So now we are into the series. "Pilot" is written and directed by series creator Peter Berg, the writer and director of the film, and you can see the clear influence of the film on this episode (the bull ring directed toward Riggins is an almost carbon copy of what we see done to Ivory in the film, and still effective). "Eyes Wide Open" is written by Jason Katims, the main producer of the series. So just to get us started on our discusion of what will be, ultimately, 22 episodes, as well as the book...
1. Your reaction(s) to what you saw today. Like? Dislike? What scene or moment especially jumped out at you, stayed with you, from the first two episodes (we have still to finish the second)?
2. What so far distinguishes this from the film—what, to you, is the main difference between this and the film? Yes, there are the obvious differences—characters, plot, etc—so think about the way the show deals with the big themes that were brought up in the film.
3. There are several story lines being presented to us in the series: which one do you particularly find yourself drawn to at this moment, and why?
4. There are many characters in this show—you have the list that I gave you on the first day of class. Pick one of them and characterize her or him so far: the word or phrase that best describes the person and how do we see this person fulfill this characterization? Until we run through the entire list of characters (Coach Eric Taylor; Tami Taylor; Julie Taylor; Jason Street; Lyla Garrity; Brian "Smash" Williams; Matt Saracen; Landry Clarke; Tyra Collette; Tim Riggins), each of you do a different character. So whoever blogs first gets to pick anyone; the next, what's left; the third, what's left minus two; etc. The eleventh blogger gets to start again.
Go ahead and respond to what your classmates write. Be sure to answer all the questions. Try to not repeat what has already been written: add to the conversation. Enjoy the weekend, do your reading, and we'll see you Monday.
There were several scenes and images that impacted me from what we watched. The scene where Tim is continuously watching the details of Jason's accident and then starts to cry softened his character, and allowed me to question my previous inclinations about him. I was also particularly moved when Eric told Jason in the hospital, "You're what makes guys like me want to coach." It just seemed like the right thing to say to Jason in that moment, and my respect for Eric as a coach and as a person definitely grew.
ReplyDeleteAdding to my previous point, Eric's humanity and morality is significantly more prominent than Gary's is in the movie. This is especially exemplified when Eric tells his team about Jason's condition in the hospital. Obviously, he couldn't lie about it, simply because there would be no way to hide Jason's paralysis, but still, Eric's honesty is much more venerable than Gary's decision to openly lie. I also noticed that Dillon's economic state seems to be more stable than Odessa's. For example, the diner where all the kids hang out appears flashier than the spot where Mike, Don, and Brian go to eat. Dillon doesn't have that stranded atmosphere that Odessa has, which I don't really care for.
Tim and Smash's relationship is very intriguing for me. Clearly, they're not on the same page about pretty much anything, but I want to see the source of their resentment for each other (if there is one, or they just hate each other for surface reasons). Their exchange in the hospital was odd, when they hugged each other. Given the gravity of the circumstances, that expression of support is expected, almost. I'm just curious, I guess, and I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship develop.
Jason Street is the golden boy of the team. He has the attention, the talent, the girlfriend, and, interestingly enough, the humility. He's unusually grounded, and if anything, he might be the most deserving of his fans' adoration out of his other teammates. And despite his moral solidity, he is faced with an incurable situation. Of all the players - one is a complete hogger of attention, one is irresponsible about drinking and can't manage his temper, and one lacks the confidence needed to be a successful QB 1 - Jason was the one who had to be hurt. If anything, it's completely nonsensical.
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ReplyDeleteI definitely like the series. The characters seem more relatable in the series so far than they did in the movie. One scene that really stood out to me is right after Jason gets injured and his mother breaks down crying. That scene was so difficult to watch because it was clear how much it hurt Jason’s mother to see her son hurt. Also during that scene Jason’s girlfriend, Lyla, could be heard in the background yelling for Jason. That moment really stuck with me I think because it demonstrates how Jason’s injury is devastating to everyone.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Adria that one of the major differences in the film and the movie is between Gaines and Taylor. I prefer Taylor because he seems to know how to be a coach on and off the field. Another major difference I think between the film and the series is that the series, in only two episodes, has given us insight into a lot of characters not directly in the realm of football. The series so far has only highlighted four of the players and Street is no longer playing. The movie seems to focus more on the five main players and less on the whole town. The whole town is revealed to us through football in the movie where as in the series we see Tami Taylor go to her book club, Eric and Tami eating dinner together, and Lyla’s family.
