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« Friday Night Lights
A New Job, a New Coach and a New Baby
The Taylors adjust to their new situation. Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden, Kyle Chandler by Bill Records/NBC
Episode Recap: "Last Days of Summer"
"Welcome back to another glorious year of Panther football." I'm not ready to classify the football as glorious just yet, what with this new Coach McGregor (the anti-Eric Taylor) and all, but the show itself is certainly back and in sublime form.
Let us first welcome into the world Miss Grace Taylor, second daughter of Eric and Tami, sister to suddenly moody teen, Julie. Now Eric has another daughter to defend against football players and Swedes; too bad he's a plane ride away in Austin. His new coaching job at TMU is having a deleterious effect on his family and (I'm not even being dramatic when I say this) the entire football-loving community in Dillon, but more about that in a bit. Julie won't talk to him because she considers him to have been an absentee father for the last 8 months, and Tami — Connie Britton, proving yet again how wrong the Emmy voters got it with her incredible performance tonight — is absolutely destroyed that he can't even take two full weeks to be with her and their new baby, simply because he's getting squeezed by his bosses. Was that a look of regret I saw when, on his flight back to Austin after giving out the 2006 Championship rings, he passed over the Dillon football field?
Speaking of screwed up Taylor decisions, what is with Julie? Not showing up to a party Matt invited her to in order to go see some hunky fellow lifeguard's band? Joke's on her because the Swede — yeah, I didn't hear an accent or anything either — has a girlfriend. I didn't buy her tearful confession to her dad that she was so afraid of turning into Tami, and of Matt turning into Eric that she's avoiding him. I think she's just being a difficult teenager who got used to taking advantage of the fact that her mother was busy getting ready for another child, and her father was a couple hundred miles away.
Lyla Garrity's spent the last nine months becoming supremely obnoxious as well, but worse than that is that she's cloaked her obnoxiousness in religious sanctimony. For instance, her response to Riggins complimenting her new look was, "Thanks. It's probably because yesterday I was baptized and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. What'd you do recently, Tim?" Maybe we should cut her some slack though, because her family is absolutely bonkers; her mom is dating a vegetarian owner of a health food store (in small town Texas? Seriously?) and her father is sleeping at his car-dealership.
In fact, as affecting as Tami's breakdown was, it was Buddy that broke my heart tonight: "Eric, that Tennessee hillbilly is stonewalling me. Won't even talk to me, locked me out of practice… told Mac Macgill that I was an annoying nuisance." And in a nutshell, that pretty much encapsulates what's changed this season. Our familiar characters are finding themselves in familiar but altered (and not altogether pleasant) situations: Jason can't be friends with people he's coaching, Matt is being rejected by his girlfriend and his new coach, and seemingly no one else can catch a break. The only exception is Smash, who's on the cover of Texas Football, and is having the offensive line built around him.
Tyra and Landry's situation merits a separate discussion. I'd heard the grumbling about this setup, since NBC had made this episode available early on the website, and while I try to avoid spoilers, I couldn't help but take notice of the discussion. I don't find it as off-putting as many others do. It wasn't done bombastically — we didn't see them dump the body — and there are always consequences on this show, but they're always completely realistic consequences, and I have no doubt that the writers (and actors) know where they're heading with this. Translation: Let's not worry too much about this storyline before we see how it plays out.
So can the Panthers win back-to-back championships under the tough-love tutelage of Coach McGregor (played by Chris Mulkey)? Leave your reactions to the episode and speculations about the season to come in the comments, but do be kind to spoiler-phobes (myself included), and don't reveal anything you might know.
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Oct 5, 2007 10:01 PM
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NNNNNOOOOO!!!!!! I can not believe what they wrote for Tyra & Landry! I will give it a chance but my first reaction is...NO!!!!
Otherwise, it was a good start to the season. I'm so glad FNL is back!!!
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Oct 5, 2007 10:27 PM
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Hey - I'm a first-timer to this blog because I caught up with the show on DVD this summer. Catching up was fantastic, and I'm thrilled to be on board with the show this season. The opener has been by far the best premire of the season to date.
The murder did raise my eyebrows, but wow. I had heard rumblings about a contriversial twist -- I'd even SEEN the clip with her being attacked before in NBC promos I found on YouTube -- but the clip cut off just before the murder happened, of course. It was played in such a real manner that I can only believe the writers know what they are doing here. Given their incredible talent, I think they also know it could desinigrate into Lifetime TV movie of the week material. They had to have thought this through and I trust they will do this right to prevent it from becoming that. I was shocked and deeply disturbed by this, which is good because I want to know where it will go next. As noted, this show is really good with consequences, and I'm sure there will be lots of ramifications of this.
The rest of it was just fantastic too. I don't like the new coach at all and hope the situation resolves itself sooner than later, but it's great drama to see the team and the town reacting to him as they are. The family situation is so real that I sort of wish they were my family. I love the fly-on-the-wall approach to this show; it makes it that much more intimate. Oh, and Julie. I get her and her relationship problems, but I also get Matt. And Eric and Tami. And...well, everyone. That's another thing I love, how the show is so rounded that even when you disagree with a descision made by a character (Julie, for example), you really understand why the character made that choice.
Can't wait for next week.
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Oct 5, 2007 11:04 PM
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I have missed FNL soooo much this past summer. To me, it was back in fine form tonight. I just can't wait to see what happens the rest of this season.
