Jumping the Gun (Friday Night Lights)
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| "Jumping the Gun" | |
|---|---|
| Friday Night Lights episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Dan Attias |
| Written by | |
| Cinematography by | Todd McMullen |
| Editing by | Stephen Michael |
| Original release date | January 11, 2008 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Jumping the Gun" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the American sports drama television series Friday Night Lights, inspired by the 1990 nonfiction book by H. G. Bissinger. It is the 33rd overall episode of the series and was written by consulting producers Patrick Massett and John Zinman, and directed by Dan Attias. It originally aired on NBC on January 11, 2008.
The series is set in the fictional town of Dillon, a small, close-knit community in rural West Texas. It follows a high school football team, the Dillon Panthers. It features a set of characters, primarily connected to Coach Eric Taylor, his wife Tami, and their daughter Julie. In the episode, Smash faces pressure from colleges who are looking for a verbal commitment. Meanwhile, Eric faces problems with both Tim and Shelley, while the Panthers prepare to face Laribee.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 5.80 million household viewers and gained a 2.0 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances (particularly Kyle Chandler), but criticized the writing and rushed storylines.
Smash (Gaius Charles) starts receiving National Letter of Intent offers from many colleges, and consults with Noelle (Jana Kramer) to consider the best possible options. Eric (Kyle Chandler) tells an awake Julie (Aimee Teegarden) that he is sorry for letting Tim (Taylor Kitsch) move in with them.
Shelley (Jessalyn Gilsig) is delighted when she officially gets her real estate licence, but the Taylors are not happy when she plans to use the house's phone line to make calls. When she accidentally tapes an episode of The Office over a game film Eric intended to study, Eric scolds her and asks her when she plans to leave. A devastated Shelley decides to leave the house, apologizing to Tami (Connie Britton) for her behavior. Eric also has to deal with Smash's ambitions, as he feels he is prioritizing his football career over his education, and asks him to consider what his mother believes is better for himself.
Tim goes back home, finding the place trashed. He finds Jackie (Brooke Langton), revealing that she broke up with Billy (Billy Phillips) as he lost his job, and she cannot deal with two mortgages. Tim meets up with Billy, who apologizes for getting involved with Jackie and failing him as his brother. Tim accepts this, and both reconcile. Julie also visits Tim, apologizing for everything that happened at her house, as she is frightened of angering her parents. Nevertheless, Julie confesses the events of the party to Eric, telling him that Tim was saving her. That night, Tim and Billy go to his roommate's house to get his stuff back. During this, Tim discovers $3,000 stashed, and decides to take it to pay the mortgage, despite Billy's concern that they are stealing from a drug dealer.
The game between Dillon and Laribee turns aggressive, culminating with Donald (Billy Thornton) gets into the field to tackle Tim. The game is suspended, with the Panthers receiving the win for Donald's behavior. When Eric angrily confronts Donald, he finds that Donald's wife only has three months to live, which has been consuming him. Tami reconciles with Shelley, who says she will move to Dallas for a new beginning. Smash decides to accept an offer from TMU, which is one of his dreams. Eric apologizes to Tim for misjudging him, as well as his harsh treatment for the past weeks. After Eric talks with Julie over her actions at the party, they join Tami in watching Foul Play at home.
Production
Development
In December 2007, NBC announced that the eleventh episode of the season would be titled "Jumping the Gun".[1] The episode was written by consulting producers Patrick Massett and John Zinman, and directed by Dan Attias. This was Massett's fifth writing credit, Zinman's fifth writing credit, and Attias' first directing credit.[2]