"Humble Pie" is an interesting title for this week's Friday Night Lights, because nobody ended up acting all that humble. Sure, Smash tried, but the kid can never swallow his pride for very long. In the end, it was more about watching the characters channel their anger into various things — some good (Tyra, Jason), and some not so good (Smash, naturally). For more on the episode, just read more.

The fallout from Smash's movie theater brouhaha is interesting, if not entirely unexpected. Stories of a black kid punching a white kid in a movie theater were sure to get out, and having the kid press charges added the dimension of media coverage. Smash did, at first, really try to eat his "humble pie" with his televised apology, but when he realized how his sister had been dragged into his mess, he couldn't stay quiet. Maybe he could have figured out a way to deal with that muckraking reporter better, but in the moment, he said the worst thing he possibly could have: that the kid didn't deserve his apology. Smash seemed concerned that his three-game suspension means the team won't get back to State, but haven't we seen them lose a lot this season? Can they even make the playoffs?

Meanwhile, Jason Street has been found, recruited by Buddy Garrity to sell cars. I like the way that Buddy, having lost control of his actual family, seems to be adopting "sons" left and right. It was nice to see Jason be good at something again, and good to see his confidence shaken without him giving up. He had to deal with being the new guy, and with being in a wheelchair — which everyone thought would get him sympathy sales — and with getting rejected by a customer who didn't want to buy, but he got through it. Even when he's barely on the show, it's hard not to root for him.

One of my favorite moments of the episode was Tami's flash of realization when Tyra reached up to put the chips away — she's tall! she can play volleyball! — and Tyra (a master of manipulation herself) understanding right away that Tami just wanted her to be a spiker. I'm not sure I buy that one halfway-good player could turn the entire volleyball team around, but hey, it's Dillon. I do like it when Tyra channels her anger productively, and slamming a volleyball at Riggins' head is definitely productive.

Some other thoughts:

  • Speaking of Riggins, I'm not sure I buy how his story wrapped up this week — even though I'm hopeful it means there will never be a ferret owner's gun pointed at his pretty little head again. How does Lyla have $3,000?

  • Lyla, by the way, may not love Riggins the way he loves her, but I do think she has feelings for him of one kind or another. And Chris is so, so vanilla — mini-golf and ice cream, seriously?
  • It was good to see Landry back to being Landry with Jean in the picture ("cool hair, huh?"), and I squealed at the mention of Crucifictorious. The last thing this show needs is another character, but Jean could become an interesting foil to Tyra.
  • I know Smash is a star while Landry is barely second-string, but all the media attention around Smash's fairly minor altercation made me wonder again why there was never any fuss about a Dillon Panther possibly killing a dude.

Your thoughts? What will Riggins try next to win Lyla over? How excited are you to finally see Matt Saracen again? And how much more trouble can Smash get into?

Photos courtesy of NBC