Friday Night Lights 3.03 Recap
Billy's picking up the tab for dinner and it's cleaning out his wallet. After dinner, in the truck, Billy busts Tim's balls for getting a huge steak and Tim counters that it's a little tacky for Mindy to point out the people in the restaurant that she's given lap dances to. Anyhow, Billy's stopped to do a little business after dinner instead of driving home. It's clearly a shady, but Billy needs the money. And it's not the first time Billy's done something illegal to make ends meet. The football field. JD's getting in some extra practice with his personal coach. His dad, Buddy, and several boosters watch from the sidelines as he throws some impressive passes. Coach is talking to Matt as the rest of the team takes the field. The coming game is a big one. Coach reassures Matt that he's still Coach's go-to guy. Joe McCoy comes over and talks to Coach. It's a barbed conversation full of innuendo about switching to a spread offense (which means a passing game) and Joe wants Coach to know that he supports him 100%. Pull the other one, Joe, it plays jingle bells. Cut to Coach on the phone to Buddy about who's starting the game. All Coach says is that it's going to be his decision. (It's a nice touchback to season one when Coach was in a similar position with regards to Matt and "Voodoo" Tatum.) In the meantime, Tami's trying to get ready for the annual party that she and Coach host. It's a scene full of them talking past each other. Coach vents about JD and Tami talks about coordinating the party and how much that costs, besides the fact that the house is very small for having a party of that size. Coach promises that next year they will have the party some place else. The scene ends with Coach laying some outrageous flattery on Tami, and I like the fact that this is a couple who've been married for twenty years and they still flirt like crazy with each other because they're so deeply in love. Over at Smash's house, he's teasing his sister Noanie when the phone rings. It's somebody calling about a job for Corinna — who's just come in with groceries — and Smash says that his mother already has a job. Corinna takes the phone and yep, she's taken a second job. Why? Well, when Smash gets into A&M, she'll need the extra job to make it work. Smash looks stricken. His mother has worked hard all her life to take care of him and his sisters and now she's taking more work?! At the supermarket Tami discovers that the order she placed for twenty racks of ribs got flubbed. They only have two racks for her. As Tami's trying to work through it another woman cuts in and asks if she can just have two steaks. Tami wants her problem dealt with first though. She and the other woman get to talking and it turns out the other woman is Katie McCoy (Janine Turner). She knows who Tami is and despite that awkward start, Tami and Katie get on well. Katie's also concerned about the academic issues and wants to get involved and help raise money. At the library Tim and Lyla — yes, Tim has entered the library — think that some guy at a table behind them is scoping out Lyla. He's clearly not; Tim's just looking for any excuse not to study. He asks if Lyla is coming over tomorrow night. She doesn't want to. Mindy and Angela are going to be there and Lyla thinks they hate her. Tim promises that if they give any guff to Lyla, he will "blindside them with the worst block they have ever seen." Tami bustles into the kitchen, talking about meeting Katie McCoy at the grocery store and how nice she is, and how Katie is going to host the annual BBQ at her house. Tami's over the moon to have this taken off her hands. Coach is less than enthusiastic, given the snake-oil salesman interactions he's had with Joe. He's under a lot of scrutiny right now, and Tami points out that he's not the only one being scrutinized and she'd rather not be scrutinized in her own home. Coach counters that having the BBQ at his house is a symbol to the kids that they are welcome in Coach's house and that Tami got played. I like that they can disagree and that when they do argue, there are many times when both are right. Matt's not doing so well with the spread offense during practice. Assistant Coach Mac McGill suggests to Coach that they let JD in to practice because it's his job on the line also and he's not looking forward to the "for sale" signs in his front yard. Coach is not moved. Landry tries (and fails) to help Matt by bringing a bunch of football magazines to lunch for Matt to read. There are some big, impressive write ups on JD; Matt's probably got barely a mention in most