I’ve been meaning to write about this episode for a while, and given that MaggieCat’s just given an overview of the character, now is as good a time as any.

As MaggieCat’s article suggests, Lyla Garrity becomes an extremely complex character in ways that my reduced expectations of television shows have come to see as rather unique. Being punished for sexual choices is different for girls, and this show gets that. While both Lyla and Tim are punished, made aware of … READ MORE

When I started writing about Friday Night Lights, I knew at some point I’d have to say something about Lyla Garrity- she’s one of the most prominent female characters in the show. I kept putting it off, because I didn’t like her much. And not in the ‘you’re not supposed to like her’ way like Tyra’s mother Angela, but the ‘either make her shut up or go away’ way. I started to like her a little by the end … READ MORE

The pilot of Gossip Girl contains an attempted rape scene full of the standard problems with the portrayal of sexual violence on TV. By coincidence, immediately after watching this episode, I finally got around to watching the episode of Friday Night Lights containing the attempted rape scene (discussed by MaggieCat here and here). The contrast between the two really highlights a lot of what many of us have been trying to say about the acceptable vs. unacceptable ways to write … READ MORE

(Continued from Part 1)

The first time we saw Tyra afterwards was in the next episode when Landry went to check on her after she wasn’t in school for two days. She hasn’t told anyone what happened, her mother is away caring for a sick aunt (although her mother probably wouldn’t be of much help anyway) and she doesn’t plan to and orders him not to either. I’ll admit that I don’t know if there’s a clear answer here- … READ MORE

I’ve been debating how to write this piece for a couple of weeks now. After the many, many occasions when this site has criticized fictional portrayals of sexual assault (most of which I’ve agreed with) I wasn’t entirely sure how to address the idea that a show had done so in a way I felt was actually done well. I’m still not positive I’ve managed it, but I think it’s worth a shot. Yes, it’s another post … READ MORE

Tami Taylor might just be my favorite TV mom of all time. In a show that ostensibly revolves around the high school football team, convention would have led me to expect the coach’s wife to be there mainly as a form of support for him. Tami is one of the most supportive characters in the cast, but she’s far more involved than that.

Tami is a guidance counselor at the high school, and is one of the few people who is … READ MORE

On any show other than Friday Night Lights Tyra Collette would be the one-dimensional ‘bad girl’- one night stands, doesn’t care about school, older sister’s a stripper-but no one on FNL is that easy to categorize. We finally got to see her home situation last week, and met her mother. The first scene had her mother’s boyfriend critiquing the jeans Tyra’s wearing and commenting that “You ladies have a genetically superior ass. Runs in the family.” Well … READ MORE