Grid Effect

Well, if there was a ever a transitional episode of dramatic television, last nights Friday Night Lights was it. Even the episode title, “Extended Families” alludes to a transition in plot. Look at all the burgeoning relationships from this episode alone:

Tyra-Tami
Taylor-Buddy
Smash-Waverly’s Dad
MILF Neighbor-Riggins
Riggins-MILF Neighbor’s Son (obviously in a different context)

and of course, turning points in these classics:

Jason-Lyla
Matt-Julie
Julie-Tyra
Tami-Taylor

There was too much going on in this episode to do a play-by-play, so we’ll keep it as succinct as possible, since most of what took place is not too pivotal.

As far as the Riggins plot goes, at least you can say they are giving it a couple episodes before he ruins the lives of that women and her kid. In all seriousness, is there any doubt he is going to end up sleeping with that woman, then awhile down the line she catches making a porno with with Julie and two rally girls or something? Either way, I liked the concept of the kid humanizing him again (despite how contrived and exploitive it clearly is).

Tyra was as much a focal point as anyone else this week and she is one of the more tragic figures on this show… pretty much the female equivalent to Riggins. One parent is AWOL, the other is a substance abusing absentee parent. Both are completely insceure and are, at times, unfairly labeled. She was deeply concerned for her mother in this episode (as Ms. Colette unexplainably self-destructive and distraught over losing Buddy Garrity, his wife doesn’t seem too mind) and I enjoyed watching her confront Tami about her parental restrictions.

Smash is in over his head with Waverly, it reminds me of Mac’s comment a few episodes back when he called Smash “Too big for his britches”. At the time and in the context it was used Mac was completely out of line, but to apply the same phrase to this current situation is a vast understatement. He would be wise to inform her father about Waverly’s admission of self-medicating (or lack thereof) after seeing her curled up in the fetal position on her parents kitchen floor. Where was her dad, anyways? Did she kill him? Hopefully we’ll find out after yet another hiatus.

Street is still in denial about the whole engaged to Lyla thing. From what I understand it is customary (Or less peculiar) to get married at a ripe age in Texas, so I suppose their engagement isn’t that much of a stretch. Never the less, with trailer trash blond girls tattooing her fiance and Lyla describing all of Street’s new friends (i.e. Herc and all of his friends) as “scary”, things do not bode well for the Dillon dreamboats. Still, he is undyingly committed to her ( and I assume likewise).

Like I said before, they are using the college coaching offer as a potential conclusion to this series should it not get renewed. So, if it does, I think TMU (a combination of TCU and SMU, which would make it Texas Methodist University) will retract the offer after discovering either the Smash steroids cover up or the Voodoo “recruiting” tactics (Despite the fact he never did anything untoward). If FNL is cancelled after one full season, well, it has a very loyal fan base, so they will definitely be disappointed, luckily for the country its fan base is small enough to fit into my office building.

Oh, almost forgot, say what you will about Buddy, but he is in it to win it. Despite his marriage falling apart, sending another woman into a deep depression and imposing on Taylor, he still finds the time to use The Big Lebowski scribble ploy to read what was written on the top page of a notepad and discover Taylor was contemplating leaving for a college position. Really enjoyed Taylor’s lecture towards him at the end and we were enlightened to depths of Buddy Garrity’s High School football neuroses.