Friday Night Lights TV Show - Always - Friday Night Lights Recaps, Friday Night Lights Reviews, Friday Night Lights Episodes | TWoP

Recapped by Drunken Bee · Aired 2011-07-15

And then the camera comes a bit more closely on their faces and Julie looks down at her ring in amazement and says to Matt that her Dad must have freaked. And Matt is like, what do you mean? And she's like, "When you asked him to marry me" and Matt is like, oh, shit, I am an artist, and by "artist" I mean "weirded out by that patriarchy shit which I could probably explain to you in political terms but actually mainly it's that I'm kind of cowardly". And Julie is like "You asked him, right?" and when it becomes clear that Matt did not, she does a little mini-hyperventilate and then rewinds the tape. She wants to pretend like he never asked her, so that he can go ask her father, and then ask her again. And Matt suggests that they just go over there together and tell him together. And Julie looks at him quietly and says, "You need to do it man-to-man," and then THE LOOK IN ZACH GILFORD'S EYES comes from a very real, frightened place. He's got those glaze-horror eyes on as he says "Okay. Man-to-man." And, as much as we are all on Matt Saracen's side, we can't all help but chafe our hands together in anticipation for that scene.

Credits. Tim works under the hood of his truck while Billy sits on the cooler near him. They interact with one another like cranky babies, just like brothers should. Billy doesn't even know why Tim cares about the truck if he's going to Alaska and then starts to stomp off, when Tim stops him with a cool, "I may or may not be going to Alaska." Billy is stopped in his tracks and pauses before he says something that I can't totally make out. I can't turn the captions on my television, either, and in the end, it's more amusing to think of what Billy is potentially saying to Tim. So here goes: "Is it because you, uh, rubbed off Tyra the other night?"; "Is it because you, uh, raw dogged Tyra the other night?"; "Is it because you, uh, rode hog Tyra the other night?" Mindy comes out of the house and tells Tim that getting with her sister Tyra is like incest or something. Billy and Tim swear it isn't incest -- "There's no blood line," Billy notes scientifically. Mindy revises, "It's really creepy," which Billy has to agree with. Tim asks Mindy what she thinks about him spending the day with the whining child currently in her arms. She says yes and quickly, "There's no going back," and then runs off to get a bag for Stevie.

Vince finds his mom at work at the garden center. She's excited about State coming up, but Vince wants to know if she's heard from his father. She tells him that he doesn't want his father there, Vince reminds her that this is once-in-a-lifetime and she responds that that's exactly why she doesn't want him there ruining anything.

Close up on Matt delivering his speech, "And so, for those reasons, sir, among many others, I'm asking for your daughter's hand in marriage, sir." Pull back to find... Landry Clark! They're hanging in the garage, unraveling tinsel, and Landry just laughs in Matt's face. As Landry laughs, Matt pleads for constructive criticism. Should he talk about Chicago more? About how he got a promotion at the art gallery? Landry, nailing it: "Whatever you do, do not mention the fact that you work at an art gallery. That's not going to be reassuring for a football coach." Landry tells Matt that he just needs to walk in there, plant his feet, be assertive, tell Coach that he's going to marry his daughter. "I love her -- you can fill in the blanks here -- she's the love of my life, whatever." Or just walk in there and start crying. Matt again begs Landry to be serious; this is a crazy situation he's in. Landry begs to differ: "The crazy thing is that just a few years ago we were trying to figure out how we were gonna talk to Julie Taylor and now you're going to marry her!" I have not heard a sweeter high school sentiment than that. Sometimes boys are just too cute. Landry tells Matt to stop overthinking it and Matt gets a burst of confidence, "I mean it's just Coach Taylor, right?" and Landry is like, "He's always loved you," and Matt sort of pauses and thinks for a moment and then unconvincingly, "Uh, well, yeah."

East Dillon coaches meeting, Jess shadowing in the corner. They finish up and Jess hangs back. She sidles up to Coach and quietly asks him, "Am I going with you?" He plays dumb. She clarifies, "To the Panthers, the Super Team." Coach tells her to not listen to the rumors, and she just tells him that if the rumors turn out to be true, could he please just keep her in mind. He tells her that he hears what she's saying, but this is the worst time for her to bring it up. But then, "It's already under consideration," and she grins as she follows him out.