press. Matt asks Landry to please take that stuff and leave. Julie shows up to say hi to Matt and rescue him. It's awkward and Matt's cranky. The next game is big because the Panthers have never beaten Arnett-Meade — not even Jason Street beat Arnett-Meade — and Matt's got a lot of pressure on him because of that, in addition to the JD thing. He rants a bit about how JD is over-hyped and Julie tells him he's adorable when he rants. Smash is working his butt off at the Alamo Freeze. His boss shows up and asks if he's ever thought about a future with Alamo Freeze. No, not really. Well, management has seen the work he's put in and they are impressed. Alamo Freeze needs a regional manager to oversee four new stores and they'd like to offer Smash the job. Smash is flabbergasted. It's a $10,000 raise, plus bonuses, and a new company car. It's actually a decent offer, and I can see why Smash is on the horns of a dilemma here. (I'm also a little miffed that show seems to think that the only road to success runs through college.) Coach comes home to find Katie and Tami on the couch planning the party. Katie twigs instantly into the tension about the BBQ and as Tami vents, she sympathizes about the "growing pains" that Tami's going through with her new job and responsibilities. Over at the Riggins house, there's planning going on. Billy wonders how many people they need — he's going to be footing most of the bill and he's hurting for cash. Tim and Lyla show up with cold beers which they both offer but Lyla gets ignored and Tim's oblivious. Things get even worse when Mindy practices her vows and Lyla starts laughing because they are straight out of Finding Nemo, and she thought Mindy was joking. Uh. No. Mindy was serious and now Angela and Mindy are pissed at Lyla's snobbishness. A horn starts honking and Billy gets up to see who it is; it's his buddy Falcon and he's got to go deal with it. "Rehab Falcon?" Tim asks, and goes outside to keep an eye on Billy as Lyla flounders around trying to smooth things over with Angela and Mindy. Outside, Tim discovers that Billy and Falcon were planning to steal copper wire from an abandoned power plant. What about cops, Tim asks, and then points out that the best way to steal the wire is to take a back road into the plant. Billy ropes him into the plan as the Collettes and Lyla come storming out of the house, and Lyla is pissed at (a very bewildered) Tim for not "blocking" when she needed him most. (Tim and Billy's cluelessness is LOL funny.) The McCoys live in a McMansion which Coach thinks looks "like a sanitarium" (dear God, he's spot on!) and it's also not going to do a damn thing to boost Matt Saracen's confidence when he comes over. Coach also doesn't like the valet parking and can park his own damn car, thank you very much. (Snicker!) Katie's the gracious hostess and whisks Tami away as soon as she steps in and no sooner does Coach turn around than a booster steps over and wants to know what's the plan for Friday? In the car, Buddy tells Lyla that it's pretty crappy of Tim not to take her to this party. Lyla says that Tim's late because he's got something to do with his brother. Lyla's clearly had enough of this and doesn't want to hear it any more. Buddy says that, look, he just doesn't want Lyla to end up with a broken heart. And as much as Buddy's a slimy bastard, in this, I believe him. He really does want Lyla to be happy and I can understand where his doubts about Tim come from. Meanwhile Tim and Billy are out at that abandoned power plant and yes, my heart is in my throat over this caper because the last time these guys attempted to pull something like this, it ended with Guy Raston (the biggest drug dealer in town) shooting at them. They pull the gates off the fence and the snarling guard dogs come and ... run past into the field, happy to be free. (ROFL.) Back at the McMansion, Coach is watching people have a good time, and Lyla's cornered in the kitchen by two jocks telling tales. Cut to Billy and Tim muscling a heavy spool of copper wire into the truck. Back at the party, Matt and Julie are talking and joking about the size of the McMansion, when they discover that JD's got a "giant shrine" containing any award or trophy he's ever gotten. Matt makes a really catty remark just as JD walks in. JD swallows his hurt and even jokes that his parents bronzed his first diaper. "That was awkward," Julie remarks as JD leaves the room. And I've got to say that I felt sorry for JD. He's been struggling to fit in and this room isn't helping. Tyra bumps into Lyla and asks about Tim. Buddy runs into Lyla and asks