'Experimental surgery.' Is that what the kids are calling it?

COACH!!!!!!!!

Ok, there's lots to talk about, but I just wanted to say right off that I was smiling so big to see CT back in Panther blue!

ETA: Now that that's out there, let's move on.

I was so nervous when they found the body. I found the resolution strangely anti-climactic ("We'll be closing this case, then". What? What about figuring out how the dude died?), but I will be relieved if they leave it at that, because Landry in jail would break my freaking heart. I'm still nervous about the watch, though.

Julie's redemption arc was pretty swift, I guess, but I can't say I'm sorry to see it. About time.

No way in the world is an organization sending a girl like Lyla into a prison to spread the Word. No way. Nice plot contrivance, writers.

My first week watching live! Woohoo!

I want Tami Taylor as my mom. Or wife.

Oh, Jason. He just makes me so sad sometimes.

Julie's been a royal bitch, but I really felt for her on that aborted date with the Swede.

Nice PSA, by the way, Jules.

Also: COACH!!! Yessss

Kyle Chandler's hair acted the shit out of the penultimate scene.

Another great episode. Wow.
I guess Taylor vs. McGregor will be this years' state showdown!

Tyra just about broke my heart on her near-confession. Tim broke my heart with the phone call. Julie's realization broke my heart. And I like Lyla's new friend!

Great episode.



I think they just meant closing the unresolved sexual assault case Tyra filed last November. They had never found him.

I'm so glad Coach Taylor is back!

Tim + Jason = LOVE. I'm not liking Lyla's involvement in this though. The writers need to keep her away from Tim and Jason.



That reminds of something someone said on another board: "Is it creepy that I can't decide if I want Coach Taylor to be my husband or my dad?" Hilarious and true, if a touch creepy.

Is this still FNL, because whatever this show is, I enjoy it very much, but I don't really recognize it as the show I enjoyed so passionately last season. It's hard to put my finger on, given all my favorite characters are on my screen, but it's as if they're speaking a different language that I only have a grade-school handle on, and my dictionary isn't available to help me out.

I did feel a sense of palpable relief when CT strapped on his Panther hat and rallied the troops, but my disorientation is still in effect.

Is Julie going to be redeemed in one episode? I think it needed a little more exploration before that happened. And what was it about the Swede's Den of Industrial Waste that disturbed her so much? Didn't get that.

The Mexico angle didn't ring true to me. It felt forced. Which might just be my way to sum up my thoughts on this episode.

I'm happy Coach is back, but McGregor was on point; what Coach and Buddy did was shitty.

When Tim is the most logical one, you know there's a problem. That call he placed to Lyla in the end was perfect, Riggins is just amazing.

Lyla annoys me when Tim isn't there to counteract her absolute hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Calling her mother un-Christian because she didn't agree with her, makes me question what type of Christian she is. Sounds like the Ann Coulter brand of Christianity.

Julie is a snot.

Not enough Matt.

I would have killed us both if Coach was trying to coach me to drive. So not the time to have that conversation Coach.

Tyra/Landry just can't overcome this murder plot for me, it makes me hate them both.

ETA:

Lyla mentioned they were worried about him during the call she had with Tim. I was more concerned with where he got 10k from.

Can someone tell me if I've missed something? Where are Jason's parents while he's off gallivanting around Mexican karaoke bars and getting injected with experimental shark blood or whatever?

In other news, Tyra's mascara-laden tears at the police station? Perfect.

This was a tale of two episodes. I wasn't crazy about the first half but the second half was really good.

Like I said, the first half wasn't connecting for me. Coach McAss was ludicrous with his game plan and unless he made a public spectacle of himself, there's no way he would be fired that quick. Julie annoyed me so much I wanted Tami to run her over with her car and drag her for a couple of miles.

But the second-half bounced back really strong. Tim and Jason's trip in Mexico was a lot of fun with Tim ripping out a great line when he said they ran into the only honest cop in Mexico. Tim was lucky he didn't end up dead. Buddy was terrific again with all his behind-the-scenes manipulations. I'll say one thing about Aimee Tangreer (I think that's the way to spell the actress who plays Julie's name). She can make you despise her and then break your heart in the space of an episode. To their credit, they did allow Coach McAss to come off sympathetic at the end. Eric did screw him over and he had a right to be mad. Well done with the end scene too.

