Friday Night Lights: Episode 4-6, “Stay”
Sometimes goodbye really means goodbye. That’s the theme of last Friday’s “Stay”.
We lose two more of the beloved original cast: Matt Saracen & Lyla Garrity, as the character turnover continues. As Coach Taylor guides the new Lions to their best effort of the season, Tami prepares for a day in the very near future where their daughter will be saying goodbye as well.
As hard as this season has been: a truly emotional roller-coaster with Matt’s fathers death still fresh in our minds – there have also been plenty of bright moments to even things out a bit. Two perfect examples in “Stay”: the Riggins Brothers hitting the East Dillon practice field, and Assistant Coach Traub standing up for Vince & Luke.
I thought the writers did a really nice job with Matt & Lyla’s farewells, especially considering their circumstances had little in common: Matt initially decided to stay in Dillon, both for his grandmother & Julie. Lyla chose to leave Tim behind for Vanderbilt, her dream school.
Lyla briefly feels the pull of home, and a laid-back, no worries life. But in the end, you knew it was temporary. As Tim so succinctly put it: “Goodbye Lyla Garrity”.
Matt’s departure is a little more complicated. He still has Julie and Landry around, along with his family. Yet at the same time, it’s hard not to root for Matt to get out of Dillon. Matt & Julie are able to enjoy some quality time at an Austin music festival, but Julie – who’s character has really grown in the past two years, knows she has to let Matt go.
The final two scenes just remind me again why I love this show: Matt looking in on his mother and grandma through the hanging tire in the front yard, and Riggins & Becky on the back porch – barely saying a word.
So what did you think of “Stay”? And how are you liking Season 4?
