No matter how prolific Jason Street’s final words of ‘Give it a chance’ may be, odds are NBC will never give Friday Night Lights that last chance. So for now, we can only assume that this was not only the second season finale, but unfortunately the series finale as well. Definitely nowhere near as good as last week’s stellar episode, but ‘May the Best Man Win’ ranks up there as one of the best episodes of season two.

Not only did we see some actual football, we got resolution to Smash’s strung out racism arc. He’s going to Whitmore, just like Mama Smash always wanted. And no matter how depressed he is by the decision, Mama was right, ‘When God closes a door, he opens a window.’ Smash should know by now to always listen to Mama. Whitmore seems like the perfect choice for the newly humbled Smash, a school that will appreciate his skills and give him more than ample field time to show his worth to the NFL. Certainly a step up from the arena football league that was touting a $14,000 offer.

The football was short and sweet, but it offered us the image of baby Gracie in a full body pink snowsuit. If this show is done, one of the things I’ll miss most is the utter quirkiness that was baby Gracie. The kid had spunk, and some seriously huge eyes. It was great to see an actual plot revolve around the Taylor’s this week, and Tammy just walking out on Eric and Mo fighting? Any other show would have milked Mo’s return as a chance to create some serious marital drama, but on FNL, all a fight did was encourage Tammy to make Eric’s next day hangover a little worse. It’s just refreshing to know that no matter what may have happened on the show, Eric and Tammy would always remain a constant, something so few shows would dare to do.

Also constant? Tim’s courting of Lyla. The previously quiet Tim is not only making wooing old ladies at church a weekly part of his routine, but he’s now got his own show on Lyla’s station, much to the delight of the women of Dillon. Lyla is of course smitten with Chris, his perfect hair, ranch and family. I’m not sold on their relationship, largely because Chris just seems a little too perfect. There’s no doubt that if the show were to continue, Tim would eventually get Lyla back. That’s what makes the plot feel thin, at least with Landry’s love triangle Jean was a worthy competitor. Chris doesn’t make any sense, nor does Tim’s continued longing for Lyla.

Just like Tyra and Landry’s relationship doesn’t make any sense to Matt. And of course, why would it? As much as we all balked about the murder plot, it’s the only reason their current relationship works.  It was refreshing to see Matt and Landry ribbing each other about their love lives, and the nerd in me was happy to see Landry putting together his Guitar Hero guitar. And Landry whispering about Tyra’s skills in the boudoir? Perfectly Landry and a definite laugh out loud moment.  I really hope it’s not the last funny Landry moment we get.

And then there’s Jason, off in his own plot completely separated from everyone else in Dillon. The writers have been struggling to find a place for Jason ever since he quit coaching and I’m really not fond of the pregnancy being used to reassure his manhood. Despite Eric telling him the importance of family, I don’t think Jason gets it.

That doesn’t matter though, because we may never know what Erin’s final decision ended up being, just like we’ll never know if Dillon will make it to State again, if Tyra will get bored of Landry and bolt, or if Matt and Julie will make their way back to one another. ‘May the Best Man Win’ wasn’t intended to provide any sort of closure, it was just meant to be the middle. A middle we may never get. Here’s hoping Friday Night Lights ends up somewhere next season, anywhere, because in the words of Lorelai Gilmore, ‘I want a middle.’

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