Friday Night Lights 1.09-1.12

[bop_radar]

So I'm all caught up on Friday Night Lights. *bounces* Everyone was right: I now officially love Matt. And Matt and Julie as a couple--they're too cute for words and such good-hearted kids. The episode where Matt's dad came back from Iraq made me very edgy--I really wanted Matt to get free of his father, so I was a little surprised by the twist that had him stay in town for a while... not sure what I thought of that, other than that it gave us the chance to see that Matt's father is not a complete monster, just weak. In the face of such parenting, Matt's an angel. It's far far simpler to sink into anger with a difficult parent than to admit, at that age, that they're doing their best. Hell, it's taken me nearly 30 years to admit that about my parents... Matt, I tip my hat to you!

I also love Tyra now--I loved her in 1.12--she was so wonderful with her mother and I love that she didn't take Tim back, just bit back the tears and shook her head in dismay. She's so wonderfully strong, yet so frustrated by her life. And I may have got a little tear when her mother chose her not the loser guy.

And I love this Waverley (sp?) chick! She's the best thing to happen to Smash's plot yet. I love that she's intelligent and feisty and mocks his use of the third-person. I love that she's not a pushover. It was hilarious that Smash claimed he hung out with Matt and Julie--I'm glad W saw through that in an instant. Hope we get more of her, she's excellent value!

Tim's being challenged in his favourite status, but I did adore the plot about his English paper. Oh, how much money would I give to read that?! *g* It was hilarious that he went to Landry's band's concert as well. Oh, Tim! And I liked the way we saw his acceptance of the bullying, but his defence of Lyla.

My least favourite episode so far was definitely the cheerleading one--no surprises there. I have to second Julie in her opinion that it's the only thing more pointless than football. And don't get me started about how this woman's 'sport' exists only in relation to and in support of a male sport. The farce of having the football team (so patronisingly gracious) support the women--for a week, oh how GENEROUS--just made it worse. So I cringed. And I didn't really buy that Lyla did care that much about cheering--who could? But again, that could be the weak actress not selling it to me. Meh. (Clarification: I don't mean to diss the dedication required by cheerleaders or their athleticism--it's incredible--but why it has to be about men is beyond me. Just ditch the pom poms and call it gymnastics already!)

Jason's plot has evolved further than I ever expected it to. When he returned home I suddenly realised that we were really going to see his journey over a long time--somehow until I thought we might settle into a bit of a status quo with Jason in the hospital. In moving home, new issues have arisen in Jason's plot that makes me appreciate the writing/direction even more. The sueing of Coach is a really challenging one. Ouch! Wow--America's litigious culture strikes again. I thought they did a good job of explaining why the parents felt so trapped into this decision, which certainly is an unappealing and unsympathetic one. But I'm a little foggy on what the grounds are: so Coach didn't give Jason any tackling training? Er... that sounds a bit implausible for a sport based on running into people? I'm clearly missing a subtelty here. *frowns*

Oh, and Tami is so great! I loved it when Julie came home and told her parents she loved them and Tami realised something terrible must have happened while Coach just say there going 'aww!'. Hee!

Anyway, much love all round for this show. YAY!

I've finished A Storm of Swords at last and am now scouring Melbourne for Book 4. Yes, queenofthorns, I was very much converted to Jaime by the end of the novel! *g*

I saw 'Babel' the other day--it wasn't bad, but I thought it was self-indulgent in places and needed a tighter edit. Looking forward to seeing Cate Blanchett in a few more movies this year--I know she's got a lot coming out. Hopefully she'll have more to do than just writhe in pain in the next ones. ;-)

Comments

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

FNL rules!! Even though I hate the culture football etc. promotes (I know, I know, we've had this conversation.) I still haven't seen the newest episode, so I am sticking my neck out based on 1.11....

Regarding Saracen Sr., I think he has a bad bad case of John Wincester-itis: he makes decisions/ prefers choices that involve "manly man" macho bullshit "action" because it is easier to be emotionally blunt drill sergeant (and reactionary and authorative: in conrol and expecting obediance and "success" and more manageable life as a result of having that control) than actually try and cooperate with others and mold as circumstances allow and demand, and thus not always being the big man in control... Both daddies strike me as people who depend on the social standing (John: alpha male hunting dog, Henry: a respected soldier, who has a function and a place ina group and a spesific task to do, and thus an end in sight, with rewards, rather than the ungrateful and grating task with no reward that await him at home -I think that's how he sees it, even if he might not realise it, IMO-)

OK, that sounded bad. I know both daddies do/ did their best, but I think they fail to notice or consider that there isn't just one thing that is the best choice.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

John Winchester-itis = hee! I should tell you now that I DETEST Papa Winchester. :-) I think that's a great observation.

