Friday Night Lights 2.01
Oct. 7th, 2007 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bop_radarI wish I could say that I wasn't unsettled by season premiere of Friday Night Lights. But I am. I found myself unable to write about it immediately, I was so conflicted.
I really enjoyed the episode as a whole, but the Landry-Tyra plot really distressed me. It pushed the show to a place that I really wasn't expecting and I was quite genuinely *shocked*. I've been going round and round in my mind trying to make sense of it in character terms and I can't quite get there. Landry's father is a cop, yes? That makes it doubly unlikely that he'd make this decision, surely. If for no other reason than that he was sure his dad would clue on to something. I do see that Landry is very much influenced by Tyra, dangerously so, and I had expected the show to explore that... but not to this degree! For Tyra, I see that she's suspicious of the authorities, I see that she has no faith in the justice system (or any system!), and Adrianne's performance was wonderful, but I didn't feel the script really gave us much to work with in terms of understanding her decision. Gah! Colour me frustrated!
It's such a pity because until that point I'd been really enjoying seeing them interact. It was good continuity from the previous season and I was genuinely totally creeped out by Tyra's stalker. It seemed so realistic too that they managed to shrug the noises off as a skunk only to find that in fact the stalking's even worse than realised. I also thought it was really heartbreaking to see Tyra pinning her hopes on Landry, who as a protector is pretty weak and frightened himself. Of course, all of those plays perfectly to create the scenario that resulted in Landry hitting the guy with a pipe as he walked away. I was fine with everything up until then... but when they decided to drive the guy to hospital themselves, I was seriously worried. Why would you do that? Why not call an ambulance? I don't understand! And then that dreadful bridge scene.... *shudders*
I don't know where it will go from here but suddenly I'm a bit scared for my show.
However, the rest of the premiere was what I would usually expect from Friday Night Lights and I was absolutely delighted to have my show back! I was particularly happy to see that their ability to turn the tables and make me sympathetic to a character I was finding irritating has not diminished. Julie Taylor was driving me nuts through most of the episode until her speech to Coach in the car outside the bar. And then suddenly my heart went out to her--it IS hard, at 16, to think that you've got the perfect relationship and everything's all mapped out, that you're already turning into your parents. She's behaving as many a teenager might, and it was believable, I thought, that Julie might be drawn to a musician type rather than her straight-forward good-boy footballer boyfriend. I still really feel for poor Matt though.
The Coach--Mrs Coach relationship is as strong as ever, though under incredible pressure and I found the scene where she sat so silently and then burst into tears absolutely heartbreaking. It's so rare for her to not voice her concerns, it really gave me the feeling she was at the end of her emotional tether. :(
And wow, new!Coach is a total asshole! He makes Coach look like a pussycat. Wow! This is going to be interesting... I liked the Riggins scene because we know from last season that this kind of pushing Riggins really doesn't get you anywhere--as Jason points out. I love that he told Mr Garrety to get lost though. :D
And wow, Lyla! Way to waste an opportunity to grow as a person. *blinks* I was really warming to her towards the end of last season, but this smug self-righteous behaviour while also being a total bitch to her mother is not endearing her to me. I did love her exchange with Riggins though. And heeeee, how funny was the 'get your own Tim Riggins' ad?!
So, in short, I really hope that this Landry-Tyra plot doesn't drag the show down. I love Tyra but her actions here really challenge me. I was growing to like Landry but he's now coming across as incredibly weak-minded. I'm left hoping that one of them ends up confessing. But ugh, what a mess! *frets* Can we get back to the football?!
I really enjoyed the episode as a whole, but the Landry-Tyra plot really distressed me. It pushed the show to a place that I really wasn't expecting and I was quite genuinely *shocked*. I've been going round and round in my mind trying to make sense of it in character terms and I can't quite get there. Landry's father is a cop, yes? That makes it doubly unlikely that he'd make this decision, surely. If for no other reason than that he was sure his dad would clue on to something. I do see that Landry is very much influenced by Tyra, dangerously so, and I had expected the show to explore that... but not to this degree! For Tyra, I see that she's suspicious of the authorities, I see that she has no faith in the justice system (or any system!), and Adrianne's performance was wonderful, but I didn't feel the script really gave us much to work with in terms of understanding her decision. Gah! Colour me frustrated!