I’m curious to see how the relationship between Riggins and his brother plays out. It seems like Riggins is supposed to based on Billingsley, and Billingsley’s had a very strained relationship with his father. Riggins made some comment, I believe, about his brother not being his father. I’m curious to learn more about Riggins family and his father to see if the series based it off the movie. Riggins seems like a very complicated character, and I’m interested in learning about him.
Lyla Garity is the good girl. She dates the starting quarter back and is on the cheerleading squad. Everything about her appears put together and perfect. She keeps an optimistic outlook after Jason’s injury, and she’s constantly cheery. She bothers me. She really embodies the good girl role to the fullest. She doesn’t get mad at Jason when Tyra starts taking photos with him. She hangs up signs in Jason’s room and watches a movie with him. She tries to get Riggins to go to the hospital to see Jason. I’m not really sure how much more perfect you can get. I believe however, nobody can be that perfect. I don’t think she’s going to embody the good girl role for 22 episodes.
So far, I have enjoyed the series a lot. I have found it somewhat hard to interpret these stories as the same, but I think that’s the point: the stories aren’t exactly the same, and they’re not supposed to be. A scene that introduced me to something very striking was the scene in which Tim Riggins and Jason Street are sipping beers and discussing their futures, which they quasi-jokingly plan to be entwined in one another. This unprecedented relationship between two polar opposite characters is the show’s method of portraying the benefits of the team and of football in Dillon. This relationship is further developed in the scene after Street’s injury, when, as Adria mentioned, Riggins watches the video of the play and begins to cry. This display of emotion and vulnerability adds another dimension to Riggins’ character, and likens him more to the demonstrative character of Billingsley.
ReplyDeleteI think the main difference between the series and the film is the intensity and the raw emotion. I found it somewhat hard to adjust to the much less depressing and less explosive series right after watching the film that so completely encompassed both of these qualities. I have found that I had established each character’s persona while watching the film, so that once we began to watch the series, it all seemed a little bit watered down. Part of me appreciates the dialed down nature of the series while the other part feels that was necessary in conveying the true emotion and grittiness of football life in West Texas. I think the vital change in lessening the depressing aspects of the actual story in the series is the seemingly less economically downtrodden state of Dillon as opposed to the rundown and impoverished state of Odessa. Jason Street seems like he will be able to find a new life to live after his injury, whereas Boobie’s injury had cost him his greatest and only hope. The feeling that I get is that more of the Dillon players will have opportunities to do something with their lives after their short-lived high school football careers. This is really a factor that sets Dillon apart from Odessa.
I am interested to see how the Taylor family’s relationship is affected by the football. There is no way their personal lives and their relationship as a family can fly through the football drama unchanged and without conflict. I am just interested to see how each person handles the undesired spotlight and the pressure for Eric to produce. No matter how much they might try to separate their professional and personal lives, in small-town Texas, that is an impossible feat for the high school football coach.
Tami Taylor is a character who really interests me, out of her unexpected depth. She’s got the looks, the powerful and successful (monetarily) husband, and soon she will have the his-and-her closets she dreams of. But this isn’t enough for her. Through my brief impression of the Texas housewives both in the movie and on the tv series, I immediately assumed that Tami would be somewhat of an airhead who would not hesitate to let her husband take the role of protector in their relationship; however, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to observe Tami sometimes play the protector, the strong figure in the marriage. I really liked when, over dinner at Applebees, Tami just announced that she had gotten a job as a guidance counselor at “Eric’s” high school. I think that her insistence at going against the norm is admirable and refreshing in this West Texas town of tradition.
