During the offseason, we are continuing our weekly series discussing thoughts on arguably the best football TV show ever in Friday Night Lights. If you haven’t seen it, there is no better time to start. If you have seen it, there’s no better time to rewatch it. And if you’re like me, and watch an episode or season every year in preparation for college football, you’re right on track. Regardless of which category you fit into, it’s on Netflix (and Peacock), and you can follow along each week (on a Friday,
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of course) as a different episode from season five will be discussed, from looking at how the East Dillon Lions will fare in year two under Coach Taylor all the way through the series finale.
Random thoughts in live-tweet form.
- Becky throws a welcome-home party for Tim. He doesn’t approve of her working at the Landing Strip.
- There is an emergency school meeting and Levi tells the staff that some of them won’t have a job next semester. He says not only will there not be more money coming in, but they instead want money back. Teachers are understandably worried.
- Tami gets a call from a college in Pennsylvania. They want to fly her out to meet with them about a position with them.
- Just before dinner, the Taylors get a knock at the door. Eric answers to find his team on his front lawn, running in place chanting “State!” telling him they are getting strong as they laugh.
- Vince comes home to find his parents fighting. Orenette is upset because Regina doesn’t want him drinking after work because she is sober. He is not understanding of the situation, so he goes outside to drink.
- Tim is working at Buddy’s place. He turns the TV up on one of the games to hear Smash Williams score another touchdown for Texas A&M. He and Buddy reminisce a bit.
- Eric is stressed about potentially losing his staff. Tami tells him she wants to go to Pennsylvania for the interview, but they can only meet on the Friday of the semi-finals.
- Billy vents to Tim about potentially not having a spot on next year’s staff and being worried. Tim isn’t in the mood to talk about it.
- The football team also does a front lawn visit to the Riggins' house. Billy and Tim go out to see them. Billy leads them in a war chant and Tim sees how Billy has found his place.
- After the game, Vince is excited as he relives big plays, meaning they obviously won. Regina lets Vince know her boss is letting her go to the games moving forward. Ornette comes over and is clearly drunk. He’s acting overly affectionate, stuttering and Vince can smell it on his breath. He gives them each a leather jacket.
- Regina questions how he got them, as he didn’t make enough money to afford them. Ornette snaps at that and grabs her hand. Vince jumps up and pushes Ornette back away. Some small bags drop from his jacket and Vince sees them. It appears to be drugs, but Ornette tries to downplay it, saying it’s “grow-man stuff.”
- Vince throws the jackets back to Orentte as he leaves. Regina starts crying and Vince walks her away.
- Eric drives Tami to the airport. They are bickering, as Eric wants Tami around to help him at a busy time. Tami pushes back, saying this is important to her.
- Tim is at the Landring Strip with Billy. He’s upset with Becky working there and goes over to her. He tells the guy she’s waiting on to stop touching her and then they nearly get in a fight before Billy and the bouncers break it up. He gets kicked out while screaming that she’s 17.
- In the parking lot, Tim and Billy get in a fight and Tim punches him. Billy asks Tim how long he’s gonna hold Tim going to prison for him over his head. Tim says for the rest of his life if he needs to before driving off.
- Ornette stumbles home and sees the locks have been changed. He then starts yelling and breaks the door down. Vince says he can’t come home like this and needs to get help. Regina calls the cops. Orenette eventually stops and it’s assumed he leaves.
- Becky is talking to Tim outside in his truck. He apologizes for getting her fired and Becky is upset because she needed the money. Luke pulls up, sees them talking, and drives off upset. Tim then says he needs to go and drives off too.
- Levi calls Eric, waking him up. He says he just got out of the all-day budget meeting. Levi lets Eric know that there will only be one football program in Dillon next year, with West and East Dillon having one team. Eric asks which team is getting cut and Levi says that is a fight for the next week.
- At the Braemore College interview, Tami walks around the campus and gets a rundown on the committee from her acquaintance who arranged the interview. Tami and the lead interviewer (the Dean of Admissions) get into a back-and-forth about the weight that test scores should carry. Tami doesn’t back down from her points, even if it’s decreasing her chances of getting the job.
- Mindy tries to convince Tim not to move out as he packs his bags. Tim says there are too many people in the house. Mindy explains how guilty Billy is and how he can’t sleep some nights and how they both love Tim for his sacrifice. Tim says he’s happy for them all but he still has to go. Mindy says he’s different and Tim says he is.
