Back at home, Tami grounds her daughter. No surprises there. A "fine, whatever" from Julie. This prompts a massive mother-daughter fight, which escalates until Tami's voice can only be heard by whales. She asks her husband for some insight into this situation, and he does try to say something but Tami interrupts him to continue screaming. Julie accuses her mother of looking down on her from her ivory tower, which leads Tami to forbid her from hanging out with Tyra anymore. Julie storms off, Tami storms off, and Coach is left to ponder the blessings of female adolescence.
Oh, right. Football. The team is loading onto the bus for the game, when who should show up but Smash and the rest of the black kids. He walks up to Coach and asks if there's any more room on that bus. A lone Coach eyebrow shoots up to the stratosphere, as he nods assent and the boys board the bus, which I'm pretty sure actually does NOT have enough room for them. No matter. Smash informs Mac that this doesn't change a thing. And then they're off!
Dunston Valley isn't the quaint little village its name implies. Or maybe it is, but all we see of it is its brutal football field. The DV players talk some smack, Coach gives a little pep talk, and the game begins. Football, football, football. Smash takes a couple hard hits from the other team, and it seems that, as Tami would say, "it's racial." With four minutes left in the first half, the score is tied at 14-14. More football happens. The referees make a few horrible calls against the Panthers, which Coach is none too happy about. In one play, a DV player grabs Smash's face mask and pulls him down, and even I yell out loud to my television, "FACE MASK!!" This coming from a person that watches the Super Bowl for the commercials (which sucked this year). I love the Panthers that much.
Mandisa's back and she wants a sandwich!
Coach is infuriated. Things are getting intense. In the third quarter, Smash scores yet another touchdown, bringing the score up to 24-14 (I think). But there's no time to celebrate, as a random DV player runs up and obliterates Smash in the end zone. Smash gets up and lightly shoves the kid away, but then the kid calls him "a lazy-ass tar baby" and that about does it. Tim overhears and tackles the hell out of that little DV fucker, causing the both teams to pile onto the field in an all-out brawl.
Cut to the Dillon locker room, where the team is sitting in silence. Coach and the DV coach are pacing back and forth on the field when a man who identifies himself as being from the Athletic Board calls the game. Dillon wins! The DV coach flips out while Coach quietly sneaks off to the locker room.
"This is not who we are. This is not what we represent." Coach yells for a little while. Tim quietly asks if they're out of the playoffs, and Coach bitterly tells them that since they were ahead after three full quarters, they win, but "this is no damn time for celebration!" He tells them to grab their gear and get on the bus without changing. I don't know about you, but there are a hell of a lot of places in the world my nose would rather be than a high school football team's after-game bus, even if they are the Panthers.
On the ride home, a cop car pulls the bus over. Oh no. Coach and Mac debus to talk to the officer, who says that he's looking for Smash. Witnesses say he threw the first punch, which as we all know is a heaping load of bull. He wants to bring Smash in for questioning, and despite Coach's protests, the cop persists, saying that he'll go in there and drag him out himself if he has to. This is goddamn riveting television, people. Mac suddenly pipes up, asking if the cop has a warrant. No warrant, no bus. Would this actually hold water in real life? Whatever, I don't care. The cop meagerly says he can go get one, but ultimately backs down. "We'll get you next year, Coach." And my hands unclench and the blood returns to my knuckles .
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Comments (13)
I must admit that I am not a football fan, but I love this show. Kyle Chadler has been a fav since his "Homefront" days, and I too yelled out"face mask" when that nasty play was made! Great recap!
1 of 13 | Posted by Natalie
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Posted on February 16, 2007 4:55 PM
I really enjoyed this episode, but then again, I enjoy ALL episodes of FNL! Great recap again!
Ok, I wanna know how Tyra, Julie, Matt and Landry could even get in the front door of the strip joint (The Landing Strip - hee hee)? Isn't there usually a doorman or bouncer? Maybe I'm getting too technical(?) Anyway, I thought Coach's comment about getting their little "perp" was too funny. Those Taylors!
Mama Smash continues to be the awesome voice of reason! She rocks! I love that woman.
I also yelled "FACE MASK" at the TV! LOL, good to know I'm not the only one who gets into it! I thought the psychotic DV fans were gonna bust down that fence and kill our beloved Panthers! It was a very captivating episode. FNL is my favorite show, I REALLY hope it doesn't get canned!
2 of 13 | Posted by Jojobear
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Posted on February 16, 2007 5:03 PM
This might be my favorite episode of tv - ever.
As far as this:
I think you're missing the subtext. Everyone involved knew it had NOTHING to do with official police business. It was an attempted lynching. Mac asking for a warrant was his way of saying he knew what was afoot and he wasn't gonna stand for it. It was two against a whole bunch and there was no way Smash was getting off that bus.
