“I’m going to miss you, Coach Taylor.”
That is probably one of the many statements I would make to Coach Eric Taylor…if he was real. Unfortunately, he is a fictional character from the TV series Friday Night Lights. It was a series that I enjoyed for five years, and sadly, it ended a few weeks ago.
Friday Night Lights was easily one of my favorite shows of the past five years. The messages of the show appeal to me because I played high school football. What made FNL so enticing, though, was its universal attraction to anyone who experienced high school. There are so many factors that contribute to a teenager’s journey from kid to young adult through those four years. FNL captured these aspects skillfully on camera with a talented cast (Kyle Chandler plays a very convincing football coach) and perfect setting. Having the show set in Texas, where football is a second religion, opened many doors for the writers. They were able to interweave some very important themes into FNL, and here are a few that I picked up on throughout its five year run:
Importance of Youth
This show was crammed with actors playing teenagers (Sophomore Tim Riggins was a bit unbelievable, but necessary nonetheless). These teens are faced with problems that are easy to relate to, and some that are not. Sure, most of the struggles these characters go through are football related. It is, after all, a program centered around the sport. These problems, though, are presented in the midst of the chaos that is high school. Do you remember some of the stuff you went through at your old alma mater? Realistically, those events and tribulations are what shaped you into the person you are today. Whether it was Matt Saracen’s transformation from an uncertain, weak, backup QB to an independent artist or Jason Street’s bumpy and windy life-course; the beauty of not missing out on the youth experience reigns supreme in FNL.
Family and Sacrifice
On the flip-side of the importance of youth is the value of family and the sacrifice that comes with it. There are many different family dynamics throughout the show. The control group would be Coach Taylor’s family: a career-driven husband, a hard-working wife, a teenage daughter, and a young toddler. The Taylor family works through their problems as a unit and often resolves them for the better of the whole. Then there is the loose unit of Tim Riggins and older brother Billy. This is an “anything goes” arrangement where no one is really in charge. The Riggins do go through some hard times and Tim even shacks up with the Taylors for a brief stint. Throughout all the turmoil, the brothers stay together and strengthen their relationship. And lastly, Matt Saracen only has his mentally unstable and completely dependent grandmother. Saracen’s father is away at war and his mother comes into the series later. In all situations, sacrifice is pivotal for the benefit of the family. The three Taylor women are usually the ones making concessions for their provider’s career, but Coach Taylor supports his family and guides them through many tough circumstances. Tim Riggins proves to be extremely honorable and makes a huge sacrifice when he takes the blame for an illegal chop-shop Billy was running. The kicker is that Tim did it so Billy could raise his newborn son. Saracen sacrifices a normal high school experience so he can take care of the only family member who didn’t leave him. The family bond is very important in a person’s life, no matter what shape or form it takes. It is necessary to forfeit some normalcy to make room for the people you love.
Home and Achievement
This is perhaps the most important theme in FNL. Although some aspects of the show are unbelievable; that is not the point. It is a TV series that praises the human spirit and what’s attainable. FNL stresses the importance of figuring out what you want to reach for beyond the confines of your hometown. All of the young characters feel the pressure of being trapped in Dillon. It’s a very relatable anxiety to have as a teenager. At that point in time, there is only the present; aging and the future can wait. Characters leave the town (and show) eventually, but in one way or another, they always return to their hometown. Jason Street comes back to discuss business with Coach Taylor, and even Tyra Collette, the once and future flame of Tim Riggins, returns in the final season to offer some insight on her hometown,
“It's kind of like this drug: when you get outside of it, you see it for what it really is. But when you're in it…seems like there's no other possible reality.”
That is exactly the point. There are possible realities beyond high school. There’s more to life than the game of football and winning state championships. Connections and relationships with people are what support us when we’re young, but the belief in self is what reassures us as we get older. You can’t escape your hometown. Physically, you can move away, but who you are will always reflect your place of origin.
Texas forever…or at least until the lights go out.