Lions practice field. Tim has brought Stevie out there and is giving him some lessons. For example, boosters can be your worst enemy or your best friend. Or cheerleaders. Tim turns Stevie's stroller toward the practicing cheerleaders. "Never turn away a memory," he says. Though again, the Riggins family mucklemouth suggests he might also have said, "Never turn away a mammary." Practical advice, as well, for a baby. Out on the field, Tinker is sad because State will be his last game; he has no faith that he'll make the Super Team. Vince tells him that he's got pull over at the Panthers and that he's got Tinker's back. Back on the bench, Coach goes over to Tim and Stevie and joke-seriously introduces himself to the boy. He asks Tim if Stevie is a "screamer like your brother," and Tim just kind of mutters kind words about Billy. Coach asks if Tim is doing okay working at Buddy's and Tim just tells him that it's a job. Coach tells Tim if there is ANYTHING that he needs, "You know damn well to call me." Tim thanks him sincerely, and then notes that Coach is going to get himself another ring this year. "Got a damn good chance," Coach responds as the ball spirals through the blue, blue sky.

By Drunken Bee

Cut over to Matt, clearing his throat and stumbling his way through a speech that starts, "I've loved your daughter for a very long time now." Pull back and we see that he is actually doing it! He's talking to Coach Taylor! In Coach's office! Coach leans back in his chair and watches the boy squirm. Matt stumbles around, talking about how Coach has known him since he was young, not that he's old now, but also not young. "I'm very mature, sir. I'dlikeyourpermissiontomarryyourdaughter, sir." Coach pauses. Coach laughs. "You what?! Say again?!" Then Matt repeats himself, adding that he loves Julie and will take care of her for the rest of her life, and he'd like Coach's blessing. Coach's face changes, from bemusement to battle-ready. "How old are you, son?" Matt responds that he is nineteen. Then Coach asks how old Julie is. Eighteen. Matt starts reaching, going on about how he has a job and has already gotten two promotions (DON'T SAY ART GALLERY!) when Coach interrupts him: "The answer to your question is no. The answer to your question is gonna be no today, tomorrow, and will probably be no until the sun burns out." Matt takes a sharp left and tells Coach that "actually" they don't need his permission, which causes Coach's voice to raise a bit, "You damn well DO need my permission," and then Matt tells him that he already asked Julie and she already said yes, "So, this is really just a courtesy." Oh, Matt. This is worse than "art gallery!" Coach's eyes are laser-like in their hate precision, the camera tight on his face, as he rises from his seat, without blinking, without breaking his gaze, and growls, "Let me do you the courtesy of telling you that my daughter's answer to you is no." See, now this is awesome. I'm obviously not too big on the "ask the father's permission" and my husband did no such thing prior to our engagement, but this is great drama! This is the kind of shit you lose when everyone is just going around doing what they feel like and not adhering to any (outmoded or not) social conventions.

Cut to Coach busting in the front door of his house. Tami is wrapping Christmas presents. She starts in immediately on him, saying she wants to talk about whether or not they are "East Coast people," and how they won't know unless they try (hint: Tami Taylor, you are not an East Coast person. You might move here, but you are not one. This is a good thing). Coach sits on the arm of a chair and interrupts his wife: "We've got a really big problem. Matt Saracen asked your daughter to marry him." Tami is like "Julie?" and Coach gets exasperated, yes of course that daughter! Coach's voice is all unmodulated as he exclaims about Matt asking for Julie's hand in marriage. Tami notes that he at least had the decency to come talk to Coach first, but then Coach is like no he didn't! He already asked and "your daughter" (I love that) said yes. Tami: "No!" Coach: "Yes." Tami: "No!" Coach, shaking his head and laughing without mirth, "Oh, yes!" Tami opines that they're too young, and asks what Coach told him. He's on his way out of the room as he shout-snarks that he said they should break out some champagne, this is going to be awesome!! Tami yells after him, "I don't know why you're yellin' at me! I think we agree on this!" as she literally throws up her hands in frustration.

By Drunken Bee

Angela Collette is wrapping presents when Tim and Stevie come in. Tim Supermans Stevie at Angela, and Angela calls Tyra out. She gives Stevie sweet Aunt eyes, and then gives Tim some sweet Sex eyes. She sits down and they start chatting. Tim notes that, "Seven's in town," and she tells him that he and Julie got engaged. Tim's eyes widen. Angela comes back with Stevie, telling Tyra that there's a poopy diaper and her diaper changing days are over. Tyra pops up and heads out of the room; Tim asks if he'll see her tomorrow night and then just nods to himself, presumably thinking about Matt and Julie and how once the dominoes start falling, they don't stop.

Tami walks into Julie's room, all Quiet Understanding Mom. She makes a funny face and tells her daughter that her father told her the news. Julie asks if Matt talked to Dad, and then, "Did Dad flip?" Tami scrunches up her face and nods yes. Julie chuckles. Tami walks in and opens with, "Honey..." but is stopped by Julie showing her the ring. "It's his grandma's." Tami puts her hand to her mouth, getting emotional. "That's beautiful." Then she tells her daughter that it's just that they're so young. Julie says that she knows it seems like that, "but, I love him more than anything." Tami tells her that her father and she would like to take them out to dinner. "As a celebration dinner?" Julie asks. "Well, like a conversation dinner" Tami replies.

