I can't help but think the title of the premiere of the final season of Friday Night Lights had to do not only with the plot of the show but also with us fans. Expectations. After a long long off season (at least for those of us who didn't watch it on NBC) and much anticipation and media hype, there are at least a couple of expectations for the final season.
But let's get into the show. I was not disappointed. I rarely am. We start with our Lions, fresh off of last seasons final game victory against the now evil Panthers. They are the talk of the town. And are going to play some clearly stronger opponent that the person on the radio thinks they have no business playing. We see Luke and Vince running together, topless - thanks Directv no better way to start the show then making me feel like a cougar, and therefore we know they're totally cool now and are leaders of the team. Tink - who will later kiss a pig and is a pretty awesome guy is driving the car next to them. Fat jokes abound in my head.
Then we take a trip to the joint to visit Matyr Tim Riggins. He's still tough, telling Billy that he doesn't need as many visits from Billy and Becky, and he's still got his whit "can't be your biggest cheerleader, I'm in jail." Billy wants to coach football, as that's the way to right the gigantic wrongs in his life and apparently will learn to stop making dumb choices through osmosis of standing as close to Coach Taylor as possible. This news seems to upset Tim. "Coach coached me." But he's in jail so tough for him. The producers clearly made the right choice and placed Tim in white as the usual prison orange would have been very unflattering.
Becky meanwhile is living at her mom's house with her step mom. (still not fully clear how that set up worked) Mom is on a boat, dad is in a truck and step mom likes to drink and smoke around the baby while being concerned about the kid choking. So Becks goes to live with the Riggins, why not? They're her family now.
Julie and Landry are leaving for college. Julie argues with her mom because Mrs. Taylor now has the ever demanding job of guidance counselor at the poor school. And Landry wants "an epic" last night so he plans a Crucifictorius show. The show isn't the biggest hit, despite having fans that seem to know the words to the songs....and he ends up at the Landing Strip thanks to Julie, who then ditches him there. He also stops by Matt's grandma's house, and she's wearing shoes and nail polish. She now apparently likes Landry and has his music on her "mp" player. Mostly the scene makes Matt look like a douche, but I think its just trying to play a nice little wrap up for us. Matt's still gone, grandma still has problems and now there's a nurse involved - one that since Matt isn't here, he can't sleep with. Julie leaves for school and I tear up, but not before playing one last game of ping pong with Coach.
Jesse is now with Vince. And is now the sole parental figure in her household. Her dad left to turn the store into a franchise and the Aunt only seems to be around at convient script times. With Landry leaving, there needs to be another corner to our love triangle. Enter Hastings Ruckle. Tall, kinda wierd looking, perfect for Jesse. Coach Taylor commits the apparently outrageous crime of "stealing" a basketball player for the football team, and hippie runs a route at the end of the game and out jumps the defender to score the go ahead touchdown.
That brings us back to the game. The Lions go down early. Of course, but they fight back and on a great play fake on the two point conversion at the end of the game, the beat whatever better team they were playing. They're on the map now. What will our underdogs do now that they aren't so scrappy? We will have to wait and see. Will principal Taylor be able to save some of the wayward children? Will Crucifictorius be enought to bring Landry back to Dillon? Will crazy named Hastings cause some drama? and will Vince go to USC? only time will tell. I'm in for the ride, and I hope you are too!
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!
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