“Friday Night Lights”: Last Days of Summer (2×1)
posted by Don Z on October 8, 2007 at 9:30 am in TV, Friday Night Lights, Reviews
If any show can become a hit after a move to Friday nights, it’s the fantastically written and beautifully put together “Friday Night Lights.” Simply put this is the very best network drama, probably the best in at least a decade.
The one thing that I think will be this show’s saving grace is that I really can’t see it becoming too full of itself. For one thing, it is shot on location in Austin, which must keep things in perspective and I would assume is owed much of the praise for the show’s depth. To hear the hardest working cast in show business tell it, they love this show and believe in it. Networks tend to either ignore shows or ruin them by interfering. All the “McDreamy” crap on “Grey’s Anatomy” absolutely ruined what started out as a unique and well crafted show. (I suppose ABC doesn’t deserve all the blame for that.) NBC will do their best to turn this into a “hot teen drama” or something but here’s hoping they see that they have something special here and leave it alone.
This was a very satisfying jump-start to season two, throwing us right into the action with Julie’s wandering eye (never trust a Swede), Landry and Tyra, Lyla’s baptism and Christian activism, and of course the birth of Coach T and Tami’s baby, which began before the credits if I’m not mistaken. (Side note to the producers: You should have a warning for us sensitive dudes who love football and intense character dramas if you’re going to throw a Wilco song in there. You could cause heart problems.)
A lot happens in the premiere and probably the most significant is that Landry murders Tyra’s attacker. If you read spoilers you guessed this was coming, but I was completely satisfied by it (not in that way. Wait yes sort of in that way.). I think this will be an interesting plot to follow, especially with the introduction of Glenn Morshower as Landry’s dad. Speaking of new cast members the addition of Tayler Negron as Lyla’s mom’s new boyfriend is a great piece of casting; I think he’s a great actor for TV and is wonderfully cast as the granola-y newcomer.
If you’re not a fan already, this is one of those “do or die” shows. Consider buying the season one DVDs for $20 from Amazon (they were originally sold with a “satisfaction guarantee” but YMMV on that at this point.) The safe money is on it not being aired after 2007 but I for one think NBC will do the right thing.
Comment by Len posted October 11, 2007 at 4:37 pm:
All of the episodes are available to view for free on nbc.com as well. I personally was disappointed by the season premiere of the best show on television. Landry killing the stalker (let’s not call it “murder” just yet) was the sort of out of character, out of reality, unbelievably gimmcky plot cheating that lesser more poorly written and executed shows rely upon. The idea that there has to be a twist in itself is the province of cheesy Shayalaman movies…it takes us away from what is truly engaging about the show…believable characters dealing with realistic drama.
With that being said, I’m not willing to give up on the show. One of the storylines I’m looking forward to is Street’s continued development and recovery. I think he’s an underrated star of the show and I’m glad to see him being brought more into the fold as opposed to a storyline on the side.
Comment by Don posted October 11, 2007 at 4:44 pm:
I dunno. I am not convinced that it should be called a “twist”… to me a twist would be……..actually Julie did it!!!
To me this was more like a really gritty thing that might happen to a guy like Landry if he got over his head and fucked up really bad in one tragic moment. To me having it be actual self defense would have been lame, having it be borderline murder is more interesting. A lesser show would let Landry more clearly off the hook. We all saw the guy walk away.
Also, setting it up for this to happen in sweeps is one thing… having this happen in episode 1 when you’re trying to get new viewers? That is gutsy…gutsy like a gorilla maybe, but gutsy.
Comment by Len posted October 11, 2007 at 4:50 pm:
OK, let’s split the baby and call it, in the absence of premeditation, manslaughter. If they were going to sell it, then sell it in a realistic way. Let the scene open up like a fine wine…it all happened at once. If they had to go there, he needed to sit there for a second…maybe after the guy saying something dismissive…but let him sit there wallowing in his humiliation, let him soak in Tyra’s anguish and disappointment in him…then you’ve built up the rage of a person who lost his mind for a second. I guess if the twist was executed better, I would have minded less…Also, are we to believe that he went out for the State Championship Football team his Senior Year for the first time and made the team? And why is he on the team?
Comment by Don posted October 11, 2007 at 4:53 pm:
Couldn’t one say having the star quarterback paralyzed in the opening scene is the twist of all twists?
Okay I will capitulate to the stupidity of him making the team. And you’re probably right about the execution of the scene. I’m just not ready to spot a shark in the water yet. Who knows what they have in store.