Friday Night Lights Review: Bye Week

It’s a bye week in East Dillon, so what is our favorite down trodden gang of Texas football fanatics to do? Throw a school dance, of course!

After last week’s episode of somber family reunions, the theme of fathers and sons still holds strong in the ongoing stories of the Buddy Garrity (Brad Leland), Buddy Jr. (Jeff Rosick), and Vince (Michael B. Jordan) and his father (Cress Williams). Two Lions find themselves being recruited for college football and Becky (Madison Burge) experiences a lot changes while Julie (Aimee Teegarden) makes a decision that could have heavy consequences.

I’m glad to see former booster member Buddy back in the forefront of things, and with his estranged son Buddy Jr. finally arriving back home in Dillon to escape his troubled former life. Buddy enrolls him at East Dillon, which he immediately dubs the “ghetto” school. On his first day he meets Tami (Connie Britton), who offers to help him get acquainted, but he quickly dismisses her after eyeing her cleavage.

The natural blocking of the show has always been one of its most impressive quirks, setting it apart from the rigid formats of traditional television. In that scene, the quick way that Buddy Jr. and Tami exchange glances before she covers her chest with her paperwork is one of the many blink-and-you’ll-miss-it humanizing moments that quietly contribute to the series’ realism.

As you might expect, Buddy Jr. doesn’t stick around to finish his classes and instead breaks into his father’s bar and gets drunk. The next day at dinner he steals his dad’s credit card and car. Buddy Sr. only manages to track him down thanks to help from Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler). At first, Coach seems a little off put about Buddy forcing his football-loving lifestyle on his son. By the close of the episode he goes on the field to watch them practice and oversee Buddy Jr.’s tryout for the Lions.

Vince is having another rough week, which is hard for a character who last season went through an entire series’ worth of drama. Things with his father are still more than complicated. He shows up to watch his son practice, but receives little acknowledgment for it. Vince even refuses Coach Taylor’s request to be introduced. In a somewhat heated moment over dinner, Vince tells his mother (Angela Rawna) he can’t get over the fact his father hasn’t been around for anything, including her stint in rehab and countless birthdays. Vince doubts his dad even knows his birthday, an accusation his father doesn’t respond to.

Back on the field, he’s stressed about Jess’ (Jurnee Smollet) new position with the team. She’s clearly got a mind for the game, as evidenced when she points out Tinker’s flaw to Billy Riggins (Derek Phillips). Vince also accompanies Luke (Matt Lauria) to a game and tour of a college looking to recruit him. While Luke is freaking out about their great seats and the athlete’s gym, Vince gets pulled into the head coach’s office for an apparent recruiting session of his own.

Don’t be too sad for Matt though, because it looks like things with Becky might finally be going somewhere again. They remind me of the Landry/Tyra days back in season two, and I’m rooting for the two of them to find a way to make it work. He catches her alone at the dance and promises she likes him and when he gets back from the college tour, that he’ll prove it.

Becky, still at the Riggins house, starts this week asking Mindy (Stacy Oristano) if some girls from school can help her plan the dance at the house. Mindy reluctantly agrees. She also agrees to take Becky home to her father’s and step-mother’s house later that night.

Apparently, her father isn’t exactly excited she chose to runaway from her new home. When they get to the house, Mindy sees that this situation isn’t one Becky deserves and takes her back. Her and Billy even joke about how strange it is that they’re turning out to be the role models the girl needs. There’s a great tender moment with the newly formed family here, ending with Becky looking off at a picture of Tim (Taylor Kitsch), who hopefully will be back soon.

We don’t get to spend a lot of time with Julie this week. She seems to be avidly trying to avoid her married teacher Derek (Gil McKinney). When he approaches her, she tells him she has a date. But, in what seems like a potentially intoxicated state, she finds her way to his door and he pulls her in and they start making out. Daddy’s little girl isn’t so innocent anymore and one day her mother might wonder why she’s been dodging all of her phone calls. Still, in the trend of teachers-dating-students that’s popped up on television over the last few years, these two are probably the least offensive couple. While not a ringing endorsement of their romance, at least both are of consenting age. Still, might be nice to tell your wife it’s over before you start bringing a new woman home.

This week almost everyone ends up in a better place than they started. Vince even manages to form a truce with his father, asking him to promise what’s in the past is history and won’t be dragged into their lives again.  But Tami, always crusading for the best for the kids, is starting to hit a wall at the school. She’s running out of bribes to get help for the students from other teachers. She also had to watch Epyck (Emily Rios) get suspended after hitting another student, arguing that’s not the best discipline for the matter. She’s still determined, but the lack of support could be what slowly wears her down over the rest of the season.

Season 5, Episode 4 “Keep Looking” (Original Airdate May 6, 2011)

Friday Night Lights airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Bill Records and NBC.