I really liked the show, but I disliked how after the backup quarterback, who didn’t even know the plays, scored two touchdowns in two minutes and nobody was surprised or thankful for that miracle. They just took it for granted. A part that stuck out to me was after the game ended, both teams kneeled and prayed for Jason. Minutes after trying to violently tackle each other, they were bowing their heads together and holding hands. I’m not entirely sure this would’ve happened in real life, but I think it was a moving moment. I also liked how Coach Eric Taylor waited to buy his house until after the game. If they had lost just that one game, he might have waited to buy the house, because he could very easily be fired quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe series focuses more on relationships between the characters outside of football. There is more on the coach and his family and the players’ personal interactions. Both include how the town centers around Panther football, but the series hasn’t showed the extent of the importance of football in these kids lives. The movie emphasizes how after high school football, these kids’ lives never get any better. The show has yet to inform the audience of that.
The pressure on Coach Eric Taylor to win every game despite losing their best player is very interesting to me. The pressure comes from everywhere, from the press, from the mayor, from essentially the whole town. His job couldn’t be much harder to deal with, and now his quarterback doesn’t know the plays. The expectation is to win every game, and now that just got pretty much impossible. It will also be interesting to see how the success of the football team impacts people’s attitude toward Eric Taylor’s family.
Brian “Smash” Williams is the prima donna that running backs usually are. He has as much confidence as someone could have, and probably too much. He likes being the center of attention. That is clearly shown when he takes Jason Street’s booth at the restaurant right after Street gets paralyzed. He is a character who is made for the audience not to like, so I predict something bad will happen to
So far, I have really enjoyed the series. Throughout the first episode, I was trying to pinpoint each character and their comparison to the movie. I appreciate that the Berg did not transfer everything from the movie over to the show, including characters and their backgrounds. The scene that stayed with me was after the first game, when both teams took the time to hold hands and pray for Street. Even though both teams had been out on the field trying to hurt each other as much as they can, they both unite for a single cause; to pray for Jason. Like Jonathan, I do find it unrealistic that Saracen can go in to the game and win the game for the Panthers after not even knowing the plays. I also find it unrealistic that it is all taken for granted, when basically a miracle was just performed.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest difference for me is that series goes more in-depth of high school football in Texas, including interactions outside of football. The movie shows more of what happens during practice and games during the pre-season, regular season, and post-season. The series goes day-by-day during the week of a football week. What I would like to see more, which we didn't see in the movie and haven't seen yet in the series, is what happens in school. There needs to be more covered of what happens during school, how the players fell, how the players are doing, and what happens between the players.
I feel engaged in the story line between Smash and Riggins. I was intrigued in the relationship between Boobie and Don in the movie and I would like to see how it moves forward in the series. I like this relationship because many other relationships come in to play as well including Tyra Collette with Riggins and Williams.
Matt Saracen is the innocent back-up who seems to have no idea what he is doing. Saracen is a social-outcast, it seems that his only friends is Landry Clarke. Matt os the back-up quarterback, behind Jason Street who is the top high school quarterback in the U.S. Everyone is focused on Street that no one seems to notice the back up, Saracen. When Street gets seriously injured, Saracen is put on the spot and is sent out to get the job done. Unrealistically, Saracen gets it done by winning the game for the Panther, even with their best player out. With a career-ending injury on the line for Jason Street, everyone will expect Saracen to lead the diverse Panthers, which seems almost impossible to the viewer knowing his shyness and innocence.
I think that the series is very well-done and entertaining. I enjoyed watching it on friday and look forward to continuing it. One scene that particularly stuck out to me was the scene in the restaurant when Tim is drunk and throws a bottle at Smash, breaking the window behind him. This violence shocked me as an audience member, which is why it stuck out to me so much. I think this encounter demonstrates the relationship between these two characters. Tim dislikes Smash so much that he attempts to injure him.
ReplyDeleteOne major difference between the show and the movie, I think, is the sense of camaraderie on the team. As illustrated above, Smash and Tim do not get along at all. They get into a fist fight at practice, which would never happen between two players in the movie. The movie shows football as a great unifier for the community. It unifies not just the citizens of the town but the team too. However, this is clearly not the case in the show. The gap between Tim and Smash shows that the football team in the show is not completely united. This differs from the movie, where the team is united under the common goal to win state.
