Sunday, December 12, 2010

Friday Night Lights: the best show NOT being watched, period!

These days of reality television such as American Idol, Survivor, Dancing With The Stars and Bad Girls Club has wreaked havoc on certain quality shows, almost killing off traditional sitcoms. However, hour-long dramas are still relevant. HBO and TNT has been featuring these for years. Now the CW has followed suit. Shows such as True Blood, NCIS, and the now-canceled 24 and Lost captivate the main-stream audience. Episodes of such dramas contain so much info, action and suspense that each week is almost like a movie. Well the 5 year old drama Friday Night Lights definitely falls in this category. Problem is, not many folks are taking note of it, or paying it any attention.

If you could put a single series right now under the word "unsung" in the dictionary, it would definitely be Friday Night Lights. It is the best show currently on TV, bar-none, and gets little to no respect. It premiered in October 2006 on NBC from the brain of Peter Berg and adapted from the 2004 movie of the same name. It started out being just about a small town in West Texas and their beloved football team. But now the show has evolved into sooo more. This show has covered subjects and issues such as abortion, rape, rehab, teenage romances, dementia, interracial dating, infidelity and much more. Plus you throw in football, which keeps the football fan's attention. The first season was a success despite low ratings. The second season fell short in quality and length, due mostly to the infamous Writer's Strike of 2008. NBC was then set to pull the plug on the series. They then struck a deal with DirecTV. DirecTV would get exclusive rights to air the 3rd season first, then NBC would air them towards the end of the programming season (April-August) to allow ratings titans such as The Office and new shows room. The deal worked out so well DirecTV agreed to a 2-year deal, with this being the 5th and final season.

It goes without saying that if you are not watching this show you are definitely missing out. Kyle Chandler (Early Edition, Lyon's Den) stars as the show's head football coach Eric Taylor. He deals with several challenges on and off the gridiron. As many real-life coaches do, he has to play father to many of his teammates while balancing home life as a husband and a father of a college-age teenager and a toddler. Many notable acting names have either had starring roles or cameos. These includes Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, Eric's wife, Brad Leland as Buddy Garrity, notable town businessman and booster, Jurnee' Smollett, as Jess Merriweather who dated the nerdy kicker but now is dating the star QB, and has went from dance team member to rally girl to equipment manager. You also have Michael B. Jordan (some of you know him as Wallace from the HBO series "The Wire") as Vince Howard, star QB in this season and the previous season. Other names include Steve Harris, who played Virgil "Big Mary" Merriweather, Jess's father, and owner's of Ray's BBQ, and Grey Damon (from the aforementioned True Blood) as Hastings Ruckle, a basketball star-converted wideout. Quality TV at its finest!

Some of you are probably like "Well I'd like to view it, but I don't have DirecTV." No problem. While the series had a very short-lived run on ABC Family in syndication, there are DVDs available of all four seasons for purchase and rental. Many of you may be buying the DVDs once you rent them from Netflix. Also, season 5 will be premiering sometime in May. Don't miss it, it's the final one!

The thing is, this show simply goes against the grain, is very realistic and dramatic, and simply exciting. I often find myself watching episodes 3-4 times to make sure I didn't miss the smallest detail. Plus it's so easy to relate to the characters as they experience real, everyday problems and express many emotions. There is also plenty of eye candy for both sexes. Connie Britton, Jurnee' Smollett, Madison Burge, just to name a few for the fellas. Michael B. Jordan, Matt Lauria, and Grey Damon just to name some hunks for the ladies.

Friday Night Lights will most likely be one of those shows that once it does end, people will talk about it constantly and wish it were still here, like "Arrested Development" or other shows of its liking that had loyal fanbases, quality actors and storylines, but low ratings.

It kills me when folks are slaves to ratings, and what's the buzz in TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly and on Twitter. Might I suggest watching what you like for a change, and what's REALLY good? I express some of this in my blog months ago "Keeping it 100?". How many of us REALLY, really like the shows that we watch weekly.

I know I not only like but LOVE Friday Night Lights! Although I think 5 seasons has been really good for this show, it still hasn't gotten the respect it sorely deserves. But I like it, will miss it, and will continue to watch the episodes long after it's gone. Who's with me?

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