As for Jason's parents...he's apparently the only one the show remembered was a senior and graduated from high school. Tim, Lyla, and Tyra were mysteriously left back or didn't age last year apparently...

Not a fan of the murder storyline but it was handled pretty good tonight.

("We'll be closing this case, then". What? What about figuring out how the dude died?)

My guess is the cops really don't care how he died. The guy was wanted for rape in two states; they're probably just think he got what was coming to him.

Great show, by the way.

I hope Tami and Julie are back to being mother/daughter again. I teared up during that last scene.

Grandma Saracen giving commentary during the game was awesome. I could listen to her break down game film.

Jason singing or attempting to sing 'All My Exes Live in Texas' in Spanish was too funny.

Buddy Garrity...one minute I want to throttle him then he does something nice and I want to hug him.

eta: woohoo I am now a Fanatic!

Being a border kid (born and raised in Brownsville, can just about walk from country to country using the bridge), Mexico rang VERY true to me. Locals love Americans, and them being embraced in the Mexican bar is very authentic. The only thing that didn't feel legit was that there was an actual honest cop. That cop would have been blackmailing the hell out of Jason and Tim for more cash.



I disagree, Sking. I think Lyla just wanted her mother to show a little compassion, which is what real Christians do. When her mother is that quick to judge (you're not supposed to), and think the worst of someone, that doesn't ring as a real Christian to me.

Lyla wanting to help a kid get his life back on track? It did.

SO happy to have Coach back in Dillon.



My mom was little older than Lyla when she went on a prison ministry outing to the prison in Joliet, IL (AKA Prison Break's Fox River Penetentiary). She even went in the day after a two-week lockdown ended, and got cat-called at like crazy. Freaked her out, and she never went back. It's a tough thing, but definitely done.

I really don't think that's the case. I'm pretty sure he was just talking about the sexual assault case Tyra opened. I agree that the scene was a little clunky and kind of confusing in the context in the murder storyline, but I really don't think that's the end of it.

I took it to mean that Tyra's assault case was closed.

I'm glad all the TMU stuff is done and CT is back in Dillon. I love d Buddy's "the eagle has landed". I'm also glad that Pam still is able to talk to Buddy when it really matters.

Watching Julie's scene with The Swede was pretty painful but I wish she would've waited to cry until she left!

And now we see that a lot of story points that have been debated, ie Matt and Smash having the fight in publci vs. private turned out to be one of the reasons they could fire new Coach.

In the church scene with landry, did anyone notice the really cute extra behind him off to the left when the pastor was talking? Yep, that was me!!

I think Julie finally saw swede through our eyes this week. His greasy hair, his greasy apartment, all thoese beer cans by the front door. Yuck. I'm glad she came to her senses.
It's good to see the coach back where he belongs, and honestly, I hold no rancor towards Buddy or Eric on McAss's behalf. Whatever, just get him out of Dillon. Now!

I think a kid almost dying from a late practice is grounds for termination. The lawyer giving unbacked alternative grounds was pitiful.

Wow! I am so happy to see the awesomeness of FNL back in all its glory. To me, this episode, even moreso than the last, really felt like last season.

I was pushing my own imaginary brake while watching the Eric/Julie car scene. I had to go through that whole teaching your teen to drive a few years ago and that scene brought back all the terrifying memories I had repressed. Thanks a lot show!

I think that the show is actually handling the murder storyline really well. I felt my stomach twist in dread when Mr. Clarke annouced that they had found a body in the river. I didn't really care for the tease at the diner though. It felt manipulative.

You know, I wanted to hate MacGregor, but I could kind of feel for him when he showed up at the Taylor house. He had a point. However, he still needs to take most of the blame. He destroyed that team's spirit and he has no one to blame but himself for that.

That little flash to the character saying on the wall of the locker room was nice. I thought maybe CT would comment about character when he went out to see the team, but I'm glad he didn't, because that would have been too much.

