325 replies to this topic

[possibilities]

They did it. They made me cry before the episode even started.

It was sappy as hell but I liked the way the handled everything. It all made sense to me, except that I never thought Julie would want anything like a "man to man" asking of her father's permission for Matt to marry her. It seemed out of character.

They brought back everyone except for Jason, Lyla, and Smash, didn't they?

[Clueless]

Best. Series. Finale. Evah!

I need to know what the song was during the 'everyone has moved on' montage.

[Hooper]

They did it. They made me cry before the episode even started.

Oh you are such a pansy! I held out all the way until the Grandma Saracen wedding dress scene. At which point I made up for lost time, I assure you.

I loved the scene in which Eric broke the news to Tami about Matt and Julie. "Matt asked our daughter to marry him." "Julie??" "No. Gracie Belle." Sort of a cheap and predictable laugh in retrospect, but I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

I think Tim's story was wrapped up in too pretty a bow, but I'll take it. For a moment I thought it would be him in the army fatigues and was simultaneously horrified and thought, hmmm, that's an interesting twist.

And I liked how they handled the finale of the game, despite it being ANOTHER last second Hail Mary game. With most of the eight-months-later montage playing out without us knowing the outcome of the game, it nicely showed that in the end, trite as it may be to say, it matters not whether you win or lose, it truly is how you play the game.

Oh, show.

ETA:
Mindy sobbing as Becky moved out.

Becky to Tim: "Friends?"; Tim to Becky: "I say family."

Coach's sidelong look at Vince when he told Billy he only needed one ticket to the game.

The whole Coach/Jess scene, but especially Coach's little clearing of his throat after agreeing with Jess that being part of the Lions was the best year in their lives.

Tim to Tyra: "You mean like Sarah Palin?"; Tyra to Tim "No, you ass!"

Oh, SHOW.

Edited by Hooper, Feb 10, 2011 @ 12:49 AM.

[BelleFleur]

Oh show. I will always love you. And sweet, adorable Matt Saracen. What a lovely send-off. Left me a blubbering mess. Gah.

[Axium]

Add me to the group that was blubbering before the show even started. Sigh. I loved everything about it. Great Series Finale. I especially love the last line. Perfection.

[calidub]

Am I the only one whose DVR cut off during the montage? Did it run over time? Mine ended with Tim hammering a nail into what I assume was his house. The second it stopped, I immediately yelled "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and called my mom to fill me in. Not cool, DVR. NOT COOL AT ALL.

"You may never know how proud I am of you."
"You changed my life, Coach."
That scene made me ugly-cry, especially after knowing Coach wasn't coming back.

Speaking of Coach... that scene in the living room with Tami? The one where she says she's going to turn down Braemore because she'll never win the fight and he just looks so torn up and conflicted and doesn't even say anything? And then Julie walks in and they pretend everything's normal by talking about how much the trust her, but Coach and Tami BOTH have tears in their eyes? KILLED. ME. He could see how much his wife was hurting and how he was responsible for it. Have we ever seen teary-eyed Coach before? I don't remember. But gah, it hurts.

Kyle and Connie were so good tonight. So very good. All of their scenes were absolute perfection. And the scene with Santa Claus and "Will you take me to Philadelphia with you, please?" made my heart all happy.

I am sad we didn't get a Tami/Tyra scene, though. But I'm not sure where or how it would've fit in. When Tyra said she was thinking she wanted to be more like "Mrs. T," was she talking about Tami? I assumed so, but she said she wanted to get into politics and I'm not sure how Tami would be considered a "politician."

I can't even form coherent thoughts about the rest of it. I need to watch it about 3 more times at least to be able to do that.

Texas forever.

ETA: One of my favorite little moments was when Coach met Stevie. "Hello, son. I'm Eric Taylor. Nice to meet you." I would not be at all surprised if that was all Kyle's improvisation.

Edited by calidub, Feb 10, 2011 @ 2:17 AM.