I find myself drawn to Matt Saracen and his friend's story. So far, their scenes have been the most comical. I also think they are the furthest from the book and movie in terms of similarity, so their relationship seems new and more original to me. His friend especially is a completely invented character and I'm interested in how he'll react to Matt's new title as quarterback. If Matt succeeds it will turn him into a superstar, and if he fails he will be attacked by the community.
Eric Taylor is a good coach with enormous expectations to fulfill. With a team full of talent, the whole town and the Texas football community expect his team to win state. This gives him enormous pressure to win each game. He holds off on purchasing a house until he wins his first game because he may not keep his job if he looses. Everyone gives him his or her opinion on the way the team should play. Taylor is a good coach because he handles the pressure coolly and spends much of his time watching clips and strategizing how to win the next game.
I enjoyed the first two episodes of this show. I found the show humorous and serious at the same time. The character development is done well throughout, introducing the characters through different events and scenes, and also making it clear what kind of situation that character is in. For example, the show opens with a shot of the coach on the football field just looking around, as the radio can be heard in the background as they talk about their expectations for the coach. While I found the show enjoyable to watch, the were some parts I did not like. One aspect I did not enjoy about the show was how it felt more like a fictional drama show, much like the show Glee. The focus did not seem to be entirely on Football all of the time. There was a whole lot more interactions with girls, drama between friends and relationships, and less football. It felt more like a show about a high school as opposed to being completely about football. One scene that jumped out at me while watching the first two episodes was the scene at the beginning of the first episode when all of the football players are eating at the fast food restaurant where everyone congregates. Jason, the quarterback, is being interviewed by NBC Sports with his girlfriend on his arm. A few booths down, Brian "Smash" Williams is surrounded by girls and guys. Then, the scene changes to the backup quarterback, Matt, and his friend as they attempt to sit with a girl. They are rejected and they awkwardly walk away. The scene stuck with me because I feel that it sums up the whole social situation in the show. It shows that it is the good football players who get the popularity and girls and attention. It shows how this high school functions based on the sport of football and its players.
ReplyDeleteThe main difference between the show and the film is the level of dependence on the sport of football. In the movie, football is life. Period. Everyone stresses and thinks about football. It is taken much, much more seriously in the film, or at least presented more seriously in the film. Even the stadium is much bigger in the movie, as well as the number of people who attend the games. Odessa, in the film, is presented as a hopeless place, a poverty stricken place where no one wants to live, and the only distraction and release, and one could argue the only positive thing about Odessa, is football. The tension, the weight that each player carries in the film is much more real and significant than in the show. In the show, there is, like I said earlier, much more focus on other aspects of being a high schooler, things like girls and partying. The setting does not seem like that hopeless of a place. It seems like a normal town even, certainly without the amount of poverty in Odessa. One of the first scenes in the show is of Lyla in her house. The house is big and it shows the extent of their wealth, which is nothing like the people of Odessa. The dependence on football in the show is nothing compared to the dependence in Odessa. In the show, I would argue that it is even presented as a joke. Yes, football is extremely important in the show to everyone. The coach and the players are harassed. But one of the scenes in the first episode is between the mayor and Jason. The mayor makes it clear to Jason how important it is that they win, and she gives him all of the tips and advice she can. The scene is presented in a way that comes off as funny, and that is the intention. The seriousness, the feeling that football is life or death, is just not present in the show like it is in the film.
The story line that I feel the most drawn to at this point is the Matt's, the back up quarterback. The reason I am so drawn to it is because I am currently in a position somewhat similar to his, without the part where he is suddenly thrust into the first string position, complete all of the fame and popularity. I am a sophomore on the Paideia soccer team, and this year we are exremely good. I do not play all that much, because my position is played by a few very, very talented seniors. I can relate the most to Matt Seracen and what he feels. Of course I would not say my life is anything like Matt's before he is made starting quarterback as it is nowhere as extreme as his, but I find myself interested in following that story line because I can't help but hope something similar might happen with me. It is only daydreaming, as I would never want anything to happen to fellow teammates and I am content with my position on the team, but it keeps me interested in Matt's position.
