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,
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.
- Dillon is putting up Christmas decorations five days before the state championship.
- It is revealed that Eric was offered a five-year contract to return to coach West Dillon. He references the his and her closets that she wanted, recalling previous seasons. Tami says she is getting set up “college style” with her offer and they continue to argue about this.
- Matt shows up at the door and Julie is smiling. They go to the Alamo Freeze together and Matt ends up proposing to her. Matt gives her his grandma’s ring. Julie says yes as she fights back tears.
- Julie says her dad must’ve been upset when Matt asked him. Matt said he didn’t ask him. Julie says he needs to ask, but Matt thinks it will be okay if they just tell him.
- Tim and Billy try to fix Tim’s truck and Tim drops that he may not be going to Alaska anymore. They talk about Tim hooking up with Tyra.
- Tyra tells Tim that Matt and Julie are engaged (before the Taylors know). Tim is enjoying playing with his baby nephew.
- Matt stumbles through asking permission to marry Julie. He laughs at Matt and is surprised. Then he gets serious and says Matt and Julie are too young to get married and that his answer is no. Matt then breaks the news that they are already engaged and Eric is fuming.
- Eric gets home and tells Tami about their new big problem. Tami is just as confused and agrees they are too young.
- Tami goes to talk to Julie and Tami offers to go out to dinner with the two of them to have a conversation.
- Vince finds Ornette at a bar, still bragging to people about Vince. Vince says he got him a ticket to state and wants him to be there, but Ornette says he has things to do, but he will be watching.
- Becky runs into Tim outside the liquor store and says she is over her crush on him but she stll wants to be friends with him.
- At dinner, Tami expresses not wanting to rush into things and Julie explains they aren’t rushing. Eric stresses how it was a different time when he and Tami got married young.
- Eric is talking to Matt about marriage being about maturity and how it requires two people to really listen to each other and the need to compromise. Tami is staring at him with hurt eyes as Eric isn’t currently doing that. Julie says they are committed to making it work just like they have and that they are her inspiration. Tami walks out upset and Eric reflects silently.
- Jess comes home to her younger brothers talking about moving to Dallas. It’s explained that her dad’s BBQ franchise is doing so well he’s opening up a second Dallas location and moving them all there with him. Jess looks crushed.
- Eric goes to the bar to see Ornette. He drops the ticket down for him and says most players only get a chance like this once in a lifetime and then walks out.
- Becky is talking with her mom (who is back?) as Luke pulls up with flowers and a teddy bear. He apologizes and says how much he misses her and then introduces himself to her mom.
- Tim, Tyra, Matt, and Julie celebrate the engagement. Tyra says she’s doing great in college. Tim keeps trying to win Tyra over, but she says he’s just lonely and she can’t do this again.
- Eric wakes up to a call from Buddy, who tells him that Buddy Jr is ready to be on the super team and that the boosters want Eric to sign the contract before the game. While listening to Buddy, Eric reads Tami’s offer letter and sees how much Braemore College was impressed by her. Eric tells Buddy never to call him this early in the morning again.
- Eric explains all this to Tami and Tami looks defeated.
- While Matt and Julie decorate at Matt’s grandma’s house, she pulls out Julie’s old wedding dress to give to Julie.
- Julie talks to Matt worrying if they are making the right decision or not, but he reassures her.
- Tyra and Tim goes out to the property to sit and drink. Tyra says she’s considering a career in politics but fighting for education and the marginalized like Mrs. Taylor.
- Then Tyra explains she’s been in love with him her whole life but she’s scared and she has dreams. Tim says he knows and he also has dreams. He’s going to build a house and he will get a job and stop doing illegal things. He hopes one day their dreams can merge together.
- Tami takes Gracie to see Santa at the mall and Eric shows up right as they take the picture. Tami is surprised because he’s supposed to be leaving to go to state. Eric says he’s turning down the job and it’s Tami’s to chase her dreams and asks her to take him to Philadelphia. Tami is elated.
- 8 months later, Tami is walking around campus
- Luke is saying goodbye to Becky and his parents are he is joining the military.
- Matt and Julie are in Chicago together.
- Tim and Billy start construction on the house Tim is building on his property. They sit down to have a beer and say Texas forever to one another.
Coach Taylor’s speeches.
Football observations.
- As the team is interviewed prior to the state championship game, Vince is asked about the future “super team” with West Dillon. Vince says he doesn’t want to talk about that, he wants to talk about the Lions winning state. Tinker calls the interviewer a jackass and Coach Taylor declines to comment about his future.
- Jess asks Coach Taylor is she can come join the super team staff as well next year, but he says those are only rumors.
- Jess explains to Coach Taylor about her future and her move. She explains she can’t be on the staff next year and explains how much this season has meant to her, as it’s been the greatest experience of her life. Coach Taylor says it’s been the same for him. He then explains he knows a coach in Dallas and if she’s interested, he can put in a good word for her. Jess is very appreciative.
- Vince asks to talk to Jess and says that he initially hated that she joined the team and now that are going to state and he feels so lucky that he can share the experience with his girlfriend and tells her he loves her (first time?).
- The team arrives at the Cotton Bowl stadium and are in awe as they walk on the field.
- The team is in the locker room, anxious. Coach Taylor walks over to Vince and says he will never know how proud he is of Vince. Vince responds by saying Coach Taylor changed his life.
- Ornette shows up to the game
- The game is a hard-fought back-and-forth affair, with highlights shown silently to music.
- The offense is dynamic thanks to Vince, Luke, and Hastings. They are all leaving it all out on the field.
- The score is 26-21 and the Lions are down with three seconds left. They have time for one more play, but need to go 63 yards. Coach Taylor tells Vince to give the WRs time to get downfield. The ball is snapped, Vince evades pressure, and launches a pass deep down field…
- … the scene cuts away to the practice field of the Pemberton Pioneers in Philadelphia. Coach Taylor cheers the team on and we see it’s 8 months later.
- Vince is practicing as a Dillon Panther with Coach Crowley. We notice a state championship ring on his finger. Coach Spivey, Buddy Jr, Buddy, Tinker, and Billy are there too. Sadly, we see the East Dillon field being taken down.
- Jess is on the coaching staff for Dallas Walker
- Buddy oversees the “Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.” banner being put up in the Panther locker room.
- In Philly, Coach Taylor tells the team they have a long way to go, and he is looking forward to it. He tells them to go home, rest, and come back tomorrow. He then says “Clear eyes, full hearts…” and no one reponds because they have never heard of it before. He says they will deal with that later and dismisses them. Tami comes on the field as the team leaves and they go home together
Unanswered questions.
- Is West Dillon that good this season? Keep in mind East Dillon demolished them in the regular-season matchup.
Plot holes.
- Has the state championship always been this close to Christmas?
- Tyra says she’s been in love with Tim her whole life. They were kind of together right when the show started, but weren’t together the entire run of the show. It seemed off that they sprung this relationship on us in the finale while setting it up to be a long time coming.
Quote of the episode.
- “You may never know how proud I am of you.” – Coach Taylor
- “You changed my life coach.” – Vince Howard
Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t Lose. official counter: 30
Texas Forever official counter: 13
Riggins quitting the team official counter: 4? (didn’t quit but is ditching practice for a bit)
Coach Taylor calling Landry ‘Lance’ official counter: 12Jason’s job aspirations: quad-rugby player, football coach, car salesman, flipping houses, sports agent
