Friday Night Lights Season 4 Episode 5 – The Son Recap
Sorry this recap took so long. These episodes aren’t super easy for me to view. So if anyone was waiting for me to write this up (does anyone read these regularly, please let me know if you do) I’m sorry. Anyway this week’s episode “The Son” obviously is all about the fallout from the shocking conclusion to episode 4. But it starts out with a football game. Because it can. The lions are once again getting slaughtered but they have an idea to go against Coach and run another play and it works so they score but coach is mad. Only for like 30 seconds though because then he tells Juvie another play to do. Juvie pulls it off with Luke’s help and they still lose, but they scored twice. So now we can go back to the whole death thing right? Nope.
Hey you remember how the girl who has a crush on Riggins was gonna be in a beauty pageant?
This is your pageant
Yeah. It’s in a mall. By the stairs. Riggins and the girl’s mom have an appropriate reaction:
Anyway the girl goes up to sing a song from as the host puts it “The Wicked”. They don’t show that though cause it’d probably cost money. Her mom is upset because her dad didn’t show and they saved him a seat and everything but there’s still 2 more days of the pageant and he should come for those but he won’t. How long is this weird pageant at the mall? The girl gets tired of listening to her mom bitch at her dad so she calls her crush Riggins. Who is now at the wake for Saracen’s dad.
Are you kidding me?
Tim has the appropriate reaction. Also how did she get Saracen’s home number? Also how did Riggins make it there in like a minute? These are the mysteries of the universe.
Are you kidding me again?
Also the McCoy’s decide to stop by the wake as well. Because they are such caring people.
Saracen has a proper reaction.
Anyway Saracen slams the door in their face because seriously McCoy’s, WTF?
We’re now into the heavier stuff. Matt is very slowly breaking down. He’s dealing with a lot of mixed emotions and I have to say this entire episode should be Zach Gilford’s Emmy.
Just to break up some of the hell of Saracen’s life Juvie has a little storyline. He did so well in that game that they lost that he’s one of the players of the week (the other is JD) so he has to attend some breakfast that’s at 1 so it’s really a lunch and that kinda makes him angry and confused. But he gets out of bed and there’s no water or power and his mom is passed out outside. 
Also just to get through everyone else’s storylines, crush girl finally makes her move and Tim rejects her obviously. But chick has some balls. Also she came in 3rd in the pageant. So she immediately heads to the local convenience store where she tries to buy beer but doesn’t have id. 
But lucky for her in walks a shirtless Luke who buys it for her. And a love connection is made. Literally less than a minute after Riggins broke her heart.
So the guy begrudgingly gives him what he wants. He warns him several times that this isn’t smart but Saracen is both drunk and emotional and not really thinking what someone who stepped on an IED might look like.
Although she doesn’t actually say anything. Just gives him a hug. Then shoots a look towards Riggins who most definitely sees her:
Stealing cars requires concentration
It’s at this point Juvie decides to go to some sort of car theft school. This is pretty ridiculous but it’s a good break from the death.
Also just to get through everyone else’s storylines, crush girl finally makes her move and Tim rejects her obviously. But chick has some balls. Also she came in 3rd in the pageant. So she immediately heads to the local convenience store where she tries to buy beer but doesn’t have id. 
But lucky for her in walks a shirtless Luke who buys it for her. And a love connection is made. Literally less than a minute after Riggins broke her heart.
Oh and Luke is shirtless cause he got in a paintball fight with JD. Although that doesn’t really explain why he’s shirtless at that moment. 
Moving on though, the Riggins bros and Landry take Matt out to get drunk on a football field in a scene that looks like it’s right out of Dazed & Confused. Matt was told earlier that the funeral should be closed casket and it wasn’t a good idea to see his dad’s body. His dad by the way we learn this week stepped on an IED. Matt thinks maybe the funeral parlor is trying to rip him off and how will he even know if his dad is in the casket (earlier there is a scene in which Tami stops the funeral home from ripping Matt off but Matt doesn’t seem to realize anything that’s going on). 
So the drunken gang does the logical thing and heads to the funeral home. The owner is still in and Matt requests to see the body.
Moving on though, the Riggins bros and Landry take Matt out to get drunk on a football field in a scene that looks like it’s right out of Dazed & Confused. Matt was told earlier that the funeral should be closed casket and it wasn’t a good idea to see his dad’s body. His dad by the way we learn this week stepped on an IED. Matt thinks maybe the funeral parlor is trying to rip him off and how will he even know if his dad is in the casket (earlier there is a scene in which Tami stops the funeral home from ripping Matt off but Matt doesn’t seem to realize anything that’s going on). 
So the drunken gang does the logical thing and heads to the funeral home. The owner is still in and Matt requests to see the body.
So the guy begrudgingly gives him what he wants. He warns him several times that this isn’t smart but Saracen is both drunk and emotional and not really thinking what someone who stepped on an IED might look like.
It's that horrible.
Obviously the show chooses to be classy and doesn’t show us what he sees. This scene leads to him going to the Taylors for dinner where he has a breakdown. It’s pretty heartbreaking.
But now it’s time for the funeral itself.
Matt delivers the only eulogy he can, because he barely knew his father and didn’t really like him. This scene too is really heartbreaking. Everyone is at the funeral. And I mean everyone:
Holy shit it's Lyla!
Yes! Minka Kelly returns. Lyla Garrity is back in Dillon. Is it just for the funeral? That’d be kinda weird since she didn’t know Saracen’s dad and I don’t remember her and Saracen ever really being friends or even interacting. So why is she there? And for how long? Who knows because literally there’s that above and then she says goodbye to Matt:
Although she doesn’t actually say anything. Just gives him a hug. Then shoots a look towards Riggins who most definitely sees her:
And then everyone leaves for Saracen’s place. Except Saracen who stays and grabs the shovel away from the gravediggers and starts burying his father by himself in a fit until his hands start bleeding. Fade to black.
This was a great episode. It breaks your heart in a whole new way. They managed to stay away from East Dillon is East LA and gave us a nice moment with a favorite character. And I was serious about Gilford deserving an Emmy for this. He was brilliant. Also I forgot to mention that in the background of one scene we see the tv and hear them talking about how Smash is doing great in college ball. So that’s nice to hear. I wonder where Street is and if we’ll ever hear about him again. Also way to waste a Lyla appearance. It was just out of nowhere and so unnecessary. Next week’s episode is called “Stay” so I hope the title has to do with her sudden appearance.