That scene blew my mind. The fact that they were able to deal with those issues, so deftly, so subtly, with out any preachiness or after school special vibe was really incredible.
3 of 13 | Posted by beckylooo
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Posted on February 16, 2007 5:31 PM
Awesome episode. Awesome recap. I melted too when Matt & Julie reconnnected. As for the Texas parts, no one checks ID anywhere outside of the big cities, and the bus scene was based on a true story. I can't remember the exact date, but it happened to some high school team getting the hell out of dodge several years ago after creaming the opponent on their home turf. The writer obviously knows his Texas football, and all the built-in drama that has mushroomed out of it.
4 of 13 | Posted by Ozone Dude
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Posted on February 16, 2007 6:23 PM
To me, this was the best episode of the entire season! Great recap as always!!
Coach/Kyle Chandler is and will always be my favorite on the show and I love the dynamic between him and Tami. I loved the scene in Tami's office when Coach is all confused and vulnerable and going to his loving wife for support. I want to be Mrs. Coach Taylor!
I also love Mama Smash and all of her guidance and support - she's the epitome of strong black woman and I love it. After she gives her pep talks to Smash I just want to hug her!
The whole police car, warrant scene made my heart stop. I was more concerned that the show was going to end there an leave us all hanging. I would not have been able to take that!
And Julie and Matt...yes, melt our little hearts....and based on the previews I can only imagine the Landry advice that is soon to be. hahahaa.
5 of 13 | Posted by y2kcsc
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Posted on February 17, 2007 8:48 AM
Excellent episode, perhaps the best so far. And, awesome recap!
I really disliked Mac last week, but this week, not so much. I like the way the characters on this show, while at first, seeming one-dimensional, are really very layered.
I loved Mama Smash! I especially like the way Waverly is being written as the young "idealist" versus Mama Smash as the mature "realist"; both viewpoints are valid and it's yet another example of the nuanced writing of this show. I see a big Mama versus Waverly showdown in the near future!
OMG! The "perps" and "Why can't we get ours?" Too funny.
The Taylor family? Perfection. Coach and his three "wives"? Perfection. Julie and Matt? Another heart melted! My attachment to this show is beginning to concern me...
6 of 13 | Posted by midwestliberal
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Posted on February 17, 2007 10:48 AM
Another great episode/recap!!
I always get sad after an episode ends, and I have to wait another week for a new one. So imagine my suprise when Coach Taylor made a special appearance on Grey's Anatomy the next night! Oh wait, that's sort of spoiler-ish. Sorry, but it was amazing.
7 of 13 | Posted by iSaySeriously
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Posted on February 17, 2007 10:51 AM
Great recap!
8 of 13 | Posted by sluggerbun
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Posted on February 17, 2007 3:31 PM
yea i'm already sick of waverly. i liked her... at first because she was all like hey smash no i'm not going to buy into your whole egotrip. but now she's all like i'm gonna be a bitch and tell you what to do. she just needs to chill... and back off from my man...
great great episode :)
9 of 13 | Posted by meliasaurus
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Posted on February 18, 2007 1:58 PM
i just can't get over how realistic (and hilarious) the taylor family is. when tami and julie were hollering at each other with the coach sitting there looking perplexed, mrs. jack turned to me and said 'that's my childhood.'
the racial drama was a little heavy-handed and improbable (sorry, but there's no way smash and the rest of those boys would walk off the team in the middle of the playoffs; coach mac would probably have been suspended 'pending review' or some such), but it made for great TV. and that 'will you be my girlfriend' moment? priceless, and too true. ah, nostalgia! god bless you, FNL.
10 of 13 | Posted by jack
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Posted on February 19, 2007 7:21 AM
This is a show that I almoast always go back and watch again. Not for geeky stuff like Lost, but because each scene is so lovely and perfectly done. The acting, writing, casting, everything is fantastic.
I can not wait for next week. On the preview when Julie told Tami, "we're thinking about it" (sex) and Coach with the panties, I am dorkishly excited.
11 of 13 | Posted by dent
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Posted on February 19, 2007 12:27 PM
There actually is a strip club in Austin called The Landing Strip.
http://www.austinlandingstrip.com/
I LOVE Matt & Julie and cannot wait to see how they play out in the next episode. The Taylors are my favorite TV parents.
When is Lyla going to get a life? She is so boring!!!!
Jason needs to go get his ass pummeled in quad rugby try outs. He is so freaking annoying.
Landry is the best! Who ever writes his lines is a genious!
12 of 13 | Posted by TitsMagee
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Posted on February 19, 2007 1:35 PM
I LOVE this show and your recaps, I wait for them to be posted. Just tought I would trough my 2 cents in and say here in Detroit Michigan there is a strip club called The Landing Strip, its close to Metro airport. Hehehe
13 of 13 | Posted by Roney12
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Posted on February 20, 2007 6:45 AM