BuzzSugar

Do You Think It's Time For Friday Night Lights to End?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:30:35 -0800

It's the end of an era: The Ausiello Report has confirmed that beloved drama Friday Night Lights will end after its fifth season. On the positive side, though the show ended its fourth season last night on DirecTV, we won't even see a premiere of it on NBC until April 30. That means we still have a while before the fifth season begins, and will be able to give the Panthers a fitting good-bye.

In general, it's sad news for FNL fans, who've weathered multiple threats of cancellation, participated in campaigns to save the show, and an unconventional move to DirecTV. On the other hand, it's been such an emotional roller coaster that it's kind of a relief, plus I'm eager to see cast members like Zach Gilford, Kyle Chandler, and Connie Britton move on to more stable projects.

Are you ready to close the chapter on FNL, or is it still too soon?

Link Time! Paul Dano Lands a New Role

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:15:26 -0800

Paul Dano will play a musician in the upcoming indie drama For Ellen - Gordon and the Whale
Here are five reasons you should tune in to the premiere of Life Unexpected - The TV Addict
"Pants on the Ground" gets the NFL treatment - Zap2it
Bono, Sting, and Justin Timberlake will all perform on George Clooney's telethon for Haiti on Friday - Billboard
Gearing up for the Olympics? Meet your US men's and pairs skating teams - PopWatch
Friday Night Lights will return to NBC on April 30 - Speakeasy
20 Golden couples at last night's Globes - TresSugar
The best and worst moments in Golden Globes history - Moviefone

What Is the Best Network Drama of 2009?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:00:49 -0800

You've already told me about the network comedy that keeps you laughing (and TiVoing) merrily, but now I want to move onto a more serious subject: drama. These amazing programs showcased some great acting, twisty plots, and powerhouse storylines this year. Which one is your favorite?

Don't forget to vote on all of my Best of 2009 polls!

Which Couple Has the Best TV Romance of 2009?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:24 -0800

It's been a big year for commitment: Jim and Pam tied the knot, Chuck finally said the "L" word, even Turtle got a girlfriend. Sure, these couples had their share of obstacles (er, like being a vampire, perhaps), but they still made me swoon week after week. Do you have a favorite? Place your vote!

Don't forget to vote on all of my Best of 2009 polls!

Link Time! New Moon Breaks Midnight Sales Records

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:38 -0800

New Moon tops Harry Potter and The Dark Knight for its midnight showing ticket sales - PopSugar
Is Taylor Kitsch taking an early departure from Friday Night Lights? - Ausiello Files
Top 10 star-crossed lovers in film - Rotten Tomatoes
30 Rock's Judah Friedlander talks about his hat collection and his plans to save NBC - TV.com
Steven Spielberg and Stephen King team up to frighten the bejesus out of us with Under the Dome - MTV Movies Blog
Vampire Weekend debut their new video for "Cousins" - Stereogum
Jason Segel sings about how he wants to give you his phone number - and bed you - TresSugar
Imogen Heap writes songs for Zach Braff - Spinner

Five Minutes With Connie Britton

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:30:35 -0700

At every NBC TCA event, Connie Britton is one of my absolute favorite people to find. Once again, the Friday Night Lights actress took some time this Summer to talk about the upcoming seasons four and five of FNL. Read on for highlights:

On some of the drama in the upcoming season: "I'm still at the school that basically ousted my husband, so I think that we're going to have a lot of interesting conflicts in terms of that and the people in the town. I think that some of the Dillion High students are going to be moved to East Dillon and that might be a problem - infighting about the football team."
On having Tami become principal in season three: "I was so excited about her being principal and then it ended up being such a challenging year. . . . There were issues I had with, oh, you know, 'I feel like Tami would do this differently.' But at the end of the day, it was such a rewarding season. There were so many highs and lows and I feel like being principal added a dimension to all of the things that Tami had to deal with, being a wife, being a mother, being sort of a person in this town who people look to for things, and then on top of that having this sort of bureaucratic, political role where she's really idealistic and trying to do good.
On what's next for her relationship with Julie: "I just feel like this season we are really going to see her grow up, which is going to be great. I think that's going to be exciting, to see her really come into her own. And I imagine there's going to be some letting-go struggles. As a parent that would be heartbreaking. It would have to be."