[possibilities]

calidub: It ran an hour and ten minutes. But I'm sure they're showing it again, so you can catch the parts your DVR cut off.

[LPTrixieKiller]

I need to know what the song was during the 'everyone has moved on' montage.

Delurking to say it was Devil Knows You're Dead by Delta Spirit.

Oh and I cried too, and I am not a crier!

[couchspudstud]

That was a beautiful episode. I was afraid i'd be left wanting more or that there'd be some stories that wouldn't be tied up but I can't think of anything that left me wanting one more episode. It was all so perfect.

[rjg1207]

Call me a pansy as well because I was bawling before it started with the scenes from the whole series. Uggghhh...I hate saying goodbye but feel satisfied with how it ended.

I loved, loved, loved the scene where Coach was telling Tami about Julie and Matt. The whole, "No, Gracie Belle" and then Tami yelling, "I don't know why you are yelling at me! I think we agree here!!" Just so perfect.

And we got a Landry and Matt scene and it made me laugh.

Tim and Tyra were so so good. I LOVED the scene on his land. Everything from the Sarah Palin comment to her saying she has loved him forever andhim saying how maybe one day their dreams will merge. Just a great way to wrap up there story. I don't need more. Well maybe them kissing there would have been a nice add.

[bear88]

Quick thoughts...

-- It wasn't a huge deal, but I didn't like the whole Tinker thing. Really, one of the few Lions we know, a starter on a team playing for the state championship, won't be able to make the "Super Team?" They wasted valuable time on something that seemed unrealistic and stupid.

-- The handling of Tami and Eric's big job debate was resolved in a good way, one that felt emotionally true to the characters. And it really was time for Eric to move on.

-- I realize they wanted a happy ending for Matt and Julie, but that whole thing left me a bit cold. Julie, as noted, seemed so deferential to her father's opinion that she convinced me she wasn't ready to be an adult. And have we seen any sign of it this season? Not really. It was, of course, a nice touch for Julie to point out that Tami and Eric married young, but Eric treated Matt almost as if he was a stranger, even after he softened his opposition.

-- I knew, and I think everyone knew, that the Lions would win the game. So that made the ending much more tolerable, underplaying the big finish in favor of showing people's lives moving on.

-- So who is coaching the Panthers? Did I miss something?

-- The writers had given up on Ornette, so I really stopped caring. It's too bad, because he was the most interesting character for much of the season. Jess, you're leaving for Dallas tomorrow! Okay, whatever.

-- Unsung heroine of the season? Mindy. Her relationship and closeness with Becky made me like both characters more.

-- Tyra's reintroduction, and reconnection with Tim, could have been disastrous. It wasn't, so I am relieved. (They gave us a "happy" ending, but nothing that painted the writers, or our imaginations, into a corner.) Given the show's bad history with season finales, that's all I could ask.

[calidub]

They brought back everyone except for Jason, Lyla, and Smash, didn't they?

I just read that Gaius Charles quit acting to join a seminary. I'm guessing that's why we didn't see Smash again this season?

Jess, you're leaving for Dallas tomorrow! Okay, whatever.

The ending montage was 8 months in the future, which would've been mid-August. She told Coach that she was leaving after "next semester." I'm guessing she left Dillon over the summer and started at her Dallas school at the start of the new school year in August.

So who is coaching the Panthers? Did I miss something?

I'm pretty sure it was that older dude that was Eric's right hand man this season and was unhappy when the players started getting out of control. You know, the moral compass guy who encouraged Coach to sit Vince to rest his ego? I can never remember his name. Do we even know it? They showed a shot of him at practice and also of Billy, who I'm assuming is some sort of assistant coach.

It was jarring for me to see how sweet and supportive Coach was with Tim this episode as opposed to how he was with Matt. Same with Vince. But I'm guessing it's probably because Tim Riggins or Vince Howard aren't involved with his daughter. We all know Coach likes Matt; I just think his Papa Bear claws were out in full force. Plus, he had a lot of other drama to be dealing with.

