Friday Night Lights - Pride and Prejudice

Who Do You Think You Are - Ep. 212

Holy Neptune! It's Weevil AND Logan Huntzberger! (who met Logan Echolls in Neptune where Weevil lives). And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, then go rent/buy Veronica Mars please. Now! 

So it's the race episode, as racial tensions and general prejudices spur a few storylines while Tim, Smash, Matt and Santiago's pride are taking a beating.

Francis Capra (Weevil on Veronica Mars) guests as one of Santiago's former goon friends Devon and his return makes both Santiago and Buddy nervous. Though Buddy tries to hide his prejudices to avoid looking like a complete racist, he still decides to hide the jewelry until he gets advice from perfect couple Tami and Eric Taylor. Buddy trusts Santiago enough that when his gold watch DOES get stolen by Weevil Devon, Santiago goes and fights back for it. Loved when Buddy threw the watch down to make sure Santiago was alright. Yes, the old white man does care. Despite not always knowing how to act tactfully.

Meanwhile, perfect couple Tami and Eric aren't so perfect when it comes out to figuring out the raising of baby Gracie. Eric is annoyed when he catches Glen holding Gracie again in Tami's office, but objects to putting Gracie in day care. Tell that to Tami! Just make sure I'm out of the room. I'm not going to be the one to tell Tami, who had already stayed at home for 16 years to raise Julie, that she can't work and get an interesting career. I'll be over here, safe from Tami's way.

Loved the hilarious not-an-argument argument Tami and Eric had over dinner with Julie sitting awkwardly in between, looking for any way out. These are the moments that make this show so hilarious and real!

Which for that reason, I'll ignore Matt's whole storyline with the hot babysitter Carlotta since the whole thing ends when Carlotta leaves early without saying goodbye to Matt. It might have been more interesting if grandma had had an accident or passed out while the two were spending time together, but alas, that's over with. So enough with that. Onto more interesting stuff:

Meanwhile, the other lovebirds Smash and Noelle are suddenly bombarded by the parents on both sides by criticisms of their relationship (which seems to cross both racial boundaries as well as economical status boundaries). Noelle's parents brings up their colour issue but Corina (surprisingly but maybe not so surprisingly) agrees. When Smash's sister gets accosted by a white dude at a movie theatre (as Smash and Noelle are on a date), things escalate when the jungle fever issue is "raised" again, and Smash goes on the attack with his fist. Totally disturbing and Smash knows it, asking his sister to keep it quiet from mother Corina.

I get that these things still happen, especially in small town Texas (or America or wherever for that matter) but does it really happen that overtly? Don't people PRETEND to be all hip and with it with the jungle fever and are more discreet about their prejudices? Or do I just live in dreamland? (Or Canada, whichever).

Finally, Matt Czuchry (Logan Huntzberger on Gilmore Girls) is Chris, the host of a Christian Radio Talk Show that Lyla has now joined to co-host, and as the pure virginal sparks fly, Tim Riggins listens in, ready to make his big romantic move. Which of course is timed RIGHT when the Christian flirting escalates into a kiss, leaving Riggins broken hearted and throwing the flowers he picked up for Lyla. Well, at least he wasn't shot at the convenience store (as my friend kept wrongly guessing during that scene) by the drug dealer out for revenge (or we guess will happen eventually after last week).

A few downs this episode (which still means it's better than most shows out there). Still, I was excited to see Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls alums get some deserved work, and on another terrific show! I like Czuchry enough that this new love triangle Lyla has fallen into (AGAIN) is acceptable for now but I do hope it goes somewhere new and more interesting. Let's hope we see more Landry and Matt now that they are both single again, and let's get Corina back on the smackdown mode again, because I KNOW she would not take for any racism to happen under her nose, even if she personally didn't want Smash involved with that prissy little intruding white girl either. Just saying. I know Corina would give a good smackdown and wipe away any prejudices like that. Cause you know, black women do that so well. (Oprah, call me! Speaking of which, has Oprah talked about this show? Does she know about this show, because you know she would LOVE IT and then promote the hell out of it. Seriously, someone needs to send Oprah the FNL DVD's so that she can tell America to watch FNL instead of wasting her time with that whole Obama for president thing. Please, how important is that?)