Friday Night Lights 2.10 The Confession
Dec. 9th, 2007 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bop_radarI am still around! I've been pretty slack at posting of late, due to work commitments but also to a reclusive mood that has settled on me of late. However, I do have stuff to say about the latest Friday Night Lights.
I am SO relieved that Landry has confessed. It's been agonising to have the spectre of the murder hanging over the show, but I guess that's been the point. I was very moved by Landry's decision to tell the truth, it feels true to his character, and his stubbornness to treat it as murder was also characteristic. It felt like the long wait was paying off since watching Landry and his father argue over the situation was so powerful. Landry sees it as murder, his father sees it as self-defence. The truth lies somewhere in between judging from what we saw. Landry's first swing was definitely instinct and protective in nature. But he knows that after that his own aggression took over, and that's what weighs on his conscience. He probably did feel a murderous kind of rage towards that man and that's why he won't let himself get away with it. His naivety in the face of the justice system was very moving.
I am glad that he went to Tyra--both to ask how in danger she felt and at the end to tell her they weren't pressing charges. That did feel a little like a (literal) get out of jail free card though. However, I suspect that won't be the end of the angst. I think Tyra bent the truth to protect Landry, and I think Landry has his own suspicions. One way or another this event has changed his life. I think that he's still in the process of coming to terms with that and it'll be interesting to see where he goes from here.
One thing that does bug me is the way his friendship with Matt has been completely dropped through all this. While I can understand the family wanting to keep it quiet, it's been forever since we saw those two interact. At least a mention could be made of the fact that Landry feels he can't talk to his best friend about this. I suppose we're meant to believe Matt's distracted with Carlotta--and fair enough. But I do think they could have built in something. I don't begrudge Matt his bit of happiness with Carlotta though--it's good to see him relaxing and going with the flow, and she seems so much more natural and right for him than Julie.
Wow, Julie is a little shit. She's still incredibly painful to watch, although I'm sure I put my mother through that and more when I was her age. But Tami is such a good mum and tries so very hard, it's really hard for me to see Julie's point of view at all in their fights. I try and imagine how I would have felt if at 16 I'd suddenly acquired a sibling, and I do think I would have been pissy and difficult about it, definitely. I hated kids and I was used to being an only child. So I try and remind myself that Julie's in that position. But she acts so entitled to everything, it's hard to remain sympathetic. I think I'd have been more likely to efface myself completely. It was a great relief to see her engage with the baby properly at the christening.
Tim owing Coach is most enjoyable, though I must say that selfishly I'm very glad he's back on the team and his apology speech was a riot. It was very cute that he was starting to follow the gymnastics as well. And his home situation is horrendously dreadful--that guy is a disgusting pig, and I'm glad that even Timmy has enough sense to clear out when someone points a rifle at his chest for a joke. Guns? Not funny. Not sure where to for Tim now, but it's quite cool to see him out on his own--this could do him good in making him grow up.
I am not really that in to the Santiago plot, but I did appreciate there being some actual football in the ep. And it's good to see Garrety doing something useful for once. Those two work together quite well--Santiago has good reason to hate him, and Garrety IS a cold bastard, but that's also exactly what Santiago needs to push him to achieve something. I'm not sure I can ever be truly on board with the 'football as salvation' plot, but it's decent drama.
I liked Jason's date and it's crazy outcome, including the predictable result of him ending up with the waitress instead. Jason is obviously moving forward in his life and that's good to see. His maturity shone again in his response to his parents when they were flipping out. He does seem ready to live on his own and it seems like it will be good for him, and allow him to retain a healthy relationship with them.
I am SO relieved that Landry has confessed. It's been agonising to have the spectre of the murder hanging over the show, but I guess that's been the point. I was very moved by Landry's decision to tell the truth, it feels true to his character, and his stubbornness to treat it as murder was also characteristic. It felt like the long wait was paying off since watching Landry and his father argue over the situation was so powerful. Landry sees it as murder, his father sees it as self-defence. The truth lies somewhere in between judging from what we saw. Landry's first swing was definitely instinct and protective in nature. But he knows that after that his own aggression took over, and that's what weighs on his conscience. He probably did feel a murderous kind of rage towards that man and that's why he won't let himself get away with it. His naivety in the face of the justice system was very moving.
I am glad that he went to Tyra--both to ask how in danger she felt and at the end to tell her they weren't pressing charges. That did feel a little like a (literal) get out of jail free card though. However, I suspect that won't be the end of the angst. I think Tyra bent the truth to protect Landry, and I think Landry has his own suspicions. One way or another this event has changed his life. I think that he's still in the process of coming to terms with that and it'll be interesting to see where he goes from here.
One thing that does bug me is the way his friendship with Matt has been completely dropped through all this. While I can understand the family wanting to keep it quiet, it's been forever since we saw those two interact. At least a mention could be made of the fact that Landry feels he can't talk to his best friend about this. I suppose we're meant to believe Matt's distracted with Carlotta--and fair enough. But I do think they could have built in something. I don't begrudge Matt his bit of happiness with Carlotta though--it's good to see him relaxing and going with the flow, and she seems so much more natural and right for him than Julie.
Wow, Julie is a little shit. She's still incredibly painful to watch, although I'm sure I put my mother through that and more when I was her age. But Tami is such a good mum and tries so very hard, it's really hard for me to see Julie's point of view at all in their fights. I try and imagine how I would have felt if at 16 I'd suddenly acquired a sibling, and I do think I would have been pissy and difficult about it, definitely. I hated kids and I was used to being an only child. So I try and remind myself that Julie's in that position. But she acts so entitled to everything, it's hard to remain sympathetic. I think I'd have been more likely to efface myself completely. It was a great relief to see her engage with the baby properly at the christening.
Tim owing Coach is most enjoyable, though I must say that selfishly I'm very glad he's back on the team and his apology speech was a riot. It was very cute that he was starting to follow the gymnastics as well. And his home situation is horrendously dreadful--that guy is a disgusting pig, and I'm glad that even Timmy has enough sense to clear out when someone points a rifle at his chest for a joke. Guns? Not funny. Not sure where to for Tim now, but it's quite cool to see him out on his own--this could do him good in making him grow up.
I am not really that in to the Santiago plot, but I did appreciate there being some actual football in the ep. And it's good to see Garrety doing something useful for once. Those two work together quite well--Santiago has good reason to hate him, and Garrety IS a cold bastard, but that's also exactly what Santiago needs to push him to achieve something. I'm not sure I can ever be truly on board with the 'football as salvation' plot, but it's decent drama.
I liked Jason's date and it's crazy outcome, including the predictable result of him ending up with the waitress instead. Jason is obviously moving forward in his life and that's good to see. His maturity shone again in his response to his parents when they were flipping out. He does seem ready to live on his own and it seems like it will be good for him, and allow him to retain a healthy relationship with them.
