Wow, I cried during the series finale, unfortunately I had some issues with the beginning of the season.
Let's get down to it:
Vince (Michael B. Jordan) is still the quarterback and doing well in his position. His father (Cress Williams) is out from prison and things seem to be better, but soon his past catches up to him. Unable to come up with the money, instead of asking coach (Kyle Chandler) for the money, he goes to his father, who takes care of the sticky situation. After this, Vince takes his father's often half-baked advice when it comes to college recruiting even though this lands him in different and illegal situations. His ego also explodes but then everything comes crashing down; he is benched for a game and not offered the scholarship. His father starts drinking again and probably also starts other things. Dad is kicked out of the house, though Eric insists that he come to the final football game. The last game coach says to him, "You will never know how proud I am of you." Vince, by that point, had realized how much he truly owed to coach, saying without him he would probably be in juvie or lying in a ditch somewhere. I'm glad his ego is back in check.
Luke (Matt Lauria) is a senior. I don't know how he became a senior already, but okay, the way the characters age in this show is ridiculous but I'll get over that only because the show is so good. He is having his own issues. Colleges are not going after him and this depresses him. He is playing with tons of heart but is only offered one scholarship to a small college. He's uninterested. He also tries and successfully gets back together with Becky (Madison Burge) though that relationship is soon in jeopardy and not because of his super-strict religious parents. I'll get to that later.
Jess (Jurnee Smolett) doesn't want to be a rally girl, but then gets into a fight with the loose girl who takes over by putting her underwear in Vince's locker. She then becomes the equipment manager and soon even convinces Eric to take her under her wing for she wants to become a coach. She breaks up with Vince after his ego inflates but they get back together after he becomes a normal person again.
Hastings Runkle (Grey Damon) is the new addition to the show. He is a basketball player recruited for the team. He is grossly undeveloped and has virtually no character development through the season. He is shown sneaking a bottle of alcohol to an away game. He does eventually bond with his teammates and learns to love football.
Becky (Madison Burge) has family problems. Her mother is away so she starts the season living with her father and trashy stepmom who basically wants nothing to do with her. She moves out and lives with Billy (Derek Phillips) and Mindy (Stacey Oristano) and their baby Stevie. Mindy doesn't like her at first, but eventually they do bond. Mindy helps her get back into pageants and helps her recover from the abortion. She does get together with Luke and that relationship is actually going pretty good until Tim (Taylor Kitsch) is released from prison.
Julie (Aimee Teegarden) is the character I have the most problems with this season. She does go away to college but almost immediately begins an affair with a married TA, Derek Bishop (Gil McKinney). This ends badly with his wife returning and slapping Julie and calling her a slut in front of her whole dorm despite even telling her that this isn't even the first time he husband cheated on her. That is an over reaction and completely inappropriate. Julie takes the news badly and returns home, even crashing her car so she can stay at home. Derek finally returns and convinces her to return to college but in reality he only wants her back. She leaves but drives up to Chicago first to visit Matt (Zach Gilford). Though Matt is happy to see her, he doesn't wish to be her safety net, so soon Julie does return to school despite having missed like several weeks. That is my main problem with the show. She spends so little time at college, missing her exams, taking them later and then finishing up early so she can return home. I also found it horribly out of character that she would actually have an affair with her married, married TA, the Julie I know and mostly like would not be that stupid.
Tami (Connie Britton) is the guidance counselor at East Dillon and her new project is Epyck (Emily Rios). Epyck (yes, that's a completely crazy name) has many issues including being a foster child. She is great with little Gracie (Madilyn Landry) but then gets into a fight and accidentally shoves Tami against a window, forcing the cops to be called. She is taken away and never heard from again. Tami is then offered a great job in Philadelphia.
Eric (Kyle Chandler) is leading his football to many wins though his attitude has changed. The team often plays dirty now. Still, he is fiercely loyal and speaks well of Tim at his parole hearing. However, despite leading the team to states, the district cannot support two football teams and the Lions are cut. Eric is devastated but is offered the job as head coach.
In minor plots, Buddy (Brad Leland) is still around and his son, Buddy, Jr. (Jeff Rosick) is having issues and is sent back to live with Buddy. Buddy, Jr joins the football team and starts cleaning up his act but then suffers a hairline fracture in his ankle and thus is benched for the rest of the season.
For the utterly brilliant series finale, the team is headed to states. But the bigger issues are at home. Tami is not pleased that Eric doesn't want to consider moving to Philadelphia for her career. When he is offered the coaching job, she tells him, "I'm going to tell you what you didn't have the grace to tell me, Congratulations." Eric is being a complete jerk about the whole thing, but in the end, despite loving his team and players, he decides not to take the new job.
Matt returns for Christmas and proposes to Julie. She says yes, fortunately, but then wonders what her dad said when Matt asked for permission, something he never did. So Matt back tracts and poses the question to Eric in an hilariously awkward scene. Eric says no, not in a million years because they are so young (he is 19 and she is only 18). But his advice doesn't matter because Julie already said yes. At the conversation dinner, Eric even tells them that the biggest and most important part of marriage is compromise, something he is not doing at the moment. Julie tells her parents that they were also young and managed the many moves during their marriage; they are her marriage role model. Julie almost has second thoughts later as Grandma (Louanne Stephens) presents her with her wedding dress (which stayed way too white, but whatever), but kind words from Matt help her get over that. I would have been devastated if they had broken up. I just love the two of them together.
Tim does want to move to Alaska though he decides against that after Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) returns. They get back together though she has her dreams and he has his, but eventually maybe one day, they'll (the dreams) will merge. He and Billy mend their broken relationship. (Tim was completely furious with Billy who was rather ungrateful for everything Tim did to them.) Becky recovers from her crush on him.
Becky's mom returns and Luke apologizes for being a jerk, which he was. Cheryl (Alicia Witt) approves though warns him sternly to use a condom this time. He better.
Jess is moving to Dallas as her dad's business took off. Eric promises that he will make some calls on her behalf so she can continue shadowing the coaches.
Then comes the state game. The teams are evenly matched but the Lions are down as the game clock winds down, so Vince must throw a hail mary, but then the show jumps to eight months into the future. The only way you know that the Lions won is showing everyone wearing the state rings on their fingers.
Eric has a new coaching job in Philadelphia. Julie is living with Matt in Chicago. There were no close-ups of their hands so I couldn't tell if they are married or not. Tim is still in Texas building a house on his land. Vince is leading the Panthers, still as quarterback. Matt joins the army and gives Becky his state ring to hold on to as he leaves. Jess is during her thing in Dallas. Billy and Mindy are having twins. Life is good.
Smash is not shown playing well for his college but he is not shown. Lyla isn't even mentioned. Landry attends Rice University. Jason (Scott Porter) and Erin finally made it legal and he moved up in his sports agent job.
The problems I had with the series finale include mostly that all the couples paired up. I guess I should just move to Dillon to find a boyfriend because that is where everyone found their sole mates. Still, I love happy endings, but come on, everyone hooking up with everyone else. Seriously. I already ranted about Julie's plot line being horribly out of character for her. I also thought Eric was a complete jerk, but fortunately, he redeemed himself. Chandler also won a fully deserved Emmy for the finale. He was brilliant. Too bad Britton couldn't have joined in the fun, she also deserved one. The acting is fabulous with great music and seamless editing. Too bad some of the actors haven't found good roles since. Still, I felt that season one was easily the best. I cried during the finale after five great seasons, I will truly miss this show forever. It is easily the best TV drama I've seen yet (but I haven't seen that many). Season Five: A-, Series: A-
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