TVSquad

(S01E18) "Extended Families" was a good name for this episode. More than most episodes, this one was balanced out pretty evenly between the whole Friday Night Lights family. Saracen got a little short changed in the deal, but considering all the other good stuff, that's ok.

Let's start with Tim Riggins. Normally I would refer to him simply as Riggins. Or occasionally Tim, if Billy is involved in the conversation. Today, because Bo's repeated use of his full name made me laugh, I'll use the whole thing. That whole story just came out of nowhere, and I'm a little iffy on it actually. On the one hand, it seems a little late in the game to be setting up yet another love interest for Tim Riggins, and that sure looks like what they are doing. Although, if they want to carry it right on over into season two, I'm good with that. On the other hand, I do really like the casting of Brooke Langton (Melrose Place, The Net, pictured).

The two of them were good together, and I think it does fit in nicely with the rest of the Tim Riggins story. He's grown, and it's easy to see how he would go that way. From her side of it, frankly, this can't be the best of ideas. Bo's little hint that his mother just came out of a very bad relationship isn't the stuff that should lead to dating the next door neighbor high school kid. It would seem that there could be trouble ahead.

It looks like Street's possible romance with Susie (Alexandra Holden) might have been cut off before it really got started. Unless Lyla and I are both fooled, I bought his commitment to their relationship too. I thought they set all of that up rather nicely with the tattoo. Lyla telling Street, "It's just not you." was a nice hint to her later comment about her fear, "We're never gonna last because I'm not changing with you." The action surrounding tryouts was good too, and Herc is fast becoming one of my favorite supporting characters on TV. He gets so many good lines. "Sure, you can't depend on a functioning spinal column, but one thing you can always count on is a drink on the house." I'm betting Street makes the team.

The developments around Waverly were not what I expected. I thought that by now we would be getting into the story of where she was sent off to and why. What I am assuming is bipolar disorder may factor into that one way or another, so that remains to be seen. The speech from her father really telegraphed that ending but I like where it is headed. It gives Smash something tough to deal with and I've been pretty impressed with Gaius Charles so far, so I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.

I was a little confused by the Collette family part of the story. I get that Angela was depressed, and I think we all knew that this was where here involvement with Buddy was heading. I'll even take the leap that a big party full of strippers when Mom is depressed is a plausible idea. But with a room full of strippers, how is it that Landry is the only one there with a car? Why didn't Tyra drive to the hospital? It seemed that Julie had to call Tami because she didn't have a ride home, because Landry was somehow responsible for getting Angela home. None of that really made a lot of sense. It did provide a nice little Landry moment though.

I'm willing to forgive most of the plot craziness though, because of that scene with Tyra and Tami. So good on both sides. I liked that Tyra confronted Tami about not allowing Julie to see her. Her line, "So bad people like me won't hurt her." was quite cutting. And Tami's reaction to it was perfect. It wasn't just a hollow apology. It was an honest admission that she was in the wrong, and it went a long way. Their moment before Tami left was very touching. "Mrs. T? Thank you." Even a cynical bastard like me had to throw out an "Awwwww." Connie Britton is so good I don't just want to give her the Emmy. I want to start handing her random awards for being awesome. Let's give her the Conn Smythe trophy just for the hell of it.

Speaking of Tami, I suspect many viewers shared her sentiments when they arrived home to find Buddy sitting on the front porch. "Make him go away." What a piece of work that guy is. I suppose it's that good southern hospitality that kept Eric from just telling him to get bent, but I did like the reactions from all of the Taylor's to having Buddy invade their space. Julie put it best. "Are you even comprehending the depths of awkwardness?" The fact that there wasn't more of a blow up over the notepad incident surprised me. I mean, isn't that jumping way over some line?

That Magnum P.I. revealed meeting came up sooner than I expected. It seemed like the perfect thing to leave for the big final episode. Will the coach take the job or stay with the Panthers? Maybe they are still going to do it, but that would be some stretching to play this out to the end of the year.

As for the team, another win and off to the state semi-finals. It was a nice twist having the big play come from the defense. Overall, a solid episode.Lots of little bits of story all over the place, but the season, like the Panthers, just keeps rolling right along. Seeing how all of the various characters come together (Eric&Buddy, Tammy&Tyra, Riggins & Bo, Smash & Waverly), like family, even when it's not what always how they would want things to turn out, is a nice story.