(S02E01) And we're back for another season with the Dillon Panthers. You have to think that there is some pressure on the folks behind the show as they kick off this new year. The renewal was great and all, but I suspect it came with some helpful suggestions as to the kind of numbers the network is looking for on Friday nights. It should be interesting to see how the show performs on the new night.Over the summer we lost eight months of Texas time, but that really doesn't matter. For the most part, we pick up all of our ongoing stories where we left off last spring. Anything we really need to know is handed off to us as we are reunited with these characters again. Since the show kicked off with Matt and Landry at the pool, let's start there.
This was a really good way to start out the new season. The Taylor family dynamic is still my favorite thing about the show, but the relationship between Matt and Landry comes in a close second. Hearing the two of them banter eased us right back into the flow of the show and set the tone for the episode very well. They also had a couple nice lines in there with Landry's WWRD (What Would Riggins Do?) philosophy and Matt's "Captain of the S.S. ta-tas" description.
Matt seems to be right about where we left him last season. I thought that the championship game may have served as some sort of milestone, instilling him with some much needed confidence, but it doesn't appear to be the case. He's the same lovable, nervous, guy we've known all along. And that fact is one of the things causing problems for him once again, as we see in his relationship with Julie.
He clearly knows that something isn't right with Julie and the Swede. Despite that, he just lacks the wherewithal to actually take action and do something about it. It's something we see again as Matt talks to Eric about the direction the new coach is taking the team, instead of voicing those concerns with the coach.
For her part, Julie is hardly innocent, but she does gain some leeway from the viewer, and from her father, based on what we know about her. Her acting out isn't coming from a bad place. She's confused, and growing up and stumbling occasionally as she finds her place. That doesn't excuse the way she has treated Matt here, but it is one of those mitigating circumstances. I did really enjoy the scene she had with Eric when he picked her up from the bar.
Getting back to the new coach (Chris Mulkey), the Tennessee Tyrant as Slammin' Sammy called him, I think we have big things to come from this story. Matt's objections are the first seeds of doubt, and now that he and Riggins have crossed horns that is only going to build momentum. My bet is that Coach McGregor doesn't see the end of the season. Who would take over? I think the smart money is on Mac, with the dark horse being Street. And the long shot, a returning Eric. Whether he makes it through the season or not, it looks like it is going to be a bumpy trip.
Along with his run in with the new Coach, we got a pretty good look at where Riggins is now when he bumped into Lyla. There little exchange with Lyla's line "Yesterday I was baptized and accepted Jesus as my lord and savior. What have you done recently Tim?" was a good one, and gave us a very good picture of both of their situations right now. Riggins seems to have reverted a bit to the Riggins we met early in season one. I was actually surprised with how crass he was with her and I'm hoping we'll get some back story on why he's changed back as we move along.
Lyla continues to be something of a mystery to me. I really thought she had turned a corner last season when she stood up to all of the other cheer girls and owned her actions. It seems that the weight of the Street/Riggins triangle, compounded with all of her parents problems, have her searching for something. The question now is which one of these two will affect the other more?
And speaking of Buddy, do you find that you take some kind of weird satisfaction in seeing things go so wrong for the guy. He's an easy character to loathe, and given the headaches he caused for Eric last season, it was nice to see him get the boot from practice. It's hard to feel much sympathy for him where his marriage is concerned either. It's clearly a bed that he has made. I do think that the more interesting part of the story though is going to be how it all relates to his daughter.
As bad as Buddy looks in all of this, Eric scores some points by going to see him and trying to offer what advice he can. Unless of course, you get caught up in that nagging question... If Eric's time back in Dillon is so short, what is he doing hanging out with Buddy? That question aside, Eric and Tami continue to be my favorite part of the show. I was a little surprised by just how quickly they got to baby Grace, expecting a little more pregnant Tammy before we got there. It works with the way the rest of the show was fast forwarded though.
The conversation they share after Carl called and told Eric that he was needed back in Austin early was great, with Eric working so hard to justify why he has to leave. Trying to convince himself of it as much as he is trying to convince Tami. And Tami breaking down in tears because she knows that as much as she hates it, there's nothing that she can do to change it at this point. This is what she signed up for.
Unfortunately, with so many characters, something has to give, so we didn't really get much with Street and Smash in the opening episode. Street seams to be at a crossroads as he transitions into a coach. The hard-nosed approach of Coach McGregor and his friendship with Riggins and the other players are leaving him stuck in the middle and there are going to be choices to be made. Smash, like Riggins, seems to be back in season one form. This is "The Smash" and he's ready to take on the world.
