Get Your Swerve On

Eric was dynamic as ever and said volumes with his actions and behavior. The scene where he watched Gracie sleeping as Julie looked in was so telling. Have we ever known Eric to walk out on a practice or be late for a game. When he chased Julie down the hall I stood up in my living room. That was REAL. One of the most laughable moments was when she told Tammi she maybe needed to go to Europe. YEAH RIGHT! Get in that car Julie and go face the music.
What a beat down by Vince's dad. There's taking care of things and then there's that. He should have pulled that trigger though. No chance that moment of mercy doesn't come back to haunt him. I'm also a little worried about Ornette's motivations about protecting Vince. He must have said five times to just stay focused on football. I think he sees a meal ticket in Vince. From the previews it looked like he will try to get involved with the college recruiting and knock heads with Eric. While I really liked his speech at the table about his time in jail, I can't help but think of Cam Newton's dad here. He did have a great line though when he told Vince "let's go be social, ladies be waitin."

I so wanted to see more of Tim's recruiting video. I thought Billy should have had Luke watch it. He did a great job with the pre game speech. Mindy was great as she counseled Becky and pushed her into her "Hottie Farm Boy's" arms but made sure to warn her about safe sex and all that "mommy talk."

Nice attnetion to detail when they had Billy assure Tim that he had been making all the payments on the peice of land he bought.

One thing is for certain, the Lions are for real. Eric is going to be lured away it looks like by a head coaching job. Does he take it and make Luke and Vince his prize recruits? We'll have to see. I think he leaves and Billy takes over the team. The speech was a bit of foreshadowing I think.

KINGDOM COME...KINGDOM CONQUERED

Julie what did the five fingers, say to the face?
SLAP!!!
That was as intense as it gets and reminiscent of Goodfellas where Karen goes to Janice Rossi's apartment. Liked how her roommate stood up for her. Tammi knew right away that something was wrong when Jules showed up at home unannounced.

How bout the lions though slapping the taste out the mouth of Kingdom? That was fantastic! Hastings shined and I rewound his touchdown three times so I could see Luke taunting the guy that just got laid out.
Luke's drunk rant was epic as was the convo the players had whilst Eric listened on earlier before the game. Little Buddy Jr. likes Cougars it looked like.


Julie isn't the only one who fell for a faculty member. Tammi's coworker is hot for teacher too. White wine and Chinese food, who is she kidding and she couldn't have been any less thrilled when Eric called, which was hilarious in it's own right.

The scene where Vince's dad met the coaches was pretty emotional. It was as if he was meeting the men who had been raising his son while he wasn't there. Gotta respect Eric though no matter who you are. Who else cooks bacon in their office? There is no chance though that "everything" concerning Vince's recruitment goes through him.

Break out game and episode for Hastings! Branding though? Having branded myself once I can tell you those boys must have still been good and drunk the next day because that smarts for way longer than overnight.

I'd give this episode 6 stars if I could. It had it all. The team and coaches both nursed hangovers, but I would walk on fire if it meant another season of this great show. Moment's like Vince telling Eric it's his team and he rides with the team, are rare and special. Even the stoic Eric Taylor couldn't help but blush at that one. Best episode of the season and ranks up there with the best in the show's history.

So many amazing quotes:
Eric: Success is not a goal it's a byproduct.

Buddy: They'll kill ya but they can't eat ya.

Luke: I like Country but this is Rap. Put them together and they sound like crap.

Billy: AAA is for women, we're men. We don't ask for directions and we fix our own cars.

Billy: Special Teams is about the real players taking a breather and the people in the stands getting a chance to drop the kids off at the pool. Special Teams? More like Special Ed.
Eric: Hey Coach? This is supposed to be a walk through.

Tinker: It's too damn quiet! I miss my cop cars and crack heads.

Hastings: Ay, that candy ain't free...that porn ain't either.

Luke: Tomorrow buddy.
Vince: Tomorrow.

Eric: Stay away from Dumb.

Hotel Manager: I'm glad you won your soccer game but I need you to tone it down.

Luke: And where's Buddy Jr.? Where are you girl?

Eric: So what are you all wearing?
Tammi: I gotta go now.

