DJariya

Synopsis:



Last episode of the season. It's already been renewed for a season 5, which is more than likely the last.

The season wasn't perfect, but I was pleased with what I saw in 12 episodes leading up to this. They introduced some good new characters (Vince, Jess and Luke and surprisingly Becky grew on me)

JuryDuty

I've enjoyed the season, but more than anything, it's felt like the "first half" of a season. I think they truly split these two years up, knowing they can have the characters overcome/solve their problems next year.

Septemberbaby

I read somewhere they start shooting season 5 in March. I'm guessing it won't air on Dtv until October.

All in all.. this show is still better than 80% of what's on tv today.

DJariya

Ausiello is reporting that Season 5 will be the final season

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/02/...lights-to-end/

Gizmo

Makes sense. Glad to see it got so many seasons.

Septemberbaby

I can just hear the networks fighting for Chandler and Britton.

I read that Zach Gilford is filming a pilot.

aktick

Landry.

Saw Tim taking the fall from a mile away, but it was still done ok.

Next season Luke's mom will probably be trying to get Eric fired for putting him in the game with an injury.

Septemberbaby

Sepinwall's excellent review

He pretty much sums up this episode and the entire season for me.

uteotw

For the first time I'm glad the season's over. I liked the Riggins story line a lot, but just could never make myself care about Becky, who seemed over-forced on us. And the 46-yarder by Landry seemed cheezy, though I was still glad; I thought he might just go postal after being dumped yet again...

Red Dog

The football finale was great, if predictable.

I too am glad the season is over. Quite a disappointment.....just way too depressing and forced - cramming drug abuse, the abortion debate, the gang-life, etc into a season. The divided town part was entertaining but as I said earlier in the season, the whole thing (firing Coach Taylor, J.D. becoming such an asshole overnight, the twirling mustache villian McCoy, etc) bordered on the farcical.

Count Dooku

I guess they got what they wanted out of the Tami/abortion storyline, in as much as the Taylors will be at the same school next year. But it really bothers me that with all the possible ways Tami could have chosen to defend herself, the one thing she never did was publicly deny the charge against her.

It makes no sense at all, that at the press conference, she didn't say, "I didn't do what I am accused of doing!" There's a lot more she could have said and done to save herself, but why wouldn't she at least do that?

Regarding the season as a whole, I thought they did a very good job with the hand they were dealt --saying good-bye to oldies, introducing newbies, rebooting the entire premise of the series-- in just 13 episodes.

I have to say it's hard for me to have any feelings about looking forward to Season 5/last, when it is almost a year to wait for it.

Au revoir, Dillon!

DGibFen

I figured that's how Tim's story would end, considering that Kitsch wasn't going to be available for season 5 (he's shooting John Carter of Mars).

Yeah, this year was a bit much. You could have edited out one or two storylines to help flesh out a couple of others - the abortion one being the most frustrating to me. I never felt as if FNL presented any kind of positive pro-life argument (with the exception of Luke), and felt very one-sided.

I'm still not sure if this season is better or worse than 2.

Count Dooku

AAARGH !! They didn't present a pro-choice argument, either!

Simply having a storyline in which the option of terminating a pregnancy by choice is brought up is considered a brave thing for a show's producers to do because of attitudes like this.

It's like the old movie Hays Code, where if someone committed a crime, it had to be clear by the movie's end that they were punished.
Or an 80s slasher film, where the first kids to lose their virginity were the first ones to get their heads chopped off.

It seems that so many pro-lifers think that if a character has an abortion and they aren't punished in some way, that constitutes a pro-choice argument.

What would have been a good pro-life argument in your opinion?
Becky gets an post-op infection and discovers that she can never have children?
Or maybe the procedure is botched and they have to cut off her leg?
Or maybe she is visited by an angel who tells her that her aborted child was destined to grow up to win the Heisman Trophy?

Let em ask you this:
When Tami Taylor got pregnant --accidentally. And she was living in Dillon, and Coach was living in Austin. And their marriage wasn't in the best place.

Do you consider that was "Friday Night Lights offering a strong anti-choice argument" that Tami never once considered ending that pregnancy?

DGibFen

Maybe I'll answer in more detail later (because I need to rewatch a couple of those episodes), but it mainly comes down to that I didn't care for how the pro-life crowd was presented. They either come off as very angry or very reactionary, of which I find most pro-life people I meet are neither. Unfortunately, group appearances can cause overall judgment calls towards whatever position they hold. FNL's pro-life movement was presented as mostly reactionary and angry, the pro-choice side didn't receive the same treatment (if there even was a big pro-choice side - that seemed contained to Tami, Becky, and Becky's mom). That was my biggest problem with the storyline, and I kept waiting to see how it would play out before I made that statement.

Septemberbaby

I'm confused. How should the pro life crowd behaved? If they didn't act the way they did, then how would we know they were pro life?

Count Dooku

There was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING presented on the show that should lead you to believe that Tami Taylor is pro-choice.

That you reached this conclusion is a function of your own biases, and is the basis for the presentation of pro-lifers on the show.

Because Tami Taylor didn't ANNOUNCE to the world that she was pro-life, you have concluded that she is pro-choice. Which leads (logically) to the conclusion that people who are pro-life are willing to stand around yelling about it --which is exactly what you saw on the show.

You aren't familiar with reactionary and angry pro-lifers. Have you seen the people protesting outside clinics?

DGibFen

I'm done. When you start making assumptions about my character during an argument, I leave. Not worth it.

Patman

Enjoyed the season finale, and with a nice send-off for Saracen after all. The stuff between the Riggins boys got me a little choked up because it's quite the fall from grace for Tim, and his sacrifice isn't just chopped liver. Glad to see Tami's subplot settled, and glad Matt and Landry made up after Landy was still high on his moment of high school football glory. Julie's decision was level-headed, and it's to be filed under the "if you love someone, set them free" principle. Even Luke's gutsy performance on the field, let's hope he didn't suffer long-lasting injuries from being sent into the game.

edytwinky

i too enjoyed this season in general. It had its flaws but its still better to watch than half the crap on tv. Can't wait for Season 5

Red Dog

I love the expression "it's better than ___ the crap on tv." Yeah, it's better than whatever fraction you want to put in there. The problem is with all of tv, I probably only watch 1% of tv, and I watch a lot.

JuryDuty

Glad to see them wrap up a lot of this season's storylines this episode. I think a lot of them needed to be finished so we can start fresh next season. Love FNL though, even if this isn't their best season.

This was an excellent read and right-on. Thanks.

Septemberbaby

I love him... he always says what I'm thinking and says it way better than I ever could.

mytzplyx

I actually though that when Ms. Taylor was talking with Becky, that Ms. Taylor was Pro-LIFE. Watch that scene again.

JuryDuty

I did, too. It appeared to me that she was Pro-life, but when Becky clearly didn't want to keep the child, she said she could refer her to the proper people. She seemed to handle the situation "by the book," but with a pro-life leaning, I thought, throughout most the conversation, until the end.

boogieman03

Great write up. I enjoyed the season and the episode. I was soo happy to see the Lions win at the end. That felt great.

Heartbreaking to see Riggins take the fall. I wanted soo much more for him. I was hoping to see him build his house on that land.