[surfer]

That was wonderful.

This show does such a great job creating "moments" between pairs of characters. Coach and Vince, Becky and Mindy, Tim and Tyra, and of course, every scene between Coach and Tami.

Loved seeing Matt and Landry together one final time. And Matt's proposal was just about the sweetest thing ever. I loved that he did it at the Alamo Freeze.

I love the entire Riggins family. Billy and Mindy really became such great characters. Becky calling Mindy her "sister" was such a great moment.

I'm glad they did the "8 months later" epilogue of sorts. Everyone got their "happily ever after" for the most part. One question though, was Hastings a senior like Luke? Or did he quit football after one season? I didn't see him at the "super team" practice at the end.

In any case, Coach and Tami walking off the football field as the lights turned off was the perfect ending.

This really was a great season. Would've loved to have seen Lyla or Smash or even Mama Smash one last time, but really no complaints. It was a great ride. Sad it had to end.

[Scorpio Moon]

I cried right along with you guys. I started when Matt was rehearsing what he was going to say to Eric and I knew, I just knew, he was talked to Landry. And then when the camera cut to Landry, I lost it.

I will miss this show so very, very much.

[clementine81]

never cried for a show as much as I did for that one, so sad to see it gone but what a great show and what a great final, I'm really gonna miss it.

[trinitygirl]

"you changed my life coach" - that's when the tears started on this sofa. So lovely. I thought the finale was perfect - not oversold, not too hyper, really realistic. I love that Coach finally heard Tami - I guess Buddy shot himself in the foot there, calling at 6am.

I loved that we saw Landry one more time, joking with Matt - that was such a shout out to the early episodes in season 1. Loved the way Tim's story closed out - building his house with his brother, Tara off becoming a super woman like Mrs Coach. Loved that Grandma is lucid around Matt: I wonder that they don't want to move her to Chicago near them - she doesn't have any family down there anymore.

I loved the interviews too - Tinker telling the journalist was an arse he was being, and Vince not wanting to talk about not being a lion.

Watching them pull down the Lions field sign - man that was harsh.

Loved that Jess was taken care of and following her dream. Loved the way Becki moved back home at the same time as being embraced as part of the Riggins family. The one thing that I didn't love was watching Luke head off to basic training: I guess this makes us personalise the issue, but it's sad to think of such a lovely gentle young man heading off to Afghanistan. But I guess he is going to get out of Dillon which is what he wanted.

And Billy is now coaching the Panthers... all very satisfying ends.

I really liked the way they showed us all the championship rings - Vince, Luke, Jess - it was a subtle way of handling it; anything else would have been a repeat of State in season one.

I loved, loved, loved the scene where Coach was telling Tami about Julie and Matt. The whole, "No, Gracie Belle" and then Tami yelling, "I don't know why you are yelling at me! I think we agree here!!" Just so perfect.

that was pitch perfect - loved it.

One question though, was Hastings a senior like Luke? Or did he quit football after one season? I didn't see him at the "super team" practice at the end.

The way I read that - Hastings has moved on: his family move constantly for his Dad's work and I thought it was said (or did I imagine it?) when he joined up that he would likely only be in Dillon for the year?

So who is coaching the Panthers? Did I miss something?

I read the post-season finale with Katims and he said that they deliberately didn't focus on the new coach = it's the guy we'd never seen before in the background - they brought in someone new just as they had done with Coach at the beginning of season one. And the new guy hired most of the Lions coaching staff.

They brought back everyone except for Jason, Lyla, and Smash, didn't they?

According to the interview released after it aired, they did bring back Jason but they cut the scene: there was an alternate ending with Street and Tim up at the house site, but Katims thought that it made most sense for Tim to end his story with Billy. I'm hoping that the alternate scene ends up on the DVD.

http://www.tvline.co...le-post-mortem/

well bye bye FNL, I'm going to miss you.
texas forever.