Tim and Jason were amazing this episode. I laughed at Jason's drunken singing, but then became teary-eyed when he started singing about walking again. He wants to believe in this cure so badly and you know that nothing good will come of it. I'm glad Tim will be there for him when reality sinks in. I think that is going to ultimately be Tim's redemption.

The scene that hit me hardest was Julie's scene in The Swede's. As she looked around and realized what a low-life the guy was and how being with him just to spite her mother was a completely stupid idea. And just think, if they had grounded her, she wouldn't have had the freedom to make that decision. She would still be rebelling and idolizing the guy.
It was really nice how they shot the scene when Julie came home too. It looked almost like a replay of the 'Talk" from ITWSHS.

My problem is that Lyla has no clue about this boy. Honestly what did her mother say that made her un-Christian?? She was worried about the fact that he just got out of juvie, and didn't want him around her young children. How is that unreasonable? She labeled her mother un-Christian because her mother was reasonably uncomfortable. Where's the compassion for her mothers worries?

My brother is extraing somewhere tonight! I'm so freakin' jealous right now.

My review! (I know you'll like this downlow. lol)

That's your problem, but I don't think that was her mother's problem.

Her mother's self-righteousness was stank to me. Just like employers who refuse to hire homeless men and women. She was unwilling to even give someone a chance based on their background and history, and to me, that doesn't ring Christian to me. Last time I checked, churches all over the country give shelter to immigrants who have nowhere else to go. That's compassion, and Christianity, to me.

ETA: "to me" - Holy redundancy.

I believe Lyla was the one judging (she was judging her mother and deemed her un-Christian); it seems to me that her mother was trying to protect Lyla. Ex-cons, for the most part (even ones from juvie), aren't known for their honesty. Perhaps her mother could have suggested a few alternatives, but I understand where she was coming from. And the only reason Buddy gave the guy a job was to win points with Lyla.

I think the boy was charming and seemed honest in his interview, and impressed Buddy with his little closing statement.

Of course, that could be the eternal optimist in me. I am one of the only people who like Carlotta, after all.

This was my feeling as I watched as well. I kept thinking. . .is that it? That's her 'A-ha!' moment? She was a raging bitch for 3 and 1/8 of an episode (b/c MY GOD was she intolerable to BOTH Taylors this episode) and then she goes to the Swede's place, realizes he's a greasy, drunken, lame-ass loser and it's all golden?

Also? She didn't realize until JUST then that he (1) drinks (2) is a pothead, (3) has loser friends and (4) is basically a shiftless loser himself? Because his incredible good looks blinded her to all that? BLAH to this s/l.

Also BLAH to the murder storyline with Tyra/Landry. God does that get more and more painful as it progresses. But I guess we have no choice but to go there.

Loved Tim/Jason in Mexico. Not sure about Lyla coming down because I tend to doubt Lyla can have much impact on Jason but I'll reserve judgment.

Loved Coach being Coach again. I might be in the minority but I hope that McAss does not make another appearance. He's just too cardboardy and the set-up just too cliche (especially if it's the state championship or regional playoffs or something). Just let him go, and leave that confrontation as his wounded pride and anger talking. THAT is realistic b/c people always talk about retribution but 9 out of 10 times, it's just talk.

Loved this episode. Don't know why exactly, I just think the acting was nailed on the head all around.
Did Lyla's prison boy get a name? I totally didn't buy him as being hispanic until he said his parents got deported. Really? Oh well, show. That and the lack of Matt was all that irked me. Great episode!
And I actually felt bad for coach McGregor. He was a jerk but he did kinda get screwed.
For once I related to and didn't hate Julie. Sitting in the dude's crappy digs, really seeing what he was for the first time. Done that girl, way to listen to the people who love you.


Aw, I live in Texas. Surely I could be an extra! ;)

I don't think a light-bulb went off at that moment. I think her mom's confession bothered her a lot more than she showed at the time. Those kind of things play around in your head for awhile sometimes, percolating, and building. Probably, all along her gut was telling her this was wrong and she ignored the signals because of all of her anger at her mom and the baby, etc. Then, when they let her go out with him, at least some of that anger had to dissipate, right? That's when she could finally listen to her gut. :-) (I'm probaby way over-thinking this! But I can remember some things like that from my teen years and that's sort of how it went for me.)

