I fell in love with this show instantly.
The pilot plays like a short film, with the days leading up to the big game being labelled. The second episode did this as well and I really wish the rest of the episodes also had done that to keep the events in order, but alas, I won't hold that against it.
Though tons of stuff happen throughout the football season, important stuff also happen off the field.
Jason Street (Scott Porter) is the star quarterback, but he gets badly injured in the first game after tackling a guy on the other team. I didn't think he went down that hard, but he did. He's in a wheelchair with a severed spinal cord. He tries to join the United States Rugby team, but he isn't picked. Instead, he becomes a part-time coach of the Dillon Panthers. I'm fine with that, but I wish that would have taken effect for the next season, considering he's still in high school, but whatever.
Sophomore Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) becomes the new quarterback though he nearly loses the position to a Katrina refugee, Ray "Voodoo" Tatum (Aldis Hodge), but the too big for his britches Voodoo is soon gone. Matt is easily my favorite character on the show. I love him so much. Yes, I admit it. He is mostly honest and a good guy. He has so much to deal with though. His grandmother suffers from dementia, though she has her good moments. His father is in Iraq, but returns briefly. Matt's father doesn't appreciate him and the two have a huge fight, causing me to want to leap through the TV to give him a hug. He also works at a local fast food restaurant to help pay the bills.
Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch), also on the team and Jason's best friend, also tries to reconnect with his father, but that also ends badly, as his father won't quit his stealing ways. He also becomes involved with his much older neighbor, who also happens to be a single mom. She breaks things off, but this relationship is left up in the air. Things could potentially work out.
Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles), a leading running back, goes from using steroids and nearly getting kicked off the team, to boycotting practice because of racist remarks.
Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly), Jason's cheerleader girlfriend, is my least favorite character and is the biggest hypocrite a TV show has to offer. She cheats on the injured Jason with Tim, but despite all odds, Jason forgives her and even proposes to her, which she accepts. Then her father has another affair and this woman (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) calls him out in front of the whole town. Thus Mrs. Garrity kicks him out and decides to divorce him. She is bitter as is Lyla who should understand. Then, upon seeing Jason kiss someone else, she promptly throws the ring at him and leaves. Talking about it is not an option. She can cheat and feel sorry about it but her father and Jason don't have that same right.
Tyra (Adrianna Palecki) is the bad girl who steals lipstick from a store. She breaks up with Tim in the second episode and doesn't fully take him back. She goes from throwing crazy parties to cracking down on her studies to being assaulted and not wanting to tell anyone about that.
Landry (Jesse Plemons) is Matt's best friend who doesn't play football. Instead, he tutors Tim in reading and nearly turns him into a scholar. He later turns to tutoring Tyra and develops a crush on her. He comforts her after her attack.
Then come the Taylors, who this show is all about. Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, fantastic) is the coach. He is generally nice, but he takes pity on no one, though he and Matt do bond throughout the season. He is offered and accepts a job at TMU and word leaks out just before State Championships. His wife, Tami (Connie Britton, much better here than in Nashville) gets a job as the school's guidance counselor. The kids generally like and respect her. Their daughter, Julie (Aimee Teegarden), is rather cynical about football and everything. She sort of becomes a rebel by hanging out with Tyra. She also starts dating Matt, kind of with her father's blessing.
The best episode of the season is the one where Julie decides that she and Matt should have sex. Tami has a serious talk with her, but that doesn't stop Julie from being alone with Matt. She comes up with every excuse not to have it and Matt, proving why he's my favorite character, comes through and says that she doesn't have to do this. They don't have sex; the Taylors can breath a huge sigh of relief.
The show is far from perfect. Some plot lines are never mentioned again. Lyla drives a car through the window after learning of her father's cheating ways, but this is never shown or even discussed again. Tyra is devastated after her attack, and is moping around her house one episode, but is fine to go to states the next. Smash's steroid use is not mentioned again after he gets clean, and racism is also no longer an issue after it is done its two episode ark.
Despite these rather huge problems, the cast delivers. There is not a false note anywhere. The emotions, ranging from happy and laughing to crying and screaming, are genuine and characters real. Sure, Teegarden does need an accent considering they are in Texas, but other than that, the acting is perfect. Accents are flawless and never waver and the vast supporting cast is likewise wonderful. Each character makes the most out of their time on scene.I will truly cry if a character dies throughout the course of this show, which is bound to happen, and that includes the characters I don't like of which there are several. The pity is real.
The editing is also tight with the best cinematography, giving you an intimate view of these people's lives. It's wonderful.
Sure, I wish that football wasn't everything to these people, because despite being in the marching band (which is mentioned on occasion) for all four years of high school, I still don't understand football. I like the stuff that happens off the field so much better. I wish the Panthers hadn't made it to states in just the first season. I feel for these characters and I know they work so hard, but sympathy for the other team is never felt. In fact, they are literally portrayed as racist monsters just waiting to pick a fight.
The Panthers win States, having an amazing comeback after Eric delivered a heartfelt speech during half time (missing the marching band performance because the band never matters). Matt is a player who was devastated that Eric was leaving them and plays greatly with his heart, but he steps it up and they manage to win. The importance of Eric in Matt's life is never better shown than it is in a deleted scene where Julie approaches him and announces that she and her mom are staying in Dillon though Eric is still taking the job in Austin. You can just see the disappointment in Matt's eyes, though he still must act happy about the whole thing. Eric is just as important in his life as Julie is.Yes, I know I love this character just a little too much. (Charlie, don't worry, you're not off the hook, as Zach is married in real life.)
I will soon begin to watch season two which should be a good one, because Tami found out that she was pregnant in the season finale so that will add another level to the show, plus babies are cute.
Even though the season is not perfect, this is hands down the best TV show I've seen thus far (but I haven't seen any dramas really, so that isn't saying much). Grade: A
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