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he was a very funny person. Matt becomes angry at this, telling the recruiter he has never seen his father smile before in his whole life. Landry gets Matt away from the recruiter before he is allowed to say anything else, telling Matt that the next night the two of them are going out with the
Riggins brothers. At that point, Joe and J.D. McCoy show up at the house, but Matt, already angry and at a loss for words over the two of them showing up, shuts the door in their faces before walking away.
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unnecessary, and sees that Matt is too emotionally distraught to handle the situation. She tells Matt that it will be okay for him to wait outside in the car, before telling the funeral director that the two of them need to start over. At home, Matt thanks Julie for her mother's help. Julie notices that Matt is upset and asks if he is alright. Matt says that stuff like this happens and right now it's happening to him, implying that it will eventually happen to Julie.
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in the Army four times so that could escape his responsibilities without being called on it. He wonders if it is actually his father in the casket. Tim decides the four of them need to go and find out. They show up at the funeral home and Matt demands to see his father. The funeral director opens the casket, the camera only showing Matt's stunned face as he begins to cry.
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Later, a drunk Matt shows up at the Taylor house, late for the dinner that was planned for earlier that night. Unable to eat the food given to him, Matt finally breaks down. He confesses to the
Taylors that he hates his father and that all he wants to do is say it to his father's face, but he doesn't
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That night, Matt, Landry, and the
Riggins brothers go to the Panther football field to drink. Matt tells the three of them that he has to give a speech at the funeral and begins to give a speech on how his father was always miserable, had a wife who hated him, a mother who annoyed him, and reenlisted
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Other plots in this episode included Becky taking part in a local beauty pageant, Vince winning a football award and going to extreme measures to take care of his family, and Luke ending his friendship with J.D. after the events of the previous episode. Becky kisses Tim, but he rebuffs her advances.
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At the funeral, Matt gives a speech about a time when his whole family was together shopping at the supermarket and how angry his dad got over the choice of toilet paper that he decided to grab every brand he could find, calling it one of the funniest moments of his childhood. He then goes on to say
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A wake is then held at the
Saracen home. For most of the wake, Matt does not move from his chair, telling Julie that he really doesn't need to go anywhere considering everyone is coming to him. Later, Matt talks to an Army recruiter from the area, who speaks positively of Matt's father, saying that
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awarded the episode #1 in its ranking of the ten best television episodes of the year. In The Futon Critic's annual "Top 50 Episodes of the Year," "The Son" was named the #3 episode of 2009. On BuddyTV.com's own Top 50 list, the episode came in at #2. The episode was also nominated in the Drama
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The following day, Tami and Matt visit the funeral director to go over the arrangements for the funeral the next day. Matt is unable to pay attention to most of the details after learning that there will be a closed casket. Tami realizes that the closed casket makes many of the proposed details
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gave the episode a perfect 10, stating "this episode was Friday Night Lights reminding us that yes indeed, this is still one of the best shows on television – one that can pack a punch like few others can." Alan
Sepinwall of HitFix.com stated the episode "was probably the season's best balance
295:. At the start of the episode, Matt replays a video message on his computer of his father wishing him a Merry Christmas and apologizing for not being able to make it home. Landry and Julie force him to stop playing the video and watch a movie with them to get his mind off things.
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so that he could have birthdays and a childhood. Everyone begins to leave after the funeral ends, but Matt stays behind, takes a shovel from a groundskeeper and begins to bury his father, while Julie looks on in tears.
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for his performance, with over 8,000 people joining and other media outlets picking up on the campaign before nominations were announced. While
Gilford did not receive a nomination, the episode was nominated in the
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said the episode "had moments of the usual terrific FNL boisterousness, but for the most part was a solemn affair with beautifully crafted details."
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that even though his father missed many of his birthdays and most of his childhood, he is thankful that his father was a member of the
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on June 4, 2010. The episode was hailed by critics and fans as one of the strongest episodes of the series, with unanimous praise for
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Soon after the episode aired on NBC, Popeater.com launched a
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even have one. Matt then runs out of the house in tears. Eric catches up to him outside and walks him home.
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between moving lots of stories forward while still providing the show's trademark emotional wallop."
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Luke and Becky also have a one-night-stand after a chance encounter at a convenience store.
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213:. It is the 56th episode overall in the series. The episode first aired on
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While critics praised the episode as a whole, most of the praise went to
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332:"The Son" has received unanimous praise from critics. Eric Goldman of
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Episode of the Year category for the 2009-2010 Gold Derby TV Awards.