I KNEW IT!!!! I remember seeing that picture of you with Kyle and I went "Hey, that lady behind Landry looks familiar."

amazinggrace, cool! I'm going to go back and look. I love my new DVR. I got it just for this show!

Ok, how adorable is Scott Porter? He is just so cute when he gets mad. I really loved the scene in the doctor's office. I loved that Tim was asking questions. When the doc gave him the b.s. answer about the FDA being cry babies or whatever I really loved how disappointed Tim looked. Also glad Tim getting thrown in jail was played for a joke and not a long drawn out drama. I also liked when Tim called Lyla. I can see him getting all worked up and wondering if this could actually kill Jason and being worried about his responsibilty in that. I'm glad we got some scenes of Riggins and Six hanging out.

Have we heard anyone say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Can't Lose" yet? I almost expected he'd end the meeting by saying that to the team. BTW, I knew CT would be all business as usual when he went out in front of the team. I love that about him.

The first half of Jason/Tim Karaoke Party was the funniest moment ever on this show. I was laughing SO HARD. Watching Tim trying to sing in Spanish was incredibly amazing.

And the final scene of Tim begging Lyla to help him talk Jay out of the surgery was the second most amazing thing ever. Loved it, and great acting by TK there.

Coach talking Julie through driving was reminding me of when my Dad was doing the same with me. Of course, he wasn't grilling me about subjects I didn't want to talk about! I found it ironic that after that, we get Aimee T. telling teens not to drive while distracted. Heh.

Buddy Garrity is the MAN. His scene in that hearing was amazing, I was cheering him on. He is a good bullshitter, that is for sure!

And seeing Coach Eric Taylor back in Panther blue was so much more satisfying than I could have thought! YAY!

The show is baaack!



I don't know. Last season, we had CT being threatened with termination after his second game. And most of what Buddy said citing the reasons for MacGregor's termination seemed pretty on point to me. Yes, they wanted Coach Taylor back there, but it was going more than one way. They wanted him back because MacGregor really wasn't doing a good job leading the team. They were turning on each other and their plays were dissolving mid-game. They wanted Eric back because he is a better coach. It so happened, Eric was that willing to come back because of his family situation. There were legit reasons for what happened on the football side of things, which keeps me from finding it all that horrible. The way Texas high school football has been painted on this show, it seemed entirely believable to me.

I want Julie's redemption to be a lot more difficult. That first scene when she was whining about going driving and called her sister a blob? I was yelling at Tami to slap her again. I want her to go crawling back to matt and have him shoot her down hard core, no stuttering.

Buddy is so amazing at creepy menacing and his obbsession with a game and the trials and dramas of a bunch of teenages is slightly disturbing, but I did think it was nice of him to help out that kid (who's name is what?). It was pretty obvious that at first it was a way to one up the wife, but I think he genuinly respected the boy. Writers, please, do not let this kid turn out to be exactly what Mrs. Garrity feared. You can't make this big point of practicing what you preach and then have it turn out that dumb ol' naive Lyla was wrong and he really is a criminal and will never change. And don't make him her new love interest. Lyla's got enough fucked up damaged guys falling all over her. Just keep him as a cool kid who's had a tough life and wants to do better. And is willing to call her on her godawful nosiness.

Tim and Jason in Mexico were awesome. Loved Riggin's reaction to Jason's toast...when he was talkiing about how much he hates Dillon I teared up a little. that town loves him so and it's part of him, but he knows if he stays it's going to smother him. And timmy knows it too.

Don't want Lyla to show up and that whole Six in peril thing looks so effing lame.

Is it wrong that when Jason was having his temper tantrum and going all drama queen "Fine go sleep with some hooker with icky girl parts while I sulk in the hotel" I would have given my eye teeth for one of the natives watching to comment on how they think the nice gay couple are having a lovers quarrel?

