Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights: A Look Ahead

The ending to Friday Night Lights season two was a cliffhanger for all the wrong reasons.

First off, the cliff was more like a ledge—a ledge that only dropped down three or four feet. Considering that the episode was not originally intended as a season finale (the writer’s strike made it one), I can understand why FNL producers didn’t make it more intense or suspenseful, but it did leave an empty feeling for a finale.

Second, there was little to no hanging to be done. Normally when series shut off for a few months, they leave plot points open and create interest for the following season. Apart from Smash’s suspension, the latest Friday Night Lights episode did not leave a whole lot of loose ends untied.

It would be a shame if NBC let Friday Night Lights end on this note. There is too much story left to tell, and the show is too good to be replaced. NBC executives made the right decision in bringing the show back last year, so here’s hoping they do the same thing for the fall.

If they do, there are a lot of good story ideas left out there. Here is a taste of what could be in store for several of Dillon’s finest characters:

Buddy Garrity: The comeback father of the year has a marriage to ruin. With his ex-wife set to marry an eco-snob, Buddy and adopted favorite son Santiago need to take drastic action. And what’s more drastic than crashing a wedding you weren’t invited to? Not bringing a gift, that’s what. When Buddy and Santiago show up at the outdoor ceremonies in a brand new Ford Escape (brought to you by Ford), all hell will break loose. New Mr. Garrity will take offense and try to psychoanalyze the situation as Buddy’s id outperforming his ego. Buddy’s ex-wife will send the wrong message by telling Buddy she will always love him but he needs to move his car because he has the New Age pastor’s van double-parked. Lyla will make googly-eyes at Christian radio boyfriend (more on this later). And all the wedding guests will be forced to take sides, which always leads to a heartfelt one-on-one with Coach Taylor and Buddy with Buddy doing all the talking. This will probably need to be a two-part episode.

Landry and Tyra: These two lovebirds seem to have it made, but can we really expect Tyra to stay monogamous with a guy who likes Mystery Science Theater? I think not. Here is what will more than likely happen, give or take a few seedy details: an all-boys academy from down the street burns to the ground, forcing all of the single, attractive male students to take classes at Dillon. Tyra makes out with every single one of them and Matt Saracen in one advanced math class. Landry finds out about the love affair and threatens to leave Tyra once and for all. Tyra sells him on the fact that she’s hot and almost an assistant manager at Applebee’s, and Landry reconsiders.

Tim Riggins: The painful saga of Riggins could go either way at this point. If things don’t work out with Lyla, he could become a career alcoholic who never makes it out of Dillon. But I’m hoping that things go the other direction. With Smash on the bench and Saracen being a below average quarterback, I can see Riggins carrying this team into the playoffs. He will become the heart and soul of the Panthers, and the whole town will fall in love with him. Lyla’s deejay BF will grow increasingly jealous when he can’t go anywhere in Dillon without people mentioning Riggins’ greatness, and he will finally blow up in an awkward PG-rated tirade directed at Lyla and the fact that she always wants to make out.

Meanwhile, Riggins will be hitting the books hard because he just accepted a full-ride football scholarship to play at Texas A&M. Lyla, seeing his commitment to school and personal achievements, will find him oddly attractive, leading to a make out session in the church foyer. Christian radio guy will walk in on them, realize he has lost, and storm out of the church. Riggins will accept Jesus and take over all of Christian radio guy’s deejaying duties.

The Taylors: When we last left the Taylors, Julie was getting a driver’s license, which can only mean one thing: she will start whining for a car of her own. It can’t be long before she is down at the dealership, flirting with Street to get a deal on a pre-owned Jetta.

Tammy will quit the volleyball team after winning the state title because she has an issue with the blatant sexuality of spanx and Tyra in spanx. This will lead to an entire episode devoted to women’s self-worth and modesty.

Eric will have his hands full with athletic director duties, which have been conveniently left out of the storyline at the behest of believability and reality. Also, his home life will grow more hectic when Saracen and Saracen Grandma move into the house because they can’t keep up on their mortgage. The sexual tension between Matt and Julie and Matt and Tammy and Matt and any potential live-in nurses will be palpable.

Smash: Naturally, FNL cannot end without Smash having one last shot at the football field. Of course, the Panthers are making the playoffs. This is TV, not real life. Once in the playoffs, the old Smash will return and form an awesome running back platoon with Riggins. However, right before the state championship game, stupid white kids will coax Smash into hitting them by making fun of hip hop, strappy shoulder backpacks, and Mama Smash’s cooking. The state board will recommend suspending Smash for the title game before a heartfelt speech from Buddy Garrity changes everyone’s mind. The Panthers will win the state title and Smash will head off to college to play in a West Coast offense where he will never be heard from again.

Street: Getting a girl pregnant is the best thing that has happened to Six since wheelchair rugby. He could not have been more happy when he found out that there was Street seed growing in the belly of a woman he didn’t really know all that well. Is he crazy? Is he delusional? This is the sort of thing that freaks most guys out, especially guys who are largely incapable of raising a child on their own.

Nevertheless, this story is happening and there’s no stopping it now. I just can’t wait until we get to the scene where Street Jr. turns to his Street and Herc and asks, “Why do I have two daddies?” That will be fun times for all, and it will probably end with Street asking awkward questions to Coach Taylor in an Applebee’s because it’s not a serious conversation unless one of the persons involved is eating chicken fried chicken.

© 2008 KevanLee.com.