Dillon in the Rear View

If I had to find fault with the amazing Friday Night Lights, it would be the show's penchant for saying goodbye to its wonderful characters. Last season, I had to watch Street and Smash leave and then we lost Lyla and Tyra in the finale when they went off to college. I know... such is life, but I don't have to like it. This week, we welcomed back an old friend only to bid her adieu once again, and we might have said an emotional goodbye to a beloved member of the Dillon family for good. Yes, sometimes life's curveballs are hard to take.



Matt!!?? Why??!! Sure, I knew from the outset of this season that Matt was not long for this show, but it just feels too soon to say goodbye. I think Julie would agree. And maybe it's just me, but I don't feel like his decision to hit the road had any closure to it. I can reasonably assume that he and Julie talked about it somewhat on the ride back from Austin, but even she wasn't 100% sure that he was leaving. And to be honest, I'm not sure he was either until he started driving and didn't look back. Is it the right move for him? Probably. It just sucks for us. Maybe he'll come back during holidays. Either way, it seems that Dillon is permanently in his rear view mirror.

Lyla made a return trip to her hometown this week and further complicated things for Riggins. Before she showed up (on midterm break from Vanderbilt), he seemed pretty content to move on with his life. With her back, he wasn't so sure. This was painfully obvious when he answered Lyla's "What do you want?" question with a simple, "You". She seemed to want something more --at least that's what I read in her eyes. In the end, she boarded a bus back to college and a future filled with possibilities that may or may not include Tim and running Riggins's Rigs.

On the field, the East Dillon Lions were starting to show some promise. They're beginning to gel as a team and they're getting some confidence. Off the field, Luke wanted to cozy up to Becky who desperately wanted to get close to Riggins who, as previosly mentioned, was pining over Lyla. And while I appreciated her "more than one soulmate" speech, I sorta wanted to applaud when Tim told her to shut up. I'm not sure about Becky yet, but I do think that Tim needs to steer clear.  She doesn't need anymore issues in her life.

Friday Night Lights is all-new and commercial-free Wednesday nights on DirecTV's 101. The fourth season will be seen in its entirety next year on NBC.