That was a really great episode, and I got some serious chills during the final scene. I almost expected another slow clap for his return, but I preferred the way it played out, and the way Coach is definitely weary about the way he handled things. The scene where he and McGregor talked was beautifully acted on both side, and Coach's chin quiver was terrific. One of the best seasons all scene, and I hope they meet again on the field. Truthfully, I'd actually like to see McGregor win, which sounds anti-Dillon, but I don't think that Buddy and Coach's ploy, as needed as it was, can go unpunished. Not on this show, at least. We'll see.

Mexico was perfect. Tim and Jason have maybe my favorite friendship on television right now, and I loved the way Tim alternated between having the time of his life and worrying himself sick. Jason's song was so sad, and that was definitely reflected in Tim. The phone call to Lyla was so pleading. I feel for them all, especially Jason, who's never going to be what he wants. Everyone else still has a shot to get what they want out of life, but the one thing Jason wants seems pretty clearly out of reach.

The driving scenes were perfect, and I just love the natural rhythm of the speech. Perfectly written and performed, and I felt as if I were going through learning to drive all over again. God, that was a miserable time.

Actually, anything with the Taylors tonight was great. I'm not sure they've fully redeemed Julie yet, but I definitely felt for her, especially once she realized exactly how crappy her life is if she gets caught up with the Swede. He's pathetic, living his post-high school life with skeeball, cheap beer, and bongs. Julie deserves someone with ambition, and while I don't want to see her go straight back to Matt (who was killer tonight in defending himself against the cops' gentle-but-not-really-that-gentle ridicule), I want to see her start taking the steps that will eventually get her there.

Not sure what to make of Tyra and Landry, but I'm glad to see them both being eaten up with guilt. Their relationship seemed a little more in-line with what I would expect it to be. This just can't possibly last. I feel like they brought in a real moral question tonight about who deserves to live and who doesn't. Here's a guy accused of rape in two states, a truly despicable person, but now he's been murdered. Are we supposed to be glad that's how he died? Or are we supposed to feel something else? Are we happy Landry did what he did, or was it a knee-jerk reaction he should pay for? It's a complex series of questions, I think.

Buddy Garrity continues to amaze me, and he's now on the "Needs an Emmy Nom" list along with Britton and Chandler, for me. He's just knocking this character out of the park this season with so many shades of gray. Perfect.

Scene of the night, and there were many great ones, goes to Grandma Saracen explaining football. I love her.

I know this will sound weird, but tonight felt like the first episode of the season for me. having Coach come back is like putting the last piece into the puzzle. Coach Taylor, you complete me!!!

I definitely agree. I think although she didn't want it to, what Tami said to her in the car struck a nerve at the time and is what triggered her reaction at The Swede's. I'm not so sure that this is the conclusion of her redemption arc, more like the beginning. Or at least, I hope so. I can't see her being all cutesy with her parents or getting back together with Matt just yet.

I think the Taylor family stole this episode. Just the culmination of Coach being back (!!) and Julie starting to wise up a bit and reconnect with her mother was perfect. It started feeling closer to the FNL I have grown to love. Happy girl here.

While I didn't buy McGregor's ludicrous coaching and equally ludricrous dismal, I will say that Eric's decision to leave TMU came off as legit. A couple of months ago, the coach of the University of Florida basketball team Billy Donovan decided to coach the Orlando Magic as winning two national titles. Almost immediately, he began regretting his decision and bubblering about leaving Florida. About a week later he was back as Florida but he had to sign a five-year no-compete clause saying that he could not take another NBA job for five years. Eric having to sign a similar one for college is pretty legit.

I can't blame Lyla's mother for freaking out. People who come out of prision or juevenille hall can definitely turn their life around. But I've seen too many case and examples where these guys don't get any better and if I had a teenage daughter, I sure as hell wouldn't want her hanging around with him.

I didn't buy that that guy was Hispanic either.

I can't believe how far Buddy's character has come, despite having been exactly the same person the entire run of the show. Last year this time he was "Sweaty Buddy Garrity" bringing VooDoo to the team under very shady circumstances, and there was much jeering and booing. Now, he's bringing Coach T back to the team under less shady, but no more ethical circumstances, and every time he shows up I laugh and giggle. "How did you get this number" up in the coaches box at TMU was the most hilarious moment of the night!

