What Would Tami Taylor Say or WWTTS?

First things first, wouldn’t it be nice to be as wise as Tami and as hot? Connie Britton doesn’t have children in real life, so she gets to show off boobs that haven’t been destroyed by pregnancy and nursing. (Friday Night Lights is very fond of its female character’s cleavage.) I’ve said that she and Kyle Chandler are the best actors on TV, they are also the hottest mom and dad. 

Tami’s excellent marriage was on display when she and Coach went to Jamarcus’ house to convince his mom and dad to let him stay a Panther. Coach was all football, while Tami managed to gently interrupt her husband, praise his skills with the young men on the football team, and convince Jamarcus’ parents that football was a good cure for their son’s lack of focus. Coach is a molder of men after all. They agreed to let their son play, and we were rewarded with a Jake Houseman-style* “you looked great out there.”

How charming was it when Coach opened the car door for Tami when they were leaving? He knows how good he has it.

Also, in need of counsel was our hapless Landry. I’ve always been on the fence about Landry. The ‘oops I killed a guy’ storyline last year with Tyra, while exasperating from a storytelling point of view, was beautifully acted by all involved. (Including Glenn Morshower as Landry’s father, where has he been?) We got to see Landry’s courage and conscience. Also, he’s pretty funny. But I still don’t really care what happens with his character. Maybe it’s Julie Taylor syndrome — I know he’s going to be just fine, which is basically what Tami told him. Years from now when he is miles and miles from Dillon, none of what breaks his heart now is going to much matter. If only we could all go back in time and tell our teenage selves that! 

I’m all for more gay characters on TV, so I’m down with the cutie, lesbian bass player. Loved that Landry didn’t go hater on her. He’s got a good heart. 

I actually felt bad for Buddy Garrity this week and that never happens. The guy is a major asshole and he never learns and he would destroy just about anything, except maybe Lila, if it was for the good of the Panthers football organization, but I felt bad that his kids were being so hateful. He was really trying, in his Buddy way, to make their trip fun. The camping was a disaster, steaks and verbal assaults were launched and Buddy stalked off. Good on Lila for telling her sibs to knock it off. Buddy broke my heart a little when Lila picked him up and he said that the whole thing had been awful. Such honesty and embarrassment in that one line. 

Was it just me or did you think Buddy looked doubtful when Lila said “you still have me.” He knows that Lila is graduating soon and sleeping with/in love with Riggins. He is going to be very alone, very soon, in a town of people that don’t like him very much.

In other dysfunctional family news, poor JD McCoy. His father might be worse than Buddy. I can’t believe he ditched his kid after the football game, because he played a rough first half. Thank goodness he has a decent mother. Mr. McCoy and Coach went head to head not once, but thrice in this episode. With McCoy winning the first face off at dinner and Coach resoundingly whupping him at practice and during half-time. Don’t mess with Coach’s practice or his players. You aren’t daddy when the uniform is on. 

Another quick shout-out to Kyle Chandler, his “get the hell off my football field” was a throw away line, but so organic to the character. Sometimes, I think Coach is a real person.

Street and his society of half-wits actually managed to finish and flip the house. I don’t know if I believe it would have happened, but all good things for Street and Riggins, so I will let it lie. Loved the open house. Billy Riggins should totally take up real estate sales. 

Street told Lila that he is going to make a go of it in New York. He needs to be closer to Erin and Noah and do more than sell cars for Buddy, but again, it strains believability a bit. Aside from the fact that it’s insanely expensive, are there really sports agents that don’t have MBAs from Wharton? But if it gives me Riggins and his cowboy boots and shearling coat strolling the streets of Manhattan in next week’s episode, I’ll let this one lie too. 

Lila and Street have been through it and back again. Their scene together was a nice conclusion to their arc. Classic FNL. As was the highlight reel that Street made for Riggins,’ with Coach praising his toughness and Billy talking about the ‘best day of his life’ when the Panthers won the State Championship. Still waters run deep with Riggins — he is tough, but I also think maybe he is smart and despite my earlier predictions, maybe he won’t become the ex-football- playing, town drunk. 

In blogging news: Clearly I owe to my legion of fan to make no predictions, lest they be disappointed. 

* Dirty Dancing of course.