I think they fail to notice or consider that there isn't just one thing that is the best choice.
Mmm, or they are just very rigid and inflexible--have limited themselves to a narrow range of defined actions/roles. And if I was being bitchy, I'd say that they lash out at others when asked to step beyond those roles. Of course they are men of their upbringing/era, and they've been made that way, but they're also limited men who at some stage chose to remain inflexible, even when it meant hurting their families. They probably feel trapped, as if they have no choice, as if they are making the best of their 'destiny'. But that's a bullshit excuse for crap behaviour, imo. They lack the greatness that would lead them to look honestly at a situation and make the honourable decision no matter how hard for them... a greatness that Matt does NOT lack. *snuggles Matt*

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

I know. they saty inflexible because they are too afraid to chalenge the manly man crap they've been fed and then internalised. Also, I think they are both (John and Henry) adddicted to their own "misery": the rewards and attention and feeling of martyrdom one gets are totally different in the manly man action choice ("I live the hard life by hunting/ soldiering, and I can feel good about that... it's sort fo asketism that proves I am a good, useful human. Oh, I am so tragic, and so worthy of accolades, even if I would never ask them.") and in the "domestic" choice of child-rearing/ taking care of the elderly/ sick.

Can you tell, I too absolutely detest John Winchester and he choices he's made?

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Noooooooooo! *fakes shock* ;-) Yup, all that crap. Grr.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I was very much converted to Jaime by the end of the novel! *g*

Please don't be a tease and DISCUSS FURTHER :P

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Heeee. It was very mean of me, I know. ;-)

I definitely see what you mean now about Jaime's journey being one from darkness into light. I loved his introspection in the last third of the novel about who he was, who he'd been and who he could be. Drilling down into what it meant to be the 'Kingslayer' was fascinating as well--getting Jaime's perspective on that act, once he's so far removed from that act that it almost a different person who did that. Actually, throughout the novels, I love the way Martin shows that myth and legends of chivalry can be ridiculously removed from truth, e.g. Sansa learning that the heroes of troubadour's songs may have been monsters in reality. And likewise, 'monsters' can be surprisingly chivalrous and human.

I loved Jaime's encounter with Tyrion at the end of the novel--his apology for what happened to Tyrion's wife. It's so tragic that Jaime is defined by this act in Tyrion's mind, even though in Jaime's it's an isolated occasion of cruelty that he regrets. I'd been waiting and waiting for those two to meet again, and when they did at first it was so humourous and snarky, and then it turned so dark when the reader realises that Tyrion won't accept this apology at this time, it's too late for that...

So are there any of your posts I can read without reading Book 4?

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I loved his introspection in the last third of the novel about who he was, who he'd been and who he could be.

I think there's still some core of the idealistic boy he once was (even though he thinks that boy is dead, and even though that boy was perhaps irrevocably tainted by what he was doing with Cersei :P)

he's so far removed from that act that it almost a different person who did that.

It's hard to think of him basically being the same age as Robb or Jon are in ASOS at the time that he killed Aerys (who was WELL worth killing too!)

And likewise, 'monsters' can be surprisingly chivalrous and human.

If you're interested, I talked about the monster thing (http://queenofthorns.livejournal.com/244155.html) here - how there ARE monsters in human form, whom we meet in A Storm of Swords, but Jaime isn't one of them. Oh, and also, this post, which is about the scene with Catelyn in ACOK (http://queenofthorns.livejournal.com/238040.html) is also unspoilery for Book 4.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I think there's still some core of the idealistic boy he once was
*nods* I like that Martin shows how someone's idealism can be tainted so easily by both internal 'weakness' (Cersei) and external circumstances. But that some core idealism remains is also good. And I'm fascinated by Jaime's fearlessness--his determined will to live combined with his capacity to look death in the face without flinching.

he same age as Robb or Jon are in ASOS at the time that he killed Aerys (who was WELL worth killing too!)
Oh, yes--no doubt Aerys was a deserving victim! And yes, so young! I'd find it implausible if Martin didn't have such a host of young characters shouldering incredible burdens. That helps me project backwards and imagine Jaime at their age.

Yay posts!! I have ordered Book 4 and await it anxiously!

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I'm fascinated by Jaime's fearlessness--his determined will to live combined with his capacity to look death in the face without flinching.

I can't TELL you how much I love that Brienne "recalls him to life" (to borrow a phrase from A Tale of Two Cities) by accusing him of cowardliness - Jaime's PRIDE won't let him keep willing himself to die and she knew exactly what button to push. Heh!

if Martin didn't have such a host of young characters shouldering incredible burdens.

You know, I love that Martin has the whole medieval view of childhood (which is that children were basically miniature adults) so PAT. After all, Edward IV was only seventeen or eighteen, IIRC, when he started fighting (and beating) the Lancastrian armies and the later Richard III was a successful general at nineteen. So that all works for me quite well, I must say.

As for Book 4, you know that, unlike the first three, ALL of the characters don't appear in it - he had to split books 4 & 5 in the hope of at least getting ONE done (and the projected combo of 4-5 was apparently going to be too long to print as one book ANYWAY!) However, I thought it was great (although I think a lot of people were disappointed by some of it, I was not!)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, I love the authentically medieval youth of Martin's characters as well! It's refreshing in a genre that's so often guilty of projecting modern values onto pseudo-medieval worlds

Yeah, I've heard the disappointment rants... but I'll make up my own mind. *taps fingers impatiently waiting for book delivery*

I greatly enjoyed your posts of immense Jaime love--thank you for the links!

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I greatly enjoyed your posts of immense Jaime love--thank you for the links!

After you read Feast you can have the dubious pleasure (?) of reading what I think is my longest LJ post EVAH. (Should you be inclined thereto!)

OMG OMG OMG!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Is this for reals?!
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957532.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

I'm potentially very excited, but if they don't get Jaime right I will cry!