TVSquad

My husband, myself and our 20 year old son are glued to the T.V. when this show is on. It is so good on every level. If it is not renewed, it would be a crime. You do not need to really care about the football to love this show (even though we are football fans) because it is really all about the people. This show always feels so real - except for this week, I didn't buy the "instant" creation of a field in a cow pasture. This would NEVER happen and felt totally like a Hollywood fantasy, and that was disappointing because this show is so much better than that. The whole romp was fun though, and I guess that was the point. I still LOVE this show, just hope they don't "sell out" like this again.

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great episode.

how will the show come back for a 2nd season without changing all the players? Aren't most of the guys Seniors?

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One peeve or maybe just an obsevation about Tyra's attack; where did the guy go after she nailed him with the lighter? Was he still in the truck; where are the cops and the EMS? Surely, he didn't just get up and walk away to lick his wounds. This scene, as frightening and intense as it was, left a lot to be desired and makes me think that maybe something was left on the cutting room floor. And even though we KNEW that the Panters would win, the last play, slow-mo and all, had me leaning forward in my chair in anticipation. I love this show!!

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I think Riggins might be a senior but previous episodes have led me to believe that Smash and Saracen are juniors.

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@Tna

Tyra did a real number on the guy's head in the car door after eyeballing him with the lighter. I'm pretty sure he'd walk away after what she did to him.

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Ok this is the best show on TV right now - think about how many characters we care about – they are very rich in development and I love them all. They are all so real and human even if they are caricatures we see their humanity. Buddy for example is a creep but I love him all the same. Regardless this show has to come back it really is the replacement for the West Wing in my mind. It is smart, exciting TV that gets your emotions going and gives you something to root for. Anyone know Jeff Zucker?

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Great episode, as usual. This show has been so consistently good, I can't believe it hasn't gathered more of a following. What a crime. FNL is probably in the top 5 of TV shows this season (I look forward to the next episode much more than 24 or even Lost).

With all this talk about possible cancellation, do you think it will make it for season 2?

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Tyra has never attended the football games, so to me her skipping the game that Friday was no big deal. I think it just goes to show what an outsider she is in Dillon.

The attempted rape scene was so real and intense, I still get chills thinking about it. I think the attacker didn't think she was worth it when she fought back so viciously (yay Tyra!) so he left. I'm hoping Tyra and Landry were waiting around for the police so they could file a report.

Loved loved love this episode, so dissapointed there are only 2 episodes left!

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This is the best show on TV right now.

I don't think they spent enough time on the "gift" in Saracen's locker. That's the kind of thing that can get a coach/team in a lot of trouble and I thought it deserved more attention.

Other than that, this was a great episode. I agree that the cow pasture was a little Hollywood, but it was fun to watch. I still think that having almost every game end on a dramatic, last-second play takes away from the realism that the rest of the show tries to obtain, but again, it's fun to watch.

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I'm with tiff on the Tyra remarks regarding game attendance - only I wouldn't say she "never" attends games - she has on occassion - but more often than not she had to work or just wasn't interested in attending. I think she probably only went to the early season games because Riggins was her BF at the time.

So on that note - I thought the scene fit in perfectly with last nights show , and of course the rest of the town practially, went to the game ... rain , girl alone ... perfect opportunity for a would be rapist.

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Great show. The football game was fun to watch in all that Mud. If the show is on next year Street will be a coach.

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This show is great. I love it. Just happened upon it about three weeks ago and I hope it comes back for another season BUT you know how that goes. Everytime I find a Show worth watching it goes off the TV. Why is that?

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I think only Jason and Tim are seniors (don't know if that was established, or if it was assumed), and maybe Lyla and Tyra also. Matt, Julie and Landry - I assumed they were all in the 10th grade (Julie for sure, not positive about the guys). Smash is probably in the 11th grade.

I thought the contrast between the game and Tyra being attacked in the pickup was excellent. While the Dillon Panthers finally achieved their dream of going to state, Tyra was living through her (and truthfully, anyone's) worst nightmare. That scene was really intesne and it almost crushed my heart. I kept thinking that this was the moment Landry had to come and rescue her like a damsel-in-distress, but this is FNL - like real life, not everything ends up happily ever after. I did want her to go and look at the license plate of the truck (after she escaped) so she could report it to the police, but given the situation, she wouldn't have been like "oh, let me write down the plate number".

I think it also speaks volumes that the attack took place not in a bar, where the old Tyra probably frequented and she's familiar with the people there (and the bartenders and what not know her), and where she probably would be her sassy self (e.g. when Tim Riggins and his dad were playing pool). Instead, she was at a burger joint (didn't seem like one of the ones they usually go to) - waiting for Landry, trying to study in the meantime. Studying hard and doing well in school is not going to be easy (as her mom pointed out in the previous episode) - and after the trauma of the attack, it'll be interesting to see how Tyra moves forward and whether she'll continue to try to improve her education or if she'll revert to her old ways.

