Friday Night Lights – A Final Look

After binge watching for a few weeks I have finally finished the 5 seasons of critically acclaimed and super freaking awesome TV series Friday Night Lights.

In the middle of season 3 I wrote a review that got into characters and loving the show and why I was hooked at that point. I was loving the show a lot. That didn’t change through seasons 4 and 5.

Today though I’m not going to write another 3000 word review of the show. Instead I’m going to give away some awards and ask some unanswered questions that the show left me with after the Taylors made their big move to the east coast.

*SPOILER ALERT* This show ended 3 years ago, and I just threw 1 spoiler at you, a lot more are coming.

Friday Night Questions

What happened to Santiago?

Remember, the kid that Lyla rescued from juvie and Buddy took in and got on the football team. Well he disappeared when Buddy’s ex-wife took the 2 small kids to Cali and Lyla moved in over the summer between season 2 and 3. With no parents around to take care of him, an uncle who hasn’t been around in almost a year, and friends who don’t know a life other than gang activity, I’m worried that this young man didn’t have a good life after his short stint with the Panthers. Here’s hoping that I’m wrong and he didn’t end up back in jail or worse thanks to the gang life that he was so used to living.

Who caught the damn ball?

I have no beef with how season 5 and the series ended. The transition shot from the final play of the State Championship to the Coach’s new team’s practice in Philly was beautifully done. But I do want to know how that play ended. We know a Lion caught the pass because Jess, the boys and coach Taylor all have new rings. My best guess is that Hastings Ruckle pulled down that 63 yard pass. As a football player he was built for that Hail Mary play. Hell, he called for the jump ball in his first game on the team.
Final Score: East Dillon Lions 28 – Hudgins Hawks 26.

Why not Luke?

Coach Taylor was able to get Tim Riggins a scholarship offer to San Antonio State after a high school career that included a State Championship – and a host of disciplinary action and life mishaps. BUT, clean-cut 2-way stud player Luke Cafferty who has 1 dust-up on his record (that fight with Vince that he took the blame for) and a State Championship of his own, only got 1 division 3 offer. There is a chance that Luke played ball for Army at college, but maybe he needed a highlight reel like Riggins had.

Did Julie Drop Out?

In the final scenes of the series we see Julie and Matt together in the Chicago apartment, engaged and happy shacking up. But Julie promised her parents that she would finish school. So did she transfer? Is this scene a week before classes start and she goes back to school? Did she break another promise to her parents and drop out? I’m leaning to transfer since Matty is pretty much the best guy ever and wouldn’t be okay with her dropping out of school and sacrificing her future. It’s fair to say that Matt Saracen is the best thing that ever happened to Julie… whether she wanted to admit it or not.

Did Tim and Tyra make it work?
I really hope the answer to this question is yes. More on that coming up.

Friday Night Awards

Most Valuable Player

East Dillon Lions: Vince Howard
Dillon Panthers: Matt Saracen
Vince put up the numbers, is a better athlete and ended the series on the fast track to another run at a State Championship and division 1 scholarship… but Matty Saracen was the heart of the Dillon Panthers and showed true leadership and the ability to make the most out of an opportunity that landed at his feet. That boy took lemons and made lemonade when the cards were stacked against him.

Most Likely to Succeed

Tie – Matt Saracen & Landry Clarke
We know that Matty has his job at the art gallery in Chicago and has already received a couple promotions. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, loves Julie with all his heart and has the ability to persevere. The only concern is Julie’s immaturity and the bumps in the road that could come in that relationship. Meanwhile, Landry is smart, articulate, talented and headed to a great education at Rice. He has a supportive family and if he ever finds a girl that loves him as much as he loves her, he’ll be all set.

Most Likely to be drafted to the NFL

Vince Howard
Vince’s physical talents are unparalleled on Friday Night Lights. He sets up really well as the new breed of QB we see in the pro game. He has also started to learn how to be a leader and hard worker which will help him grow through his college career and land him on draft boards across the league when his draft year comes up. Think Cam Newton with the added, “He didn’t even start playing organized football until his sophomore year of high school.” storyline thrown in for TV announcers.

The Joey and Pacey Award for Favourite Couple

Tim Riggins & Tyra Collette
In the 3rd episode of season 1, when Tim skips the pancake supper and Tyra finds him hitting beer cans with a golf club I looked at the 2 of them arguing and her challenging him and thought to myself, “these 2 are my new Pacey and Joey”. And while Tim had Lyla and Tyra had Landry – there was always going to be Tim and Tyra in some way. So when brunette Tyra showed back up in season 5 I was excited. And when he kissed her I was more excited. And when this exchange happened I had the same kind of feeling I had when the camera panned left to right to show Pacey on the couch with Joey.

Tyra: Tim, I’ve been in love with you since I was five years old. And being here with you… is the greatest feeling I’ve had in a really long time.
Tim: Me too.
Tyra: It scares the hell outta me. I have dreams Tim.
Tim: I know you do. I have dreams too. I’m gonna build a house exactly where we’re sittin’. I will get a job. And I’m never gonna do anything illegal for the rest of my life. Guaranteed. Maybe one day our dreams can merge together.

We know that Tim has started building his house when the series ends, and Tyra is at school. And while we don’t know if they end up together for the long haul, I sure hope they do.

It’s fair to say that Friday Night Lights was a great television show. The writing, acting and action were all above average. The football always looked real. The feelings that the show was able to develop with their fans were real. And the stories that they told were able to connect with teens and parents and everyone in between.

Someday I know I’ll go back and watch FNL again. But for now I’m just happy that I didn’t miss it forever just because I missed it the first time around.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!