Edited by trinitygirl, Feb 10, 2011 @ 6:34 AM.

[Meredith]

I never thought Julie would want anything like a "man to man" asking of her father's permission for Matt to marry her. It seemed out of character.

My take on it was that Julie valued and wanted her dad's approval. I also saw it as a sign of respect. I was actually surprised that Matt didn't ask Coach first.

Julie, as noted, seemed so deferential to her father's opinion that she convinced me she wasn't ready to be an adult. And have we seen any sign of it this season?

I didn't think Julie was deferring to her dad's opinion. As I said above, I saw it as a sign of respect and her wanting his approval but not deferring to it. I was much older/more mature(an actual bona fide adult LOL) than Julie when my husband asked me to marry him but I expected him (and he did) to ask my mom for permission to marry me.

Julie argued for the engagement/marriage at dinner knowing that her dad was not keen on the idea... she even argued for her decision at home after dinner saying she wanted the chance to be with her best friend. I actually loved that we saw Julie considering what her parents said when she asked Matt if they were doing the right thing because they are young and don't even live in the same state... it showed that she really did listen to what her parents said and seriously thought about it, which is a sign of maturity.

The whole TA mess did a great disservice to the character of Julie and I think they did a bit of back peddling... and reminded us of the Julie they have painted for the vast majority of the series... when she was telling her parents that they think she will drop out of college and that wasn't her and they should know that, that she wants them on her side and to trust that she is making the right decision... this from the girl who not to long ago slept with a married man and then ran her car into a neighbor's mailbox to avoid going back to school? If that comment was meant to say Julie is flighty because of what she just pulled not long ago, I would have expected Tami or Coach to bring that up instead of Tami telling Julie that they did trust her and I definitely wouldn't have expected to see Matt validate her/their decision later.

Hated the way they did Julie in the TA story. These writers have been great but they have gone there a time or 2 when even now I wish they wouldn't have... if I am suppose to believe that Tyra Collette (was a 10th grader in season 1 LOL) got into <forgot the college>, if I am suppose to believe that Tami would be offered a position as a dean, I can muster up enough belief to accept that the Julie we saw at the beginning of this season did a massive growth spurt from the time she left Chicago to the time she came home... admittedly, I am a Matt/Julie fan and that makes the mustering that much easier LOL

I did love that they showed Matt, the one who seems to be viewed as the mature one (vs Julie being the flighty one), being the one we saw being so sure about their decision.

Loved that Grandma is lucid around Matt: I wonder that they don't want to move her to Chicago near them - she doesn't have any family down there anymore.

I can believe that Grandma doesn't want to move... Dillon is home for her and at some point Matt may have to move her somewhere close to him (or maybe Shelby) but as one of my friend's grandmother did, I bet Grandma will go kicking and screaming and demanding that they let her go back home.

There is just too much to say so I will make comments later after I watch a few more times...

Friday Night Lights... you... I adore...

Edited by Meredith, Feb 10, 2011 @ 8:52 AM.

[Monty Fresh]

What can I say? I'll miss this show far too much. I'm grateful we had five years when at one point I was certain we wouldn't even complete the first season.

I think it was always going to end in a state championship, the second we knew that this was definitely the final season. How else could we say goodbye to coach Taylor? I was happy with the way they did it - using the montage to set the game apart from all the other games we've seen over the series - and then the editing to switch to Philadelphia before we see what happened to the pass was excellent. It immediately made the point that, as huge as those moments are when they are happening, we quickly move past them and on to new things, and they become just another fond memory. Very fitting, really, given the circumstances.

[jinxiekat]

Clear eyes, Full hearts... :((

TEXAS FOREVER!!

[BonnieD]

I held out all the way until the Grandma Saracen wedding dress scene.

Yep, that's about when I got teared up. Skip to the end and I was crying like a baby, and I'm not generally a crier.

