The Televangelist: 'Friday Night Lights' Season 4, Episode 4
"A Sort of Homecoming" shifted the focus off the struggling East Dillon Lions for a moment to investigate the lives of some other Dillon denizens.
I was happy to see "A Sort of Homecoming" shift the focus off the struggling East Dillon Lions for a moment to investigate the lives of some other Dillon denizens. Not to say prior episodes this season have completely neglected Riggins and Saracen and the others, but their moments have been but small blips and quips as opposed to Coach Taylor's Epic Struggle to bring the Lions some legitimacy. For the first time this season we were entirely focused on the east side of life (with one notable exception), leaving the suddenly rich and successful west side of town alone (oh, excuse me: West Dillon had an economic boom in the 1980s and has, apparently a mall. The expansion of this town and its sudden backstories is increasingly unbelievable, and the show's largest folly).
An episode like "A Sort of Homecoming" is simply a set-up piece. Now that we have Vince and Luke learning Valuable Lessons about teamwork, and some of the racial issues have simmered (though not all - Landry might face some unfortunate reactions from his "not dating" Jess), it's time to look to the future. Will Matt Saracen stay in Dillon forever? Will Julie go far away to college? Will Tami be forced out of her role as principal? Will Riggins ever get his act together?