- Tim is back at his old trailer and breaks the door open to get in before cracking a beer. He turns on the radio to hear the Lions are going to state.
- At dinner, Tami and her friend to go dinner and talk about the interview. Then, one of the committee members joins as well. He explains they are not offering her the assistant dean of admissions job. Tami says she understands, but then he explains they are offering her the dean of admissions job. A shocked Tami is given a folder detailing the salary and benefits. She is told that he wants people like her at their college and asks her to talk to her husband and he hopes that she will say yes.
Coach Taylor’s speeches.
- “Can you feel that? About 5,000 people out there, and they want to take your dream away from you. You going to let them take your dream away from us? You gonna let our dreams be taken away? As one gentleman... (Coach Taylor leads them in a prayer)... now let’s go kick some ass!”
Football observations.
- East Dillon destroys West Cambria in the playoff game, winning 38-6. The locker room is all smiles and celebrations as the Lions are back on track.
- Coach Taylor tells them that state is theirs to lose because they are that good. They have 3 games left to go to state.
- The assistant coaches look over the athletic budget, trying to find money where they can.
- Jess shows Coach Taylor a scouting report she did of a potential future opponent. He isn’t happy about it. Coach Taylor reminds Jess that she is an equipment manager. Coach Crowley says she will never be a football coach, Jess asks if it’s because she’s a girl and he’s speechless.
- During their next game, Luke picks off a pass and returns it for a TD to seal another victory, this time against Bellemeade. After the game, Luke gets the game ball at Buddy’s. Also, there, Levi tells Eric and Tami that the board meets in 10 days, and football is a big target for cuts.
- The Lions are back at practice, working on their two-minute drill. Jess brings Coach Taylor an article about a female coach. Coach Taylor calls her a pest.
- The Lions are once again back in a game (their third game scene of the episode). This time it’s the quarterfinals and the crowd is hostile. It’s against Preston, which is the team Jess scouted. It then cuts to Vince talking to Regina at the BBQ place.
- Back in the locker room, the Lions have made it to the semi-finals. Their confidence is at an all-time high.
- At practice, Eric talks to Jess about how there is only 1 female high school coach out of 14,000 and how this is a man’s game. Jess said she isn’t looking to play, just coach. Eric says if she’s going to shadow him and the coaches, that shadows don’t talk, they stay out of the way. Then he invites her into the coaches meeting room.
- The Lions board the bus to go to their next game, with a big crowd cheering and sending them off. They are playing Arnette Mead, the only team to beat them earlier this year. Coach Taylor says it will be different because now state is on the line. He declines to comment on the rumors about the team getting shut down and says no one will cut a team that wins a state championship.
- As Luke gets on the bus, Becky tries to apologize to him, but he brushes her off. Vince gives his mom a hug. Regina says she hasn’t heard from his dad and sadly states she can’t make it to the game because she needs a meeting today. Vince is sad but says that is more important.
- In the semi-finals, with less than two minutes left, East Dillon is down 13-9. They go to their no-huddle offense with some scripted plays. He tells Vince to watch the clock.
- Vince and the offense start from their own 5 yard line or so, but execute the plays. Luke makes a few plays and then Vince completes a huge pass to Hastings to get them past midfield.
- Vince takes off on a QB draw for a big gain with 16 seconds left. He tells the team to get to the endzone or the sidelines. Hastings makes a fantastic tip-toe catch on the sideline inside the five. There’s time for one more play.
- In the huddle, Vince tells everyone to calm down and announces the play. He goes for another draw play, leaps over the line and gets blocked, but lands on his feet. On the second effort, Vince goes around the line and dives into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown to send the team to state.
- On the bus ride back, the team celebrates that they are going to state. Luke notices they missed the turn to the fieldhouse and Coach Taylor says they aren’t going there. Instead, they drive into a big celebration from the town. The players can’t beleive it adn run otu to join the celebration.
- Vince looks for his mom and can’t find her. He is getting worried, but then sees her in the distance and runs over ot her. They both embrace with tears in their eyes.
Unanswered questions.
- Why is the staff so against Jess studying to be a coach? With potential budget cuts, wouldn’t it make sense to have a student-coach who wouldn’t require a salary?
Plot holes.
Quote of the episode.
Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 28
Texas Forever official counter: 11
Riggins quitting the team official counter: 4? (didn’t quit but is ditching practice for a bit)
Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 12
Jason’s job aspirations: quad-rugby player, football coach, car salesman, flipping houses, sports agent
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