That was one of the loveliest, most satisfying finales I've ever seen. It could've been too cloyingly sweet or sentimental but wasn't--or maybe it was and I just didn't care. It all felt right to me. Even Luke going into the military. That's seemed like the kind of thing a guy like him would do. When Landry showed up, i cheered. I was so afraid they wouldn't bring him back and he was one of my favorite characters. I didn't miss any of the others at all....well, it would've been good to see that unused Jason/Tim scene, but Katims is right, it's more important to see the two brothers have patched things up.

ETA I would've liked to see Mindy and the kids watching Billy coach or something but I guess there's no reason his family would've been at practice. Maybe dropping off something? Just would've liked to see good old Mindy again. That woman took a tiny role and was so good in it that she was allowed to evolve into a main character. Smart actress.

Edited by BonnieD, Feb 10, 2011 @ 8:32 AM.

[happy2b]

<Clap> <Clap> <Clap>
Well done, Friday Night Lights! Perfection!



ETA:

Clear eyes, Full hearts... :((

Can't Lose!!!!

Edited by happy2b, Feb 10, 2011 @ 9:51 AM.

[Leahs84]

Wow, that was rough. I was tearing up before the credits, and at about every little thing after. As sad as I am to see it go, I am also happy that it got a wonderful finale. I still have questions about it ( Are Jess and Vince together long-distance? What became of Hastings?, etc.), but I am relieved most of the loose ends got tied up.

Of course the Taylors were going to move, of course the Lions were going to win state, of course Julie and Matt would get back together (though I thought it would be Matt asking her to move to Chicago, not asking her to marry him). As predictable as a lot of things in this episode were, they happened in ways very true to this show.

Little things that made me really happy: Tim saying "Seven's in town?", Coach asking Tami to take him to Philadelphia with her, Landry giving Matt advice (heck, I was SOO thrilled just to see Jesse Plemons listed as a guest star), all of Mindy's scenes, the actors' comments at the end , and much, much more.

I loved the suspense of the game, and the way they wrapped it up. That shot of Vince's ring was just perfect. So many shots were perfect, especially the very last one of Coach and Tami. I am truly going to miss this show, and I feel the need to start watching it again it from the beginning. Skipping the disaster that was season two, of course.

My mind is still completely scrambled from this, so I apologize if my thought are scattered. I could not imagine a more amazing finale, or a more amazing show.
Thank you, everyone involved in this show for making it as amazing as it was.

[wingster55]

Perfection.

Small moment but I think my favorite was seeing J. Street on the wall of the Panthers locker room.

[mde]

Tami & Coach... if love really exsists like that, I have missed out on life.

Brilliant show!

[TorontoFan]

I hate myself for being so weak that I had to peek here, knowing that I'm not going to be able to see the final series until NBC finally airs it...
Just one question, then I'm gonna ban myself from this forum --

I held out all the way until the Grandma Saracen wedding dress scene.

Does this mean that we actually see Matt and Julie getting married?

[Meredith]

Does this mean that we actually see Matt and Julie getting married?

No...

[uw badgers]

*sigh*

What a wonderful wonderful send off. I am so sad it is over.

My first tears also fell at the beginning montage. So many memories.

Loved seeing Matt and Landry together one final time. And Matt's proposal was just about the sweetest thing ever. I loved that he did it at the Alamo Freeze.

When Matt was rehearsing and they panned to Landry, I jumped with joy. So very happy Landry was in the final episode. I always loved their friendship.
Matt proposing at the Alamo Freeze, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Love Matt!

Becky and Mindy had me crying pretty good. Their relationship really grew on me and I was really happy to have so much Billy and Mindy this season.
Tim bringing Stevie to practice was just awesome. It's Texas.

Grandma and her wedding dress...cried pretty good during this whole scene. My favorite part of that scene was Matt repeating "nonsense" to Julie. When Grandma came out in her wedding hat, so very sweet. I loved how Matt and Julie just went with the flow after Grandma told Matt "nonsense" about Julie wanting her own dress.

