Friday Night Lights: Extended Family

Gee, there was actually a football game in Dillon this week. Not that I need it to keep my attention, but the five-point victory over the Royal Rock Dragons advances the Panthers to the state semifinals.

No, the football definitely has become secondary to one of the best shows on TV, which every week seems to give its characters more depth and introduces even more interesting story lines. Oh brother, I'm starting to sound like a TV critic.

The arrival of Buddy "Sleazy Car Dealer" Garrity at Coach Taylor's house might just have produced the best line of the season from Coach Taylor's wife, Tami, as they arrive at home after the game: "What is that thing that's sitting on our front porch? It's moving!" And then, "Make him go away." Gee, like that's going to happen. Light a stick of dynamite under the recliner, and keep him away from the note pads, where he discovers that Coach Taylor is talking to the athletic director from TMU.

The job offer from TMU leaves Coach Taylor in a bind -- he's going to need a new rumpled coaching wardrobe.

Mopey Tim Riggins has a new neighbor, the 21st century equivalent of Dennis the Menace -- a towheaded, never-shuts-up kid, but with just one overworked and extremely young parent. All this new Dennis the Menace needs is a paintball gun (instead of a slingshot) in his back pocket and a large dog. Tim, as the Mr. Wilson of the new millennium, gets the pain-in-the-neck little brother her never had.

Have to admit, I didn't see the reason for the long-term disappearance of the Preacher's Daughter, Waverly, coming. Supposedly, she had been on a mission to Africa, but it turns out she's been on meds for a "mood disorder" that seems pretty manic/depressive. Can Smash, who just recently quit is own "meds," deal with it?

Elsewhere, Jason and Lyla renew their love, even if all the Murderball types and their friends make her nervous and force her to use the word "fiancee" about 16 times. Ugh. About all that exchange produced was the information that Dillon is 200 miles from Austin.

The whole episode with Tyra's mom and her sliced-up derriere, in the end (no pun intended), just confirms my opinion of Tami Taylor. She cleans up the house and, at the same time, her relationship with Tyra. Now she needs to work on the relationship between Buddy and Pam Garrity -- and his overly amorous relationship with football. Head on a stake indeed. I'd pay to see that.