East Dillon locker room. Billy is handing out tickets to the State Championship. Everyone gets two. Billy starts calling the boys up. Staub echoes his calls, and they get sillier and sillier with their pronunciations. When Vince goes up, he tells Billy that he only needs one. Billy doesn't find this odd, but we notice Coach and Jess, standing right there, hear what Vince is saying and register what it means.

Conversation dinner. Tami tells Julie and Matt that they just don't want them to rush into anything. Julie says that they aren't, they aren't getting married right away, and anyway, Tami and Eric were their age when they got married. Coach says that it was a different time, Tami notes that they were a little bit older, Julie nitpicks that they were still in college and Eric notes, in a more aggravated tone: "IT. WAS. A. DIFFERENT. TIME." Coach's hair is like, "You gotta be kidding me with this shit." Matt speaks up, saying that it's just that he loves Julie so much. They're holding hands and caressing one another like they are the only people in the entire world to ever feel love this seriously; i.e., acting like nineteen-year-olds. Eric, still with a pissy tone, asks if Matt just doesn't understand what he's saying. "Marriage requires maturity. Marriage requires two people who, for the rest of their lives, are willing to listen, to really listen to each other. And marriage requires the greatest of all things, which is compromise." The camera has cut away to Tami's face as she listens to Coach's speech and wonders if he gets the terrible irony of his words. Julie says that they are willing to make it work. "Look at you guys. You were married when you were our age. How many different jobs have you had, how many times have you moved, how many difficult things have you gone through? And you guys have made it work." Julie Taylor! She's been watching and listening all this time, even when she's been acting like a total teen goon. Tami's eyes are welling up as she listens to her husband and daughter wax perfection about marriage. Julie: "You guys are my inspiration." Tami hits a wall and gets up, asking to be excused for a minute. After a nice long pause, Eric lays his napkin on the table and follows his wife outside.

He finds her, arms crossed, fighting back tears outside the restaurant. The camera pulls back and we see them embrace, Tami in her shift dress and cowboy boots, and then listen in on their intimate conversation. She tells him, "It's my turn, babe. I have loved you, and you have loved me. And we have compromised. Both of us... For YOUR job. Now it's time to talk about doing that for my job. Because otherwise, what am I gonna tell my daughter?" And, ooof. My guts. This is so, so true. They have got to walk the walk, you know? If they want their daughter(s) to know what is there for them in the world. That there is love and care and tenderness, but that there is also potential and ambition. Tami wipes her tears away, as Coach has just stood there silent while she spoke. Tami is, at this point, speechless. "You just can't..." and then turns to go back inside. Coach stays outside, his face completely inscrutable. His imagination is failing him. And this is a crisis for a man who has always been able to dream his way into relationships and championships. But here, he can't do it. And it is hurting him, and it is hurting Tami.

By Drunken Bee

Matt and Julie are over at Grandma Saracen's house, decorating the tree. Grandma comes out with a big box, excited to have "found it." She opens it up and unfurls her wedding dress. She can't believe it's still so white. Matt tries to intervene, saying that he thinks Julie might want to get her own dress, but Grandma says, "Nonsense," which Matt kind of repeats into Julie's ear, and they both smile. Grandma is going to freshen the wedding dress up in the kitchen sink. She asks to see the ring on Julie's finger, which Julie shows her. Grandma bends over and kisses it and I just about die. She looks at Julie and asks, "Do you like it?" and Julie says, "It's beautiful, Mrs. Saracen." Grandma looks at her and tells her, "Honey, you gotta call me Grandma now. We're family!" She hugs Julie and says, "I love you," and Julie responds in kind. When they pull apart, Grandma goes bustling about looking for the shoes and veil. Julie looks a bit unsure and Matt asks if she's okay. She asks if he thinks they are making the right decision. And this is a perceptive girl, understanding that what just transpired between her and Grandma Saracen is not just something to joke or laugh about. That what she and Matt are doing is a big deal, and you see that reflected in the deep reaction Grandma Saracen is having. Matt tells her that none of her worries matter, they know they love each other, and they know they're perfect together. It's going to be perfect. He kisses her and Grandma comes out wearing her old-fashioned wedding hat.

