"Where's Wallace at? Where's the boy, String?"
- D'Angelo Barksdale, The Wire
While watching the latest Friday Night Lights last night I finally witnessed the emotional reunion of The Wire's D'Angelo Barksdale and Wallace. I was as happy as anyone when I heard that Michael B. Jordan (the actor who played the tragic Wallace in Season One of The Wire) would be joining the cast of Friday Night Lights this season, and on last night's episode, as soon as there was mention of an "ex-gangster" I got the feeling that it just had to be another Wire alum--though for some reason I was expecting it to be Wendell Pierce (Bunk) or Robert Wisdom (Bunny) even though neither of them played gangster, because I thought they would nail the older, ex-banger coming back to do outreach work. Fittingly enough, it was Larry Gilliard Jr., another tragic figure done wrong by the Barksdale gang, though he didn't get to flex his acting chops quite the way he did in The Wire. (After watching Breaking Bad and some of the "street" scenes from this FNL season, I've come to the conclusion that nobody can write believable street dialogue even close to as well as David Simon & Co.) Anyway, if learning that "Where Wallace is" is playing QB for the East Dillon Lions wasn't a sign that I need to break down some FNL, then I don't know what is.
More than either of the previous two seasons, S4 had the greatest risk of failure as that the finale of S3 left the show turned completely on its head: Taylor was out as coach of the beloved Dillon Panthers, almost all of the core kids of S1 were gone, and suddenly it looked as though the only holdovers might be Landry and (gulp) Julie. Now, of course, the writers did themselves and the fans a favor keeping Tim Riggins and Matt Saracen around (at least for a while in Matt's case), but the critical mass of the show had shifted and that meant a new crop of kids that would hopefully be more The Wire Season Two than Saved By the Bell: The New Class.
I was ready to declare the new characters a success even after the first couple episodes--particularly after an amazing scene in which Tami had to tell Panthers star RB, Luke Cafferty, that he had to transfer to East Dillon because of where lived--and now that we're farther along, my only real complaint is that I wish we got more of the new characters. Vince (the aforementioned "Wallace" played by Michael B. Jordan) has had a great arc, gradually growing to trust Taylor and falling in love with football. I have a feeling though that something terrible may happen to him in the last few episodes as his drug addict mother and disreputable friends probably won't make it through the whole season without coming back to bite him. Luke is endearing, a classic polite, farmboy, though we haven't really gotten enough of him to fully enjoy the myriad of obstacles that have been thrown his way. Along those same lines, now that the off-screen one-night stand that he and Becky has had an unpleasant result, not only will I think we'll get to see more of Luke's personality and emotion, but Becky will cease to be a character that we only get to see when Riggins is around.
I, of course, wish FNL could get a full, 22 episode order as it did in S1 just so I could see more of it, but, as I just said, I really want to get to know these new characters without sacrificing my time with the old ones. I personally prefer S1 to any of the others and one of the major reasons is that we get a much longer arc for the team and the people whose lives revolve around it. If S4 had more episodes to work with, the new characters that seem to be getting the short end (Jess and her father particularly) would have motivations that were a lot clearer. Though I suppose I should be happy this show is on at all. Let's just say, as long as Eric and Tami aren't going anywhere, I'm not afraid of next season in which these new characters will have to carry the show.
As happy as I've been with the new characters and the consistently hysterical handling of Landry this year, I have been disappointed with the way two old characters have been changed: Julie and JD. Now, my gradual souring on Julie may have a lot to do with her mopey portrayal by Aimee Teegarden, but it seems like all she does anymore is whine. Aside from her link to Matt (who is so great that virtually anybody in his scenes/storylines will work) her relationship with her mother this season is so talky. To repeat an old writing adage, "Show don't tell," Julie has been doing a lot of telling and not much showing. Multiple episodes have been her teen-angstily blabbing to Tami about contrived things such as faith and college visits and whatever typical teens are supposed to hate. It's fairly uninspired plotting from an otherwise inspired show, as if they don't know what to do with her outside of Matt and they just give her different issues to briefly touch on. I can't say I'll miss her much next season.
However, at least Julie is still on the show, as opposed to JD McCoy who may as well have been banished to Alabama. JD was one of the best characters from S3, an incredibly gifted QB prodigy with an unforgiving father and a world of pressure. He struggled with wanting to have a real life and to find some self-esteem that wasn't tied to football. Unfortunately, over the summer, he apparently lost every shred of humility and empathy and became a cruel, jock stereotype whose only purpose is to play bad guy to Taylor's Lions and make fun of former Panther, Luke. It's a shame because there was a lot of potential for JD to be a great character, but he's so limited in screentime that he's been reduced to being easily labeled as spoiled and insufferable. With more episodes we could occasionally check in on the Panthers and JD, but with too many characters and not enough time as it is, JD is the most obvious casualty of the shift to East Dillon.
A few final, quick thoughts...
- There was some discussion over on What's Alan Watching? of whether Becky is actually going to get an abortion, which network TV rarely does, and I think she will. This is probably going to be another example of them "FNLing" something and doing a classic story in a distinct, honest way. My guess is, also, that the ordeal will naturally bring Luke and Becky together and that they'll become the new Lyla & Street/Riggins.
- It was recently announced that Taylor Kitsch will not be back for the final (?) season, which means we've only got a few episodes of Riggins left. I've never liked him as much as I have this season--which is saying something since I've always liked him--as I appreciate how he's growing up (in a two steps forward one step back kind of way) and really trying to figure out what he wants in life. I suppose there is a chance he might go to college and restart his football career or perhaps he'll chase Lyla to Vanderbilt. Either way, I just hope his chop shop doesn't put him in jail.
- I mentioned how funny Landry has been this year and I'm glad the writers kept him around--even if they had to change his grade to do it. I wouldn't be surprised if Jesse Plemons starts getting some choice supporting roles in some upcoming comedies. His courting of Jess is comedy gold and his Tyra-induced transformation to a more confident, charming suitor has been well-executed.
All right, that's probably enough FNL for now since not many people watch it (or at least are watching it on its DirecTV run) so I'll try to keep my comments on it to a minimum until the end of the season.
Texas forever.
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