Everyone who loves this show should find and make friends with Nielsen box owners and make them tune in every Friday!!
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Oct 5, 2007 11:07 PM
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I adored this show last season and was really looking forward to this one. The term jumped the shark comes to mind with the Tyra/Landry situation. Landry has a father who is a cop, yet he doesn't know that's the first person he should've called? Landry's a smart boy. This almost seems like a Tallahatchie Bridge reference.
Another story line I'm leary of is the whole Lyla conversion thing. She's found religion, yet the rumblings of what's supposed to take place on a road trip are going to fly in the face of it, if what I've heard is true. I don't think Lyla is probably a true covert, but I hope the writers don't make a mockery of people who do turn religion in times of pain.
I'm going to withhold complete judgement, but right now, I'm a little worried that the dark tone of tonite foreshadows what's to come. I'm not sure I like it.
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Oct 5, 2007 11:17 PM
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First of all, I don't consider what Landry did "murder"; it was more self-defense. Of course, what came after was just soooo boneheaded! I kept yelling at the tv - call the police!!
The ending montage was what makes this show so GREAT. It's the little moments with no dialogue that really resonate. I was definitely tearing up at the end because I am so happy this show is back on. I didn't even realize how much I missed it.
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Oct 5, 2007 11:59 PM
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Oh boy.... Peter Berg would've never let this happen to Landry!
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Oct 6, 2007 12:06 AM
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Oh boy.... Peter Berg would've never let this happen to Landry!
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Oct 6, 2007 12:06 AM
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I loved the episode. I loved the dark twist. I can not wait until next week.
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Oct 6, 2007 12:22 AM
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I am so happy to see FNL's back on! This show could not get any better. I didn't even mind the so called "twist". I hated the way the commercials kept saying someone was going to get murdered. Personally if that's what they have to do to get more people to tune in so the show can keep going, then so be it. But was it really a murder? I mean the guy would have probably raped Tyra and Landry didn't mean to kill the guy. He was just defending the girl he is in love with. And people do freak out and not do the right thing in situations like that - Landry wanted to call his father and Tyra talked him out of it for whatever reason. At least it wasn't over the top.
That said, this show has to have some of the BEST actors and actresses of any show. Not one bad one in the bunch if you ask me. Fantastic episode tonight and I can only hope that it keeps getting better. We all need to keep our fingers crossed that the ratings were up tonight!
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Oct 6, 2007 2:48 AM
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LeahITA, I said the same thing Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler were ROBBED at the Emmy's. If they are not THE best actors and actresses, I don't know who are...that said, I am glad FNL is back. Julie is just being a typical girl teen ager. She has the best thing but wants what she can't have. She thinks she wants the Swede b/c she can't have him. That's the challenge...
I don't think the twist will be came a Lifetime movie of the week. It was self-defense and Landry has to eventually call his dad and explain that to him. I have faith in the writers.
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Oct 6, 2007 7:58 AM
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I was nervous about the twist too. Had an idea about what was coming, but thought it was played in a realistic and understated way. Knowing how much Landry wants to please his father, it would not be a stretch for Tyra to convince him not to call. Also, just because he didn't call in the moment, doesn't mean he does not confess later.
The religious angle is a great addition too. Lyla has always been whiney and manipulative, to add this layer to her character could create some interesting depth here. Also, some hypocrisy. The prayer at the dinner table was classic Lyla.
The birth scene was beautiful and realistic too. I love this show so much, it boggles my mind that TV can be this good. Every cast member is a gem.
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Oct 6, 2007 8:01 AM
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I couldnt wait to stay home this Friday night just to catch the premier episode of FNL. Three scenes that left me full of emotion:
- birth of grace taylor...when eric rushes in and holds his wife's hand and kisses her. You can feel the warmth and the love deeply.
- when tami is just full of sadness and starts to breakdown as she finds out eric has to leave sooner than later.
- awarding of the championship rings to the Panther team...reinforcing the unity and friendship that exists despite the many setbacks the team and its individual members have gone through both on a professional and personal level.
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Oct 6, 2007 8:58 AM
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Well, I was not a fan of the dark twist at all, but jumped the shark? That term is used way too often now. The show itself is still great with the possible misstep of this storyline. Unfortunately I believe it was manslaughter or something similar because the guy was walking away. Of course, I am by no means a law expert. I am sure this storyline will play out in as real a way as possible, but instead of giving the writers a pass, I think it really was a bad call on their part. Not every show, even one as great as this, is perfect. I was not aware that Peter Berg was not involved with this episode.
I will just echo the praises of the show that everyone here has already written and say that I really want Eric back with his wife & family and coaching the Panthers.
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Oct 6, 2007 9:28 AM
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...Good morning...I'm so glad FNL is back; it's just awe inspiring, the acting, the directing, editing, everything...One of my favorite scenes was when Matt and his grandma run into Coach Taylor at the store; I was as happy as she was to see him...will we ever find out what happened in those 8 months? are Lyla and Jason still together? and I was heartbroken by Buddy Garrity too; I mean, the nerve of his wife's new boyfriend, to be driving Buddy's truck, or the truck he gave his wife! I was shocked that I never saw Julie hold her little sister...
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Oct 6, 2007 9:34 AM
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