Black Eyes & Broken Hearts

Season 1, Episode 16, Aired
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Episode Summary

Due to racial comments from Coach Mac, the black players on the team refuse to play unless he is sacked. Julie is sucked deeper into the vortex as her friendship with Tyra develops. Matt tries to win Julie back.
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Fan Episode Reviews (6)

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  • one of the best episodes of the season!!!

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By mikenelson_7, Nov 13, 2011 Report Abuse
    This episode delt witha lot of realistic issues in texas and didnt sugar coat anything they made it seem extremely real. i really liked this episode, it was well written, acted, and i as always i love the shifty camera work. also the way they showed rasism in texas was really realistic, not just this episode but all leading up to this. aha and with eric talking to julie as the guidence conculler, wife, and friend was so funny. i think they should winn some awards for the teen choice coming up for the best parents on tv... well id at least vote for them. SWEET episodemoreless

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  • I hate to rain on the praise parade, but they were taking the easy way out

    7.0
    "Good"
    By gcswift2, Feb 28, 2011 Report Abuse
    Before I rain all over the praise parade, I feel its necessary to state something first... I really do enjoy the show overall. I like all the main characters and almost all of the secondary players. I like in general the universe the show exist in....

    HOWEVER (comma dramatic pause),

    In this episode the racism card was played to predictable and underwelming sucess. I had problems with the way the writers seemed to wrap up this storyline. First off I liked that Macgill stood up for Smash to the police. I don't like that the head coach didn't seem to get what was happening on the field. The other team seemed to be primarily white or all the players who were taking shots at Smash were white. All the Refs were white. Why wasn't the head coach more "sensitive" to the "atmosphere" of the game. It was obvious to me and everyone I've spoken to about this episode that the Refs were out to punish Smash for "forgetting his place". Did he agree with what they were doing. Why was he upset with the team for protecting one of their own? If Macgill hadn't stepped up what would he have done? He seemed resigned to allowing the police to take Smash into custody. Matt is a nice White kid what if he was Black? Would he allow his black Qb to date his daughter? Does he think that Smash deserved the treatment he recieved? I originally though his reluctance to fire Macgill was because he didn't want to ruin his life by having him branded as a racist forever, but in light of his actions or lack thereof speak of other motives. Could it be Macgill was saying what he has felt all along? Could it be he agreed with him and if he admitted Mac was a racist then he would be admitting that he was a racist? I don't know the answers to these questions and that is my problem with this episode.moreless

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  • One of the best episodes of the series! This episode dealt carefully with the complex problem of racism and prejudice in a small town, looking at all sides. Incredibly thought-provoking and real. Great television.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Insightful_One, Feb 16, 2007 Report Abuse
    One of the best episodes of the series hands down. I thought that the series would deal with the issue of Mac McGill's borderline racist comments heavy handedly, but it really tackled the issue with a sensitivity and clarity that I've not seen in a television show yet. It presented wonderfully the shades of grey in dealing with the consequences of McGills' statement and Smash's walkout. On one hand you have a dedicated, old assistant coach who is willing to resign and remorseful for misspeaking about stereotypes that are in play. On the other hand you have a righteously indignant Smash who struggles to figure out how to stand up for equality, and what the practical effect and consequences should be. Then the ending came which was brilliant in the way that it showed what real racism looked like, and how you need to put McGill's position in perspective. It had some football in it, but this episode was about the characters and about society as a whole. I also liked how they kept the subplots going as well, with a hilarious Landry reacting to the luscious Tyra, Julie's own points about how her parents were prejudging Tyra, and the parent's points about her rebellious and negative influence, and finally with Matt's reconciliation with Julie. Best moments of the episode:
    1. "I'm with you Riggins" "Shut up!"
    2. Smash's uneasiness to the great questions posed to him by the media. 3. "I felt something with her" "I bet you felt something"
    4. After Coach speaks to his wife as guidance counselor, wife, and friend. "The three of you scare me."
    5. McGill's heart to heart speech and offer of resignation.
    6. Mama Smash's great speech to Smash, you know how to get back at people, you play like a star, you get a scholarship into a great university and you show them.
    7. Great Landryisms "and secondly, look them in the eyes, not in the rack. That is a huge mistake."
    8. "All the other parents picked up their perps, why can't we pick up ours."
    9. The unexpected outcome of the football game.
    10. The scary showdown with the police, "you get that boy, or we'll go in and drag him out ourselves." With McGill standing firm asserting his rights to see a warrant.
    11. The haunting, weary bus ride home, set to some great music.moreless

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  • It doesn't get much better than this.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By jkalabus, Feb 16, 2007 Report Abuse
    This episode was everything that a fan of Friday Night Lights could have hoped for. It is the perfect blend of social, teenage, and football issues. NBC rightfully advertises this show as something for everyone. I've been a fan of this show from the beginning and have hoped that the show would continue on. This episode confirms that this show deserves better viewership and a continued run on NBC. I'm glad to see Matt and Julie back together because Matt is such a great guy and Julie is a sweet person (that didn't fit that well with Tyra). Go Panthers!moreless