ReplyDeleteA word or phrase I would use to describe coach Taylor is genuine. He is surrounded by people who are fake to him because of his status as head coach, and people who hint that it is all about winning. The other adult characters in the show lose themselves in football, and Eric keeps his head. He does not change his ways or let the game of football get the better of him. He stays focused on his family, and his attitude does not sway drastically because of his football team. He knows he has a family, and that that family is the most important thing to him, no matter how many games he wins or loses. He also shows ingenuity in his relationship with Jason. After Jason's injury, Eric goes to the hospital to comfort Jason's family and talk to Jason. In the conversation, Eric makes it known that it is not as much about the football as it is about Jason, and the person he is. Eric focuses more on Jason himself as opposed to focusing on the part he plays for the team and filling that position with someone else. It is his relations and interactions with other people that make him such a genuine human being.
I am enjoying the TV series so far, definitely to a greater extent than the film. The scene in which both teams share a prayer for Jason on the field, just moments after concluding a brutal and heart wrenching opening game, was by far the most striking scene for me personally. It overtly exemplified how strong and deeply rooted the bonds formed through football are between the communities surrounding Dillon, as while there is a marked desire to emerge victorious shared amongst every team in proximity to Dillon High School, the non malicious nature of their actions differentiates Dillon’s football culture from the near entirety of Texas.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the one aspect of the TV series that serves as a distinction from the film is the lack of glaring racial prejudice and discrimination. While racism is still rampant within Dillon, with a distinct lack of assimilation accompanied formation of visibly racially segregated cliques, and the gratuitous use of racial slurs by numerous white characters, much of the racially motivated prejudice appears to be kept within the white community and not driven outwards towards the African Americans of Dillon. While it would be completely outrageous to claim that racism does not play a prominent role in the lives of Dillon’s inhabitants, it does appear at the moment that many characters do not utilize race as a means to mitigate their problems and vent their anger (with the one exception found in Riggins), as opposed to the film in which racial segregation and violence was more prominent.
The storyline between Matt Saracen and his friend is the most intriguing to me right now, as it displays the stark contrast between the treatment of those who play football and those who don’t, and thus serves to exemplify the value placed upon football within Dillon. It additionally displays how football may be the sole way to achieve one’s goals within Dillon, as Saracen’s friend consistently attempts to utilize Matt’s newfound starting position on the team as a means to satisfy some of his somewhat imprudent and comical desires.
Tim Riggins is an individual whose ardent dislike for minorities, accompanied by numerous debilitating habits, possesses a marred reputation and a future marked by uncertainty, rendering him a character that draws my attention as much as my dislike. While an amiable individual to his close friends, Tim is fervently disliked by a sizeable portion of Dillon, most notably by the African American community, for his protective and often combative nature, in addition to his racial prejudices and utilization of racially charged epithets. These characteristics, in conjunction with his secluded lifestyle, will make interesting to see how Riggins’ relationships evolve or deteriorate as the season continues, especially due to the potentially prolonged absence of Jason, who appears to be his closest and possibly lone friend.
So far, i have enjoyed the series. I really liked the scene of the two teams praying at the end of the game after the quarterback was injured. It showed that during the game, the two teams are brutal enemies and will do anything to win, but afterwards there both two similar Communities brought together by their passion, football.
ReplyDeleteSo far the biggest difference i see with the movie then the show is that the show really goes into each individuals background and problems on and of the field, while the movie seemed to be only based around football. However, i think both the film and the show demonstrate how football brings the community of the town together and the pros and cons that it comes with.
I think the relationship between Tim and Smash is the most interesting and complex. Each character obviously resent each other when they are off the field, on the field they are just as close as brothers and trust each other. I am really curious to see how all this will play out and see if they will become closer off the field or hate each other so much that it will affect them on the field.