I actually thought that Tyra would be mad about being stood up (even though it wasn't a "date") and that she would revert to her "bad-girl" ways and hook up with the guy that eventually attacked her. I did not see that one coming.

I hope this show is renewed - or if it isn't, at the very least, NBC should give it a few extra episodes so they can wrap things up a bit (not all neat and tidy, like other tv shows, but just so there aren't any pressing questions left unanswered).

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This is my first post, but I have been a fan of the show since Day 1. I grew up in South Texas, and a lot of the show brings back memories for me. However, the thing that has endeared me most to this show is the quality of the relationships. I love the coach and his wife and how they relate to each other, and I like the innocence of Julie and Matt (especially when set alongside the sordid trials of Riggins, Lyla, Tyra, and even Street).

As for the ages, I think the poster above is almost exactly right. I seem to recall from Episodes 1 and 2 that Street, Riggins, Lyla, and Tyra are all Seniors. Smash is a junior (remember when he was trying to impress the guy who puts out a list of the "hot prospects", and he wanted to make sure he did enough this year to be on the list next year, when he will be looking for a college). Saracen and Landry are sophomores (the announcer said Saracen was a soph when he came off the bench when Street got injured). I thought they said that Julie was a freshman in a very early episode. Cycling in compelling new characters will definitely be a challenge if the show goes on long term, but right now let's just get a renewal from NBC for next year.

On to a matter of trivia -- has anyone paid attention to the number of uniform combinations the Panthers have used? For a small town, they sure went all out. I know there have been at least 2 different blue jerseys (one with block "PANTHERS", the other with script "Panthers"), and there may have been 2 different white jerseys. Seeing them in all white for the mud bowl was pure Hollywood (since their home kit is usually blue tops with white pants), but it was fun anyway. With all of those jerseys in play, you would think that Under Armour and NBC would figure out a way to make at least one of them available for purchase. I have written to NBC on that one, but have received no response. Hard to believe those 2 companies would let a merchandising (and profitable) opportunity slip by.

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I've thought that all along- how are they going to do this show for a second season when a good portion of the cast graduates? I assume Smash/Waverly/Matt/Julie/Landry will all be around, and I suspect the graduating seniors probably won't get out of their small town because it's a Texas small town, but what the heck will the show do with those people? Plus, what happens in the inevitable time jump that'll have to go on to bring us back to the next football season?

Course, given the previews for next week, who the hell knows what'll go on there.

Yeah, Tyra's unexpected near-rape freaked me the hell out. I'm proud she got away without needing male assistance, and I was proud of Landry for being there. Maybe that's supposed to bring them together, I dunno. But I hated that it happened to the tough girl. It also seemed out of place, it's happening too late in the season to really have that much impact plotwise.

I enjoyed Waverly and Lyla with guns. That was awesome. Then Smash's reaction to Waverly with guns, and ending with her talking to his mother.

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"do I really buy that it includes skipping the biggest game of the year, so far, to study?"


I really do. As Jupiter-2 said, we've seen Tyra attend games before but that was because she was with Tim.
When she met the guy from LA with whom she had a one night stand, she gave him a "I hate football" rant.

Tyra not attending a game is quite normal imo.


I loathe the Tim/neighbour storyline with the fire of a billion supernovas. I've hated the teen/adult story in every other show and FNL is not doing it any better.
I don't care about the age difference, I don't care they're fuck buddies of sorts or if they fall madly in love , just get it off my screen.
No amount of shirtless Tim can make me stomach that crap and I am the shallow kind. That's a shit load of hate right there, I tell ya.

I loved Lyla unleashing at Jason. I like the kid and he's entitled to have a pity party but it felt extremely good to have Lyla finally dish back as bad as she got.

Tami and Eric make my screen melt.

I still cannot stand Saracen. *pets fast forward button*

Smash finally grew on me last week and he was great this week too.

All in all great episode.

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That was a great episode. I agree the attempted rape scene seemed crowded into the hour, but that was such a twist to the story. It's a good chance for the Landry character to realize how women need to be valued for more than their looks.

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Did anyone notice that Landry was carry a copy of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" when he was in the library "bumping" into Tyra? "Our Bodies, Ourselves" is a book on women's health. Usually there isn't much of a reason for a guy to be carrying around that book. I just thought it was funny.

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The scene with Tyra, while may have seemed out of place, would not have worked in another episode. The usually bustling diner was empty because everyone was at the game. This left Tyra exposed and vulnerable to the creepy guy just looking for someone like her on a night like that.

I LOVE this show. I did not start watching it until February, but was able to catch up on reruns during a FNL marathon on BRAVO. I think that the chemistry between Kyle and Connie is some of the best on TV right now. I find myself really invested in so many different characters on this show. The writers do a great job of giving you reasons to care about even the most damaged of souls.

Thanks for the review. I hope this show stays.

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I really don't think I could ever love a TV show more than I love this one. It's just amazingly well done, but makes me FORGET that it's well done. I get totally sucked in every single time. Love love love it.

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