Will the Dillon Panthers ever get to go to State under happy circumstances? The team heads off to the biggest football game of this year on this week's Friday Night Lights, but much like last time, there are dark clouds hanging over the whole experience. Last time it was Coach's decision to leave for TMU; this time it's JD's anger in the aftermath of his father's outburst. Ready to chat about it? Just read more
On this week's Friday Night Lights, the Panthers face their toughest football challenge of the season. That puts even more pressure on JD, who's continuing to defy his father by seeing (or at least texting) Madison. Meanwhile, Lyla remains in her funk over her magical disappearing college money, and Matt's forced to take a hard look at how much he can really do as his grandma's caretaker. There's so much to talk about when you read more
Have you ever read The Giving Tree? This week's Friday Night Lights made me want to go dig out my old copy, as Landry delivers one of the sweetest/saddest monologues I've ever heard on the topic. OK, it's one of the only Giving Tree-related monologues I've heard, but still! Meanwhile, the rest of the episode focuses a lot on fathers and children, both in the actual and metaphorical senses. Ready to talk about it? Just read more
This week's Friday Night Lights is a weeper for sure, as Jason sets off for the big city to try to start a new life as a sports agent and father. Meanwhile, Julie gets a shot at playing sports agent herself when she lobbies Coach on Matt's behalf, and Tyra reaches a critical point in her ongoing college vs. Cash debate. Ready to chat about it? Just read more
In this week's Friday Night Lights, JD McCoy officially takes over the Panthers and gets a little christening, Tim Riggins-style, in his new leadership role. Tyra (finally) starts to doubt Cash after a woman shows up at her house with some disturbing information, and Matt and Julie share a moment at the grocery store that becomes an even bigger moment by the lake. Vague enough for you? I've got all the details when you read more
On this week's Friday Night Lights, Smash prepares for his Texas A&M tryout while still doubting that college is in his future. Tami and Coach continue to be the awesomest couple of all time while advising each other on matters of quarterbacks and jumbotrons. And bad news rides into town on a bucking bronco, sweeping Tyra up in its wake. Ready to talk about one of my favorite FNL episodes of all time? Just read more
In this week's episode of Friday Night Lights, JD McCoy finally speaks! And boy, is it awkward. It's just one of many uncomfortable things in this episode, which sees Tami stumbling into a possibly ill-advised friendship with JD's mom and Tim making his weekly batch of bad decisions. To talk about it, just read more
On this week's Friday Night Lights, Tami and Tyra both make some questionable leadership decisions, Lyla tries to make Riggins seem legit, and Matt takes some big steps to help his grandma. And that's really just the beginning, so to talk about this episode, just read more
Welcome back, Panther fans! It's so good to see Friday Night Lights back on TV. In this episode, we do a lot of catching up, resetting to the start of another school year and football season — and some things have really changed around Dillon. To chat about Tami's new responsibilities, Coach's new protegee, and Buddy's new pet project, read more
It's not often that a show can end and start in the same week, but that's exactly what's happening right now with Friday Night Lights. The show wrapped up its outstanding third season on DirecTV on Wednesday, and tonight, the same episodes begin airing on NBC.
If you haven't been able to see the DirecTV episodes, I can assure you it's completely worth the wait. All of the episodes I saw were as good as the first season; some were even better. Jason Street (Scott Porter) and Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) get particularly satisfying story arcs despite only appearing in a handful of episodes each, and — at least up to the point that I watched, about halfway through the season — the show was balancing its football stories and off-the-field plotlines the best I'd ever seen.
And if you have seen the DirecTV episodes, well, can I urge you to turn your TV on to NBC tonight anyway? A decision on whether to pick FNL up for a fourth season likely won't be made till later this Spring (the kind of uncertainty fans are used to by now), but helping drive the ratings up tonight certainly couldn't hurt.
To prepare for tonight, you can always check out the producers' hints on season three from last Summer's TCA tour or watch some of my essential episodes. To see the first minute or so of tonight's episode, just read more
