Friday Night Lights 3x05 Recap

Every Rose Has its Thorn

By Katherine Keller
March 9, 2009

We open to chaos on the field. Coach's new plan to switch between his QBs is confusing the hell out of the Panthers offense. Coach sticks with his plan because it's also confusing the hell out of the other team's defense. During the second half, things start clicking. JD shines every time he's got the ball and Coach takes Matt out and puts JD on a final drive down the field. With 20 seconds to go, he switches Matt in. The defense can't adjust in time and Matt scrambles in for a touchdown. However, despite the win, everybody's excited about the game that JD played, and Matt's worried as he walks off the field.

The next day as Julie helps make dinner, Tami notices something on her ankle. Julie says it's a tattoo and both Coach and Tami flip when they realize she's serious. Equally furious, Julie points out that it's a small tattoo, not "giant dancing Popeye on my bicep!" and storms out of the room.

Cut to ... Herc (Kevin Rankin) bitching at Jason Street. (Jason's back! Snoopy Dance! Snoopy Dance!) Herc chews Jason out for throwing away his porn. (Jason and Herc fighting is never not funny — they are like the world's best old married couple.) Jason frantically wheels around collecting items and trashing them. Herc fishes his porn out of the trash and snarks that babies happen to like boobs and vaginas. (Hee! Oh Herc, never change!) But, yes, we now have the answers to season two's cliffhanger: Erin did have the baby, and it's a boy named Noah. Erin comes in with the baby and is clearly tired. She mentions that she's taking an extra three hours today. Jason suggests that maybe she should move in with him. He also mentions that he's trying as hard as he can to get more hours at his job so that he can make more money. And yes, it's just so Jason to be a stand up guy. Noah might have been the result of a one night stand, but Jason's clearly busting his ass to provide for his son and to try and have a meaningful relationship with Erin.

Over at an equally troubled and far less happy house, Buddy Garrity's on the phone with his real estate agent as Tim and Lyla pack a few items up. He's really quite abusive to her and mentions that he'll drop the price to $220,000. When she complains about how the market's tough, Tim overhears him give a spiel about how a true visionary steps in when all the other rats are leaving a sinking ship.

At school, the coaching staff is having a meeting and Coach makes a few suggestions about the offense, but it's getting incredibly complicated. Coach McGill points out that Coach is clinging to Matt when they've got JD. Matt, Coach McGill explains, is a big boy and will understand why they switched to JD.

Meanwhile Jason and Herc have pad and pencils out and are trying to come up with some sort of idea that will make money. From his place on the couch Tim suggests that they buy Buddy Garrity's house and flip it like he's seen on TV. Jason points out that the housing market is crappy right now. Tim pulls out Buddy's quote about true visionaries and Herc bites. Tim says that he and Billy can pool their copper wire money, only, they'll have to convince Billy to put in his share.

Coach knocks on Matt's door and by the look on his face, he knows what this conversation will be about. Coach doesn't string him along: JD starts and Matt's QB2. At that moment, though, Shelby and Grandma Saracen come back, and Grandma's all atwitter and happy to see Coach, whom she adores. Matt awkwardly introduces Coach to Shelby and explains that she's his mother as Grandma bustles into the house. As Coach leaves, Shelby sees the look on Matt's face and picks up on the fact that something is very wrong and asks if he's okay.

The Landrymobile pulls into school, and by the sound of the power ballad blasting from the stereo, Landry's taking his breakup hard. And if seeing Tyra get dropped off and kissed by Cash weren't bad enough, Matt even busts Landry's chops for being so clich´e;d for stooping to a power ballad.

But it's not going well for Tyra, only she's not realizing that. In a tense meeting with Tami, Tyra gets called out for missing classes and doing poorly on recent tests. Tami also asks about "that man" in the truck. Tyra responds that she's allowed to have a boyfriend. "He didn't look like a boy to me," Tami counters, and yay that she's concerned about the gap in their ages. Tyra may have her mother's permission, but Tami's right to point out that if she's not careful Tyra's "on a road to nowhere." Tami goes on to say that she cares about Tyra and that they've been though a lot together. Tyra, stars in her eyes, doesn't really want to hear what Tami's saying.