Now, let's get to that other thing. I was all for every bit of the Landry and Tyra stuff, right up until the end. It really continued what was started in season one very well. Landry is still a bit of the puppy dog, but he is putting himself out there and taking a chance. That's always been fun to watch. And Tyra is growing and changing. I was even on board with the return of Tyra's attacker because I thought it would be good to put an end to that thread. But when the whole thing went I Know What You Did Last Summer on us, the first doubts started creeping in.
This story really has the potential to go off the rails. It just doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the show. But I do qualify that as "has the potential" and "doesn't seem to fit" for a reason. The writers of Friday Night Lights have earned the benefit of the doubt at this point. They've done enough things right that I'm reserving judgment on this story until I see how it is going to play out. It just stands out because it seems like such a departure from what we have come to expect from the show.
So there we have it. I wouldn't call this a great episode, because so much of it was about catching up and setting things in motion. I would call it a very good premiere though, because with that hour I am right back in the Friday Night Lights story, and very much looking forward to seeing what the rest of season two will be bringing us.
Giveaways reminder: Office, Eli Stone, Supernatural, South Park
Giveaway Thursday: Tickets to the New York Television Festival ... all of it!
I miss the media-friendly John McCain - VIDEOS
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-05-2007 @ 11:14PM
Buckly said...
Brett, I'd like to compliment you on the photo you chose to accompany your review-cap of this week's episode.
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10-06-2007 @ 12:31AM
Jeff N. said...
There is still a lot to like about this show. I hope more people watch it.
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10-06-2007 @ 1:11AM
tv junkie said...
lets hope sex can sell the hell of this show because it hasn't been easy for it to get this second season order! and with the new boss at NBC, better rating is necessary for any hope of getting that next order.
even with that little twist at the end there, this is still the more satisfying premiere of the returning shows so far this season...I'm "cautiously optimistic" the writers can work out that story.
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10-06-2007 @ 5:49AM
hub said...
I don't think Landry and Tyra dumped the body. I think they want us to think they did, but we never did see the backseat of the car after they left the bridge. I can't imagine they would take the show in that direction; having Landry face charges and maybe seeing justifiable homicide is one thing, but them covering up a body is just WAY out of flavor for this show. Unless NBC is pulling the strings a LOT, I can't see that being done. I damn well hope it isn't, cause it would really take me out of the show.
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10-06-2007 @ 6:45AM
Robert said...
Shouldn't you have written S02 E01?
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10-06-2007 @ 8:14AM
Georgia said...
I found it very hard to believe if Landry's father is a cop, he would have ever moved that man. Wouldn't he call the cops and an ambulance? It seemed to me last season, Landry was the one who focused on doing things the right way.
I sure hope Eric comes back to Dillon to coach... he's the reason I watch this show.
I did not like this episode (though, to be fair, it might have been the Yankees loss that put me in a bad frame of mind!!). Seems like the off-center filming was more than usual; I do not understand that technique.
Just as an aside, it seems like Riggins has been pumping iron in the last eight months.
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10-06-2007 @ 8:19AM
Tess Capra said...
Landry is supposed to be this genius whose father is a *cop,* and it never occurred to him to call 911 and say he attacked the guy as he was assaulting Tyra? It's their word against his even if he recovers. This plot is totally at odds with the entire series, way over the top for the realism they've so carefully established.
I don't like Landry being on the football team either -- I enjoyed the irony of the guy probably named for the Dallas coach being the odd man out, and thought we would probably meet his disappointed, football-obsessed father at some point.
It's "Tami," btw, not "Tammy."
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10-06-2007 @ 10:44AM
eric f. said...
Landry's WWRD was awesome. I kinda expected the ending to be a bit lighter, like maybe have him beat up the guy and get laid as a reward, but let's see where they go with this.
Lyla's being "born again" was annoying. It's not so much a criticism of the show or writing...I just think it's so desperate when people use that route to "fix" themselves. Expect to see some wierd conduct from her this season.
no offense to tv squad's "born again" readers.
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10-06-2007 @ 10:45AM
eric f. said...
Landry's WWRD was awesome. I kinda expected the ending to be a bit lighter, like maybe have him beat up the guy and get laid as a reward, but let's see where they go with this.
Lyla's being "born again" was annoying. It's not so much a criticism of the show or writing...I just think it's so desperate when people use that route to "fix" themselves. Expect to see some wierd conduct from her this season.
no offense to tv squad's "born again" readers.
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10-06-2007 @ 12:05PM
amy3717 said...
Does anyone know why Riggins is still on the team. I thought he and Jason were the same age and that they would have graduated together...
Im not too sure about the Tyra/Landry murder plot line. However, they never do show them dumping the body, so maybe they didn't.
Im glad its back, it wasn't the best episode but then agian I didn't like seasons one episode until I went back and watch them all together.
