Well I am incredibly sorry it took me over a week to get this recap up.  I got real busy and for that I apologize.  I’ll have the recap of this week’s episode very soon.  But first, oh man was this a good episode.  Everything you could want and more.

Just like the old days

This episode is Season One good.  Seriously.  As soon as you can watch this, do it.  This is quality television.  ”Stay” is an appropriate title for this episode because you’ll be shouting it at your television, but more on that later.  Like most FNL episodes there’s a lot going on but this week they were a little more focused on a few particular plots.

Lyla!

Even though we were given just the briefest glimpse of her in the last episode, The Son, like I’d hoped she’s a fully featured star of this episode.  She knocks on Riggins trailer door and tells him she’s only back in town for midterm break.  Then this happens:

Yep they’re gonna go and make lots of babies.  Or not.  There’s a lot of sex though.  Which we get a glimpse of when we return to them a little later and Lyla is getting dressed, in Riggin’s clothes.

Then they fall back into bed.  This leads to this beautiful moment:

Are you trying to crush me Friday Night Lights?  Anyway Minka Kelly and Taylor Kitsch are both brilliant in every single scene either of them are in in this episode, although Minka always steals the show.  She’s just beautiful.  The love of Riggin’s life.  But we’ll leave them for now and go onto one of the other big plots.

Matt & Julie sitting in a...car?

Matt & Julie, the young in love couple.  Julie, we learn has bought tickets for the Austin Independent Music Festival.  This was before Saracen’s dad died.  Matt still wants to go though.  Julie just didn’t bother running this by the parents and of course they’re not letting her spend two nights in Austin during school.  So she leaves her mom a message and goes anyway.

You do not mess with this face.

Of course Tami throws a fit and toys with the idea of going to Austin to get her daughter back.  There’s a lot of good angry Tami scenes in this episode.

Almost breaking up in the middle of a concert.

Once actually at the music festival, Matt and Julie have some hard truths to discuss about Matt sticking around Dillon just for her.  They sort of break up in the middle of the show they really wanted to go to but then they don’t.  It is still very sad.  Julie is also the best crier ever.

Well get back to them later as well.  The third major plot is that this week’s Lions game is going to be on TV against an undefeated team.  This means press conferences and interviews.

Press Conferences

Interviews

Coach is optimistic, but still wants to not say much.  Of course crazy volunteer coach goes and guarantees a win on camera.  This doesn’t go over very well.  But the preparation is on.  Juvie and Transfer are given footage of the other team but are both poor and have nowhere to watch it.  So naturally they go to sears.

No seriously, they go to Sears.

Also the Riggins brothers are recruited to help train the team for what they’ll be up against.

Tim basically takes the entire Lions team to school and afterwards both Riggins’ and their significant others go to a bar to relive their on field glory.  And Lyla decides to ride a mechanical bull.

Meanwhile Juvie’s mom is all excited for the game and she tells him she’s coming and she’ll be clean for it.  He is not so excited to hear this news.

Cut to gameday, since I’m not doing this in any type of order.

Pwning

Not wasted.

Juvie really winds up taking charge on the field and scoring a touchdown making his mom super happy.  He’s also happy that she’s clean.  I was kind of glad they went with this as having her show up wasted would be cliche but also sort of realistic, so actually I’m a little mixed on how I feel about this.  But I think they did the right thing.  She can let him down again in another episode.  The Lions lose of course but they put up a good fight and everyone is happy.  Things are looking up for East Dillon, which is also not portrayed as the neighborhood from Dangerous Minds his episode thankfully.

OK now I’ll wrap up the other 2 big storylines but first let’s discuss some of the other things that happened in this episode.  Landry confronts his crush about the kiss and in the most Landry way possible tells her that he’d love to pursue a relationship with her but he still has feelings for this girl Tyra.  Yay Tyra shoutout!  She then slaps him.  Also Riggin’s landlord’s daughter, the one who had the crush on him, talks to Transfer about their little encounter last episode.  She says she doesn’t want him going around and talking to his football pals about her and does a whole rant before the dude can say that he just really thinks she’s cute and wanted to ask her out again.  She’s pretty much the female Landry.  Speaking of Landry’s crush though, there’s also this really awkward scene at the BBQ place.

Awkward

So they mystery continues.  Obviously something went on with Juvie and Crush and Crush’s dad does not like Juvie.  Also does this have to do with the dad hating football?

And now it’s time to break your heart into a million little tiny pieces.

Lyla and Tim have a discussion where Tim pitches this future where he works at the auto shop and she manages it and they’re just happy to be together, but Lyla isn’t so into that.  She asks him what he wants and he says her.  She pauses and asks what’s the next thing he wants.  It’s still her.  Ouch.  Her college break is over now and it’s time for her to go back home.  Lyla we will miss you, Minka too.

Goodbye love...

We’re almost at the end.  Matt and Julie return home and talk like everything is okay.  She says she’ll see him soon.  Then she walks inside and totally breaks down.  She thinks he’s leaving.

Matt drives home but doesn’t enter.  He watches his mom and grandma from the car as they talk about buying a new tv.

Time to decide.

Finally a decision is made and he drives off into the sunrise.  As he does a smile creeps across his face.

Stay

This episode was so brilliant.  Zach Gilford really does deserve a ton of Emmys for this, as does Taylor Kitsch, and everyone else on this show.  We lost two original cast members for good this week.  And it’s like losing dear friends.  Anyway I’ll be back with a recap of the actual episode that aired this week probably this weekend.