7.5/10. A lot of interesting looks at what people do for, and apart from, football, what it means to people's lives and their ability to profit from or get chewed up and spit out by it.
The most interesting of these stories, and the strongest of them in the episode, is Smash's. The way his bravado gives way to nerves, with the idea that he's his family's "meal ticket" shows a different side of him than just the brash ladies man we see for the most part. The idea that he has this pressure, that he sees himself and his talent in football as being part of a responsibility he has to bring his mother and siblings out of poverty, to the point that he's willing to roid up to be as big and strong as possible to impress that scout and others like him, is a good one.
And hey, we get half-decent stories for Tim Riggins and Jason Street for once! The idea that on the other hand, Tim isn't putting substances in his body any more, and that he's being rewarded for it, works well as a parallel. I think it helps that Tim doesn't have to say much in the episode, and that the story pretty much tells itself, but it's nice to see him want to be better, be more like Jason, and make a change and get a little karmic justice for it.
At the same time, Jason's reticence as to whether he'll be a mascot or a case of pity or who knows what if he goes to the homecoming game is about as good a story as we've gotten from him. The way he asks everybody gets a little tedious, but the issue itself is interesting and that helps carry the day. Again, the love triangle plot brings it down, but the idea that he's not sure how he'll feel about being at the game now that he isn't playing it has a lot of meat on the bone.
There's another parallel with Lucas, in a storyline that barely works, but serves as a cautionary tale and another counterpoint to all of these people who base their lives around football and are left scrambling when, as is true for most people who strap on a helmet, their big dreams don't exactly pan out. The fact that he's scrounging for jobs after being the hero is an unforutnate look at a possible future for Smash, Tim, and Jason.
But Tyra has a plan for her life apart from the orbit of football, and the fact that she's showing an entreprenurial spirit, albeit mixed in with the generic douchebag that is Tim's older brother, is another interesting dimension added to her character. I like that they're giving a bit of shading to the older Riggins brother too, pointing out that he also had plans that got derailed by family life and had to give way to other things.
Plus, there's the Matt/Julie subplot, which is pretty slight, but cute enough to get by.
Overall, several good ideas in the episode, particularly Smash's story, with varying results, but it's all centered around a solid theme about what life apart from football would mean for everyone. One of the better eps so far.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-06-18T22:49:18Z
7.5/10. A lot of interesting looks at what people do for, and apart from, football, what it means to people's lives and their ability to profit from or get chewed up and spit out by it.
The most interesting of these stories, and the strongest of them in the episode, is Smash's. The way his bravado gives way to nerves, with the idea that he's his family's "meal ticket" shows a different side of him than just the brash ladies man we see for the most part. The idea that he has this pressure, that he sees himself and his talent in football as being part of a responsibility he has to bring his mother and siblings out of poverty, to the point that he's willing to roid up to be as big and strong as possible to impress that scout and others like him, is a good one.
And hey, we get half-decent stories for Tim Riggins and Jason Street for once! The idea that on the other hand, Tim isn't putting substances in his body any more, and that he's being rewarded for it, works well as a parallel. I think it helps that Tim doesn't have to say much in the episode, and that the story pretty much tells itself, but it's nice to see him want to be better, be more like Jason, and make a change and get a little karmic justice for it.
At the same time, Jason's reticence as to whether he'll be a mascot or a case of pity or who knows what if he goes to the homecoming game is about as good a story as we've gotten from him. The way he asks everybody gets a little tedious, but the issue itself is interesting and that helps carry the day. Again, the love triangle plot brings it down, but the idea that he's not sure how he'll feel about being at the game now that he isn't playing it has a lot of meat on the bone.
There's another parallel with Lucas, in a storyline that barely works, but serves as a cautionary tale and another counterpoint to all of these people who base their lives around football and are left scrambling when, as is true for most people who strap on a helmet, their big dreams don't exactly pan out. The fact that he's scrounging for jobs after being the hero is an unforutnate look at a possible future for Smash, Tim, and Jason.
But Tyra has a plan for her life apart from the orbit of football, and the fact that she's showing an entreprenurial spirit, albeit mixed in with the generic douchebag that is Tim's older brother, is another interesting dimension added to her character. I like that they're giving a bit of shading to the older Riggins brother too, pointing out that he also had plans that got derailed by family life and had to give way to other things.
Plus, there's the Matt/Julie subplot, which is pretty slight, but cute enough to get by.
Overall, several good ideas in the episode, particularly Smash's story, with varying results, but it's all centered around a solid theme about what life apart from football would mean for everyone. One of the better eps so far.