445:"Friday Night Lights: Zach Gilford, Most Valuable Player - Vulture"
493:"'Friday Night Lights,' "The Son" - The Top 10 Everything of 2010"
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category, the first time the show was nominated in the category.
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217:'s The 101 Network on December 2, 2009. It then re-aired on
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by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise.
399:"Friday Night Lights: "The Son" Review - TV Review at IGN"
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5th episode of the 4th season of Friday Night Lights
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467:"'Friday Night Lights' recap: 'The Son' rises"
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341:called the episode a "small masterpiece."
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275:Learn how and when to remove this message
1314:Friday Night Lights (TV series) episodes
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422:. Sepinwall.blogspot.com. 2009-12-02
287:The main focus of the episode is on
465:Maerz, Melissa (December 3, 2009).
443:Greenwald, Andy (3 December 2009).
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1324:Television episodes about funerals
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1319:2009 American television episodes
491:Poniewozik, James (2010-12-09).
250:too long or excessively detailed
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780:Are You Ready for Friday Night?
676:What to Do While You're Waiting
1260:Television soundtrack (Vol. 2)
1255:Television soundtrack (Vol. 1)
919:It Ain't Easy Being J.D. McCoy
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683:Little Girl I Wanna Marry You
1106:The Right Hand of the Father
704:Black Eyes and Broken Hearts
246:This episode's plot summary
829:There Goes the Neighborhood
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1044:The Lights in Carroll Park
711:I Think We Should Have Sex
371:Writing for a Drama Series
77:December 2, 2009
1099:On the Outside Looking In
843:Who Do You Think You Are?
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954:A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
912:Every Rose Has Its Thorn
898:How the Other Half Lives
662:It's Different for Girls
926:Keeping Up Appearances
495:. TIME. Archived from
360:Awards and nominations
1002:In the Skin of a Lion
1009:A Sort of Homecoming
864:May the Best Man Win
499:on December 13, 2010
471:Entertainment Weekly
347:Entertainment Weekly
172:A Sort of Homecoming
857:Leave No One Behind
815:Seeing Other People
766:Last Days of Summer
725:Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
572:Friday Night Lights
210:Friday Night Lights
58:Allison Liddi-Brown
33:Friday Night Lights
933:New York, New York
801:How Did I Get Here
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1229:Lyla Garrity
1209:Jason Street
1204:Matt Saracen
1113:Keep Looking
1092:Expectations
1072:Thanksgiving
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634:El Accidente
613:Wind Sprints
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501:. Retrieved
497:the original
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424:. Retrieved
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403:. Retrieved
401:. TV.ign.com
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354:Zach Gilford
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317:Armed Forces
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112:Lyla Garrity
103:Matt Saracen
99:Zach Gilford
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1293:Gary Gaines
1243:Soundtracks
1224:Tami Taylor
1219:Tim Riggins
1199:Eric Taylor
1058:Injury List
1037:Toilet Bowl
808:Pantherama!
655:Full Hearts
627:Git'er Done
476:October 18,
447:. Nymag.com
339:NY Magazine
129:Kim Dickens
123:Brad Leland
117:Alicia Witt
108:Minka Kelly
68:Rolin Jones
54:Directed by
1308:Categories
1191:Characters
1030:In the Bag
850:Humble Pie
641:Homecoming
503:2012-05-09
451:2012-05-09
426:2012-05-09
405:2012-05-09
384:References
366:Emmy Award
343:Ken Tucker
265:March 2020
81:2009-12-02
64:Written by
1162:The March
1148:Gut Check
961:Underdogs
773:Bad Ideas
669:Nevermind
531:"The Son"
521:"The Son"
328:Reception
49:Episode 5
1155:Don't Go
1141:Fracture
1083:Season 5
1065:Laboring
979:Season 4
875:Season 3
787:Backfire
757:Season 2
732:Mud Bowl
697:Blinders
590:Season 1
581:Episodes
167:Previous
41:Episode
1269:Related
1120:Kingdom
1051:I Can't
1016:The Son
255:Please
248:may be
215:DirecTV
205:The Son
180: →
165:←
79: (
36:episode
24:The Son
1176:Always
1127:Swerve
746:State
599:Pilot
1276:Film
1023:Stay
535:IMDb
527:.com
478:2019
377:Time
293:Iraq
229:Plot
184:Stay
178:Next
533:at
525:NBC
523:at
345:of
334:IGN
219:NBC
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