I'm quite crushing on Tami Taylor -- I hadn't realized that for the longest time, I thought her first name was "Mrs." or "Honey" or "Mom" -- and more accurately, Connie Britton. I'm glad that Peter Berg (director of the film and producer on the show) persuaded her to reprise her Mrs. Coach role from the film even though she had something like three lines of dialogue in the film, because her character on the show is one of the most endearing and fully fleshed characters on all of TV. Sure, she's a variation on the über-mom type -- she handles all the familial crises, plus she's the de facto parent to a lot of the kids at school (see: Tyra) -- but she never resorts to sentimental or saccharine GROUP HUG cliches.
I also have a PopMatters article in the works. I did have one observation that didn't fit into the article though, an observation which I will present here inna DVD special features stylee:
Friday Night Lights is about the Christian family.
After the Panthers kneel down for their usual post-game prayer, the coaches who comment with wariness on an unfolding reality: their opponent at the state final will be quarterbacked by Ray “Voodoo” Tatum, a displaced New Orleanite who played for Dillon for two games before the combination of a recruiting controversy and a clash with Coach Taylor sent him to a new school. Even though his nickname characterizes him as a non-Christian Other, inscrutable behind a surly, impenetrable, but pristinely manicured mask, Voodoo is more the interloper who doesn't buy into the Family, the all-for-one attitude of unselfish and egoless play that the Panthers, by necessity, have embraced on their way to the state championship.
Addendum: If I were Jason Street's steady, I'd give him a lifetime of passes purely because, when Saracen balked at the chance to eat lunch with THE STREET because he usually lunched with Julie, THE STREET replied, "I'll take care of Julie for you, don't worry about it. I'll give her a nice call, tell her there's a new girl in town, and that girl is me."
Indie Rating: Tarantel - "Hello! We Move Through Weather!"
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