like anyone listens to him! It felt like the olden days, a little, when the Panthers were always being interviewed, except even funnier with an overconfident Smash and a drunk Riggins. Instead we got a player laughing at the prospect of them winning and Coach Stan guaranteeing a win. At least Vince and Luke, the dubbed leaders, seem to be getting along swimmingly. Even in the face of a douche attack by J.D. and his Panther lackeys at Sears, where the two go to watch some game tapes together, they stand as a solid front. And Stan even gets in J.D.’s face, practically banning him from Sears. Go Lions!

Tim also showed up to help the Lions, with his brother. Coach brought them in to knock ‘em around and give them an idea of what a real, hard-hitting defensive line would feel like. It helped, since they not only got a touchdown against McNulty but almost won the game. Of course, they’re still not All-stars yet so it’s unrealistic that they would win. I appreciate the slow development, but the fact that they played as well as they did was a little out there.

But Tim was way more focused on a certain someone rather than football, and thankfully it wasn’t Becky. Lyla didn’t just come back for the funeral or to see her dad or to remind us how fabulous and cute Minka Kelly is. The old lovers spend three days, and three days only, frolicking, drinking, riding bulls and making sweet & sexy Riggins love. (I’m jealous of all the action in that tiny trailer!) But both, no matter how much they care for each other, will never be on the same page. Tim is a Dillon resident for life, while Lyla was meant for bigger things. There will always be that pull for the comfortable, welcoming, and familiar, especially when it looks like Tim. Yet, this time really did feel like a goodbye, one that left Tim brokenhearted.

I will say that I’m liking Becky more. She takes it hard when she finds Lyla with Tim, even lashing out at Luke who only wants to take her out on a date. When Lyla and Becky come face-to-face, I expected more teeth, but Becky was almost in awe of her. Here’s to hoping that Tim doesn’t severely mess up this girl’s fragile self-esteem. In the end, she tries to make Tim feel better by stating her new discovery of life. There must be multiple soul mates for us all. ::Hint::Hint:: Yet, I’m not sure how quickly Tim will be ready to jump into anything with a high schooler, unless he spirals into depression and turns into Season 1 Riggins.

Jess also has boy issues of her own. Landry tells her that he really enjoyed the kiss but stupidly mentions Tyra. (First time we’ve heard him utter her name all season!) He gets a deserved slap for that. Then, Vince stops by the BBQ joint to get some face time with her, only to be ejected by her father. I can’t imagine if he doesn’t even want to talk about football, that he’d want her involved with the new QB hotshot.

By episode’s end, Matt pulls up to Julie’s and drops her off. Things have not gotten better since the concert, and Julie already feels Matt slipping away. The two are crying as they say goodbye. It seems like the last one though their words are just like any other goodbye. But when Matt pulls up to his place, he doesn’t go inside. He knows that his Grandma is set for life as she’s gotten a $100,000 death gratuity for his father’s death. We can hear his mom and Grandma actually getting along, which I guess is meant to say that everything is okay. And so he drives off with a smile on his face. Now, I can’t believe sweet Matt wouldn’t say goodbye to the people he loves, but I think this is more of a “clear your head” getaway, and when he does return, he’ll have an episode or two to truly say goodbye. (At least, Zach Gilford better! I will miss him more than any other who’s left so far.) Until next week…!

Season 4, Episode 6: Stay (aired June 11, 2010)

For more on Friday Night Lights, click here.

Fridays at 8/7c on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal and Bill Records.