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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

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 13, "Tomorrow Blues"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:30:55 -0700

This season's final episode of Friday Night Lights is all about the seniors. It's five months after the football season, and college decisions are in, setting many of our Panthers and Panther faithful on new paths. Meanwhile, Coach's contract comes up for renewal, which means he's once again staring down Joe McCoy and his merry band of moneyed followers. To talk about the end of this season - and what it means for seasons four and five - just read more.

Eric Taylor, coach of the East Dillon ~~Giraffes~~ Lions? With no boosters, no money, no JumboTron, no players, no Buddy Garrity, no state ring? Especially knowing that there are two more seasons coming our way, I think it's brilliant. Coach and Buddy have apparently spent the off-season convincing them to come to Dillon High; little did Coach know he was digging himself a hole. Without the assurance that Wade calls all the plays and JD throws all the balls, Joe's not interested in keeping Eric around. And politics has never been Eric's strong suit; it takes Tami's urging for him to even come to the board meeting, and while his defense of his job is heartfelt, any fan of the show could have done better. I love that final image of Coach and Tami looking out on the run-down East Dillon field, full of dreams dashed and potential yet to be explored.

Eric isn't the only character taking on some scary new territory in this episode: Lyla finds a way to Vanderbilt after all, which doesn't shock me, especially once we learn there's a rich uncle involved. Lyla's hesitant at first - she doesn't want to leave Tim - but Tim's decided college isn't for him anyway. He doesn't want to read those big books; he likes the idea of life at Riggins' Rigs, drinking some beers and fixing some cars and taking care of a steer he and Billy bought at auction. I appreciate that it's Billy - who's really been the one pushing for Tim to play college ball from the start - who tells Tim that's ridiculous; like it or not, a Riggins needs to go to college so future generations know there's something more out there.

If there's a moment of true joy in this episode, it's Tyra opening her letter from UT, squealing and crying and throwing herself into Landry's arms. Just before she got that envelope, things were looking bleak; she'd driven all the way to UT with Landry only to find out her chances were even worse than she'd suspected, and it took one of Landry's patented pep talks just to make her believe she's worthy of a chance. And if there's a moment of sorrow, it's Matt going to the assisted living facility and telling Grandma he's taking her home for good. I wanted Matt in Chicago, and even Julie had accepted that he would probably be gone (even if he did reject her attempt at a breakup). But it's a realistic move: the guy who fears everyone leaves him isn't going to leave someone he loves.

Some other thoughts:

I smiled when Buddy said Smash was doing good things over at A&M. Glad to know he's doing well over there.
I guess the show's partnership with Chevy means Julie never gets that Celica.
I loved seeing Mindy's wedding, complete with the dress with wings that shows a tasteful amount of crack.
Buddy dancing with Tyra's mom at the wedding was a nice touch.

So! Season four! Eric coaching the Bad News Bears of Texas high school football, Matt sticking around, Julie and Landry as seniors . . . I have a feeling we have some good things coming our way. What about you?

Photos courtesy of NBC

TV Tonight: The Friday Night Lights Season Finale

BuzzSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Thank goodness we already know that Friday Night Lights has been renewed. Otherwise I'm not sure my heart could take watching tonight's season finale. You'll see what I mean when you watch the promo below - I practically needed a tissue and nobody even says anything.

Sure, the outcome of the state football championship has been decided, but there's so much left to learn tonight. Who will get into college, and where? Who's getting out of Dillon and who's staying around? And will there be any resolution to the tension between Coach Taylor and the McCoys?

Every other season, I've gone into the finale of FNL worried it's the last episode I'll ever see. This year, I'm just excited to see what gets set up for next season. To check out a promo (note that this is the DirecTV promo from earlier this year, not the NBC promo, but the idea's the same), read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 12, "Underdogs"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:30:46 -0700

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.

So close - and yet, so far from being state champs. The Panthers' arc in "Underdogs" is pretty similar to what happened in the first season's "State," but with a couple of big changes - most notably, of course, that they lose. Riggins doesn't leave with a win. JD doesn't get his first ring. Like in the FNL movie (and the real-life story it's based on), the team falls just short. And while I certainly would have cried had the Panthers won State, it couldn't compare to the way I reacted to the loss - to the red eyes and sad smiles of the team's friends and family in the locker room, to Tami and Coach's wearied reunion. To Tim walking into the stadium in dead silence, looking up again at the scoreboard that shows the loss, and leaving his cleats on the field.

Unlike in State, there's a very clear reason for the team's turnaround, and that's the quarterback switch. JD gets benched and Matt put back in. Experience matters here - but so, of course, does not being so angry at your coach that you can't see straight. Coach and Tami have to call the cops on Joe McCoy; they obviously don't want to, especially so long after the incident, but they're both getting pressure to follow protocol. And while it's a big shift to have JD go from saying he never wants to see his father again to being furious with Coach for calling the cops, something he says makes it make sense: "Are you going to take him away from me or something?" JD may worry he's not loved unless he's great, but he's still a freshman, and he still needs his dad. Coach's relationship with JD is wrecked; so, presumably, is his relationship with Joe. And Katie and Tami's friendship is over, too; no matter how much Tami tries to explain, Katie wants nothing to do with her.

