1. Tami Taylor (and, by extension, her marriage to Coach Eric Taylor). This review from the New York Times sums up pretty nicely why their relationship is so admirable: "they never say an insensitive thing to each other." And it's true, they are a couple that is not without their own issues and disagreements, but it's the way they are able to handle these situations that makes them so perfect. Rarely do they ever walk away from an argument without coming together to reach a reasonable solution and, when they do, it is always followed by a very heart-felt apology scene in which Eric never fails to admit that his beautiful wife is "always right." Additionally, she is endlessly loving and supportive both of her bratty daughter, Julie and complete shit show of a student, Tyra. She gives them both all the rope they need to hang themselves because she knows she's approachable enough that they will always come back to her after they realize just how wrong their decisions are, and that they will, like Eric, admit that she was right all along. She's just an amazingly confident and smart woman who shines even brighter next to the other deeply flawed female characters of the show.
2. Tim Riggins. In an interview with actor Taylor Kitsch in New York magazine a few months ago, the writer declared that "Riggins IS sex," and good lord she couldn't have hit the nail more on the head. In previous seasons, I often had difficulty determining which football player I loved most: Jason (aka "6", aka Street) who is paralyzed in the first episode of the series and struggles with life after this devastating injury and the realization that he has to rethink his entire life now that Lyla has cheated on him (with Riggins, obvi) and he will never be able to play football again. Or, Saracen (aka "7" aka QB1), the scrawny, unlikely star quarterback whose father is in Iraq, mother is not in the picture and who has to take care of his sort of demented grandmother on his own. He has so much to overcome and handles his burden with such grace and love it's really amazing. Or, and usually, Riggins. Riggins shows up to practice drunk, never really does any work for school (the rally girls do it for him) and uses sex as a means to deal with any of his real problems. He is a man of few words, but just exudes such an intense masculinity and sex appeal that you can't not love him, even when he's just completely fucking up. This season, however, he's back with Lyla and turning into a man who is taking real responsibility for himself and showing his full capacity to love, all while still being just oh so sexy. He's turned into the full package, and I love every second that he's on screen.
3. Eric Taylor. First of all, there's something about him that reminds me of my father, and I think it's all in the way he disciplines his daughter, Julie. He is also a man who finds it hard to really be strict and all about business when it comes to his daddy's girl, but it's impossible to ignore when he's mad: he always chews on the inside of his lips and his face becomes very stoic and oddly calm. Perhaps the calm before the storm? Anyway, that's exactly how my own father is. I always know when I've disappointed him and that's often all it takes to make me feel any remorse. Plus, he's Coach Taylor, and when it comes to his players he always takes a specific interest in their lives both on and off the field, often serving both as a father figure as well as a football inspiration.
4. Buddy Garity. Because he never makes excuses for himself, is always trying to learn how to be a better person and once said "It's beer-thirty!"
5. Dillion, TX. This show makes me sort of want to move to the middle of nowhere, to a place where there is a true sense of community, where football does reign supreme and where nothing else in the entire world really seems to matter or exist. While I know that this is not actually the sort of life I want to lead (I mean, I moved from a small-ish town in the South to NYC), it also doesn't make me despise the people who do led that life.
2 comments:
Soooo, Dillon is supposedly like Midland or Odessa, which is less than an hour away from where I grew up and their sense of "community" is pretty awful if you don't attend their church and you're not white. Although I am completely biased and hate that area, so I can't look at it any good light. Otherwise, I think I will watch this show for you, dear S.O.C.
Colleen, there are black people and non-crazy religious people on Friday NIght Lights. In fact, one of the more endearing characters who I didn't talk about is Brian "Smash" Williams, an African-American with a charming smile who Coach Taylor really takes under his wing, determined to see him play college ball. Just. Watch it.
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