Lyla Garrity (portrayed by Minka Kelly) is a main character in the first three seasons of the television show, Friday Night Lights. Lyla is the daughter of Buddy Garrity and Pam Garrity. She attended Dillon High School, where she was a cheerleader. She has a reputation for being a spoiled good girl.
Personality and Traits[]
Appearance[]
Relationships[]
- Main article: Lyla's Relationships
During her time on the series, Lyla had more romantic interests than actual friendships. The only other female character she interacted with the most is Tyra and that relationship was never a friendly one until after the first season. She has a good relationship with her family, especially her father until his affair was revealed.
Buddy Garrity[]
Lyla was very close to her dad, that is until she found out he was cheating on her mom with Angela Collette. This revelation put a strain on their relationship that was never fully repaired. Didn't help that Buddy spent Lyla's college fund on shady business.
Pam Garrity[]
Lyla and her mom got along. Lyla was supportive of her mom during the revelation of her father cheating
Buddy Garrity Jr.[]
Tabby Garrity[]
Kevin Turner[]
In typical 'child of divorce' fashion, Lyla was very hostile towards Kevin when he started dating her mother after her parents' divorce. She did eventually warm up to him and supported her mom's marriage to him.
Appearances[]
Season 1 | |
Pilot | Debut |
Eyes Wide Open | Appears |
Wind Sprints | Appears |
Who's Your Daddy? | Appears |
Git'er Done | Appears |
El Accidente | Appears |
Homecoming | Appears |
Crossing the Line | Appears |
Full Hearts | Appears |
It's Different for Girls | Appears |
Nevermind | Appears |
What to Do While You're Waiting | Appears |
Little Girl I Wanna Marry You | Appears |
Upping the Ante | Appears |
Blinders | Appears |
Black Eyes and Broken Hearts | Appears |
I Think We Should Have Sex | Appears |
Extended Families | Appears |
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes | Appears |
Mud Bowl | Appears |
Best Laid Plans | Appears |
State | Appears |
Season 2 | |
Last Days of Summer | Appears |
Bad Ideas | Appears |
Are You Ready for Friday Night? | Appears |
Backfire | Appears |
Let's Get It On | Appears |
How Did I Get Here? | Appears |
Pantherama! | Appears |
Seeing Other People | Appears |
The Confession | Appears |
There Goes the Neighborhood | Appears |
Jumping the Gun | Absent |
Who Do You Think You Are? | Appears |
Humble Pie | Appears |
Leave No One Behind | Appears |
May the Best Man Win | Appears |
Season 3 | |
I Knew You When | Appears |
Tami Knows Best | Appears |
How the Other Half Lives | Appears |
Hello, Goodbye | Appears |
Every Rose Has Its Thorn | Appears |
It Ain't Easy Being J.D. McCoy | Appears |
Keeping Up Appearances | Appears |
New York, New York | Absent |
Game of the Week | Appears |
The Giving Tree | Appears |
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall | Appears |
Underdogs | Appears |
Tomorrow Blues | Appears |
Season 4 | |
East of Dillon | Absent |
After the Fall | Absent |
In the Skin of a Lion | Absent |
A Sort of Homecoming | Absent |
The Son | Appears |
Stay | Final |
In the Bag | Absent |
Toilet Bowl | Absent |
The Lights in Carroll Park | Absent |
I Can't | Absent |
Injury List | Absent |
Laboring | Absent |
Thanksgiving | Absent |
Quotes[]
Season One[]
Lyla is a bubbly, smart, popular cheerleader who is completely in love with Panthers quarterback and captain Jason Street. When Jason is hurt during the first game of the season and it is discovered he'll never have the use of his legs, Lyla tries to find comfort in her faith and becomes convinced a cure can be found for her high school sweetheart. Her hope alienates her from Jason, who is angry at the world and annoyed with her incessant optimism.
While Jason is in the hospital, she begins an affair with Jason's best friend Tim after confronting him about why he refuses to visit Jason.
Jason discovers the affair and breaks up with Lyla, also ending his friendship with Tim. Lyla is shattered and ashamed, and the entire school looks down at her.
She repeatedly apologizes to Jason, who realizes he still loves her and eventually takes her back. Jason proposes to her and she accepts. However, some tensions arise between the two when Lyla isn't supportive of Jason's dream to play professional quad rugby and feels like she doesn't know him anymore. When Lyla's family is falling apart, Jason is too busy down in Austin, which only makes things worse.
Lyla drives to visit Jason in Austin and becomes jealous of Suzy Quinlan, a cute tattoo artist whom Jason has become close with. Although Jason promises there isn't anything between them, Lyla finds them kissing and breaks off the engagement.
Furious at her father for his affair, Lyla wrecks his dealership. The stress of Lyla's life takes a toll on her, and she quits the cheerleading team.
Season Two[]
Lyla rediscovers her faith over the summer and is baptized during the first episode of the season, becoming a born-again Christian.
She begins dating Chris Kennedy, who she meets while doing a Christian Radio Show, and they both attend the same church.
Tim realizes that he's in love with Lyla and professes his feelings for her. She is reluctant to accept them.
Season Three[]
Lyla is in a relationship with Tim, but her ambition and desire to attend Vanderbilt University conflicts with Tim's contentment with his life and desire to stay in Dillon. Lyla briefly commits to San Antonio State University to be with Tim, much to her father's displeasure. However, when Lyla's father, Buddy Garrity, loses all of her college money, she is unsure of how she would even be able to afford Vanderbilt. Nevertheless, Lyla ultimately manages to attend Vanderbilt.