I like that I feel uncomfortable about Coach T's return to Dillon. I wanted just as much as everyone else, but I like the moral complexity of how it came about. I was just feeling so good about things being resolved because they were the way I wanted them to be, then Coach M shows up and reminds me that there was another side. Great storytelling.

The timeline and editing of this episode was a little confusing; I can't believe that Julie would see the news in the paper before Buddy Garrity would call Coach T and let him know - especially when they established Buddy's obsession with having him stalk Coach when he got home from TMU. Plus, with a game at the beginning of the epi, after showing Jason and Tim arriving in Mexico... it just confused me.

Luckily my willing suspension of disbelief because of blind love for this show allowed me to work through those issues.

Oh yeah, Papa Landry knows there's a story. That might be interesting. I can't believe I just said that about the Tyra/Landry murder debacle.

I would have been more impressed with Lyla's Christian charity if the guy she was helping had been fat and pimply.

Didn't like Tim phoning Lyla, mostly because that means there'll be another scene with Lyla making her Jason face. Also because Lyla (and pretty girls everywhere) are a big part of the reason Jason wants to walk again. He's doing it for her -- how is she supposed to talk him out of it? Tim should have called Jason's parents.

Loved the scene in the bar -- it looked authentic to me, even though I've never been in one. Glad to hear from posters here that they got it right.

Didn't much care for ex-coach's threat -- what did he say? I'll be seeing you again? Eric should have just owned up to it. Yeah, you were destroying the team and they wanted me back. The board should have paid the guy a year's salary, at least.

I was thrown by that at first too, but then almost right after the game scene, we have Tim on the hotel bed whining about having been in Mexico for a week already. Which led me to believe that the game was taking place a week after the first Mexico scene. A little clumsy, but at least they accounted for it.



I believe Buddy did tell him they were planning on doing that.

Are the writers having problems coming up with names for their characters? Of the five or so new male characters introduced this season, one (The Swede) is named Anton, and another (the obnoxious TMU running back) was named Antoine.

I really liked the progress of the religion storyline. It's like Lyla has this religious tiger by the tale and she is just figuring out what to do with it. She was judgmental to call her Mom unChristian for not wanting a juvie hanging out, and interesting that it was not shown onscreen, only related. But Mom was not very Christian compassionate either, Lyla was right about that. Religion must have seemed so simple and safe a refuge from all her problems, but actually doing it is a bit more complicated.

And boy was she unprepared for the juvies, a raw Pente recruit as she is. I think it is so realistic that she is just not very good at this stuff yet. But I give Lyla credit for choosing a refuge that did not include curling into an inward, selfish ball, as she easily could have. Somehow she remains optimistic, and by God, determined to help someone. Good for her.

IMO TK was outstanding in the Mexico scenes, especially as the slow realization of how devastated Jason is going to be hit him. I don't think Tim realized, and actually we have not really seen played out, how desperate Jason is to walk again. SP was amazing in that scene as well. Can't wait for Lyla to join them next week, resolution time. In ten words or less, no doubt. Texas forever. I'm sensing a pattern here of Lyla and Tim asking/begging each other for help. That goes all the way back to the rain scene in ep 3 last year when she was flailing him and asking "Why won't you help me?"

Dang Buddy the master manipulator, you could practically see him salivating as Pam laid the perfect opportunity to piss her off and win Lyla's favor in one feel swoop. Ole Buddyfucco has made an awfully fast recovery from that drunkard in the mud who had lost everything. What a great character.

This whole story line really bugs me because it is about 5 years out of date. It seems neither Jason nor the FNL writers are capable of decent research. If they were, they would know that stem cell medicine is way past the fetal stem cell debate, as researchers have learned to extract stem cells from other sources, including the patient's own body (which avoids the whole rejection problem). There are clinics all over the world doing stem cell treatments on humans for a variety of ailments, including Parkinsons, cerebral palsy and some cancers. Some of them are, as Herc warned, shady operations. There is, however, at least one clinic doing stem cell treatments for spinal injuries in humans and getting promising results. A clinic in Portugal has now done over 100 of these, and some of these people have gotten movement and feeling in their legs. I don't think any are walking unaided, and it is delusional to think that a week after surgery Jason would be able to kick Tim's ass, but it is not a pipe dream to think he could eventually walk with leg braces or a walker. This clinic is sufficiently legit and reputable that the Detroit Medical Center is sending US patients there and then working on their rehab in Michigan.

