There have been times during this final season of Friday Night Lights where I’ve wondered what the writers have been thinking. Julie Taylor having an affair with her married university T.A.? Tami’s ‘homework club’ mission? I didn’t truly realize how much of a drain these story lines were on the show as a whole until the story lines went away. Julie and Epyck are nowhere to be found in “Don’t Go.” “Don’t Go” is a wonderful episode, in part, because of it.
As Buddy Garrity describes it, East Dillon has a battle on it’s hands over the fate of Eric Taylor. As Principal Levi Burnwell responds, “You got all that from a crate of oranges?” He did. Buddy’s talented that way. Eric is formally offered a three year contract with Shane State as their head coach. He would have control of every aspect of the new Division I program in Florida. At home he, Tami, and Gracie would enjoy a pool and palm trees. What’s not to love? What would ever keep Coach in Dillon? These are among the questions that Buddy Garrity certainly has asked himself. In an episode that features Brad Leland at his Buddy best, Dillon’s #1 booster will do everything in his power to persuade Taylor to stay. From turning the fall sports banquet into a Taylor love-fest to even influencing four-year old Gracie Taylor, Buddy has no shame. He even takes to strong-arming Eric, guilting him with his regret that Buddy Jr. will never play for Taylor. He even uses Tim Riggins’s upcoming parole hearing to lecture Eric and Billy Riggins about how important loyalty is. Buddy Garrity is a piece of work.
One of Buddy’s best traits is his ability to surprise after all this time. One such moment occurs during the aforementioned parole hearing for former All-American fullback Tim Riggins. Tim and Buddy have had their rough times, namely over Tim’s relationship with Buddy’s daughter Lyla. After hitching her/their star to Jason Street’s future football career, Tim Riggins’s bad boy ways weren’t appreciated by Mr. Garrity. At every turn, Tim proved to Buddy that he cared deeply for Lyla and would do nothing to hurt her. Slowly but surely, Buddy Garrity became a fan of Tim Riggins. At the hearing brother Billy Riggins offer a jumbled, nervous plea that Tim receive parole, Coach Taylor delivers a heartfelt persuasive claim that Tim Riggins is an honorable young man. Through some mistake Buddy is left off of the character witness list. He insists, in that Buddy Garrity way, that he be heard. After all the parole board knows that he’s a respected businessman in the area, selling one board member “a Chevy Tahoe a few year back.” Tim Riggins is helpless. In all of his Chekhovian-psychological-gestured-goodness, Riggins just keeps his head down. Buddy’s speech begins by admitting that he’s seen Tim Riggins do a dozen things wrong, but that he is a member of the family after dating Lyla. And if Buddy knows anything it’s that Tim isn’t a criminal and doesn’t deserve to be in the criminal justice system. Guaranteeing the board that Tim will have a full-time job with Buddy upon release, he implores the board to let Tim “come home.” With that Tim smiles and we remember that Buddy is a west Texas magician.
Despite the ‘triumph’ of Buddy’s speech, Tim’s release from prison is wrought with skittish angst. We learn that during his incarceration Tim has written Coach Taylor. Almost childlike, Tim asks Eric if he got the letters Tim mailed him. Eric painfully admits that he did, and that he is sorry for not visiting more. Tim counters with his own regret for letting down the only father-figure he’s had. Later, as Tim watches Billy, in Lions garb, leave for the football game he’ll be coaching, one can’t help but think that it should’ve been Tim leaving for the game. Alas, a lot has changed since last Thanksgiving. Even Tim’s relationship with Becky seems on ice. As she enters the Riggins house, Tim appears to have the slightest hopeful look on his face. It quickly fades to emptiness as Becky reacts with shock, instead of the girlish enthusiasm one would’ve imagined.
As we wonder about how Tim will fit into the new Riggins household, we return to wondering about Coach Taylor and his Lions. In a bedroom confession, Eric tells Tami that he wants to take his players to State because they deserve it. Given Vince’s heartfelt submission to Eric, we have to agree that these Lions players deserve a shot at a Championship title. From 2-8 the season before to a State title game? Of course.
After all, Lions are never out of the fight.
Grade: B+
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Cast & Credits
Friday Night Lights, Wednesdays 9 p.m./8 p.m. Central, DirecTV
Eric Taylor: Kyle Chandler
Buddy Garrity: Brad Leland
Tim Riggins: Taylor Kitsch
Billy Riggins: Derek Phillips
Tami Taylor: Connie Britton
Vince Howard: Michael B. Jordan
Official website: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/friday_night_lights/overview