It's such a pity because until that point I'd been really enjoying seeing them interact. It was good continuity from the previous season and I was genuinely totally creeped out by Tyra's stalker. It seemed so realistic too that they managed to shrug the noises off as a skunk only to find that in fact the stalking's even worse than realised. I also thought it was really heartbreaking to see Tyra pinning her hopes on Landry, who as a protector is pretty weak and frightened himself. Of course, all of those plays perfectly to create the scenario that resulted in Landry hitting the guy with a pipe as he walked away. I was fine with everything up until then... but when they decided to drive the guy to hospital themselves, I was seriously worried. Why would you do that? Why not call an ambulance? I don't understand! And then that dreadful bridge scene.... *shudders*
I don't know where it will go from here but suddenly I'm a bit scared for my show.
However, the rest of the premiere was what I would usually expect from Friday Night Lights and I was absolutely delighted to have my show back! I was particularly happy to see that their ability to turn the tables and make me sympathetic to a character I was finding irritating has not diminished. Julie Taylor was driving me nuts through most of the episode until her speech to Coach in the car outside the bar. And then suddenly my heart went out to her--it IS hard, at 16, to think that you've got the perfect relationship and everything's all mapped out, that you're already turning into your parents. She's behaving as many a teenager might, and it was believable, I thought, that Julie might be drawn to a musician type rather than her straight-forward good-boy footballer boyfriend. I still really feel for poor Matt though.
The Coach--Mrs Coach relationship is as strong as ever, though under incredible pressure and I found the scene where she sat so silently and then burst into tears absolutely heartbreaking. It's so rare for her to not voice her concerns, it really gave me the feeling she was at the end of her emotional tether. :(
And wow, new!Coach is a total asshole! He makes Coach look like a pussycat. Wow! This is going to be interesting... I liked the Riggins scene because we know from last season that this kind of pushing Riggins really doesn't get you anywhere--as Jason points out. I love that he told Mr Garrety to get lost though. :D
And wow, Lyla! Way to waste an opportunity to grow as a person. *blinks* I was really warming to her towards the end of last season, but this smug self-righteous behaviour while also being a total bitch to her mother is not endearing her to me. I did love her exchange with Riggins though. And heeeee, how funny was the 'get your own Tim Riggins' ad?!
So, in short, I really hope that this Landry-Tyra plot doesn't drag the show down. I love Tyra but her actions here really challenge me. I was growing to like Landry but he's now coming across as incredibly weak-minded. I'm left hoping that one of them ends up confessing. But ugh, what a mess! *frets* Can we get back to the football?!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 10:34 am (UTC)And yeah, up until then I was enjoying the show but now I'm preparing myself for disappointment because I'm not sure how they can recover from that (storytelling) slip up. The show has always been a--brilliantly written and subtle--soap opera but with this they went too far, and I don't get why.
Other than that, my favourite scenes were actually the Lyla scenes! I find her a very amusing born-again; her conversation with Tim was comedy gold and her grace was an absolute *classic*. I don't think it's in her nature to be devout so I'm sure we'll see her snap out of it at some point but for now she's cracking me up. ♥
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 10:51 am (UTC)I know!!! It was awful. I'm comforted to hear others were cut up about it too. I couldn't post either until I read
t now I'm preparing myself for disappointment because I'm not sure how they can recover from that (storytelling) slip up
I don't think it's really sunk in for me. I'm still in shock-denial. I just... it's been SO GOOD. How could they go this wrong?!
her conversation with Tim was comedy gold and her grace was an absolute *classic*. I don't think it's in her nature to be devout so I'm sure we'll see her snap out of it at some point but for now she's cracking me up
Oh, I'm finding her very funny too. :) I just can't really like her like this. But it added some amusement to the script--her grace was hysterical.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 10:42 am (UTC)I agree with all your points on this - to add I just went through watching almost the same thing in "Buffy" and the whole thing seems to be so un-original.
Hitting someone from behind with a stick seems to be such an uncharacteristic thing for Landry (where did a man of serious convictions go?). He was one of my favourite characters on FNL because he was different.. His character seems to have changed - why did he join the football team? Wasn't Landry always the one who was "above" it? I am really quite disappointed..
But to add - I am disappointed in Matt/Julia story line. Apart of being something I would not expect from Juli this was a drag..
I am VERY scared for this show in this season.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 10:55 am (UTC)That's a good point. I really don't know why he suddenly wanted to join the football team. Does he think it will make Tyra like him maybe? I was never really in to Landry, but I agree that he seemed out of character in this episode. I can imagine him taking a swing at the guy in a rush of anger at him attacking Tyra. I know that you really don't know what you'll do when pushed and knowing the guy had already nearly raped her he would have had the rage to do it, I guess. But once Tyra screamed 'no!' ... it seemed too much. To hit him again like that with his back turned, that I think was taking it way too far.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 11:42 am (UTC)I love how they spent time together how they are friends, that was so good to see. But yes, I don't understand why they didn't call for an ambulance and it's not the kind of drama FNL needs.