Brian "Smash" Williams is the overly confident running back and superstar of the team. He tries to get as much attention as possible directed on him. He only cares about football, and has no interest in school. Although he may be too cocky about himself, he has the skill to back it up on the field.
I really liked the two episodes we watched in class of the television series Friday Night Lights. For me, I have enjoyed it more than the movie version because I feel like you get to know the whole town's perspective about Permian football and how Permian football plays an essential role in Odessa's culture. The most poignant moment that stuck with me was when both football teams held hands and prayed together for Jason Street after he took a huge hit during their game. I loved the image of the two teams that had just focused on winning and physically taking down the other team could reunite and hold hands and pray together. It was a powerful scene for me.
ReplyDeleteThe way that the television series shows the players' lives is the way that the series distinguishes itself from the film. It is more about what's behind the Permian football team and what's driving the football culture than the movie even got close to doing. It shows the pressure on the coach and his family. For example, the scene of the book club that Eric's wife goes to and how she's the only one who's actually read the book because all these ladies want to do is talk about football and gossip. Also, Eric doesn't buy a house until knowing the results of the game because he might move if they lose badly and everyone talks trash about him. The series just makes all the characters seem more human and shows how enrooted football is into their society and culture.
I want to see more of how football will influence or shape coach Eric's family. It's a side of the story that wasn't presented in the movie at all and it's really interesting. I love how the mom starts going to that awful book club in order to fit in and how the daughter says she won't eat with any one on the football team. Their family dynamics and the part they play in Odessa's society seems captivating and engaging. I also like Jason's story so far. I think it captures the horribly brutal side to football and how Permian football can take its toll on a person, physically like in Jason's case or mentally like the pressure coach Eric feels. I want to see what happens to Jason and whether he has a miracle recovery and how his relationship with his cheerleader girlfriend ends up.
Julie Taylor is a nonconformist. She repels Odessa's football culture, refusing to eat with football players and greatly interested in her education and reading. She's smart and compares a classic book's plot to the football team. She doesn't seem to be a football fanatic and doesn't embrace the stereotypical small town Texas football culture. Everyone else's lives in the town revolve around football and Julie's views (even though her dad is the coach) don't seem fazed by it. We see her fulfill this characterization when she doesn't want to talk the football boys and in the way she is invested in her education and has a genuine love of reading.
After watching those first few episodes, I am absolutely hooked. The series seems to connect with me on a more personal level compared to the movie, and I find some of the characters more likable and relatable. There are several scenes which stood out to me, one of which was Lyla visiting Jason Street in the hospital and Jason tells her that he probably will never walk again. The sheer determination in which she responded, telling him that he will succeed again shows her love for him, and on a deeper level, her love for her community. This scene is so poignant because it shows all of the emotion and dedication wrapped up into football, and how it brings people together in love and pain. I also found the scene with the ruckus between Riggins and Smash in the diner to be very haunting, and I suspect that it will lead to future conflict.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned by several posts above, I find the most striking difference between the movie and the show is the contrast between Coaches Taylor and Gaines. I found Gaines to be a warmer person, and a more honest one at that. He tells his players of Street’s condition instead of lying about it and seems to have a more personal relationship with his players. The TV show also gives us a glimpse into the outside lives of the players that the film does not. We see the players interacting with each other outside of football and interacting with other people in the town outside of football. Taylor’s wife is a much more prominent character and she gets connected with the group of ladies in the town, which shows a lot about the town’s dynamic and how everyone treats one another. The way that Street’s injury is handled also feels more emotional to me, we see people like his coach, his girlfriend and others visiting him. Street seems to be more accepting of his injury than Boobie was, and he is mainly focusing on the one goal of maybe being able to walk, instead of being hung up on football. I think Street’s character takes Boobie’s one level deeper in the fact that his injury was more about just never getting to play football anymore, but something as huge as never being able to walk again.
