Annnnd we’re dead.
Ohhhh! How can something that hurts so much feel so good at the same time? That’s what we’re trying to figure out with NBC’s Parenthood and Friday Night Lights crossover webisode, Friday Night at The Luncheonette.
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It’s all a little trippy. While Parenthood is on an Olympic break, Amber (Mae Whitman) is using The Luncheonette as a chance to try out her record-producing chops. Her first guerrilla-style recording session: Crucifictorious, who you may remember as Landry’s Christian speed-metal band on Friday Night Lights. According to Landry (Jesse Plemons), they managed to sell a song for a commercial and these days they’re playing more mellow, folk-rock, art-pop music… with metal undertones, of course.
When news of this holy mash-up was announced, we were also promised a visit from Billy Riggins (Derek Phillips) and NBC held true to their word. The recording session was supposed to be top secret, but it turned out quite the opposite. First, Amber is stuck watching Max for longer than she planned, so he acts as a cellphone-video documentarian for the entire session. Most importantly, though, during the band’s recording session, Billy shows up. He brings with him a couple dozen Crucifictorious fans and they proceed to trash the place.
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We know what you’re thinking: Why Billy and not Tim?
The obvious reason for this is because Tim has better stuff to do with his time than hang out with Landry (i.e. Taylor Kitsch is busy with something more important). Also, it just makes more sense that Billy would be the one to crash a party (any party) more than Tim. Especially as he turned over a new leaf as Friday NightLights came to an end.
Tim wasn’t ignored completely, though. Toward the end of the episode, the Riggins name seems to register with Amber and she asks Billy if he’s Tim’s brother. It sounds like the two hooked up at some point. Is that possibly how Amber knows Landry? When the band first showed up at The Luncheonette, Amber referred to them as “Becky’s friends.” Landry and the gang all went to school with a Becky, if you remember the later seasons. As a matter of fact, Becky and Tim were pretty close. Perhaps that’s how she knows Becky and how Becky introduced Amber to Crucifictorious.
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Then, again, Amber’s ex-fiancé, Ryan, was played by Matt Lauria, who played Luke Cafferty on Friday Night Lights. Luke and Becky were very much an item. Is it possible that Ryan and Luke are actually the same person or twin brothers? After such a crazy, mixed-up, wonderful crossover, we wouldn’t count anything out of the question. It still seems more likely that Amber and Becky are friends through Tim, though.
No matter how absolutely bizarre this Parenthood and Friday Night Lights mash-up seems, it’s equally as awesome. It was great to see two of our favorite former Panthers again, and to see that East Dillon Lions T-shirt on Amber. This crossover needs to find a way to continue. Hopefully there’s more to come.
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