if she needs anything or needs a ride home. (Poor Lyla.) Tim and Billy have finished loading up the wire and Tim wants to go. Billy wants to get three more spools, but Tim mentions Lyla and the party and how late he is, but Billy plays the "I'm your brother" card. Tim doesn't want to get busted. "I need this," Billy begs. He'd like to start a business and have a decent life. They hear sirens! And the cop car keeps on going! (I'd just like to say that the chemistry between Derek and Taylor was spot on. Desperation and love all wound together.) Buddy, Joe, and Wade find Coach in the billiards room of the McMansion. Buddy asks about the spread offense. Coach says that you need the right kind of personnel to run that offense. Wade presses him on that, and Coach retorts that he doesn't need to hear Wade's opinion because he doesn't pay Wade. (Zing!) Buddy asks Coach about JD, and Coach agrees that yes, JD's a phenomenal talent, but that he's going with Matt because he doesn't know JD. Joe suggests that Coach get to know JD. Coach excuses himself from the room. I'm laughing that they thought they could pressure Coach. Coach has always been his own man, beholden to nobody. Tami flops on the bed at home. She actually had a good time at the party. Coach gripes that he spent his whole time getting his ear chewed off about JD the boy wonder. Coach mentions that he misses the coach's wife. Tami counters that she'd like to meet the principal's husband. It's a wonderful scene about the stresses that they're under and the ways that they understand and love each other like no one else. Game time! Matt's fired up as he takes his first huddle. He is not going to lose to Arnett-Mead. Matt takes a shellacking as the game goes on. Almost every down ends with him getting nailed or having to scramble to avoid getting sacked. It's punishment that JD would not be able to withstand. But Matt's experience under these situations is what keeps the Panthers in the game. With two minutes to go and the Panthers down by one touchdown, Matt leads his team on a drive down the field, despite having a gash on his face. He's so determined. He is going to win. He is going to keep his starting QB position. With time running out he scrambles madly down the field and ... the ball is knocked loose by a very hard hit just as he enters the endzone. This is what I love about Friday Night Lights. It doesn't always have a happy ending. In fact, as often as not, people try their very hardest and still come up short. Julie's waiting for Matt as he limps dejectedly out of the locker room. He wasn't expecting her and suggests that they go some place and talk about anything but football. As they walk off, he mentions that he's employee of the month at Alamo Freeze ... again. Hee! Smash walks into the house and finds his mother asleep on the couch waiting up for him. He mentions he's not going to the walk-on this week, because Alamo Freeze has made him an offer. Corrina is Having. None. Of. That. Smash says more or less that in terms of football he's done everything right, and it's still not enough. She looks at him and says, "And you're going to keep doing things right. That's what makes you a man. The son I raised is a man." And it's moments like this that show how she is the other most awesome mom, ever. She cuts right through the crap. Smash is going to college and she's going to help him, because that's what she does. That's her job as his momma. Tim knocks on the Garrity door. Buddy is not pleased to see him. Tim asks to speak to Lyla and Buddy starts to ream him one when Lyla comes out and asks to speak to Tim privately. As soon as she turns back to him, eyes brimming with hurt, Tim says, "I screwed up, I'm sorry." Lyla replies that so many people have warned her about getting into a relationship with him and says, "Please don't make a fool out of me." "I won't," he replies softly. The whole scene just crackles with emotion. The Taylors pull up to their house to find for sale signs in the yard. Ouch! Talk about fickle fans. It was the first loss of the season and a heartbreakingly close one at that! Tami gently reaches out to him. It's a bitter end to a bad day. Lyla watches Tim leave; her smile is bittersweet, his is hopeful. Tim enjoys a beer as Billy covers the cable stashed in their back yard. Together they sit and drink. Matt and Julie are at a local cafe, talking and clearly teasing each other. Coach and Tami sit in troubled silence at their house and Tami hugs him, not needing any words to show her love and sympathy. Cut to black.
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