Tim, Jason, and Herc are trying to convince Billy to invest in Buddy's house. Billy has his doubts, but Jason points out that despite the bad market, his research shows that upgraded houses are still selling. Tim pulls out Buddy's quote and Billy, who likes to think of himself as a mover and shaker, bites. (Hee! Tim's turning out to be quite the snake oil salesman! Also, the look on Jason's face when Tim lays that line out is priceless.) The scene closes with Jason making plans to get the paperwork started at the bank and mentioning that they'll need to have a check to get all of this rolling.

Tyra may not want to hear what Tami says, but she has listened. Cash asks her about school and Tyra talks about the meeting with Tami and how she's trying to go to college. As they talk about their relationship, he pops some pain medication and Tyra asks him how often he's taking it. As often as needed, because he's in pain from rodeo injuries. He also lays a line on her about how the right woman can turn a guy around. (In Tim's case, with Lyla, I think this is true. With Cash, probably not so much.)

That night in bed, Coach and Tami talk about Julie's tattoo. Tami wonders what it means; Coach explains that her design might not mean anything, a lot of kids are getting tattooed these days. Tami also worries about Tyra's influence on Julie.

Meanwhile, Erin's called Jason to come and help with Noah, who's fussy. Erin desperately needs sleep. He tells her that things are looking up, he's got some irons in the fire. He so wants her to take him seriously and not see him as just some cripple in a chair that it's heartbreaking.

Cut to Tim and Billy bitching in the truck (boy is this one busy night!). Tim points out that driving out to the middle of nowhere to complete this deal doesn't fill him with confidence. Billy reminds him that they need the cash as they pull into a dirt lot to find Guy Raston! (Hee! Last time we saw guy, he was shooting at Tim and Billy.) Tim cannot believe that Billy's selling their copper wire to Guy and his buddy and thinks that it's a bad idea. Guy's behavior towards Tim is, as always, creepy as hell. (Joey Ogelsby, who plays Guy, has wayyyy too much fun with the role.) Of course the deal heads south after Guy and his partner try to lowball Billy and Tim and, just like in season two, it ends with Billy taking a swing at Guy and Guy shooting at Billy and Tim. (Snicker.)

Speaking of season two shoutouts, Jasons sings Noah to sleep with "La Cucaracha." (Ah, Mexico.) He also explains his plans to Noah about how he's going to make money so they can live together. He then wheels over to check on Erin, who's fallen asleep with the light on and tucks her in. It's classic Jason, trying to do right by people no matter what.

The next day at the bank, Jason and Herc are all dressed up but Billy and Tim are no shows. When Tim and Billy show up (45 minutes late) they're forced to admit that they don't have the money. Jason is pissed and calls them both idiots. Billy tells him to stop with the name calling because he can't punch a guy in a wheelchair, to which Jason snarks back, "Oh, I'll swing back. Just ask your brother." (It's funny, but it's also a reference to one of the most painful scenes in season one.) Herc saves the day (!!) when he mentions that he might know a guy who can take their wire.

Steam billows from the front of Shelby's car as she sits on the curb, waiting for Matt. She mentions to him that she's got a job in town and will be sticking around until he graduates. "You can do whatever you want," he replies as he heads inside. Ouch.

Herc's buddy likes the wire and offers them $20,000. Cash. (Whew!)

Tyra's studying when her phone vibrates. It's Cash. She cuts class and they drive out to a ranch where he shows her a mare that's just foaled and is licking her baby dry. Tyra's amazed and has never seen anything like it. It's a very sweet and tender scene. Yes, Cash is trouble, but at the same time, he just shared something special and sweet with her. So yeah, he's bad news, but we can see why he appeals to Tyra beyond the obvious good looks.

Tami and Coach try and talk to Julie about her tattoo. Well, Tami tries to talk and Coach tries not to shout. They view getting a tattoo a big thing and Julie views it as being about as serious as getting ears pierced. What really angers Tami though is that Julie didn't even try to talk to them about the possibility of getting a tattoo. She's going to take Julie to a place to get it removed.

