Recap

The Panthers are up by 5. The score is 26-21 with mere seconds to go. On the last play of the game, a Hail Mary pass is thrown into the end zone, where it is batted down by the Dillon defense. The Panthers win! Panthers win! Dillon has advanced, by the skin of its teeth, to the state semifinals.

That's about the only thing going well for Buddy Garrity, who is chastised at home and thrown out by his wife over his affair with Angela Collette. With nowhere to turn, Buddy moves in with the Taylors, who reluctantly agree to take him in for a few days.

Devastated, Lyla (Minka Kelly) calls Jason, but all he wants to talk about are the Quad rugby tryouts and he is about to go to a party with Herc. They're in such different places, both geographically and emotionally, that their future seems very much in doubt - even if they don't say as much. Lyla decides to make a trip to Austin that night when he doesn't answer his phone

There is a huge victory party for the team at Tim Riggins’ place, thanks to Billy Riggins. Tim is drunk as he answers the door and tells his new next door neighbor that he will turn down the music. He befriends her - a single mom - quickly after her young so, Bo, starts idolizing Tim.

Strikingly out of character, Waverly sneaks into Smash’s room and starts to make out with him. Smash is surprised to see her, but he warms up to it, obviously, and they sneak out to go skinny dipping in a pool. Smash is surprised to see Waverly acting so spontaneous and sexual.

After his next Quad Rugby practice, Jason can see that Lyla has come for a visit. Jason is shocked to see her, as Lyla is emotional over the fact that her parents are very possibly splitting up. They have a good talk, but Lyla then notices Jason’s new tattoo. Lyla is shocked at the tattoo and thinks it’s a big deal. He says it’s the new him - for better or worse.

Bo, tagging along after his new neighbor and hero, tells Tim he’s going to be a Dillon Panther when he grows up. Tim decides to teach Bo how to throw a spiral. Bo begs his mom to invite Tim to dinner and he accepts, forging an unlikely friendship - and possible romantic interest - with Bo's mom.

Smash comes over to Waverly's folks' house to pick her up. Her father asks Smash if he’s noticed anything different about her and then asks Smash to look out for something different, and if he sees it, to let him know.

Jason is introducing some people he plays Rugby with to Lyla. Lyla meets Susan and introduces herself as Jason’s fiancé. Jason asks the group if he has a remote chance of starting on the team, and Lyla says he’ll make the team because he was an ex-quarterback. Herc then says football is not Quad Rugby, and won’t back off Lyla about it. Susan tries to diffuse it but it gets worse when she says she should go tattoo someone else’s fiancé.

Smash is hanging out with Waverly and some friends, and they are talking about Literature and who and what they are studying. Waverly is wondering why they aren't studying black poets as well as white poets. Waverly is, indeed different - she’s the life of the party. Smash is clearly worried something is wrong - but receives one passionate kiss after another.

Julie is over Tyra’s house, where Tyra hands her a drink and Julie tells Tyra that she’s been forbidden to hang out with her. Matt and Landry show up. Landry makes a toast to Tyra. He’s happy to be in the same house as Tyra and her sister's stripper friends. Matt doesn’t want Julie to get grounded and hopes she won’t get in trouble.

All hell breaks loose when Tyra’s mother is stumbling around the house and sits down on a glass table, which shatters. She’s bleeding and Tyra has to call for help. Coach and Tami are at their dinner meeting when Tami gets a call. Julie calls Tami and tells her that she’s at the hospital with Tyra and that Tyra’s mother is at the hospital.

Smash is talking to Waverly about how different she’s acting. Waverly tells Smash that she’s been on medication and she decided to stop taking it. She was on some meds for a mood disorder. Waverly doesn’t want to take drugs anymore and doesn’t want her dad to know about it. Waverly thinks she’s fine, but Smash is a worried.

Coach Taylor comes home looking for Julie. Buddy is in the house quiet and then mentions to Coach that he knows he went to meet with Neil Kinney about the job at Texas Methodist University. Buddy read the notepad and figured out that he had a meeting. Buddy asks him if he will take the job if he’s offered it. Coach doesn’t give him an answer.

Lyla asks Jason if he loves Susan. Jason laughs it off but he’s never seen Lyla this wasted before. He laughs because she’s funny when she’s drunk, but Lyla is sad because Jason is changing - without her. Jason reassures her that he loves her and that he will fight for her, because he really does love her and want her in his life.

Tami is back at Tyra’s house and can see that the house is a mess from the party. Tyra walks out of her mother’s room and thanks Tami for showing up. Tyra is upset and wants Tami to stop pretending she cares because she won’t even let Julie hang out with her. Tami tells Tyra that Julie is changing and that was blaming Tyra for it... but it’s just that she’s growing up.

Upset that Coach Taylor is meeting with TMU, Buddy leaves the Taylor home. Coach thinks Buddy is hiding his head in football too much and maybe needs to worry more about his family. A scattered Buddy says he’ll always care about the Panthers, no matter what happens with him at home. Later, with Buddy out of there, Coach tells his wife that TMU indeed made an offer.

Smash gets a call from Waverly, who wants to know if he will come over. He makes it over to meet Waverly and he can’t find her. Eventually, he finds her... sitting on the floor, sobbing, shaking, terrified, with her hands over her face.

Show:
Friday Night Lights
Season:
Episode Number:
18
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Friday Night Lights Season 1 Episode 18 Quotes

"You're changing Jason, and it's so real... we're never going to last because I'm not changing with you."

Lyla

"You know what, Eric? I'll always care about the Panthers. Pam can cut off my head n' stick it on a pike, but I'll always care about the Panthers!"

Buddy Garrity