Friday Night Lights Review: Some Fall On The Path To Victory

Who would have thought the fumbling, amateur Lions would end the season with an uplifting and inspiring victory? Okay, any avid TV lover would have probably guessed this conventional ending to such a tumultuous Friday Night Lights season, but I could never have guessed that sweet victory could taste so good! (Or that, in a mere season, my football allegiance could flip as easily as Buddy Garrity’s.)

Coach, also, regained that sparkle in his eyes going into the biggest game of the season as if nothing seemed to faze him. Luke came to his office to tell him that he may be transferring, with a full scholarship, to a private school. The boy looks sweet as apple pie, but he’s clearly adept at playing master manipulator. He hoped Coach would jump at the chance to play to Luke’s desires and put him in the game to keep him at the school, but when he didn’t, Luke didn’t leave it. He chided him, asking if that’s all Coach had to say. Yep, it was, but noooooooow Coach reminded him that the only reason that Luke was in this position was because he chose to hide his injury from him and everyone else. It’s the truth so Luke couldn’t rebut, yet as we saw in this week’s vicious fight against the Panthers, Coach had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Yes, it’s highly unlikely that in the real world the Lions would have been able to get it together and defeat the almost reigning champs. Still after this dark season, a light was needed at the end of the tunnel. Coach took Vernon’s advice about letting Vince roam free more. He took Landry out of the almost all of the game but put him in at the most crucial moment. (To make a 45 yard kick for the win.) He benched Luke only to insert him, throw the enemy off kilter and pull in some of this much needed points. Coach was so clever and creative, I was convinced that he could turn even me into a pro athlete!

I’m not sure what was more delicious. Seeing Buddy stark raving mad about a football game again. Or Matt, sitting next to Julie and his grandmother, cheering Landry on. Or Vince’s realization that, no matter his doubts, he IS a good player and CAN lead a team to victory. Or Joe McCoy’s face as the Panthers got their butts kicked. So many wonderful moments to relish.

However not everything can be sunshine and rainbows. The Riggins boys have had their fare share of ups and downs. Failed business adventures, messy relationships, having lost faith in each other. But through it all, they’ve managed to stick by each other’s side. So to see the boys realistically face the fact that they can’t stand by each other in the same way as before was heartbreaking. They spoke with a lawyer who thinks there’s a good chance of getting them 1-5 years if they pled out. Clearly, things were looking grim.

Billy, at Thanksgiving dinner, gave a speech about not taking the people you care about for granted because we’ll all die someday. Not the most eloquent sentiment but no less true. Tim knew his heart couldn’t allow his brother to be separated from his wife and new baby. and one of them would see time no matter what so why should they both do the time. It was all understandable and there was something about Tim having grown so much since we first met him. Unfortunately, he’s ended up exactly where everyone imagined him to. No matter how much Billy prodded him to be the successful Riggins, he also equally brought him onto the dark side with him. The tearful realization between the two that Tim was going to jail combined with the final moment between the two as Tim through his #33 truck keys keeping a brave face and walking into the station has cemented Riggins as the most complex character that will ever be on FNL and his sendoff, though sad, rang extremely true to the character. What a fantastic book of work for Taylor Kitsch from start to finish.

Not to be forgotten, Jess and Vince didn’t get much time devoted to tie up last week’s drama but we did get a cute scene between the two when she surprises he and his mom having a quiet Thanksgiving in rehab. They’re actions last week also set up some fantastic Landry moments this week. I’d already touched on Landry and Matt, but Landry’s reaction to Jess breaking up with him and his standing up to Vince for being a hypocrite showed us two very different sides of Landry but none of those sides were sidekick. I’m glad Jesse Plemmons has been able to step out of the wings. 

It’s been a fantastic season, the grittiest one yet at that. I don’t know how I’ll get by when the chosen few get to watch new episodes in a mere few months. (I hate you all.) Still without DirecTV, I would not have seen this season and that would have been a shame, so I may hate you, but that hate is a mixture of jealousy and adoration for keeping DirecTV in business. Until next season, and bonne chance to Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler. Here’s to hoping they can both mount Emmy’s on their mantle this year.

Season 4, Episode 13: Thanksgiving (aired August 6, 2010 (on NBC))

For more on Friday Night Lights, click here.  You can follow Poptimal writers on Twitter @poptimal.

Fridays at 8/7c on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal and Justin Stephens.