Jason needs to take his $10K, work real hard to save another $40K and go to Portugal. Here's the video http://www.dmc.org/videolibrary/ek_spinalcord.html

I am probably in the minority here, but I thought this episode was just ok.

Glad to see CT back. Though as much as I hated Coach M., he had a valid point. This is obviously not over.

Julie's redemption was really good to see.

Landry/Tyra thing is not grabbing me at all.

Lyla and the ex-con was interesting, I can't say I blame her mom for not wanting him around. I don't, however, want Lyla in any sort of romance with Santiago. As someone said, there has been too much with Lyla and guys. Plus, I am firmly in the Lyla/Riggins camp and want continuation in that direction.

Riggins/Street were the best part of the episode for me. Just having fun at first, but then Tim being the mature one for a change and having genuine concern for his friend. I loved the phone call at the end to Lyla. I felt the call was more about Tim needing guidance and comfort from Lyla, then it was about her abilty to talk Jason out of the surgery. If it was just talking him out of the procedure, he would have called Jason's parents. I am excited about next week, I can't help but love any Lyla/Tim scenes.

One question... Wasn't anyone wondering where Riggins was and that he missed the game?

Missed Saracen tonight.

I might have misunderstood, but I didn't hear them mention fetal stem cells at all. I thought they said the stem cells were from sharks because they are less likely to be rejected. I think the reason they are in Mexico is because there are less restrictions as far as testing and such. Jason would, essentially, be a lab rat. I don't think there's a whole lot of oversight in Mexico.

Landry and Tyra, great acting aside, still feel like they are on their own show. It just doesn't fit in somehow.

I was so glad that Tami was brutally honest with Julie and told her exactly what happened to her. This is what Julie needed to hear: details, specifics, something she could actually imagine and project onto her own situation. Last year's you can be hurt and degraded speech was great, but too vague. I was so glad that she saw Swede with "clear eyes" and that she seems to be back on the right path. I have a feeling it will take a fair amount of time for her and Matt to start reconnecting, but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I loved Riggins and Street in Mexico, but Street broke my heart. I'm not sure I want Lyla coming down there. I applaud her for trying to help Santiago, but her mother had a point. He seems like a good kid, but Pam hadn't met him and couldn't know that. She might be afraid Lyla, in her newfound religious fervor, was being too trusting. And Lyla did seem very naive when she was at that juvenile facility. But kudos to Buddy for giving him a chance. I think he deserves it.

Why do I get the feeling that Coach and McAss will be meeting again in some future playoff game? I'll be back.

This is exactly how I felt. McAss had a point. One game? Bet if he had won that game the Devil Townsfolk and Board Members would not have been so worried about those 15 extra minutes tacked onto practice. Or the fights. Spoilers had indicated the post game brawl was going to be a much bigger deal that we saw. Seeing that might have helped the case against McAss, but I still think he got the shaft up the wazoo. I liked that CT was clearly uncomfortable, and well he should have been. I am so glad this show is unafraid to give its central character feet of clay.

Us too. As CT walked into that room I was groaning, “PLEASE no slow clap!” And great that the kids were a lot more skeptical and hard to win over after what CT’s leaving subjected them to.

Me too, and I felt the CT returning plot was very rushed and had too many conveniences like CT instantly being let out of contract. And why in the world did CT have to read about the final deal in the paper when Buddy had been practically stalking him for days? This was crazy, no way in the world Buddyfucco is not right between Tami and CT in that bed in place of Lil Blob to deliver the news.

