I have noticed some significant discrepencies in story lines in this show.

First is about Smash's scholarship. He was planning on going to Whitmore at the end of season 2. The college recruiter who came to his house said they do not offer athletic scholarships, but he could get an academic scholarship and they would love to have him play football there. Given this, he could not have lost his scholarship because of a knee injury.

Second, Lyla has been a senior for three years now. In season one she was in the counselor's office talking about college. She said she thought, before Jason's injury when he was going to go to Notre Dame, that she would go to St. Mary's part time and then enroll full time once Jason got settled in as college football was a big adjustment from high school. This proves she was in the same year as Jason. If he had gone to Notre Dame, and she was only a senior now, he would be in his third year of college by the time she started so she wouldn't be here for this "settling in" period.

Tim was also suggested to be at least a junior, and possibly a senior, in season one. He and Billy went to the Taylors' house for dinner after the homecoming game to talk about Tim possibly playing in college because Billy knew the scouts had seen him at the homecoming game.

Mrs. Taylor also talked to Tyra about college prospects in season one, which seems too earlyif she was a sophomore then, but I don't know if there was any explicit proof of her age.

Also, this is an old one, but still worth noting. In season one Tim and Lyla go to Jason's wheelchair rugby game on a Thursday. That is at the end of an episode. The next show opens showing 2 different church scenes on a Sunday, but the Panthers did not play a game in between Thursday and Sunday. They had already had a bye week earlier in the season. It doesn't make sense that there would be another one so soon after, and I know there wasn't a game that they just didn't show because the team's record is mentioned in a later show.

professor you made some strong very valid points. There's more if we really want to dig in into it but I think that majority of FNL fans decided to forgive these "discrepancies." We're just really happy the show is back.

I am with you Maya on that note. The show is really great and if we start to look for all of the things that may or may not fit we would all be crazy! I think we are happy just to see Dillon and the people who live there again.

We are all happy to see the show back. That being said, it's also been a favorite pastime on this forum to find those little discrepencies and idiosyncracies that make us scratch our collective head.

I too have been intrigued by why Smash lost an academic scholarship due to a knee injury that kept him from playing football, not from studying.

We've all scratched our heads over the grade level of all of the students in this show. I do think this is one we'll just have to get over and forgive because I don't think it will ever change - but it sure is fun to discuss, no?.

Oh, and .... *waves*

Hey Prof, it's good to see you. You haven't been around in a while.

Smash had Knee surgery and that takes time to heal about a year or so, and that small black college - Whitmore - wasnt willing to pay for a players education and not play. While it would be officially a academic scholarship, it still would be connected to football. Major colleges have used this as a loop hole to get more players to commit.

Maya,

You know that I think you are great and we have agreed on much, but I don't agree with you here. I am a details freak. It just takes a little bit of effort to do the small things correctly. Just find a person and hire them to make sure that there is continuity in the show.

It ruins my suspension of disbelief when I am hit in the face with contradictions. I started laughing when I saw that Tim and Lyla are still in High School. It was certainly implied that they were seniors in season 1, and definitely not implied that they were sophomores. Am I to believe that a powerhouse high school football program in Texas has a sophomore on the varsity who is half committed? He was also treated like a team leader in season 1. Anyone who has been around high school football knows that a coach would not treat a sophomore like that.

As I mentioned in another post, it is almost as if they have new writers in season 3 who have said that they will try to be realistic from this point forward. There is less "fake stuff" than in the past. The way the football games are presented still drives me nuts. The play calls do not match the situations and the whole thing usually does not resemble realistic football. It would not take much to fix this, either.

It has been my experience, both as a student and parent of two athletes in Texas, that it does not matter which grade the student, the best players start. The player that can deliver the win plays.

Nice to see you back, blitzkrieg. As a details freak, you must have been cringing with the show's disjointed presentation. I agree of course that it takes but a small effort to find someone to ensure continuity in the show- a small detail that seemed to have escaped the producers. It is my opinion and
this of course is just speculating on my part that the powers that be didn't really expect this show to go beyond season one and when it did, they were unprepared. Take the case of my(our) favorite characters-Tim and Lyla- I don't think they expected them to have that much effect on the viewers or at least it wasn't the reaction they expected. They probably had to rewrite quite a few details, heck, a lot of details with their storyline. Also, if they were to follow logic to a T, there would have been new characters introduced by now. There is no reason for Tim, Lyla and the rest to hang around unless they pull the storyline away from football/ the high school.
I'm just truly happy the show is back at least for S3, I can forgive. S4 will be a different matter. Nice to see you posting again,blitzkrieg.

Do they ever show what happens to the kid that lived with Buddy? he was hispanic, I cant think of his name atm, I THINK it was like Santiago or something, but anyway he seemed like he was a good character who had room to grow or atleast have interesting stories

I have noticed many discrepancies in the show... We won't know the reasoning to all of this, but I can say that S2 and the writer's strike, uncertainty of coming back, and being able to have people sign on without the full support of a network... They are obviously trying to get the show in contract and if that means starting different stotylines or adjusting characters for optimal interest. I love the cinematography and creation of the show... It has promise, it remains to be seen if they can work out the kinks as far as high school characters in and out in future (seasons - which I hope will happen)... Coach is what this needs to revolve around and developing characters on/off the team in the town. We'll see if it works out...?

First of all I play high school football at DeMatha Catholic where non other than the real coach Bill McGregor (form the first few episodes of season 2) is the head coach. second of all, why are Tim Riggins and Lyla Gherity still in high school. Weren't they in the same class as Jason Street or at the most they were only one year behind him, but I really like those characters so i glad to see them back.

Technically, only Division I schools are allowed to give out athletic scholarships. However, plenty of other schools give out "academic" scholarships that are clearly for athletes that can't spell the words academic or scholarship. I'm not surprised Smash's scholarship was revoked once he got hurt and I wouldn't count that as a discrepency. On that note, if you want complete continuity in everything you watch, you should turn off the tv.

To the_professor:

As I am also a detail freak, have you noticed that Asst. Principal Trux is a female in S1 and a male in S3? In season 1, episode 'El Accidente' when the announcement that voodoo was deemed eligible came over the intercom, it is a ladies voice. Now in S3, the asst principal is a man (obviously done to contrast Tammie as the female principal). Totally not a big deal I know and I have read the other blogs about how discrepancies in the show should be overlooked. Believe me, I have been a huge fan of this show since day 1, it's just the more you watch the shows (as I am now watching S1 for the 4th time), it's fun for some to point out a few minor oddities.

Well, remember Saved By The Bell, I think they were in high school for about 7 or 8 years. :-)
I'm just glad the show's back, we love it!!

I think they are trying to orchestrate the plays so as to make sure no one gets hurt. These are actors not football players in mid season shape. IMHO

I agree. It was an interesting story line. He was pulled between two worlds.

It would be good if when this season's DVD comes out, they have some extra footage shot where the characters tell us what supposedly happened between S2 and S3. The plot lines that were left unfilmed due to the writer's strike. They could do it as a reminiscence, or a flashback. It would help alot.

Hi everyone!

I'm new to FNL fan club...I actually came across this show online and spent a few days in bed "sick" watching it...I became addicted from the first episode. I have just finished up season 2 and began watching season 3 and I'm REALLY confused. Did I miss a few episodes out there? We leave season 2 in the middle of the school year and begin 3 with Mrs Taylor as the principal, smash out, Lyla and Tim getting it on, and Landry and Tyra broken up....what the hell did I miss? If someone could please explain what happened, that would be great! Thanx!

Check out the following topics and all or most of your questions will be answered.

Episode 3.01

FNL on DirecTV

It'll Be Back!