Buddy Garrity's a happy camper about the sale of his house until he sees the names on the offer.

Cut to a very drunken celebration over at the Riggins house. The guys are doing shots when Jason's phone rings. Missy tells Jason that Buddy doesn't want to sell to them.

Tami's going over paperwork in her office when Tyra knocks and says that she wants to thank Tami for all the ways that Tami's always come through for her, that not many people have. (And that's so very very true. Angela and Mindy may love Tyra, but they have failed her so many ways.) Tyra also says that Tami's wrong about Cash. Tami replies that she doesn't care about Cash, she cares about Tyra. "I've got my priorities straight," Tyra reassures her, but the look on Tami's face when Tyra leaves shows that Tami has doubts.

Matt's cleaning out his football locker and venting his frustrations on the door when Coach comes in. Matt unloads on him; he's feeling like a girl who's just been dumped. He tells Coach he's quitting. Coach is not going to let him quit, telling him he'll hate himself if he does. (He's right.) Matt replies that, fine, he'll stick it out and ride the bench, but that they're both going to hate it.

"It's about Riggins," Buddy flat out says when Jason asks him why he won't accept their offer on the house. Jason listens as Buddy vents his frustrations about not wanting Tim as the father of his grandchildren, and how Lyla won't listen to him. On the one hand, Jason knows all about Tim's shortcomings, but on the other hand, it's a great shoutout to season one when Jason heard all of the same things directed at him shortly after he got out of hospital — Buddy made it pretty damn clear that Jason was no longer suitable for Lyla now that he was in a wheelchair — Jason asks Buddy to think of it as selling the house to Jason ... only he needs those other guys to make it work. He also points out that he's got a child to provide for and a woman he loves who's keeping him at arm's length until he can get it together. He tells Buddy he won't take no for an answer and brings up his glory days as a Panther. Buddy relents.

Two seconds into the first scene of Billy,Tim, Herc and Jason in the house they just bought is going to set the tone for the rest of their interactions. Billy and Herc are fighting, Jason is trying to keep his cool and Tim is in the background playing with blue painter's tape. It's totally in character and it's totally hilarious.

Erin shows up and Jason whispers to the three of them that there's no way they can do vaulted ceilings in a month and in a louder voice, for her benefit, says, "Great ideas, guys! Let's keep 'em coming." Outside in the driveway he starts to tell her all about his plans to flip the house but she tells him that she's moving back east, back to her parents. Jason is crushed.

Tim oversees the whole exchange and as Jason wheels back in, asks what Erin says. Jason lies and says that Erin's really excited. His desperation is almost palpable. Tim's body language shows that he knows something's wrong. (It's a great and subtle scene of showing how tuned into Jason Tim is.)

Speaking of things wrong, you could cut the tension between Tami and Julie with a knife as they head towards the tattoo removal place. Tami pulls the car to the side and she and Julie get out and have a fantastic heart to heart (seriously, they are the best and most realistically written loving mother and daughter on TV) in which Tami talks about how she was a wild child and almost dropped out of school, but for meeting the right guy (Coach) and that turned her life around. She's worried about Julie and the roads she's heading down. At the end of the conversation she's decided to let Julie keep her tattoo. Julie's elated. "Honey, I can guarantee you by the time you're 30, you'll be taking that thing off yourself." (Word. It's a crappy tattooo.)

Matt comes home a few minutes after Shelby's shown up with a peace offering of groceries, only it's all the wrong stuff. Grandma huffs into her room and Shelby sinks into a chair. Matt appreciates that Shelby tried. Shelby asks if she can come to Friday's game. Matt tells her what's happened. "You don't deserve that," she replies. Matt tells her how he ended up as QB, goes on to explain that even though he stepped up and has done everything he could, it wasn't enough, not compared to JD McCoy. Shelby suggests that he should take a break, but Matt replies that no, he can't just quit the team. There's no big breakthrough moment, but the tension between them is eased so well, just by how this quiet, rather every day moment is played — FNL at its finest.

The next day, at practice, we see Matt and Landry, off to the side, waiting .... fade to black.

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