To hear Britton's thoughts on the departing seniors and which character she'll miss seeing in season four (a little spoilery, that one), just read more.

On seeing the graduating seniors again: "I think it's going to be an interesting mix of the old with the new in that great Friday Night Lights subtle way as only our writers can do. . . . I'm assuming that everybody will be back in one way or another. At the end of the day, it's a small town, so people always come and go. Because that's the great thing, too - these characters that we know and love, even though they're graduating and can't be at the school all the time, they'll come back to town, cause that's what you do."
On Adrianne Palicki, whose character became a big part of Tami's life: "I'm going to miss her a lot. She is going to be shooting Red Dawn the exact same period of time that we're shooting, but [the writers] do intend to have her come back in season five. So she will get her good-bye arc, but we're not going to get her this season."

TCA Tidbits: NBC Talks Southland, Chuck, Heroes, and More

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:30:22 -0700

With Ben Silverman leaving NBC earlier this Summer, reporters were bound to be a little chippy at NBC's executive session today at the TCA press tour. There were plenty of questions about how NBC's entertainment president, Angela Bromstad, would define NBC's brand (apparently it includes Heroes, The Office, and The Apprentice equally?), but we also got some concrete info about shows like Southland and Friday Night Lights. Some details:

Bromstad said Southland "tried to do too much" in its first six episodes and became too serialized. When it returns, it will focus more on Ben McKenzie and Regina King's characters.
With regard to the rumor that Chuck could return sooner than March, Bromstad said March is still the plan. But she said the show is in a good place production-wise (several scripts are already done), and "it is something we can move around." One other possibility is having the show be part of the Summer schedule.
Speaking of Summer, that's when Friday Night Lights will be back on NBC. (It will air on DirecTV before that - an Oct. 28 premiere date was just announced.) Bromstad said the show just doesn't have the ratings to justify a place on the Fall schedule, but it can be a "premier" show in the Summer.

For thoughts on Medium, Day One, and Heroes, just read more.

On the decision to cancel Medium (now on CBS), Bromstad said it was "a show we debated picking up until the very end."
Bromstad acknowledged that NBC hadn't been as strong as it could be creatively in the past few years and is committed to "bringing back those high-quality, sophisticated dramas and comedies" that had once been the network's hallmark.
If you've been looking forward to the upcoming Day One, here's something to bear in mind: the network is thinking of the show more as a special event rather than an ongoing series that would come back for more seasons. But if it does well, the door is open for a possible return.
Regarding Bryan Fuller leaving Heroes, Bromstad said Fuller was really there to get the show back on track, which she feels has happened. Now, Fuller's concentrating on development for the network: "Bryan at this point in his career really is looking to create his own shows."

Keep following all the news from TCA here and on Twitter all week long!

Photos courtesy of NBC

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:30:48 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to my selections below you can also add Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Fanboys to your queue.

Valkyrie
In Bryan Singer's Valkyrie, Tom Cruise stars as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a German officer who leads the plot to kill Hitler. The story is one of those "little known" historical gems that's full of intrigue and political coups. A fantastic cast (including Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, and Tom Wilkinson) surrounds Cruise, lending some serious acting cred to the production.

Special features include audio commentary by Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer and co-writer/producer Christopher McQuarrie, and The Valkyrie Legacy Documentary.

60%

Two more up next, so read more.

True Blood: Season One
If you don't have HBO but are dying to get a look at one of the cable channel's most talked-about new series, now's your chance! Plus, you have plenty of time to catch up with the show before the new season starts on June 14th. Created by Six Feet Under's Alan Ball, the show follows the trials and tribulations of one Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a mind-reading Louisiana waitress who falls for a vampire named Bill (Stephen Moyer). This gothic series quickly grew on me and now I'm addicted.

Special features include In Focus: Vampires in America a mockumentary about vampires in the U.S.A., both pro- and anti- vampire-rights public service announcements, and six audio commentaries with cast and crew, including Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Moyer.

Friday Night Lights: Season Three
Season three ended just a little while ago and now, here it is on DVD! The third season was so good that I've already started thinking about next season. If it's been a while since you have spent some time with the gang from Dillon, TX I recommend you get reacquainted.

