For a show that’s usually quiet and melancholy, this week’s episode, “Extended Families” almost broke the melancholy dial. It’s kind of saying something about the show when the happiest moment in the entire episode takes place in the first 2 minutes. The Panthers made it to the semi-final and as this is the most positive moment in the episode, everything goes down from there. Sure, there are some nice moments, but since none of them can truly end well, the atmosphere isn’t optimistic.
Tim Riggins has new neighbors. A single mom (Whose name is not mentioned, though we see her quite a lot) and her little son Bo. She makes her first appearance as a cranky “turn the noise down” kind of neighbor, but we soon learn she’s actually quite nice. Her son, though, is a different story. He’s at that annoying stage of development where he hangs on to a person and can drive them nuts. Tim is nice to his new neighbors, seeing how the kid is a huge fan, but also seems develop real feelings towards them. My guess is that after the latest events with his dad, Riggins will cling on to them as some sort of “surrogate” family, to get close to a mother and child who have a normal relationship in order to compensate for never having that. And trying to do that can’t end well. He might get involved romantically with the mother, but even if it doesn’t happen, a wedge will be driven between them and they will all get hurt.
Buddy Garrity is no longer in the dog-house. In fact, he’s no longer at his house at all. After his wife threw him out, he crashed at the Taylors, despite no-one wanting him there. That goes as well as can be expected, meaning very very bad – from Julie walking in on him half naked to Buddy finding out about the new job offer. Of course the offer won’t be materialized, but still, it’s not something Buddy should know about.
And with the Garritys marriage on the rocks, Lyla gets up and drives to Austin in order to get some consolation from Jason. What she doesn’t count on is finding him in the center of party central with a tattoo artist. One one hand, Lyla is the kind of girl who’ll get freaked out about a tattoo (And that was totally over-reacting) but on the other hand, she’s a modern strong woman who stands up, marks her territory and hold on to her man. Of course it takes alcohol, but still it only released what was already in there. Lyla and Jason may have ended this episode together, but it’s hard to believe they have a real future together.
Smash and Waverly are also hitting a rough spot, as he finds out she stopped taking her medication that controlled the mood disorder she’s been suffering from. The thing is he finds it out at the same time he finds she’s been on medication to begin with, and after seeing the results of not taking medications. We’re talking mood swings, ups and downs – the whole package. It reminds me of the plot on Dawson’s Creek where Andy stopped taking her pills, but so far it’s well done so I’m not complaining. It’s just another example of Friday Night Lights may not be the most innovative show, but it just does its thing in a good interesting way.
But despite everything, there was still one optimistic ending this week, and it’s the one to Tyra’s adventures with her mom. After her mom gets injured, Julie (who was there at the time) has to call Tammy to the hospital as the only adult available, even though Tammy has forbidden her from seeing Tyra. But once Tammy actually talks to Tyra, listens to her and sees her living conditions, the attitude changes. She connects with her, and seems a lot more open to her. She wants to help her turn her life around and make something of herself. Her guidance counselor skills kick in and she gets over her dislike of her, as a mother, and decides to make sure Tyra doesn’t end up like her mom.
Friday Night Lights is going on a short hiatus for a few weeks. Unlike another rookie show that’s on hiatus, Studio 60, this one managed to maintain its good quality from the start. FNL also has a bright looking future, unlike the Monday show. It might just be this season’s “little show that could”.