I am really drawn to Riggins’ story. We have not seen much of it yet, only glimpses of his life with his brother and his alcohol problems. I feel like he is a character that does not say much, but has so much feeling inside of him that he wants to let out. His conflict with Smash, his attitude towards racism and his brutality on the football field all make me want to know more of his story and see more into his life.
I would characterize Matt Saracen as a “boy”. He feels so young to me, always living in the shadow of Jason Street until suddenly being thrust into the spotlight. He seems like his is very emotional with lots of layers to him with his insecurity about his home life, his inexperience with his football, and the pressure and expectations that he is supposed to live up to throughout the season. I agree with Zach in the fact that Matt Saracen is kind of on the outskirts of the group of players, but I think it was mostly by choice. He clearly has difficulty with his home life and has to take care of his grandmother, so I think he has always chose to be the follower instead of the leader. I am excited to watch him grow as a character because he has to fulfill the role as a leader for his team and for his town, which is a huge responsibility for just a kid.
I really enjoy watching the series. I think it is easier to relate to than the movie is because of its more present setting. A scene that really stuck out to me was the scene where Street is injured. Like Boobie's injury, instantly his whole outlook on life and his dreams are crushed, shattering his reality. Seeing that happen to someone is very striking and depressing. The series differs from the film because the series focuses on the families of the football players and coaches, and not just the football players themselves. Coach Taylor's wife, Tami, plays a much bigger role than the one she did in the film as Coach Gaines's wife. A storyline that I find myself drawn to is the life of Matt Saracen. He is placed in an incredibly stressful situation as starting quarterback of the predicted-state-champion Dillon Panthers. On top of that, he lives at home with his grandmother and his parents do not appear to be present. He seems to take care of his grandma more than his grandma takes care of him, for example he had to make her lunch and tell her where he put her pills for the day before he could leave for school. I think he will develop into a very interesting and likable character. Landry Clarke is the lovable loser in the series. I think he will play a very important role in Matt's life throughout the series. Landry Clarke is Matt Saracen's best friend who has been with Matt through thick and thin. He is a standout character because he is the only male character in the series so far who does not play or coach football. Because of this, he has relatively low popularity within the school. So now that Matt Saracen is QB 1, it will be interesting to see if their relationship changes because if Matt's huge boost in popularity.
ReplyDelete1. So far I really like the show. The differences in the plot and characters keep surprising me. The scene in the show that stayed with me was when Jason Street got injured. It surprised me a lot, I was expecting Smash to get injured and then Street did. It was also a very emotional scene, with Jason’s parents and Lyla. Everyone was obviously affected by what happened and worried about him. I really hope that he gets better, but with a back injury I don’t know what’s going to happen.
ReplyDelete2. It is very different from the movie, but I enjoyed both versions. The show has some plot changes and is less intense then the movie, but that’s due to the length. With a movie they had to pact everything into approximately two hours or so, but with a series they can spread it out. The series seems more realistic. We see more of the characters personal lives and this makes them more relatable. I also think that the series might show a bit more of the racism talked about in the book, with the interview in the pilot episode when Smash was asked about racism.
3. The story line that I find myself drawn to is Jason’s. I want to know how he is doing with his injury and how other people deal with it. His family and girlfriend are worried about him and we know from the scene where Riggins watches the video of Jason’s injury over and over, that he is also having a hard time dealing with it.
4. Tyra Collette is the bad girl. She is dating Tim Riggins, the bad kid who drinks and gets into fights, and she is flirting with Tim’s enemy Smash. This seems bound to end badly. She was also mean to Lyla, calling her a whore behind her back. At this point in the show I don’t like Tyra, but she may change, we will see.
1. I think one of the most powerful scenes that stuck with me was when Coach Taylor told the boys in the locker room about Street. I was surprised when the coach decided to tell his players the truth because he had not done so in the movie but I was really glad that he did so. It also shows that the coach in the series is going to be very, very different then the one that we saw in the movie. While we have debated about Gary Gaines being a good person or just a good coach, it is clear that he did not make the best choices. The first episode sets Coach Taylor to be different: to put his players before the game instead of sacrificing their health in order to win.
