It’s a done deal! Friday Night Lights is back for a third season for 13 episodes. If you have Direct TV you will be able to watch the show in October. If you don’t, the episodes will air in Winter 2009 on NBC. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than cancellation!
I think most true fans won’t care which network the show ends up on, as long as it ends up somewhere. There’s lots of talk about FNL appearing on one of NBC’s cable stations like Law & Order: Criminal Intent. There’s also talk about FNL moving out of NBC entirely to a new network. Possible networks include the CW, E! (??), G4(again, WHAT?), and TNT. I, personally, think this is great news. I don’t think NBC will renew FNL, so it’ll be great to see it on another network, provided that network doesn’t influence the show’s premise or writing.
I am on the verge of a major breakdown. I was reading this week’s Ask Ausiello, and I was not pleased to see that How I Met Your Mother is in danger. Apparently it failed to make the list of shows that CBS is renewing. Also missing from that list is Moonlight, so I wasn’t all that concerned until I read this blind item from Ausiello (presumably and probably about HIMYM):
This week’s blind item is so depressing, you may want to shield your eyes. It concerns a comedy series that enjoys a cult following, tons of buzz and heaps of critical praise. Unfortunately, the laffer in question lacks support where it counts the most: at the very network that airs it. You see, an influential suit at the net thinks the show is about as funny as a root canal, and is flummoxed by its appeal. He/she proved this by passing the laffer over for a major promotion earlier this season — a sleight that left members of the media (yours truly included) scratching their heads. Basically, said big shot would be more than happy to permanently clear it from the sked, and the program’s modest ratings may be just the excuse he/she needs. There’s just one problem: Because the knee-slapper isn’t perceived as a “bubble show,” there are no fan campaigns being organized to help save it. In other words, there’s a very real chance this endangered series could be put out to pasture in May with nary a postcard mailed or petition signed. And I can’t think of anything less funny than that. So, any guesses? I hate to say it, but this show’s very future probably depends on you figuring it out.
If the head of CBS hates HIMYM, what chance does it have? Also, why isn’t it perceived as a bubble show if it didn’t make the list for renewal? Where is this false hope coming from? Should we start a campaign to save HIMYM?
The second beloved show that I am referring to is, of course, Friday Night Lights. It was reported in Ask Ausiello that Taylor Kitsch (aka Tim Riggins) has been given permission to take the role of Gambit in the X-Men Wolverine movie spin-off. The granting of permission to Taylor Kitsch by NBC, apparently, is not a good sign that the show will be renewed.
What on earth could I be referring to? The campaign to save Friday Night Lights, of course! Follow the links below to see what you can do to save FNL from cancellation.
May I also suggest writing a good, old-fashioned letter to accompany either your mini-football or light bulb.
Excerpt from this week’s AA:
Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!
9:00PM: It’s Jason! Wait, it’s just a recap…..
9:01PM: What the…? It’s Tim and that low life brother of his in that huge ass church. Oh no he didn’t! Smash just walked out of church to use his cell phone. I know this is no Luke’s diner, but I am sure that his church has a stronger aversion to cell phone usage than Luke Danes.
9:02PM: How is that random waitress that Jason went out with all of one time, pregnant with his baby? I didn’t even think it went that far, if you know what I mean. It took me a second to realize that she wasn’t just announcing her pregnancy conversationally. I was thinking, “Well that’s interesting. I had no idea they were such good friends that she would just show up randomly at Buddy’s dealership to spread the good news.” I suppose she thinks it’s his?
9:07PM: It’s Peter Berg making another guest appearance on a show he directs (or has guest directed–Alias).
9:08PM: I don’t dare question Coach Taylor’s strategies, but dodgeball at practice? This seems quite relaxed, doesn’t it?
9:10PM: Jason, is it really the miracle birth or the stupidity of unprotected sex?
9:11PM: What kind of a name is Mo McArnold? I love that Peter Berg made his character a real estate mogul.
9:14PM: Reality sinks in for Smash. What did he think was going to happen? His football career is all but over, unless Coach Taylor accepts a position at a small, local college and takes Smash under his wing. Oh, I’m sorry that happened on One Tree Hill (and is unrealistic and horribly contrived).
9:18PM: Tyra and Landry make their official debut as Dillon High’s most talked about couple!
9:19PM: Lila still goes to school? Why has she been skipping to go that pub every day? That doesn’t seem very Christian to me.
9:21PM: It’s not a miracle. She’s lying to you! This is a scam to get money!
9:23PM: Arena football? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Why??? Didn’t the XFL exist in Friday Night Lights land?? It’s a joke!!
9:25PM: Red light? Green light? What? Am I missing something?
9:31PM: It’s hilarious that Coach Taylor just asked Jason how old he was. I realize it was for dramatic effect, but seriously it was sooooo
9:32PM: I think Tim has a future as a radio DJ. He’s way better than toupee boy. Is “cheers” his new catch phrase?
