My last post was about Saturday Night Live and Hillary Clinton, so naturally comments are still going strong about the war in Iraq. This post is about Friday Night Lights, also on NBC, so expect several days from now that the comments here will be about stem cell research.
What I really want to do is thank NBC for this little gem of a series. It seems clear that it will not be renewed, primarily because no one has seen it, which is a shame. I am not a big fan of TV drama, especially network TV. HBO has the Sopranos, PBS has Masterpiece Theater and the big networks have pontificating self-important lawyers, which is too much realism for me.
Friday Night Lights revolved around a high school football coach in a Texas town where football is way too important. Perhaps the kids are a little too good looking, but the series was mesmerizing in its attempt to set out real characters with real lives in real settings, and succeeded brilliantly (and I am by no means a football fan. I watched when my kids played in high school and college and that's about it, but this series even had interesting football).
Do yourself a favor and catch the reruns, if they bother to run them. It will become a cult classic eventually, and you can rent it.
RIP Friday Night Lights. I and your 11 other fans will miss you.
John
his post is about Friday Night Lights, also on NBC, so expect several days from now that the comments here will be about stem cell research.
LOL -
I'll do my part and set the stage for massive stem cell debate:
They made that into a TV show?
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http://glock21.blogspot.com
Kyle Chandler's shows are always good and never last long.
Friday Night lights is a great show, and just got picked up for a meager 6 episodes next season. I completely agree, watch it. Catch up on the reruns or if the release a DVD and just watch it. It's smart TV, well acted and the only show I can't miss. I hope more people tune in and keep it on the air.
Dear Rt of Center;
I actually have two can't miss shows, both on NBC. The other is The Office. This is the part where the thread begins spiralling toward stem cells.
John
PS That is great news about six more episodes. If you haven't seen this show, catch up.
I'm a dedicated Friday Night Lights fan. Last night's episode was further evidence that the show just keeps getting better and better. Interesting, complex characters, shades of grey, multiple but believable subplots in play, and a penchant for revealing the protagonists' human weaknesses make this show a rare offering on network TV.
shades of grey
I don't like too much grey in my TV and movies. I like good good-guys, and bad bad-guys. Character flaws are ok, but lets not make it too complex.
so is he coaching at TU or at Premian....errr...at TMU or Dillon. Good show, you can watch it online at NBC.com if you have broadband I highly reccomend it.
I've watched every episode of the original office, is the US version as good? If so, I might try it.
Friday Night Lights rocks! I also recommend watching the full episodes online if you missed them. The characters are interesting, the storylines are topical but not overstated, the football scenes are actually exciting, and in general, the show should be quite appealing to conservatives and families.
One of the challenges that FNL faced this season was the schedule. NBC moved the show more than once, which does not make it easy to build an audience. The best ratings it got was the week it followed Heroes, which seemed like a good fit to me. Both shows appeal to younger viewers and have young characters in central roles. FNL performed better in the ratings that week than Studio 60 (which normally follows Heroes) had done for several weeks prior. Thankfully, Studio 60 got the axe and will not return next fall (it was an awful show) so perhaps FNL will be a Heroes follow-up, though not likely.
FYI - NBC has orders six new scripts, which is not the same as ordering episodes. It's an indicator that the network is leaning towards renewal, but that won't be determined until later.
"I am not a big fan of TV drama, especially network TV."
I don't think I understand this statement. Yes, you can not be a fan of TV drama, but what does network TV have to do with it. It's either good drama, or not, no matter where it's found.
"The show should be appealing to conservatives ..." I guess if the conservatives enjoy rampant, irresponsible underage sex.
I'll be glad when this show gets miserable ratings again next season and dies off. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Wenalway,
If you watched the show, which you obviously do not, you would have seen teens in relationships actually choosing NOT to have sex, and those that did have rampant, irresponsible sex ended up facing personal and emotional consequences. It's not Touched by an Angel, but nor is it 90210. That being said, people like and dislike shows for various reasons. I watched Studio 60 for several weeks before I no longer stand the pervasive liberal self-importance. It’s like West Wing with twice the ego and none of the significance.
Well, I guess 2 of the 11 fans lived in my house. What a great show. Unfortunately, it was given the "Freaks and Geeks" treatment, if any of you remember that show. Really rich, great acting, but moved around a lot. What a shame.
Oh, and as a liberal? I couldn't stand Studio 60. Liberal or conservative, that show just stunk.
If you can't stand Studio 60 you have passed a character test. You can ace the character test by watching 30 Rock. As a conservative, I can attest that Alec Baldwin is the funniest guy in a funny cast.
John
Without a doubt, the battle of the "SNL Behind the Scenes" offerings (30 Rock vs. Studio 60) was a complete rout. I was a West Wing fan for a long time, but even that show got too smirky after a while. Studio 60 began as an even more self-important endeavor, ("with twice the ego and none of the significance" sounds about right, thanks IL Voter) and went downhill from there.
30 Rock, on the other hand, is quick, clever, and frequently scathing, and the actors do great jobs with their appropriately-superficial characters. Most of Alec Baldwin's dialogue makes me wonder if he can get through it the first time without laughing.
Studio 60 was one of the shows that if you just saw the previews (which for your own sake, I sure hope that's all you saw), it would be unclear whether the show was supposed to be a drama or a satire of dramas.
Whatever it was supposed to be, it sure did suck.
I don't think I understand this statement. Yes, you can not be a fan of TV drama, but what does network TV have to do with it. It's either good drama, or not, no matter where it's found.
I don't think the point was that they hate the very idea of drama on network TV, but that the network's offerings have, for a number of reasons, been of lower quality than other offerings.