Friday Night Lights "Toilet Bowl": Location, Location, Location

Now that we're well past the halfway point for this fourth season, it's not only time for the Lions to finally notch a 'W' -- as Coach T correctly points out -- but also for stories that lead to the finale (and beyond*) to begin to come into focus. To that end, we see our heroes auditioning for the near (and not so near) future.

*When the two season renewal came in last year, it gave the writers the benefit of plotting out not just this season, but also the next (and probably final) season.

Everybody seems to be auditioning in our theme of the week. We have Buddy trying out for most valuable booster role (result: El Fuego!); and we see Tim in a monkey suit looking for land (his dream acreage) and then a job (at Applebee's Sears -- result: kind of shaky). Or Regina auditioning for the role of functioning mom by making supper for the girl she knows her son likes (result: literally shaky*). Poor Jess appears to be part of some sort of cattle call here as she's also got Landry and Vince auditioning for a role as boyfriend, and they both know the best way to her heart is through her little brothers. (Vince may lead the league in sunflower seed passing yards, but it's Landry who gets the win with his toy swords.)

*I'm not entirely sure what we're supposed to make of Regina's attempt here, but you get the feeling she's not going to be able to hold it together much longer.

And that brings us to Tami accompanying Julie for her Boston College interview, fulfilling the college road trip requirement for groundbreaking dramas (thankfully, Tami didn't have to go all Sopranos and kill a witness ... just a Chaucer reference). Besides the audition, another theme comes into focus here -- that of context. Chaucer uses it to gutter up his *language, which an apt reference for an episode called "Toilet Bowl." It's fitting that Julie's outfits make her look like a realtor (her words), as context is all about "location, location, location" and now the actuality of her leaving home is staring her in the face, she finds herself missing Dillon already. The prospect of far away colleges, a future that helped push Matt away, seem a tad less likely now. I guess that's another way to keep Aimee Teagarden around more next season.

I can't help but think that the man who popularized vernacular English would've had a blast writing a Texas drawl, y'all.

You know who else dealt with real estate's three magic words? That's right, Skeeter ... er, Tim. His context was dialed in as someone in desperate need of money, much like his bro-bro, which is why it's at least believable that Riggins' Rigs would drag their business through the mud. (Thanks to the evil second season, shouldn't we be a bit wary of FNL meddling in crime?) Between the fight he picked last week with Becky's dad and the drugs he helps Luke secure, Tim's already lost his footing on this slippery slope. And speaking of Luke, his context is similar, in that he wants to secure his football future, but instead of money, it's pain he needs to manage. This all looks like it will end badly.

You know what didn't end badly? This episode, thanks in part to the backing of show favorite A.A. Bondy ("Killed Myself When I Was Young", a title that's perhaps too close to the truth for what Luke is doing to his body). The final scenes showed the Lions winning the battle of the worst and getting dirty in the process which was brilliantly crosscut to the Riggins brothers, themselves getting metaphorically dirty to win some desperately needed cash (in the worst way). Context! (For extra credit, compare and contrast this grimy crosscut with a similar sequence in season two's "Mud Bowl.")

And with all that, we have barely any bullet points left in the chamber.

• While I love the Delta Spirit song "Trashcan," wouldn't it have been cooler to have a Boston band backing the opening scenes in Bean Town? (Dropkick Murphys are too obvious, thanks to Scorsese. I'm thinking more like Mission of Burma, Lemonheads, Pixies.)
• For the love of God, WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE GET GRACIE BELL SOME PANTS!
• I don't know about you, but I would love to see more of Tim's beer can interview with Skeeter.
• We have a Crucifictorious sighting! I hope we eventually get to hear more of their demo, as they sound like they've come a long ways since they abandoned that whole Christian metal angle last season.

Playlist: Friday Night Lights - Episode 4.08
1. "Primitive (The Way I Treat You)" - Ambulance Ltd [download]: Buddy listens to the radio while driving through Dillon
2. "Trashcan" - Delta Spirit [download]: Julie and Tami in Boston
3. "From West Texas" - Explosions In The Sky: Tim notices Luke in pain at practice
4. "I'm Not Afraid Of Love" - Sharon Clark and The Product Of Time: Vince & his mom run into Jesse & the kids at the grocery store
5. "Is There Any Love" - Trevor Dandy: Eric has dinner with the alumni at BBQ Pit
6. "An Ugly Fact Of Life" - Explosions In The Sky: Tim shows Becky the acreage; Becky tries to kiss Tim again
7. "Let Me See It" - Get Cool ft Petey Pablo: Game starts
8. "Get It Hot" - 50 Cent [download]: Lions take the lead into half-time
9. "The Light" - Nightstalker [download]: Visiting team takes the lead
10. "Killed Myself When I Was Young" - A. A. Bondy [download]: Luke scores game winning touchdown

Previously: "In the Bag" (Episode 4.07)