Note to the Taylors: Driving lessons are tense enough. Do not attempt this when your teen is at the zenith of her brattiness. No matter how much she begs. Julie’s epiphany did seem a bit sudden, and raise your hand if your mother would have confided in you at 16 about an unfortunate sexual encounter? And how far and how fast would you have run? But however it came about, I’m glad if Julie is coming back down the other side of the brat slope, because tonight she begin to go over the top with the brat act IMO. I will miss her great nicknames for the small pod creature currently being tended by the Taylors. “The Little Blob”. Priceless.

Is it just me, or is the juxtaposition of Landry’s advanced aching conscience and Tyra’s complete lack of such a bit shocking? I know she’s all hard and tough and had to scratch to live, etc., and I know the stalker guy was scum, but Jeeze, the contrast is pretty stark. Landry is guilting for two at this point. I so wish they had used something, anything else to bring Landry and Tyra together if they had to go that route. Just their diametrical differences would have been enough for me.

IMO, those faux, "cops are onto us" moments, both in the diner and for Tyrade in the cop shop were comically soapish and ham-fisted. OH, whew, so they didn't really know what we thought they knew that has us sweating such obvious bullets, or in Tyrade's case, cause a strange brown blob to slide down her face. This was awful IMO.

Finally, it occurred to me that Santiago might at some point make a decent love interest for Tyra. Could give it back to her as good as she gives it out; for once she would not be in a relationship where she is totally dominant.

I thought that this was a really good episode. In comparison to the last few weeks. Not that the last few weeks were HORRIBLY HORRIBLE. But this one was much better.

I thought that Mcgregor's little statement was totally spot-on, and that Coach should (and does) feel bad about shooting him in the back like that. Because it's Coach Taylor, and he is an inherently good person who tries to make good decisions that help everybody. But I really, REALLY don't want some football game confrontation between the two as happened last year with Voodoo, because that would be an old and covered storyline. (In fact, off topic, I don't want the Panthers to make State this year, but if they do, it would be realistic because when a football team is good, they usually form a dynasty and dominate for 4 or so years. But I'm still against it.)

I loved that Julie ran to hug her Dad before Tami even really got out the door. You could just feel how relieved and happy they were to have him back...To steal from Mayor Lucy, he's the yin to their yang. (Or yang to their yin. Or something like that.) But don't mistake that as redemption for Jules in my eyes, because she isn't redeemed! She's still a snot, and she will always be a snot until she goes at LEAST four episodes without being a brat.

If I was Lyla, I prolly would've acted the same way with the Juvie boy, trying to get him a job(painting her garage?) and trying to get him on his feet. Personally, I believed that he was honest. Maybe we're both just very gullible about attractive young men on probation, but I believed him.... And I loved how Buddy totally went against Pam's wishes(in a very subtle,snake-like manner) just to spite her. I love that guy. (I can't believe that I'm saying this about last years St. Satan!) He cracks me up.

Rating for this week: 4/5

I just want to mention how realistic those practice driving scenes were, since everything in those scenes happened to me EXACTLY (well not all those conversations but you get my point). Not being able to pay attention because your getting yelled at (you have no idea how many times I said "I can't pay attention with you yelling at me"), almost crashing into another car, getting fustrated trying to park and your parent only making it worse, etc. I think they stole those parts of my life when I was 16.

This is exactly how I felt. McAss had a point. One game? Bet if he had won that game the Devil Townsfolk and Board Members would not have been so worried about those 15 extra minutes tacked onto practice. Or the fights. Spoilers had indicated the post game brawl was going to be a much bigger deal that we saw. Seeing that might have helped the case against McAss, but I still think he got the shaft up the wazoo. I liked that CT was clearly uncomfortable, and well he should have been. I am so glad this show is unafraid to give its central character feet of clay.


That's what I was saying too. Unless he screwed up big-time and made some kind of public spectacle of himself, I just can't see McAss being canned after two games. They probably should have played up that brawl a little more. But I'm also in agreement that they don't make even the good people on this show do the wrong thing.

Take last year when Coach discovered Smash was doing steroids. I totally understand that he didn't want to report him. He liked Smash and wanted to see him succeed. So he didn't report him. But I couldn't help but think this would tie his hands in the future if he caught someone else on his team juicing up. How can you kick that guy off the team and not Smash?