Each episode is regularly filled with great character moments/interactions, substantial plot developments, and some of the best acting you will find in television drama. It is a tough sell for a lot of people, as the football hook is not exceedingly attractive and the small town high school setting sounds hard to connect with, if not downright off putting for many.
This is a case where this show is exactly the sum of its parts, which happens to be a good thing. Each piece is so carefully managed. Again, it starts with an excellent cast and builds up steam with the sharp writing, and great production (shot primarily in Austin, TX). The music, which takes cues largely from the Explosions in the Sky soundtrack from the film, is also worth noting. Never has small town life been represented so faithfully and engagingly.
This weeks episode, season four episode three, continues the daring, status quo upsetting story of the rift in the town caused by a high school redistricting. Now as boring as that sounds, in the hands of these writers it has been used to push each character slowly towards his/her breaking point. Coach Taylor is fighting to keep the newly opened East Dillon High School's football team from dying. His struggle threatens his family's well being as he digs into his own pockets to come up with the money to keep the team going. This sacrifice pays off as the team hits the field in new uniforms and renewed spirit. This also puts him at odds with his wife, who is already busy being vilified by Panther's fans for sending a promising new player to East Dillon High after it is found out he is using a fake address from West Dillon. Buddy Garrity is being pushed to his breaking point, and this episode offers a great payoff for this sometimes questionable character as he finally takes a surprising stand. The way this show handles religion is also commendable as evidenced when Julie Taylor expresses her lack of interest in church beyond a family activity. Matt Saracen continues his internship under the questionable tutelage of a local eccentric artist, and this causes Julie to question whether or not she is holding Matt back. Tim Riggins continues to help the new team, specifically helping the new transfer from West Dillon, while also being pestered by a new young girl clearly smitten with him. This is by far the weakest subplot, though it does seem to affirm Tim's status as an adult in this new class of high school students. Landry Clark has been put on a team (the East Dillon Lions) where he can actually contribute, and while this episode does not do too much to forward that story, it does seem to be setting up more to come for this lovable loser.
While some plot lines sound like typical television drama, the way they are handled elevates this show above most of what is currently on. Some of the characters make choices that genuinely surprise, yet feel completely in line with the growth these characters display. Season four thus far has proven to continue the quality the show has displayed and in some ways even improves upon it as it pays off previous plot lines in the form of careful character development.
4/5
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