ReplyDelete2.While we are only on the second episode, it is clear that the issue of race will play a much larger role in the television series than it did in the movie. In fact, the issue of race is brought up within the first 10 minutes of the show when NBC asks Smash if he had ever encountered racism from his team. Smash does not give a definite answer but it is clear from what he says that there is, in fact, racism on his team. In the movie there are some uses of the “n-word” but it is only once or twice and not by anyone near the players. In the movie there is a sense of companionship with the players, no matter their race or ability level. In the television series it is much more realistic: there are many inner struggles on the team between the different players concerning race among the other things. Racism was a big part of the book which the movie seemed to avoid. I am interested to see how deep the series is going to go into it or whether they are going to sidestep it more as other issues submerge. I also find it interesting that it is not the “Boobie” character in the television series who gets injured but a white character. I’m not sure yet if that is done for a reason but it definitely changes the plot line a great deal.
3. For some reason I am very interested in Lyla Garrity’s role. Although she seems like the typical goody-two-shoes cheerleader, her faith wanes as the plot line involving Street develops. She is devoted to “saving” Street through prayer and paper banners but even when the doctor tells Street of the near-definite paralyzation of his legs, she refuses to believe it. Street accepts his fate and is not angry but simply disappointed that he let his team down. Lyla’s reaction almost reminds me of Boobie in the film: she ignores the severity of the injury and instead blames it on the doctor. She vows to find better doctors, hoping that they will draw a different conclusion. I’m drawn to this plot line because I sense further conflict unraveling in the future because of Street’s acceptance of his fate vs. Lyla’s refusal to accept that Street will never walk again.
4. Tyra Collette is the “typical bad girl” she flirts with her boyfriend’s rival and looks down at the town’s celebrated rituals and events. She is a rebel, clearly acting out to gain attention in a town that she finds stupid. However, Tyra being a major character instead of simply a brat added to create more story lines, I feel like we will learn more about her and her motives as the season progresses. Right now she seems like a one-dimensional character, the “bad girl,” but I hope that she will become a more flushed out character soon, one we can sympathize with even if we don’t agree with her actions.
The two moments that really stood out for me both have to do with Tim Riggins. The first of these two moments is when he shows up to the first day of practice, and he's still drunk from the night before. I think this seems kind of unrealistic considering what a vital role football plays for the athletes involved. Football runs the city, and, to a certain extent, runs the lives of all of the characters. The bizarre aspects of this occurrence are further emphasized by Riggins' best friend being Jason Street. I'm not convinced that one of the star players on the football team would show up to practice drunk, especially if his best friend was the quarterback--not to mention that he is adored by everyone. The second moment involving Riggins that I really liked was when they showed him in the locker-room before their first football game. He's tapping his foot quickly and repetitively and he's got this angry look on his face. The foot-tapping suggests that he is nervous. It's a nice contrast to him showing up to practice drunk, which suggests he couldn't care less.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest differences between the movie and the series is the role of the other members in the Taylor family. In the movie, Mrs. Taylor and Julie rarely appear. And during their brief scenes, they barely talk. The movie presents Mrs. Taylor as a loving, but passive woman. The show allows her character to be more important than it was in the movie. Similarly, Julie plays a large role throughout the series. The audience is able to see how the Coach's involvement in football affects the entire family. I like this because I think it adds more dimensions to Coach Taylor's character.
Landry Clarke is one of my favorite characters. He provides a solid support system for Matt Saracen, but he's also just there to remind the audience that the show is about high-schoolers. I think Clarke is one of the most necessary characters. Without him, the show would be too unrealistic. Firstly, almost all of the boys shown are on the football team. I understand that the show is about a football team, but it's also about a high school and there are many kids there who don't play the game. With the exception of the family members of the players, Clarke is the only boy shown who does not initially play football. Secondly, many of the characters--think Riggins, Street, etc.--have very serious personalities. Landry is the quintessential goofy kid. He makes fun of Saracen for taking football seriously, and he encourages Matt to go for it with Julie. His actions represent that of a fun, light-hearted character whose presence is necessary to keep the show from being too unrealistic.