"You may never know how proud I am of you."
"You changed my life, Coach."
That scene made me ugly-cry, especially after knowing Coach wasn't coming back.

You weren't the only one with the ugly-cry. That was pure gold..

Coah and Jess. So moving. He really believed in her just like his team. Cried like a baby when she told him she was moving to Dallas.

Tyra and Tim....LOVE! That whole scene on his land...brilliant. "Maybe someday our dreams can merge." That just made my love for them even stronger. The final scene with him and Billy building his house was such closure to where they once were to where they are now.

Eric and Tami. Are there any words for these two that haven't already been said? When the game was ending(and I really thought they might lose), I was wondering if Tami would tell Eric they were staying, that this is where he belonged. I was glad that didn't happen. Loved how they cut to the future after Vince threw the pass.

I was happy with the 8 months later and was hoping they would do something like this. Buddy helping hang the "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" sign had me a little sad. I just wondered how much Buddy was missing Eric. That had to be tough for him to see coach go.

Small moment but I think my favorite was seeing J. Street on the wall of the Panthers locker room.

I know how you feel. That just hit me in heart and had the tears going yet once again, though I don't know if my tears ever stopped during this episode.

Thank you Friday Night Lights for coming into my life for 5 glorious years. You will never be forgotten..

*Texas Forever*

[Blondie32]

De-lurking to join the group that started sobbing when Grandma bent to kiss Julie's ring. My husband came downstairs shortly after that scene, took one look at me, and went back upstairs without a word.

I've been dreading this episode the entire season, but it had some wonderful moments and satisfying closure. I actually said, "Don't go!" as Tami and Coach were walking across the football field. I will miss this show terribly and can't imagine finding another one that would compare.

Clear eyes, full hearts...I can't even finish it without getting a little teary.

[BonnieD]

the actors' comments at the end

? I didn't see these on my download. Is it after the closing credits?

Did anyone else think that just maybe they'd go black-out and end it with the football flying through the air? Kind of a Butch and Sundance moment? I think it would've been kind of cool if not exactly satisfying.

[jester pron]

What a beautiful and satisfying finish. I was so worried they wouldn't be able to take care of everyone in one last episode. I was so happy to see Landry again! I'm with everyone, Grandma Saracen had me crying like a baby. When she bent down and kissed Julie's hand I just lost it. Then dang Stacey Oristano made me so in love with Mindy this season and her scenes with Becky just killed this whole season.

The other coach is Coach Crowley, played by Timothy Crowley. (Interestingly his acting resume consists solely of playing a referee in several football related movies and a coach in another one) I loved that they left it up in the air on who was head coach as it was more likely that they brought someone from the outside in.

Was it just me or was Julie's hair looking more like Tami's and was Matt's looking a little more...active like Coaches? Maybe I'm just projecting. :-) Either way I liked the parallels they drew to the two couples.

I loved Coach showing up to see Santa. Kyle Chandler is so great, with is "Hey Santa" all casual like they were old friends. Then telling Tami it was her time, and "Will you please take me to Philadelphia with you?" was just so perfect.

Loved the way the game was handled. Not a huge fan of Luke going into the service, just because I loved the kid so much and wanted big things for him. But it's fitting because we've seen all along how honorable and genuinely noble he is. (Can't help but think back to him tearfully apologizing to Tammy for lying to her about where he lived. That's what made me fall in love with him)

Liked very much the close out with Tim and Billy working on the house, and Coach and Tami walking off the field.

Oh show, I will miss you so much.

On a side note: Yesterday Target had Seasons 2 and 3 on DVD bundled together for 11.99 so I scooped them up. While I hated the Season 2 murder storyline it is still great to watch to see how Jesse Plemons took something so soap opera and turned it into a really powerful and emotional character story.