9:36PM: Landry!!! Touchdown!!!
9:37PM: It’s nice that Coach T wanted the visiting team to score, but did he have to be so obvious about it? He could have made it look more convincing. Is Mo still here? Ugh, he’s annoying me, and would he please put little Gracie down. I just feel like he’s going to drop her on the bleachers. The last thing we want is baby all over the bleachers.
9:44PM: The Whitmore coach seems like a really genuine guy, but the team didn’t seem to be jumping up and down over Smash’s verbal commitment.
9:46PM: How does Lila intend on getting into Princeton? It certainly doesn’t happen by skipping school regularly.
9:47PM: I guess Tim Riggins was right. Sometimes you do need to hit people. I am a little relieved though because Ausiello was hinting that Mo would actually pose a threat to Eric and Tami’s marriage. After his atrocious behavior at dinner, I am certain that this will be a one episode guest spot. However, Eric might have some explaining (and groveling) to do. I am sure Tami will think that he should have been the better person, risen above, etc etc, blah blah.
9:54PM: Bets on how long it will take Lila to dump toupee boy (what is his real name? at this point, i don’t think it matters) for Riggins?
9:56PM: A full scholarship is a wonderful thing. His mother has worked so hard to raise her children the right way, and SHE deserves it.
9:57PM: Hey, if a car salesman can’t convince you to keep your baby, then who can?
9:59PM: It’s over! Let’s hope it returns this season or next season with new episodes!!!
I better stop now before I start live blogging Las Vegas.
Friday Night Lights is in danger of being cancelled! What can you do? It’s simple! Watch the show! Read this!
Friday’s episode was all about loss–Matt’s loss of Carlotta, a father, Julie Taylor, Coach Taylor, and a normal teenage life. It also dealt with Smash’s loss of a scholarship (and acceptance) to TMU because of his “questionable character.” Tim Riggins is suffering the loss of Lila Garrity to another person (that weird Christian radio talk show host played by Matt Czuchry of Gilmore Girls fame sporting either a toupee or a hideous haircut). Granted his loss isn’t as severe as Matt Saracen’s loss or even Smash’s loss, it is still worth mentioning and serves as a great insight into why he does the things he does.
Here’s a ranking (Top 5 only) of who’s currently having the best life (thus far):
#1 Landry: Sure he was almost convicted of murder, but those charges were dropped. He put a sex offender out of commission, and won the heart of the most beautiful (according to Dillon High School) girl in school, Tyra. Also, he made the school’s football team and contributed to a win. Some of the other jocks still tease him, but instead of being malicious about it, it’s a bit more good-natured.
#2 Tyra: She survived an attack by the aforementioned sex offender who was killed by Landry. She’s also doing better in school and is the new star player of the girl’s volleyball team. She has also found a confidante and mentor in Tami Taylor. More importantly, she’s learning how important it is to have a strong sense of character.
#3 Lila: She’s managed to bounce back nicely from her parent’s divorce and her father’s cheating ways. At first, I was concerned that she had joined a cult, but her new found faith in God has actually helped her pick up the pieces of her life. She helped a former juvenile delinquent find a home (her dad’s apartment), and she gave $3,000 to Tim for his brother’s mortgage payment. I really like that she isn’t self-righteous at all, like I thought she would be.
#4: Santiago: He’s one of the lucky ones who got a break. And just like he said to his former thug friend (played by Francis Capra III, aka Weevil from Veronica Mars), he shouldn’t be mad at him for catching a break. He’s really turned his life around, and it’s nice to see the other players on the team treating him well. Shockingly enough, Buddy Garrity isn’t doing a horrible job as Santiago’s guardian.
#5 Julie: She’s too bratty to realize that she has a great life. Her parents love her and are probably one of the most reasonable parents I have ever seen on television (second only to Rev. and Mrs. Camden from 7th Heaven). If you asked Julie, I am sure she would say she has a terrible life, but don’t buy it! It’s just an enormous (and unfounded) amount of teen angst speaking.
This list was compiled partially out of boredom, but mostly to show those skeptics that Friday Night Lights isn’t all about being melodramatic.
How lame am I? Blogging about Friday Night Lights the second it’s over? The only way I could be more lame is if I live blogged during the episode. Confession: I didn’t think of it until half way through the episode, so I couldn’t do it. The episode was just as Landry described. It was West Side Story with a Texas twist. Instead of running around getting in knife fights or whatever they did in West Side Story, we had classic (but nevertheless disgusting) locker room pranks and a messy brawl turned food fight. It’s been forever since we’ve seen a new episode, and this one had everything–angst, fighting, and loyalty. I know it sounds like I just described an epic motion picture event, so I will say that comedy was also a large part of this episode. Let’s review the best moments from the episode:
Best Moment #5: Landry starting the fight with that “douchebag” Cliff (I think that was his name), QB1 for the Larabee team. I don’t usually condone violence, but in this case, it was deserved. That guy was asking for a beatdown, mostly for being an asshole, but partially for looking WAY too old to be in high school.
