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Friday Night Lights

Tami Knows Best

Season 3, Episode 2, Aired Oct 08, 2008

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Tami becomes angry by Tyra's actions. In an effort to help his grandma, Matt stumbles upon his estranged mother. Coach Taylor tries his best to encourage Smash as he tries to make the college tryouts.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
D.J. Castillo

Ross Freed
GUEST STAR
Cherami Leigh

Ginnie Warwick
GUEST STAR
D.W. Moffett

Joe McCoy

Connie Britton

Tami Taylor
Jesse Plemons

Landry Clarke
Adrianne Palicki

Tyra Collette
Taylor Kitsch

Tim Riggins
Kyle Chandler

Eric Taylor
Zach Gilford

Matt Saracen

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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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Tami gets ridiculed for spending the budget on education purposes instead of football.

9.5

"Superb"

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Nov 21, 2011

Like many of the reviewers on this website (or at least I'm assuming), I read all sorts of reviews to get an idea of what other people think about a show or an episode. I was reading the review of this episode on AVClub last night and saw that the guy reviewing it saw the focus on the Jumbotron as a by-the-books type of Friday Night Lights story thread. I agreed with just about the entire review but I disagreed with this.
Maybe it's because we spent almost all of Season 2 focusing on things that were larger-than-life in comparison to Season 1, but these smaller scale issues that Tami is going through in the show is much more enjoyable to watch than watching Landry and Tyra cover up a crime or watching Street and Riggins go to Mexico for an experimental surgery. I think the reason I disagree is not only because Connie Britton does such a good job in the scenes with Brad Leland, the Mayor and Kyle Chandler but because it's nice to get some small-scale stuff that would actually happen in a small town.
Smash's story continues, and while I'm disappointed to see that he's not going to be on the show anymore (based on hisdisappearancefrom the opening credits), Coach Taylor's attempt to get him in college and help his knee and his wounded psyche heal are amazing to watch. It never feels melodramatic or lame; instead, it's all of these actors at the top of their game, having fun and making sure Season 3 kicks off as strong as possible.
Even the story threads that I normally don't enjoy as much, such as Riggins and Lila's romantic life, is fun to watch, if only because the writing allows the characters to shine brighter than they have in awhile. I love that Riggins is getting a chance to act more like a gentleman than ever and that Lila is over her whole Christian act. It made scenes like near the end, where Riggins is sitting next to Tyra with no pants on, much more enjoyable.
Also, how great is it to have Matt Saracen getting some good material to work with? Zach Gilford plays that character perfectly, as a polite man who lets his frustrations build up until they come out in the form of passive-aggression. This time, he's forced to deal with his grandmother again after her dementia worsens. Not only do we get some scenes with him and his real mother (who will likely be back soon) but we get to see him and Julie interacting again. I understand it's easy to want to shake things up, but splitting up Matt and Julie felt like a lame way of shaking things up until they got back together (because it's always felt obvious that they would get back together).
I also like the whole "Tyra taking control of her life" thing. Tami and Tyra have a strong connection, so when we see Tyra winning the Student Council election by resorting to dressing in sleazy outfits and claiming she'll help people get laid on prom, Tyra is excited that she's getting closer to potentially attending college while Tami is disappointed in her antics.
What I like most about Season 3 right now is how the show has simultaneously learned to slow down and also include everything that's needed to make the scenes flow. Last season was unbalanced to say the least. Right now, it feels like the show is taking the time to build up the new characters (the McCoy family) while reminding us of why we love all of the old ones.

another excellent episode of Friday Night Lights here.moreless
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Tami defends her choice, despite the whole town hating her. Matt searches for a way to help his grandma and must find his long lost mother. Eric continues to help Smash. Tim and Lyla face a roadblock in their relationship. Tyra runs for office.moreless

10

"Perfect"

By JayMc416, Jul 30, 2010

So it is Tami vs. Dillon, she took the jumbo-tron funds and used them to buy books and pay teachers and have the Texas high school air conditioned, but the town wanted a big screen at the games, cause most high schools have those, right? Well she saw that going against Panther football in Dillon was a dumb idea, and although I agree with her, the school needed that money, and granted she did not do anything wrong she began to realize that she became enemy number one. Eric knew this was happening but he did not say anything, and of course her jumped out of bed so quickly to tend to baby Gracie.

Tyra's story line coincided with Tami's, however unlike Tami, Tyra succumbed to the pressure and demeaned herself to win the election. Now I will agree that most student governments in high school do do nothing more than organizing prom and other dances and fundraisers and do not do any real governing. Yet it was clear that Tyra sold herself out to win and Tami was wondering if she would soon have to do the same, thus negating her argument against the jumbo-tron.

Tim, has to be saying to himself that it is never going to work with Lyla, and despite all that he continues to pursue a relationship with the girl he loves. Yet Buddy has something to say about it, he does not want Tim to ruin the relationship he has with Joe McCoy and he does not want him to hurt his daughter. I am waiting for him to really self-destruct but then Lyla shows ups with burgers and he and her still seem to be ok. I am waiting for this to play out more in the season, I think at some point Tim will self destruct.

It was nice to see that all Smash really needed was to play with the team again, because despite his massive ego, he really needs to be a part o something to succeed. It was good to see the team rally behind him. Now he just has to make sure he can ace the tryout with A&M.

Matt is once again faced with the fact that his grandma cannot take care of herself, this is beginning to get played out, for three years he has been dealing with this situation, and it keeps coming back to bite him in the butt. Now though he takes drastic measures by visiting the mother who abandoned him and lives somewhere else in order to get emancipated so that he can fully take care of his grandma. Well Matt's mom seems to be a bit of a free spirit, just judging from her house. She was definitely concerned to see Matt and felt a sense of guilt for abandoning him and his dad. What came out of this was the reconciliation of sorts between Matt and Julie, she is showing that genuine concern that made me like her back in season one, and I think sparked something in Matt. So maybe she is just the thing he needs this season?

There were a few funny moments, courtesy of Landry and Billy Riggins, but this was a definite high emotion episode, and once again this season is not pulling out any stops in the drama department.moreless
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TRIVIA (3)
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- Goof: When Tyra enters Tami's office she's holding a bag. When she gets up to leave the bag is no longer with her.
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- Featured Music: "This Is The Thing" by Fink
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- This episode airs on NBC on January 23, 2009.
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QUOTES (2)
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- (Tim trying on a jacket) Lyla: Ok, take it off, take it off, come on. Tim: Lyla, I know how to dress myself. Lyla: No, you only know how to put on a pledge shirt one button per button. Tim: You know what would be great? We just leave, cause I don't wanna go to this dinner in the first place. Lyla: Yeah well, if you only did what you wanted to do, your life would be all about football, beer and sex, wouldn't it? Tim: And whats the problem with that?
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- Grandma Saracen: I saw that game tonight. You played great, you just played great. Matt: (heavy-heartedly) Thanks. Grandma Saracen: You've always loved football, Matty. I remember when you were two years old, you were trying to throw a football and it was bigger than you were. And you were such a sweet baby, such a sweet, sweet baby. But here you are all grown up taking care of everything. I don't know what I'd do without you. I don't know. Matthew? I love you. Matt: I know. I, I love you, too, grandma. (she starts crying) Grandma, hey. (Matt hugs her) Grandma Saracen: You are such a good boy. Matt: That's because I was raised by you.
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