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Friday Night Lights Season 3 Episode 12

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AIRED: Jan 07, 2009

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9.1

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Episode Summary

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Landry helps Tyra write her college essay. Matt is dealing with the various reactions his grandma will have once he tells her about his plans for college. Lyla leaves Tim's house. Eric and Tami come to a decision about the McCoys. The Panthers get ready to face one of the toughest teams.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

Dillon goes to State again.

10

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Nov 24, 2011

This is what the 10.0 score is for. Episodes like these where everything sort of falls into place effortlessly, as if the writers knew we'd get here all along. This episode, the penultimate one of the season, was superb in the way they meshed the tension of the game with all of the character moments lingering. For instance, Matt announces to his grandmother that he wants to go to art school in Chicago and while his grandmother initially grows upset, Julie and his grandmother come to some sort of understanding at the game that Matt deserves to do what he wants.

There's a lot to talk about here and I'll try to avoid going overboard with it. The game brought plenty to love about the episode. At the beginning of the episode, Coach and Tami call the Child Protective Services, making J.D upset that Coach interfered in his life. As they head to State's, J.D's inexperience also begins to show through after he puts the Panthers in a 21-0 halftime hold. As a result, we get what many people probably hoped for: a return to QB position for Saracen. And Saracen does as good of a job as he can, bringing the team to within two points of a win and instead losing when the other team gets a field goal.

It's a heartbreaking loss, but proof that the writers aren't afraid to do the hard thing and let the team or characters lose every now and then. But Kyle Chandler sells the hell out of that final locker room scene, where he brings the players' loved ones into the locker room so he can say "I've never been more proud of a team than this one right now." It's a powerful moment, and if the show were to end right here, with this episode, I would've been perfectly happy with it. I mean, the scene where Riggins places his shoes in the end-zone before walking out, with no music in the background, was the best scene the show has done (in my opinion).

We also had Landry and Tyra kissing for the first time in about a season. Some shows love to split up their actors over and over, which diffuses the tension over time, but this show earned the way it brought them back together. If you have good writing and amazing acting, you can get away with just about anything.

And while the music is usually always excellent, it was on its game tonight. The music playing over the final moments of the game gave me chills, and the montage in the middle of the episode as the team gets on the bus was great as well. It's rare enough when a show gets everything right once in its run, but this show is so consistent that it's a shame that more people didn't watch it during its run.moreless
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This was the episode that showed what an amazing series Friday Night Lights is, and hopefully, will continue to be.

10

By maaarin, Jan 10, 2009

The episode started off just like any other episode - amazing. Typical Landry and Tyra fighting again, Garrity asking Lyla to come home, Saracen having problems with his grandma and JD dealing with his father and CPS.

But the best scenes came when the Panthers went to Austin for the State championship game. Landry waking up hung over, realising that he had missed the bus and then Tyra driving him was just hilarious and a delight to watch. These two have such an amazing chemistry. Eventually, it all came down to one scene, when Tyra's reading Landry her application letter, which was basically a look back to everything she's been through, and reminded us viewers of how many great storylines we've witnessed, and after she had finished reading the letter, the two finally kissed. You can't help but cheer for them, because they're such amazing characters.

I was hoping the Panthers would win, but then again, I was expecting that they would lose... I thought the writers would do another "big comeback scenario", and it seemed that that's what they were doing, but the Titans managed to get to 19 yrds and it all came down to a silly field goal. And it was so painful to watch, which is why this show is so amazing - it makes you genuinely care about these characters, and when you watch them, they just don't seem fictional. The pep talk that coach had with the players, and with the family members, was absolutely incredible. It was so great to have the entire cast in one place to simply remind us what an amazing group of actors this show has and what an amazing group of characters they have created - from Saracen and Riggins to Tami, Saracen's grandma and Mandy, Tyra's sister...

The promo for the season finale also aired after the episode, and I'm just so angry that the show might be ending, because the season finale looks so emotional... And I don't want to watch it until I know if the show will get a fourth season. Because if there was a show that really, really deserved to get another season, it's Friday Night Lights. And why people don't watch it continues to puzzle me. I guess they'd rather watch people constantly having sex in break rooms on Grey's Anatomy or watch countless procedurals... This show is a rare gem. Watch it.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Minka Kelly	Lyla Garrity
Zach Gilford	Matt Saracen
Taylor Kitsch	Tim Riggins
Kyle Chandler	Eric Taylor
Adrianne Palicki	Tyra Collette
Connie Britton	Tami Taylor

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Derek Phillips	Billy Riggins	Recurring Role
Stacey Oristano	Mindy Collette	Recurring Role
Jeremy Sumpter	J.D. McCoy	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Derek Phillips as Billy Riggins and Mink...

© 2008 NBC Universal, Inc.
Aimee Teegarden as Julie Taylor in Frida...

© 2008 NBC Universal, Inc.
The cast of Friday Night Lights.

© 2008 NBC Universal, Inc.
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor in Friday ...

© 2008 NBC Universal, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- This episode aired on NBC on April 3, 2009.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Coach Taylor: (about the game) I have no idea what's gonna happen tomorrow, babe.
  Tami: Well, you're gonna win. Or you're gonna lose. Either way the sun's gonna come up the next morning.
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- Tyra (reading her college essay): Two years ago, I was afraid of wanting anything. I figured wanting would lead to trying, and trying would lead to failure. But now I find I can't stop wanting. I wanna fly somewhere in first class. I wanna travel to Europe on a business trip. I wanna get invited to the White House. I wanna learn about the world. I wanna surprise myself. I wanna be important. I wanna be the best person I can be. I wanna define myself instead of having others define me. I wanna win and have people be happy for me. I wanna lose and get over it. I wanna not be afraid of the unknown. I wanna grow up to be generous and big hearted, the way that people have been with me. I want an interesting and surprising life. It's not that I think I'm gonna get all these things. I just want the possibility of getting them. College represents this possibility. The possibility that things are gonna change. I can't wait.
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- (After the game)
  Coach Taylor: I wanted everyone's friends and family to be in here to hear this, gentlemen. I have never been more proud of a team than I am right now. I am in awe of each and every one of you gentlemen. (Long pause) You played great football tonight. This is the game that people are gonna talk about for years to come. This is the game you are gonna talk about. There's not a single person in this room that's ever gonna be the same. You be proud of yourselves. Because gentlemen, you are champions.
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- Tim: Last game, Seven.
  Matt: No regrets.
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- Landry: You obviously don't believe any of what you're saying.
  Tyra: Fine Landry, why don't you tell me what to write?
  Landry: I don't, this is your essay, I don't...
  Tyra: What, should I write about my trashy family, about the fact that my sister's a stripper, or my mom is a high school drop out who drinks boxes of wine like it's water? Or about the fact that I lost my virginity when I was thirteen, or the fact that my papa wasn't around? How about that? Oh, I know what I should write about! The fact that up until two years ago I had enough hate in my heart to start a freaking car.
  (pause)
  Landry: What changed?
  Tyra: What?
  Landry: You know, what changed from two years ago? Why, why did you stop having enough hate in your heart to start a freaking car?
  (pause)
  Tyra: Jason Street got paralyzed. (pause) I realized that he was this great guy, I mean like this hero, and it happened to him. And it, it made me realize that life isn't fair for anybody. Not just me.
  (pause)
  Landry: Alright, and what else?
  Tyra: I don't know, I became friends with Julie and Mrs Taylor started to take some interest in me. Started doing my homework. (pause) You. I met you. I started to feel like I was on the inside instead of the outside.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Episode Title: Underdogs
  
  A song by the musical group Manic Street Preachers from the album Send Away the Tigers.
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