Best Moment #4: Smash calling one of Larabee’s players Napoleon Dynamite as he walked by. It was just as surprising as it was funny. I had no idea he was into pop culture name dropping!
Best Moment # 3: Tami awaking at 5AM to find Riggins and Coach T playing ping pong in the garage. Coach T is absolutely right about needing to even out the gender gap in the house. Also, it was nice to see that Tim wasn’t sleeping in the garage. Now I am just wondering where Tim sleeps. How big is the Taylor’s house that they can have a room for Shelley and have Tim stay over? It didn’t seem like he was sleeping on the couch.
Best Moment #2: Riggins getting that creepy kid away from Julie at the alterna-fall formal (aka some random party). That kid must have been an idiot to think that Riggins would not have objected to his trying to get in Julie’s pants. The creepy kid should be more scared of Coach Taylor though, because of the way he handled the Larabee coach.
Best Moment #1: Speaking of the way Coach Taylor handled the Larabee coach, that was my favorite moment of the night. It was about time that weaselly coach was put in his place. I just have one question though. What does it take for a visiting school to be kicked out due to poor and extremely unsportsmanlike behavior? You would think that Buddy Garrity, with all his connections, would have done something to get Larabee the boot. Considering that his wife is already remarrying after what seems like only 6 months (at most), he’s off the hook for not making things happen.
Before I end this post, I have to mention that we finally got to see Lois! She’s not just some random friend of Julie’s that we only hear about. We actually got to see her!
I am taking a cue from E! Online and posting a link to a wonderful article in the Watch With Kristin section. Basically it lists some great reasons to watch the show, and it features a testimonial by Kristin’s understudy, Jennifer Godwin, about how she ignored repeated attempts by her friends (and stars of the show!!) to get her to watch, but finally came around. It’s compelling stuff. Ok, not really, but it illustrates that it is never too late to start!!!
http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=ecc4ad3b-68c0-4cb7-b4f6-44d906e5e5f3
I am not entirely sure what Pantherama is and the purpose of it. I think it’s some kind of fundraiser, but I don’t know how it’s any different from a pep rally you have to pay for. It seems that these kids are always throwing some sort of party or school event. How do they have time for school work and actual academics? Maybe that’s why Tami is always so busy. Anyway, Tami was in charge of finding some entertainment for this Pantherama event, but since she was so busy actually doing her job, she enlisted the help of Tyra and Lila.
Just what is Tami so busy with these days? Well, for one thing she needs to find Santiago a home because he is ready to be on the football team! He can actually catch the ball now, and combined with his inherent quickness, he might give Smash a run for his money! Well, not exactly, but Buddy and Coach Taylor certainly think he will be an asset. Now there’s just the small matter of finding him a home. Santiago doesn’t have a permanent home because his parents were deported. They come up with the idea of having him live with Buddy permanently (at least until he is 18 I suppose). I actually got the feeling that Buddy genuinely liked this kid and didn’t just see him as adding depth to the football team. It was heartbreaking to know that Santiago has never had a real bed before. He looked so lonely and sad in his new room. Were those letters from his parents?
Tami is going to get even busier because she has a new Julie problem on her hands. Julie has taken a liking to her new journalism teacher, Noah. Julie is really on a roll this season. First it’s the Swede and now it’s a teacher! Julie, what is wrong with you? At least her teacher is infinitely more likeable and less sleazy than the Swede. This isn’t going to end well though. Tami already notices the inappropriateness of their teacher-student relationship, and she will put an end to Noah’s career if need be. Acting even more hormonal than Julie is Matt. I really don’t understand the attraction with Carlotta. She seems way too old for him. Why did he kiss Carlotta in the crowded school parking lot? I was half expecting his new girlfriend, Lauren, to tearfully approach him about the kiss. He and Julie need to get back together, if not because they are a good couple, then at least to save each other from ruining their lives.
I have read spoilers about Riggins going to live with the Taylors, and I wasn’t sure how that came about. Things are looking a little clearer now. It’s strange that Riggins’ brother is now dating the next door neighbor that his younger brother in high school once had a thing with. She seemed to really like Tim, so I don’t know how she moved on to his brother so quickly. His first stop is Tyra’s house, but she only gives him 48 hours. His next stop is some random guy’s house who is either a friend of Tyra’s sister or owe’s her a favor. One thing is certain though, he is really creepy, and Tim should not have walked into that house alone and unarmed. I am assuming that next week, he runs out of places to stay and has to turn to the Taylors for shelter. Maybe he should go live with Buddy Garrity.
When do you think Matt and Julie will get back together? Is Tami going to have words with the new teacher, Noah? Is Santiago’s checkered past really behind him?
