More on "Friday Night Lights"
Posted September 28th, 2007 by Rich Heldenfels
Perhaps because of concerns already expressed by criticsh who have seen the season premiere, NBC sent out the second and third episodes of the new season. And it's tearing me apart. … (Possible slight spoilers ahead.)
Although the handling of the big dramatic twist in the season premiere — which we will talk about in detail later — allays some of my concerns, it still feels wrong. And there's a subplot involving Saracen and his grandmother's need for help that also seems like something pressed upon the show by ratings-seeking forces wanting big scenes that they can use in promos — and, of course, ruin the big scenes by giviing them away in promos. (I'm still amazed how many parts of the season premiere of "House" were ruined by a Fox promo.)
That's not what's tearing me apart. It's that for every wrong move the show is making, there are two or three other things that are absolutely brilliant. Pretty much anything involving Eric and/or Tami, for starters, and what's in store for Julie in the first three episodes, and a scene with Street in the third episode that will break your heart, and some business with Buddy, and … well, I may have given away too much already.
But that doesn't wash away the problem. In a way, it makes it worse. If it was all bad — and I know of at least one critic is unhappy about far more than I am in those first three episodes — then I could walk away. But I know that I'll miss some amazing television if I do. Only, to see the amazing stuff, I have to sit through a storyline that very much bothers me. I suppose I could fast-forward through the troubling scenes. But that's no way to watch a show that's as textured as "FNL."
September 28th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I know about the SL you are discussing, since I watched the premiere. I'm sure some of the other stuff is brilliant, but from what I know (and I do read spoilers) they are tearing down the wrong relationships and changing characters. They are also trying to sex it up in some questionable ways. I would love to know what happens in episode 3 with Julie, so if you want to, feel free to share it with me via e-mail.
But I'm with the critic who is concerned about more than just that one SL. And I love this show, so I share your frustration.
September 29th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
FNL is my favorite show of all time but I have to agree that that something went wrong with the first episode of Season 2. Here are 3 big questions I have about what takes place that I believe are so not in keeping with Season 1:
1) Would the Coach just walk away from Tami when she is so obviously distraught?
2) Would Tim talk so disrespectfully to Lyla after all that has occurred between them?
3) While I too will not give away what happens at the end of the episode with Landry and Tyra, a melodramatic plot device was gone after that thank God was nearly completely absent in almost all of the first Season. It seems that even Jesse Plemons had questions about this.