Idylls of Tim Riggins

[k4writer02]

Title: Idylls of Tim Riggins

Author: k4writer02, Kate

Fandom: Friday Night Lights

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I disclaim.

Characters: Tim Riggins, Julie Taylor, ensemble mentions

Summary: Tim hates English; all the books have morals. Tim thinks about Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere and spends time with Julie.

Tim Riggins hates English

Comments

[devilc]

I've been really busy for the past few days, but I finally made time to sit down and read this from stem to stern.

First off, bits and pieces of your depiction of Tim don't quite jybe with my take on the character, but I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong ... just that his voice is a skoosh "off" to me in a few places.

But you are dead on that he's actually smarter than most people give him credit for.

I found that thing with Lois not even registering on his radar LOL funny, and that line about how Lois was looking at him like Ferret Guy completely creepy -- in the good way.

But what makes this story really work is that, in a way, it apes the first season in the way that all these things happen to Tim and then episode #11, Nevermind, happens. You bring us into Tim's world at school and pull in other threads from this season and then pull out Idylls and show quite deftly how well the themes in it relate to what's been going on in Tim's life ... and then to have Tim come to realize it in his own way. Well done.

I also like the interaction between Tim and Julie. You really capture what it was like to study back in High School. How the conversation weaves into and out of the topic at hand. I really like how Tim asks her a direct question about Noah Barnett -- how he framed it, when he popped it, and her reaction was spot on.

Oh, and his reaction to Julie talking about the possiblity of Arthur/Guin/Lancelot? Snerk!

So, in a nutshell: A very good idea, well executed. I look forward to reading more stories by you.

[k4writer02]

Thanks so much for coming back to read the story, and for reading it all the way through. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

I admit the Tim voice is probably off-register in a few places--it's the first time I've written him, and it's hard to put myself in teenage boy shoes. I probably should've taken more time and revised and picked at it, but I wanted to post it Friday for UFFD. Next time will be better.

I'm really glad you also think he's smarter than he gets credit for. I think Tim is lazy because he can be, and that he doesn't say much and what he does say comes out wrong half the time, but there is some kind of internal monologue in there.

Thanks so much for saying the story apes Season 1 and Nevermind. It was watching deleted scenes from that that got me thinking this direction--glad it shows. And after Backfire/Let's Get it On, I started thinking about Tim, Lyla, and Jason as the OT3 of FNL, which somehow got me to Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot. Thanks for liking the Tim and Julie and high school, and the questioning--you really notice a lot! I liked the "insta-sibling" vibe I got from watching them (I'm borrowing the term "insta-sibling" from leobrat's permission to exist series).

In a nutshell, thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging feedback! I appreciate it so much, and hope you do read the next FNL things I write.