Right Hand of the Father

Maybe I'm soft but after hearing from a few people that this episode was weak, I am shocked. I thought it was a great episode and worth of it's own game ball in my episode trophy case. Not only do I think this episode will get Eric Taylor nominated for an Emmy again, I think his speech to Vince about character will win it. All his talk about what their standard entailed was great. Tinker said he was flipping tires in his dreams after Coach was so hard on them. I definitely have run so many gassers that I was doing them in my sleep, but I never had a coach then tell me to take a knee a deliver a speech about team standards like Eric did. Then he gets Vince with the, "Strive to be better than everyone else. Character is in the trying not being."
That was just great stuff.

The game was sick. Vince lead the crowd in cheering "Defense," Luke blew up the other team's QB and Tinker got flagged for doing his shuffle after Vince punched it in for six. What more do you want?

Other highlights were:
Jess's smile when Tami brought up the equipment manager spot.

Gracie Belle yelling "Think about it daddy!"

Billy: Shut your face Moreno

Vince's mom: Give him a chance for me. Let's be a family

Tinkers suit on game day.

Buddy's call to his wife: This is what I've decided. Send Buddy Junior home to
Dillon. Send my son home.

Vince's Dad: Tonight for the first time in my life I knew what pride felt like.

Was glad Vince didn't totally cave and ask his dad to come back in and stay with him and his mom. Julie and Tami were the low points of the episode which is hard to admit, but it's the truth.

So way late on this recap and I have yet to watch this week's episode. Spread a little thin these days so I apologize

LONESTAR "STATE" OF MIND

This week opened up and we saw Buddy hanging the sign to his new restaurant. The next shot was of Big Mary's BBQ spot. A not too subtle preview of some tension to come I gathered.

Not really sure why Eric is on the outside looking in as Mac explained to him but I did like how he didn't lose his composure or focus in front of the coaches or team.

"You chalk that field yet?"

Eric has breathed new life into this program. As the show came to a close we saw him glance into the stands. What used to be empty seats on game days were now filled with adoring fans showing their Lion pride. What the governing board is trying to do to his kids is wrong, no doubt about it. So how do you shut them up and make them believers? STATE. You win it all there's no way they can leave you off the rankings. The team rallied behind Eric setting up what will hopefully be a magic run to the state finals. Even a disgruntled Luke cracked a smile knowing Eric has his back.


The football story line is taking shape and I could not be happier. As for the other story lines I find myself split. As much as I love me some Tami Taylor, I'm not sure if I'm buying into the whole save Epyck scenario.
Things almost got interesting though at happy hour when Laurel ran out to catch Tami in the parking lot. We all remember the last time a colleague of Tammy's did this.(GLEN!) Sadly there was no pass made but instead Tami seemed to have gained an ally at East. Yay, I guess. Did love how Eric was so supportive of her going to the bar though.
Julie is lonely at college. Shocker! So now she is falling for the married T.A. Shrug. I love seeing her on screen, and her cockiness at the history department mixer calling the 36 Throwback game was nice, but I think I'll ask that fraternity pledge to take notes for me as well on how this one turns out.

Jess loves her a project. She lamented how she missed the football moments with Vince since the season got underway. Recall how she tutored Landry on kicking. I don't think it's a far cry to think she might take on the Lion's recent basketball convert Hastings as her new project.

Really like the Becky storyline staying with Billy and Mindi and how they, well Mindi, waited up for her. Becky has grown up a lot. Luke was great as he told her how he traded Tinker his pig so she could be his rally girl and even better was when she declined his invite to come into his house when he was so clearly drunk. She wants Luke, just not in a drunken haze. Can't really blame Mindy for being a little jealous of her what with the shorts and all, but she did well to change her tune after Billy reminded her of the sacrifice Tim was making for them.

Vince hugging his mom and asking her where she wanted to live after showing her the recruitment letters had me reaching for the tissues. That scene and the chills I got from when Eric wrote "STATE" on the board were enough for me to call this a good episode overall. I'm a little worried about Luke. He is developing a rather large chip on his shoulder.