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  • This is why I watch the show!! :) Football mixed with social issues, character development, comedy and drama, what more could you ask for.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By tramlaw301, Feb 15, 2007 Report Abuse
    I love Julie and Tyra's friendship. Hopefully they can both learn from each other, but usually the bad influence wins most of the battles. Julie is starting to have a nasty attitude toward her parents. Landry and Matt are hilarious together. Landry couldn't follow his own advice in the strip club. He was staring so hard. =) :) That was funny. BUT the main theme for this episode was the racial issue. Smash's mother is my hero. What Mac McGill said was wrong but things definitely got way out of control and she was there to calm Smash down and set him straight. Coach Taylor stuck by Coach Mac even thought EVERYONE wanted to see him get fired including Mac's friend Buddy Garrity. Coach Taylor fought for what was truly right and I thought that was great. Smash and the other Blacks that walked-out decide to play. As a result the team is discriminated against by the referee's. That basically united the team and gave Tim a fresh look at what discrimination is all about and Tim came through and stuck up for his teammate, Smash on the field. In the middle of all this drama the Panthers won the football game and will move on in the playoffs. Coach Mac stuck up for Smash Williams at the end with the police and apologized to Smash for making a mistake.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: At the beginning of the 4th Quater of the Cardinals game you can see the score on the scoreboard. Dillon is leading the Cardinals 34-24. The announcer, however, says: "Early in the 4th Quarter [...] Dillon with the ball, up by four..." even though you could clearly see they are up by 10 points already. Edit
    • The team Dillon played in this episode is the Del Valle Cardinals from Del Valle, TX in real life. Del Valle is a suburb southwest of Austin (by Austin Bergstrom International Airport). Del Valle is in Class 4A in Texas, therefore they would never meet with Pflugerville in the playoffs. Edit
    • The strip club they are at in the episode is The Landing Strip in downtown Austin, TX. Edit

  • Notes

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  • Quotes

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    • Julie: I was really worried about you on that field. Matt: You, you don't need to worry about me. In a fight, I just kinda stand in the back and just yell stuff. Edit
    • Coach Taylor: Listen to me. Everything hangs in the balance right here. I have a question and I need some advice from you. Tami: Alright. Coach Taylor: I need to talk to the guidance counselor, not my wife. I need some unbiased, clear, honest advice. Everything hangs in the balance. Tami: Alright, sit down. Come on, sit down. (Both Coach and Tami sit down) Coach Taylor: The Boosters and Buddy want me to fire Mac McGill. I don't wanna fire Mac McGill. Mac McGill is a damn good coach and Mac McGill is important for me in the playoffs. I thought this was going to end a while ago, I didn't think it would go on as far as it did, I was wrong. Tami: So what's the question? Coach Taylor: The question is what do I do about firing Mac McGill? Tami: What did he say? Coach Taylor: Honey, you heard what he said. Everyone heard what he said. Tami: I know, I know what he said. I want to review, let's review. Let's review the events. Coach Taylor: About Smash Williams he said the black players have a gift for running the ball. That they're fearless. Tami: Right. Fearless, they've got a gift. Wasn't there something else in that little phrase? Coach Taylor: He said the thing about the junkyard dog thing, as far as the players like Matt Saracen. Tami: You mean the white players? Coach Taylor: Yes, the white players. He said they don't have the physicality. But he said they have more creative thinking which makes them more suited to lead. That's what he said. It was a stupid thing to say. I understand. Tami: Well, I mean, as the guidance counselor I gotta say that that, to me, is a fireable offense. (Emphatically) What he said. Coach Taylor: Alright let me talk to my wife. Let me talk to the person who cares about me and cares about the team, and also has to understand the relevance and the importance to our future of us winning the regional. Tami: There is nothing more clear to me that your team is way more important to you then Mac McGill. Coach Taylor: Is there anyone else I can talk to? Tami: You can talk to your friend. Coach Taylor: What does she have to say? Tami: This is not about Mac McGill, it's not about the team. This is about you. You've been put in this posistion now where you've got to make the decision. If you don't fire him at this point you are condoning what he said. Coach Taylor: Honey he said something stupid, he's not a racist. He's a friend. Tami: I know, but that is not something for a kids' assistant coach to say. No less for a government employee, which is what he is. (Coach stands up, opens the door and starts to leave) Coach Taylor: The three of you scare me. Edit
    • (Discussing plays with the JV players) Tim: What do you do? JV Player: Uh, okay, I know this. Tim: Too late, play's over. You waited too long to make a decision and now we lost the game 'cause of you. We're not going to State and the whole town of Dillon hates you. You're never gonna get laid your entire life. Fact. Edit

  • Allusions

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    • Million Man March Mrs. Williams: You quitting football to try and make a point about racism in a small Texas town, that ain't the "Million Man March" The Million Man March was a Black march of protest and unity convened by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in Washington, DC on October 16, 1995. Edit
    • Angela Davis Smash: Yeah, but what if it don't work Angela Davis. When Smash calls Waverly, Angela Davis he is alluding to Angela Yvonne Davis who is an African American communist organizer and philosopher who was associated with the Black Panther Party in the 1960s and 1970s,as well as the Communist Party of the United States of America (of which she is no longer a member). Edit

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