Special features include deleted scenes (like 13 minutes of a lost storyline from the emotionally charged climactic finale), and audio commentary.

Wedding Party Moments: A Friday Night Lights Bridal Shower

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:30:29 -0700

Watching Mindy Collette and Billy Riggins plan their wedding was always an amusing side plot on this season of Friday Night Lights. Some of you even said it could be the best of all of this year's TV engagements (that bar proposal is pretty hard to beat).

So, as wedding season continues here on Sugar, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite scenes from Billy and Mindy's planning process. Both come from "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," in which the couple registers for gifts (Billy wants a leaf blower) and Mindy - always classy - demands that Tyra plan her a tea.

There's a lot of comedy in these clips, but I have to admit I get a little weepy when Mindy gives her toast in praise of Tyra at the bridal shower, too - though I immediately start chuckling again when I see all the various alcoholic beverages being consumed via teacups. To check out these scenes, just read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights: Five Hopes For Season Four

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:30:24 -0700

Facing my first Friday in months without Friday Night Lights is much easier knowing that we have a fourth and fifth season coming our way. The season finale set up many potentially compelling storylines for the next couple of years, and all week, I've been daydreaming about some of the developments I'd like to see. If you haven't seen the finale yet, beware of spoilers ahead when you read more.

Coach Taylor's reassignment needs to stick. When the show sent Coach to TMU at the end of the first season, it seemed destined to be a temporary plotline. The show was about Dillon and the Panthers and Coach's family - none of whom followed him to his new college job. But even though the show's season finale once again took Coach away from the Panthers, I want him to stay away this time. Having Eric in charge of the ragtag East Dillon Giraffes - I mean, Lions - could stretch the talents of a man who's accustomed to state championship bids and star talent. Buddy Garrity's loyalties are yet to be decided: does he stay with the team that won him a state ring or the man he obviously respects above Joe McCoy? And will Joe be able to maintain his power (and JD his position as team leader) once Eric's building up his own team across town?
Tami should get some of the best stories. Speaking of Coach's reassignment, one of the most intriguing questions for me is what that will do to Tami. Presumably, she'll be staying at Dillon High, presiding over pep rallies and rooting on the Panthers, while her husband is across town grooming a rival team. She's already one of the most real and complicated female characters on TV (and Connie Britton one of the best actresses - you listening, Emmys?), and having her loyalties so divided should lead to plenty of rich stories.
Matt needs to go to college. I understand the decision Matt makes in the finale to take his grandma home, but it just felt like the wrong thing for him to do. Matt's spent his whole life being abandoned, sure, and he doesn't want to continue the cycle. But we got hints later in the season that Lorraine knew it would be wrong for her to hold Matt back, and I hope she sits him down and tells him so before long. I don't mind if Matt stays closer to home (UT must have a decent art program, right?), but it would break my heart a little if he were stuck in Dillon forever. Executive Producer Jason Katims has said Matt's decision to stay wasn't done to set up stories for season four, so I take that as a sign that something could still happen.
Riggins needs to drop out of San Antonio State and come home. Yeah, OK, this is the opposite of what I just said about Matt - and it's contrary to the part of me that really wants Riggins to help the future generations of Rigginses know there's more to life than beer, girls, and football. But somehow, it seems honest for this character to come back home, maybe take some classes at Dillon Tech, and work for Riggins Rigs. When he put down his cleats at the end of "Underdogs," it felt a little like the end of his football career. Plus, who hasn't known that one high school star who's still hanging around town, having given up his last shot at glory?
Lyla, Tyra, and any others who leave should get heartfelt goodbyes. One of the things season three did best was tie up the stories of Smash and Street in a way that felt satisfying, made sense, and didn't take away from the ongoing Panthers storylines. I hope the same can happen for Lyla, Tyra, and any of the others who end up leaving town. Keeping them all in Dillon would be wrong (and, especially in the case of Tyra, just too sad and hard to watch), but I'm too attached to them to let them go without a big, blockbuster farewell.

What are your hopes for the next season of FNL?

Photos courtesy of NBC