Some of my favorite quotes:

Epyck: Everyone in Texas smokes, babies smoke in this state.
Tami: Well even Babies can't smoke on school property.

Hastings: Billy you got any protein on you?

Eric: Do I look worried about anything ti you?

Hastings: Po-rn, I got lots of po-rn.

Tami: Panties in lockers is part of Texas high school football.

Vince: They want me!

Eric: What do you want for breakfast?
Gracie: Mac-n-Cheese please!

Vince: You've been really angry lately Luke, you need a hug?

Becky: I'm just not used to people caring.

A Little Bit Goes a Long Way

As the final season of our beloved FNL got underway, Tim was visited by Billy in jail where we learned he has but a few months left on his sentence and is up for early release with continued good behavior. The bitterness was all over Tim's face as he avoided any kind of contact with his guilt ridden brother. As happy as I was to see #33 doing well I sort of expected to see him sporting a different look, be it a shorter hair or even a beard. Tim is too pretty for for prison and a some scruff would have been a nice touch to show that he has been behind bars for some time now. That said the interaction between the two brothers was well done. Tim wasn't having any of Billy's pity party and I loved how he cut him off when he claimed that he had been a coach to Tim. "Coach was my coach."

Billy claimed he was going to take a coaching job to give something back, but it didn't seem like he was looking to work pro bono when he met with Eric. Eric mentioned that he was short on funds already, which would have been the time for Billy to mention he was just looking to help out the team for free. Couple things to note from when Billy was introduced to the team as well. The look on Eric's face following Billy's Ronnie Lott quote was vintage Coach Taylor. The other look worth worth mentioning was the one of concern on Coach "Best Buy's" face as he seemingly felt threatened by the arrival of another staff member.

This season will be full of final moments, and sadly we saw the last garage jam session of Crucifictorious. "Don't have to bee so flashy Jimmy, a little goes a long way." Landry was full of great lines of which the one about how his mom had packed his stuff up a month ago was the most classic. His final night out with Julie was indeed epic on his scale. I cringed for a second when I thought he might make a drunken pass as his best buddy's ex girlfriend but in the end he settled for Candy and showed once again what a good guy and friend he really is. His farewell to Grandma Saracen tugged at heart strings, but Lorraine kept it light as she told him she had all his band's music loaded up on her "MP Player," which we saw was actually a sphygmomanometer. (Have to admit I never knew what those things were called until I googled it this morning.)This could have been the final time we see Grandma as well which had me misty eyed. Aside from her passing away, I don't really see why she would be featured again this season. What a great and integral part of the series she has been.I couldn't help but smile when we first saw Buddy behind the mic on 1040-Am El Fuego. Buddy was in his element scouting players for Eric and doing everything he could once again for his team. He introduced Coach Taylor and the rest of us to Hastings Ruckle, "the white kid" as he noted to Coach. Grey Damon the actor is a fresh face for the female FNL fans to gush over and will surely fill the void left by Tim until his release. Loved his flare as he hung on the rim, but he needed to work on that free throw form a little more. Grey Damon is no stranger to the grid iron though as fans of Tru blood should have recognized Kitch Maynard as he hung from the rim. He's gone from "V" using meat head QB to idealist, hipster tight end. Eric looked the part as always in his trademark sunglasses and was commanding as ever as he let Hastings know "you live in Texas now, you love the game of football, you just don't know it yet." Eric seemed out of character asking the guys to recruit the hoopster to the grid iron, but he showed his coaching gift when right before he sent the rookie out onto the field he asked him "do me a favor, do the best you can."

Some may have thought his insertion into the game and catching the touchdown was a little far fetched, but the writers did well to show how green he was as you hear him ask things like "where do I stand" and reiterated by Vince when he told him to just run to the goal post. The choice to go for two after clawing to within one point in the games closing seconds was great and made even better by Vince and Luke flawlessly executing the Boise State statue of liberty play to perfection.
A wins a win and this was a great way to start the season off,, but I felt like they were a little pass heavy. I know they were trying to dig themselves out of a pretty big hole, but i was surprised Eric didn't go to "The Lion" formation. That's my only bit of Monday morning quarter backing.

