Finally we arrive at the much-heralded cheerleading competition. A very gay man lectures the cheerleaders on the rules of the fabulous competition. Coach meets Smash in the bathroom, where Smash is again nosebleeding all over the place but blows it off as if it's nothing. The Taylors eventually find seats near Matt and Julie, who wave to them. Backstage, the Panthers cheerleaders are preparing to enter the field, when suddenly Lyla appears in a burst of sunshine. She gives her name to the gay organizer guy, noting that she is in fact "the whore with the website". Heh. He allows her to compete, to the delight of some teammates and to the disgust of others, particularly Brittany. But they take the field and Lyla flits around and cheers her little heart out. Shots of the happy audience. Buddy is filming her every move. Tim is watching her like a little lost puppy dog, and Lyla looks over at him. But all is not as it seems. As it turns out, she's really looking behind him at...Jason! GAH! I rescind my high-five. The episode ends with her fluttering around in slow motion. But at this point no amount of schmaltzy trickeries can warm my heart, which, as mentioned before, has been reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble.

fnl_121205o%282%29.jpg
"I like pop-tarts!"

I loved this episode. Everyone was amazing, with the exception of Minka Kelly's horrific acting disasters. For those of you keeping score at home, the Race For My (Shattered) Heart is still in full swing, with Jason gaining even more ground this week for a truly commanding lead, Coach Taylor not too far behind with a multitude of points for all the hilarity, Matt and Julie scoring some extra touchdowns with THE BLANKET, and Tim earning a single solitary goal with the pigtails. I guess it's not so much a race, more of a random game of Calvinball. Anyway, what do we think, kids?

Recap: Friday Night Lights: Deprave The Cheerleader Sections:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7 

« Daily Digest: December 15, 2006 | Main | Recap: The Duel: Fat Guy In A Little Duel! »

Comments (14)

gatsby Author Profile Page:

Loved your recap, especially your picture captions (I'm still giggling about the possibly-infected-with-smallpox blanket and the deer heads). The part about the kid with the teeth was pretty great, too. I feel bad for laughing, but Mr. Ed and a box of teeth is spot-on.

I'm really enjoying Friday Night Lights. I love the Taylors and, unlike most people here, I have a soft spot for greasy-haired loner Tim Riggins. How can you not like the small flickers of actual emotional depth whenever he's talking to Lyla?

I don't get why everyone is treating Lyla like a leper yet no one seems to care about Tyra gettin' it on with half the men in town. Maybe if Lyla stopped acting like a chipper goody-goody they'd leave her alone.

I care too much about this show, clearly.

JDub Author Profile Page:

"He looks like the love child of Mr. Ed and...I don't know, a box of giant teeth."
Ha! I almost peed.

HarshBench Author Profile Page:

Your recaps are filling a much-needed FNL void in my life. My kids and I watch it (with my husband only viewing key scenes that I've recorded), but no one else I know seems to be. As you said, it is amazing how this show manages to make unconditional hatred of any character impossible. I even bonded with Lyla at the end, when she said "That's right, the whore with the website." But Minka Kelly remains the weak link among the females.

And like you, I find that after each episode - or most of them, anyway - my heart feels like it's been torn out and stomped on by a high-school-football-team's worth of cleats. I cried a river over you, Matt/Jason.

Landry rocks.

Niecy Author Profile Page:

doesnt landry look like matt damon with downs syndrome? i think so.

dent Author Profile Page:

Hey Niecy- good call on Landry. That is exactly what he looks like!!

I also agree that all these parents are too young. Lyla's mom should be her sister.

And I now also heart Tim.I dont know how this happened, but he is suddenly hot and sweet. These writers are doing a fabulous job with character development. Jason Katims is the producer. He also produced Roswell and My- so-called-life so he seems to know how to flesh out monosyllabic high schoolers.

Jojobear Author Profile Page:

I love this show, but I find that people are going a little over the top with their persecution of Lyla! Like gatsby said, no one says anything about Trampy Tyra's slutty ways. I guess maybe because Jason was so worshipped they feel like they have to stick up for him. I don't know....
Julie and Matt are adorable! I don't get why the Coach doesn't want her to see him. He is sweet, she could do alot worse. Jeez, it's not like she's hooking up with Tim or playboy Smash.
Lyla's stalking of Jason IS kinda creepy. I feel for the girl, though, I think she is truly sorry.
Great recap!

Niecy Author Profile Page:

and just to add, i dont usually like talkin bout kids' unfortunate characteristics...but damn. that seriously is the most hurt child i have seen in a long time. when he asked street can he walk, he shoulda asked that boy "can you close your mouth? damn, you shole is ugly!"

soflat Author Profile Page:

Great show and recap.

But some of the storylines are getting a little boring and others they are just pushing over the top.

The guy taking steroids is boring and I don't think the writers are going to do anything different with it than what everyone expects.

The protective parents and shunned lover thing is just too much.

Where's the football?

JasonR Author Profile Page:

Screampillar, another fantastic recap. It can't be easy to take a show that is mostly so damn serious and make it so funny in recap. Keep up the good work. I only hope enough people are watching this show to keep it alive. I think it's the best drama on the big networks (my faves are still the FX shows "The Shield" and "Rescue Me").

While some of the parents are young looking, this is supposed to be rural Texas, where I imagine by their early 20s many people are already married and having kids. Several kids I knew in high school had parents in their 30s who were young enough looking to pass for older siblings.

JasonR Author Profile Page:

Screampillar, another fantastic recap. It can't be easy to take a show that is mostly so damn serious and make it so funny in recap. Keep up the good work. I only hope enough people are watching this show to keep it alive. I think it's the best drama on the big networks (my faves are still the FX shows "The Shield" and "Rescue Me").

While some of the parents are young looking, this is supposed to be rural Texas, where I imagine by their early 20s many people are already married and having kids. Several kids I knew in high school had parents in their 30s who were young enough looking to pass for older siblings.

dahrache Author Profile Page:

The pep rally brought back memories of Powderpuff football at my high school. One week of the year was set up to raise money for medical help to someone who really needed it. Each day was something different like pajama day. It all ended with a Powderpuff football game. The cheerleaders dressed in jerseys and played a football game. The football team dressed as cheerleaders and did a cheer.

I too really like this show, but besides the commentors here, I don't know anyone else who watches.

GA_girl Author Profile Page:

Screampillar, this is the first time that I have read one of your recaps- you are hysterical! I could not agree more with your first paragraph. I also watched seasons 1-4 of 24 on DVD- and for three days, the real world ceased to exist. Friday Night Lights is the first show since 24 that has caused me to lose touch with reality- I love it!

noodle Author Profile Page:

Love this Show. Love your screen captions. Hopefully this show will pick up steam in the ratings, tell your friends!
Coach Taylor is Hot.

eightyschica Author Profile Page:

" I assume he's not talking about a scorching case of herpes, which she decidedly does not need right now. They hug and he walks away into the dripping rain as she stares. EMO."
made me laugh for 10 minutes straight.

Screampillar, I don't know where you came from, but please PLEASE recap the other 9 episodes.

I have no life.

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