With the football season ending, the college search is a big part of this episode: Matt wants to apply to art school in Chicago; Grandma can't imagine Matt would go so far away for a pursuit so silly (though asking Julie if Matt ever talked about being an artist makes it seem like she might be coming around). Lyla defiantly tells Buddy that she's now going to move in with Tim and go to San Antonio State. And Tyra! Landry pushes Tyra to write a college essay that's more raw than whatever she was saying about Applebee's, and instead of writing a sob story - no dad, lost virginity at 13, etc. - she's inspired by the one event that made her realize life can suck for everyone: Jason Street getting paralyzed. The scene where Tyra reads her essay over the shots of everyone else getting ready for the game - there are no words, only tears.

Some other thoughts:

Another moment that made me cry: Tim and Matt playing Frisbee in front of the statehouse. "Last game, Seven."
Coach still doesn't know Landry's name, but he gives that Lance kid a job on special teams anyway.
And what a good episode for Landry, overall: He gets the spot on the team, the big tackle in the big game, and the girl!
Love Lyla's morning in the Riggins house, papering the toilet seat with coffee filters.
Also love the callback to season one, when Landry, the whole Collette family, and Grandma Saracen end up carpooling to the big game.
I wish I could have seen the DirecTV cut of "Underdogs" - it was a lot to pack into 43 minutes!

So: No state championship, no happy ending. What will be set up for seasons four and five?

Photos courtesy of NBC

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Two More Seasons of FNL!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:30:01 -0700

I imagine winning the Texas state football championship feels a little like this: Friday Night Lights has been renewed for two more 13-episode seasons. And it didn't take any mini-footballs or eye drops this year - just a unique partnership between DirecTV and NBC and a sense that FNL is worth keeping around.

Under the deal, DirecTV will again get the first crack at showing the episodes, with NBC airing them later in the season. Also like this year, some of the characters who are seniors will probably move on, but not without farewell arcs like the ones Street and Smash were given.

This news was rumored a little while ago, but then came word that a dispute over money could derail the whole deal. But it all came together, and well, yeah, OK, it's cliche, but I can't help it: Touchdown!

So here's an interesting thought: FNL barely got renewed after its first season, then had to fight again to come back after season two. Now the writers can tackle a fourth season knowing they'll be back for more. And for the first time, FNL fans can watch a season finale without wondering if it might be the show's last episode. I feel so free!

Tell me: Which characters do you hope stick around? And how lucky are we to get not one, not two, but five seasons of this little gem?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 11, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:30:20 -0700

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.

Way to kill a buzz, Joe McCoy. The Panthers are going to State, and yet there's no victory lap. There's just Joe and JD, screaming and shoving each other in the Applebee's parking lot. JD isn't following orders: He's still seeing Madison (who's even showing up at practices now), and - maybe even worse - he's going against Joe's game strategy. The game wasn't pretty, but he got the team to State; what more could Joe want? A lot, actually: To Joe, that was a travesty and a sign of how JD is going off the rails. And when JD fights back with a "screw you," he finds himself up against the back of the car, his father slapping him - presumably for the first time, given Katie's horrified reaction when Tami tries to comfort her. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been all kinds of psychological abuse going on in the McCoy house. Nothing JD does is ever good enough, and now he doesn't want to see his father again.

There's a little of that going around: Lyla's still on the run from her dad, drinking herself into a good-girl version of a stupor with the Rigginses . When she finally does go home, she finds her acceptance letter from Vanderbilt, the school that Buddy's Landing Strip antics might prevent her from attending. How amazing is it to see Riggins be the good guy? He could take advantage of having his hot girlfriend drunk and in his bed 24/7, but instead, he takes her to church and convinces her that college isn't off the table - and oh yeah, by the way, he loves her. He loves her! Matt, too, finds himself wishing away a parent: Grandma falls out of the car on Shelby's watch, and when the doctor suggests again that Matt consider assisted living, Matt turns it on his mom: Isn't it just like her to shirk responsibility? But oh, Matt's finally realizing he's in over his head. The scene with the slippers gave me chills; this is more than he knows how to handle.

Tyra, meanwhile, runs smack up against her vision of her future at Mindy's "classy" tea shower. She's gotten her SAT scores back, and they're better but not enough better. Even Landry can't even manage to seem overjoyed, but he does tell her that he's proud of her for not coasting by on her beauty. And yet, we see Tyra wondering why she's not just coasting on her beauty. I wouldn't have expected Angela Collette to be the parent in this episode who steps up, but there we have it: She says Tyra has surprised her from day one, and if she just keeps working, eventually she'll surprise herself, too.

Some other thoughts:

I have a feeling this whole redistricting debate is setting up some interesting stuff for the potential fourth and fifth seasons - a new cross-town rival, the loss of a ton of Panther players, the gain of several new prospects. And there's also Coach's lie to Tami about the boosters redrawing the district border. Lying to Tami never ends well.
Something I never thought I'd see: Billy Riggins wearing lingerie.
I have to chuckle at some of JD's George Michael Bluth-ish comments, like telling Madison it's pretty warm on the field when she comments on how hot he looks at practice. He doesn't have much of a personality, but he's never been allowed to.

Are you excited for the upcoming trip to State? Or do you, too, feel a sort of ominous cloud hanging over the Panthers' season?

Photos courtesy of NBC