There was a somber moment of the game though following Luke's crack back block on Croft's start QB Cody Pearl. Reminded me of another lauded signal called who with a promising year ahead of him took a big hit in the season opener and laid motionless on the turf.Off the field, Vince showed his maturity and huge heart as he talked to Andre. I was of course sad for Landry that Jess left him for Vince, but I can't help but love the two of them together. It was a very touching moment he shared with her little brother and I have to think Jess will be nothing but a positive influence on Vince and help keep his head in the game all season long. He is going to need a strong support net as we saw his father will be joining the show after being released from prison.

Julie looks to be headed for trouble as the season preview showed. We saw the awkward phone call she had with her room mate where she said "it was good to meet you sort of." I wonder if the married man is a teacher? Away from home and feeling lost and alone she fills the voids left by her separation from her dad and Matt with one guy. You stay golden Julie Taylor! It will be alright.After saying farewell to their first born, all Eric could say as she pulled away was "wow." I was equally emotional thinking of the day I send my own flesh and blood off to college. The entire episode was filled with tender father/daughter moments which lead up to the final goodbye. The ping pong game was great, but the most emotional scene had to be when Julie noticed her dad staring at her from the kitchen. "I'm gonna miss this," was his line to her. It reminded me that at the end of this season we too are going to be saying goodbye to something we care deeply for. With that said, this season is off to a great start and I plan on savoring the last few opportunities to write about one of the greatest shows on television.

Until this Friday, as always, C.E.F.H.C.L.!!!

FRIDAYS ARE BACK!!!

The network premier of the final season for Friday Night Lights is just a day away. Bittersweet emotions abound as we travel back to Dillon for one last season. As much as I hate the ad, I wish we could get the sprinkler guy from the Buffalo Wild Wings commercials and send this season into overtime.
Season 5 will once again be anchored by Emmy nominees Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, and will be joined by the cast from last year. Each week could be infused with nostalgia as long-time Friday Night Lights favorites such as Scott Porter, Taylor Kitsch, Zach Gilford and Adrianne Palicki will all return for the show's final season.
Not sure if the show will pick up in the aftermath of the Lions big win over the Panthers or if some time will have elapsed. Remember one of the last things we saw was Coach hanging Christmas lights on the house. Do we get to see the holidays in Dillon, or will we fast forward to the preseason? Will Luke remain a Lion or head off to prep school? How can Luke think about transferring after a win like that? His mother will not be happy to hear Tammi is coming to his son's school though that's for sure. If he stays, Luke and Tinker will be a focus I feel as their friendship continues to grow. Will they explore Stan, Coach Best Buy's, sexuality in the final season and another social issue to the list of ones they have tackled? Vince and Jess will test the limits of their feelings and the limits of Big Mary's patience. Hopefully we will see Vince's mother doing well and due to return home. No matter what transpires I'm sure we are in for a treat. Break out the eye black but have the tissues close at hand. C.E.F.H.C.L.!!!

Disappointing Divine Intervention

TV Guide is reporting that when Friday Night Lights brings back its starting season lineup before the big 2011 series finale, the Panthers will be missing one beloved player. Turns out Gaius Charles, so great as Brian "Smash" Williams, has embraced God over football and is pursuing a masters degree in divinity.

"He and I used to text, but he has fallen off the radar," reports Lone Star's Adrianne Palicki, who will bring Tyra back to town. "We were pretty close in Texas and he was debating even then if he wanted to stay in acting or become a minister. This was something he really struggled with, so I'm glad he's happy."

Well thank God for Tyra returning.

The final season is set to air on Direct TV on 10/27, but the majority of us will wait for it's prime time screening. The Lions continue to improve, but there will be no shortage of drama in Dillon as we wind down to the final episode. Vince's ex-con father shows up, while Julie enters into a relationship with a questionable character of her own while away at college. Eric and Tami will face a "life changing" decision, which may be another coaching opportunity possibly in college again or maybe the pros. Amidst all the negative, we will be treated to appearances by Landry, Street, Matt, Tyra (as previously mentioned) and Riggins. Executive Producer Jason Katims said, "we want to give a resolution to all the characters and have a real and great ending." NBC will probably air the final season some time in April like last year.