Ep 12. What to Do While You're Waiting

In Friday Night Lights season 1 episode 12, entitled "What to Do While You're Waiting," the emotional stakes are high for the residents of Dillon, Texas. The episode centers on the football team's preparations for their upcoming game against their biggest rivals, the Arnett Mead Tigers. With the state championship within reach, the pressure is intense for Coach Taylor and his players.

In the opening scene, Coach Taylor (played by Kyle Chandler) meets with the team's boosters to discuss fundraising for the school's football program. The conversation quickly turns tense when the boosters demand that Coach Taylor bench star player Brian "Smash" Williams (played by Gaius Charles) for missing a practice. Coach Taylor refuses, stating that he will make the final decision about whether or not to bench Smash. The scene sets the stage for the episode's larger themes of control, power struggles, and difficult choices.

The bulk of the episode follows the players as they navigate the challenges of high school and football. Quarterback Matt Saracen (played by Zach Gilford) is struggling to balance his responsibilities to his grandmother, who suffers from dementia, with his commitment to the team. His father's recent deployment to Iraq only adds to the pressure he feels. Meanwhile, Smash is desperate to secure a college football scholarship to avoid a future working at the fast food restaurant where he currently holds a job. He meets with a recruiter from a big-time football program, but the meeting doesn't go as well as he had hoped.

Elsewhere in Dillon, Tyra Collette (played by Adrianne Palicki) is reeling from her recent breakup with bad boy Tim Riggins (played by Taylor Kitsch). She confides in her best friend Landry Clarke (played by Jesse Plemons), who is also dealing with his own romantic struggles. Landry is in love with Tyra, but she sees him only as a friend. The two share a poignant scene in which they discuss their feelings and try to make sense of their complicated relationship.

As the football game draws closer, tensions rise between Coach Taylor and his assistant coaches. The coach is convinced that the team's secret weapon - a trick play called the "fly sweep" - is the key to victory. But the assistant coaches are resistant, believing that the play is too risky and could cost the team the game. In the end, Coach Taylor's faith in the play pays off, but not without creating some tension and conflict on the sidelines.

The episode ends with a cliffhanger, as one of the players suffers a potentially career-ending injury. The implications of this injury for the team and the season as a whole are left tantalizingly unclear, setting the stage for the next episode.

Overall, "What to Do While You're Waiting" is a powerful episode that showcases the many challenges faced by the residents of Dillon. From the pressures of high school to the intensity of football, the characters are forced to confront difficult choices and navigate complex emotional and social dynamics. The episode is marked by strong performances from the entire cast, particularly Chandler and Charles, who deliver compelling and nuanced portrayals of the show's central conflicts. With its richly-drawn characters, high-stakes drama, and poignant emotional moments, "What to Do While You're Waiting" is a standout episode of Friday Night Lights.