East Dillon locker room. The boys are dressing for the bus. Jess knocks on Coach's door and tells him the news that she's moving to Dallas and won't be a part of his Super Team after all. He looks at her intently and tells her that she will be missed and that he means that sincerely. She tells him that being a part of the Lions has been the greatest experience of her life. And Coach looks at her and says, "I think it's been mine, too." She walks out and Coach sits at his desk, staring at his little Lions figurines, wondering what having said that really means.

Commercials. Still in the locker room, the boys in their suits getting ready for the bus. Vince, a big smile on his face, goes over to Jess and asks to talk to her for a minute. He tells her that at first he hated her being on this team, but now -- with how far the team has come -- he realizes how lucky he is to get to share all this with her. He loves that she's a part of the team. They kiss.

By Drunken Bee

Over at Buddy's, Tim brings over a big tray of beers and whiskey for Tyra, Matt, and Julie. Tim toasts, "To Mr. and Mrs. Saracen," and they tell how they got engaged in front of the Alamo Freeze. Tyra cracks up and Matt protests that it was sentimental and amazing. Tyra agrees that it certainly is amazing. Tyra notes how crazy everything is. "Y'all are engaged, I'm halfway through college -- kickin' ass by the way," and Tim adds on, "And I'm out on good behavior!" They all cheers to that (Tim: "Sweetness") and a slow song comes on the jukebox. Matt takes Julie onto the dance floor. Tim and Tyra are a bit slower to follow, and there they are, swaying together. Tim tells Tyra that this feels right, and Tyra tries to protest, "You're just lonely, Tim." She tells him that she can't do this with him again, she has plans. And Tim has the best answer ever: "I don't." And Lord knows these boys without plans can grate on a woman, but right here? When it's Tim Riggins? Complete perfection.

Commercials. Coach and Tami are asleep when the phone starts ringing. They both act hilarious, Coach saying, "Stop that, stop that," and Tami begging him to turn it off. Coach takes the call and it's Buddy, informing him that Buddy, Jr. is going to live with him "el permanente." And he wants to tell Coach how ready Buddy, Jr. will be for the Super Team year. Buddy tells Coach that "they" want him to get Coach to sign his contract with the Panthers before he leaves for State later that day. "Sound like a plan?" Buddy asks. Coach tells him to never call so early in the morning again and hangs up. Tami has come into the kitchen, and Coach tells her, eyes hooded and sleepy, hair out of the frame, that they want him to sign the contract. Tami just looks dejected and mutters, "Today." She looks at him through her hair a bit and then just says that she's taking Gracie to see Santa Claus today and then walks away. Coach stands and thinks and stands and thinks.

The coin gets tossed up against the black night, "Deus Ex Machina" by If These Trees Could Talk starts playing, and the game begins, run in a gorgeous slow motion montage. Coach turns to see his wife in the stands, kissing her fingers and sending them towards him, the other team getting a touchdown, Coach's face chagrined, Ornette walking in late, the Lions getting a touchdown and everyone cheering. Signs in the stands, Luke concentrating out on the field, running for his life for a touchdown, Matt Saracen and Julie cheering in the stands (Matt's hair longish and curly, having left the discipline of high school football behind), Coach gripping the play list, Vince getting sacked, Luke being taken down hard, Coach talking to Luke on the sidelines, the other team running for another touchdown, the Lions coaches getting frustrated on the sidelines, Coach looking at the score, 26-21 with 3 seconds left, with doubt on his face. Doubt!

Commercials. Back at the game, sound has been mixed in and we get some football announcer exposition about how tough a game it's been. On the sidelines, Coach holds Vince's eyes and tells him, "63 yards, you've got to give your receivers time." Vince does not flinch and he heads out onto the field. Quick shot of Jess, eyes closed, in prayer, and then everything slows down again. Vince's mother in the stands, eyes closed, everyone dressed in red and putting everything they have onto these boys on the field, Ornette nearly in tears obviously realizing that his son is bearing more than he ever could, the ball is snapped, Tinker holds the line, Coach looks on with complete concentration and faith, having given it all up to the boys. Vince scrambles, he fakes, and then he pulls his head back and throws the football. Shots of everyone we know and love in the stands watching that ball fly and this is about faith and it makes me want to cry watching them watch that football because isn't that what we are doing when we put our faith in something, we make it beautiful and we have no control over it. And the ball flies and flies through the black night until the sky behind it turns blue and we can just always now come back to that ball, always flying through that sky.

And when the sky turns blue, the ball descends into the hands of a player dressed in green. Shot of the scoreboard "Home of the Pioneers" and Coach Taylor, also in green, clapping his hands, "Atta boy, atta boy," and then I have to cry a bit more, because my Southern father, transplanted to the North now for over two decades, says that all the time. Delta Spirit's "Devil Knows You're Dead" plays in the background for this final montage.

By Drunken Bee