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10-06-2007 @ 8:03PM
las6 said...
amy3717, well my guess would be that Riggins is not going to graduate anytime soon - based on the way he's spending his free time. (I doubt it involves a lot of studying)
I'm not gonna even comment on the whole "I know what you did last summer" -storyline other than to say it indeed was totally out of place.
I sort of liked the whole "Tyra was baptized" -storyline - simply because I have never ever seen a storyline involving voluntary baptizing (sp?). Of course they had to overdo the whole handing out flyers/saying grace - but then again, some people in texas might just be like that. It's just a shame, they had an opportunity to present the viewers with a less annoying kind of true-to-life character.
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10-06-2007 @ 11:41PM
mikerephone said...
My heart broke twice during this episode.
1) The scene on the couch when Coach is telling Tami he has to leave early. Connie Britton's acting there was breathtaking.
2) The post attack actions of Landry and Tyra. Everything that happened up to Landry whacking the guy on the head with the pipe made sense. And maybe we're operating under the theory that good people do stupid things when they're under incredible stress. But dumping the body? From the creator of the show's standpoint, they've taken an incredibly stupid risk and done something that cannot be undone. They've taken Landry, the one teen character who provided a true moral center in the show (even with all this flaws and quirks) and put him in a place where he is either going to be arrested and/or psychologoically damaged for the rest of the series, or they'll try to write out of it and the character won't ever ring true again.
Heartbreaking.
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10-06-2007 @ 11:43PM
Lee said...
How in the world can anyone imply that Eric may not return to be the head coach? What show are you watching? Obviously, the family pressure and realization that he is best suited for football on the HS level, both personally and professionally, will force him to quit at the collegiate level.
Would you watch The Sopranos if Tony demoted himself to a lower level? The Office if Steve Carrell WASN'T in charge?
Eric not being the head coach would lower his value to the program. He's the head of two families: his own, as well as the football team.
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10-07-2007 @ 11:23AM
Pierre-Luc Allie said...
The Tyra/Landry storyline was really good until that. I hate to say but if this show is cancel, we all know now when they jump the shark...
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10-07-2007 @ 7:17PM
Bash said...
What the hell happened with this show? Are they for real? After 30 minutes I felt like I was watching a daily soap. Horrible writing. How on earth can they shake the foundation of every single thing that was good about "Friday Night Lights" in season one? What do we have now? Lyla is a total Jesusfreak. Tami Taylor's "breathtaking" acting on the couch was hilarious in my humble opinion because it felt so god damn fake. Their daughter isn't interested in her boyfriend anymore, Tami breaks out in tears over him leaving - so they pack up their things and just leave to be with him and THAT'S JUST IT. Period.
Then Buddy totally freaking out over the so-called hippie his wife now dates - it's supposed to be MONTHS since we last saw these people - and he thinks he has the right to freak out like that over that guy sitting in his van. Laughable. He committed adultery last time I checked.
And then the total and utter BS about Tyra and Landry. What the hell was that?
Nothing in this show is believable anymore.
I always compared FNL with Dawson's Creek because of all the Angst in the show. The first season of DC was the retelling of the creator's childhood and he had to come up with something out of nowhere for the following season. He also broke apart everything but it felt RIGHT there. There was still longing, Angst and all the mishmash of emotions teenagers have.
But introducing a possible homicide into the show? NOTHING good can come from that. It's stuff you put in "I know what you did last summer" kind of movies where you start killing people of for what they did but how on earth are they going to handle Tyra and Landry now? I can only see one of them going to jail and the other leaving the show.
What a crapfest this episode was. I don't see how they can save it. I'm with Pierre. We all know where this show jumped the shark and it was right after the log hit the back of head of that wannabe rapist.
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10-09-2007 @ 12:57AM
Will said...
I can't believe I waited 3 days to watch this. I was sooo good.
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10-11-2007 @ 10:47AM
Kyle T Baxter said...
Very annoyed by the Landry/Tyra "I Know What You Did Last Summer" storyline. Completely out of character for both people and seemingly a story from an entirely different show. It's very 'One Tree Hill.' FNL may have just jumped the shark. I will give it up a couple of episodes to see if they redeem it but my faith is seriously shaken.
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10-11-2007 @ 12:31PM
Allison said...
Took a chance and watched this show for the first time. I figured it was a show that my husband and I could watch together (with some sports & drama; something for us both). I'm sorry, but it felt way too soapy. It was a ton of talking and not much action. My husband wasn't interested either. I'll give it one more shot, but he's done.
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10-16-2007 @ 9:07PM
Debbie said...
I think friday night lights is a great show i hope they replay the premiere i miss that one had to get tvo so i wouldnt miss anymore.
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10-16-2007 @ 9:11PM
Debbie said...
friday night lights is the best
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