MovieChat Forums > Friday Night Lights (2006) Discussion > (Spoiler Alert) Riggins, the trailer and...

(Spoiler Alert) Riggins, the trailer and the mattress

posted 9 years ago by patriciaalpine
5 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this phenomenal series on Netflix. In Season 5 (cannot recall exact episode) when Riggins breaks into the AirStream he abruptly exits the trailer in the middle-of-the-night and drags his mattress outside. I am pretty sure he said "Get off of me". Did anyone else notice this? I think he had been having a nightmare about his time in prison. I think this scene alludes to the fact that he had experienced trauma while he was incarcerated.

[–] jingles173 9 years ago

I've watched this series several times and I'm not sure lol I thought it was bc the mother tried to get with him or was it becky I'll have to look.

[–] marshreed 9 years ago

Glad you both posted. One of the show's few flaws is how they handled Tim Riggins after his release from prison. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. I'm sure the writers were trying to tell us something but the message simply wasn't clear.

[–] symphonyOFsilence 9 years ago

I agree this is one of the few flaws. I wish his character had more resolution after his release. In this scene it implies there may have been at least some sexual advances by other inmates, but he tells Tyra in about two episodes later that he wasn't sexually assaulted while in prison. It's clear though that he had a difficult time and hasn't recovered yet, it's just not clear what exactly happened.

[–] faulknerster 9 years ago

I thought the writers handled Tim's release pretty well. Whatever he experienced in prison was not meant to be known, but I think it's fair to assume he did not have fun. Divulging details of prison would have just added an unnecessary about of melodrama to finals episodes, and I appreciate that the writers went the "show don't tell" route. However, he was mostly sulky about having spent so much of his life sacrificing for his brother (not just prison) and was confused/frustrated with what to do with his life going forward. By the end of the series he has embraced the "simple life" but also the straight and narrow. He accepts that Dillon is where he belongs and finally makes no apologies for it. His ending was one of the show's least ambiguous unless you're wondering with who he ended up with romantically.

[–] tukai 9 years ago

^ this response is spot on