The first season was so amazing because it was all relatable drama. Small-ish things we all can understand. But this is just too big, too melodramatic, too over the top. They just ruined their lives and I don't see them getting back from that. It's awful.
I agree on Julie, she was so obnoxious and then there was the talk with the coach in the car and it all made sense. And that is why I love the coach so much. He is grumpy but he always seems to know what to say. His talk with Matt in the supermarket was great, too!
The scene with Tami breaking into sobs when the coach had left was so so sad. Connie Britton is amazing!!
I don't know... I loved everything else about the episode. I just hope the Tyra/Lanry thing doesn't ruin it all. :(
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 11:45 pm (UTC)I know! It's too realistic a show for them not to explore the real consequences, and that means court cases, prison, ... or else the show rambling off into fantasy land! I'm TERRIFIED!
that is why I love the coach so much. He is grumpy but he always seems to know what to say. His talk with Matt in the supermarket was great, too!
It was! He's great. I don't always understand how he's great, but somehow he always does the right thing.
I wish I wasn't so worried about the show. :(
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 02:35 pm (UTC)Of course, all of those plays perfectly to create the scenario that resulted in Landry hitting the guy with a pipe as he walked away. I was fine with everything up until then.
Me too. I think it could have worked just fine if Landry had attacked him out of fear and anger and the guy was left badly hurt, but alive. I could have even dealt with the guy pressing charges against Landry and an investigation of what happened taking place with the truth of it all finally coming out weeks from now. But once they killed the guy off *and* had them dump the body I lost a little bit of faith in the show.
I didn't mind Lyla since I felt she turned to religion to fill a void in her life. I also appreciated, through the prayer at the family dinner, that the writers showed someone can have this strong faith (yes, perhaps a bit hypocritical), but retain a sense of humor.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 11:49 pm (UTC)I'm glad it IS being condemned. But yeah... I'm baffled! It's such a major mis-step from a show that hasn't put a foot wrong so far.
I could have even dealt with the guy pressing charges against Landry and an investigation of what happened taking place with the truth of it all finally coming out weeks from now
Same! I actually would have been fine with that--there would have been lots of good character exploration and difficult emotional territory, but it would still have been true to life and to the characters.
But apart from anything else, didn't the shopkeeper hear anything? Wouldn't it have been better to run in and tell them there'd been an accident? I mean it was just so ridiculous... even that bridge! Why the hell would there be a convenient bridge on the way to the hospital?! It's all so stupid.
I also appreciated, through the prayer at the family dinner, that the writers showed someone can have this strong faith (yes, perhaps a bit hypocritical), but retain a sense of humor.
I guess I liked that too... but I don't really understand religion and it was hard to see past the hypocrisy, though it certainly made her seem more human in my eyes.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 04:25 am (UTC)That was just one more thing that didn't make sense. Between her screaming and the guy getting beaten to death you would think the store clerk would have been curious enough to take a look.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 04:29 am (UTC)And omg, your icon is MADE OF WIN! How adorable is he? I want one!
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 08:38 pm (UTC)I think the most kind of distressing thing is that up until the bridge moment it wasn't as if anyone was acting OOC, I can totally understand Landry turning to violence after being punched to the floor and being just so powerless in front of Tyra and yet...I can't reconcile that with the fact the show went there, it's not that show. It's just not. (and also that Landry wouldn't have called the police. He would and nothing will convince me otherwise and also...I don't really accept Tyra's assertion that that was the only thing to do, I don't think she would say it and I don't think she would do it.
The whole thing is just D: and so sad because otherwise it was an A++++ episode.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 11:52 pm (UTC)can totally understand Landry turning to violence after being punched to the floor and being just so powerless in front of Tyra
Same! I can actually understand it totally to the point where he didn't stop hitting the guy when Tyra screamed 'no!'
and also that Landry wouldn't have called the police. He would and nothing will convince me otherwise
I'm sure he would have! I was expecting him to run into the store or something even before that. Or RING AN AMBULANCE. Right now I'm clinging to hope that he will still tell the police... but it's gone too far now.
don't really accept Tyra's assertion that that was the only thing to do, I don't think she would say it and I don't think she would do it
I don't understand it. Why did she think it was the only thing to do? if we were meant to believe that we needed more exposition from her to show how she came to that conclusion. It makes no sense. Sure, there would be an investigation but they could have tried for manslaughter and ... well... a man is DEAD. Everything else pales in comparison to that, sorry.
so sad because otherwise it was an A++++ episode
I knoooooooooooooooooow! My show is :-(((((