Friday Night Lights

Since my absolute favorite TV show started life as a book, I think I can justify this blog post.

I don't know how anybody who grew up under football's Friday bright nights could not love this show. All the drama of those high school games, the handsome quarterback (or in my case running back), the snobby cheerleaders (I was not one and none exist in my memory of our fighting Wildcats), the bands at halftime, the coaches. Oh, wow. If you love a good story, terrific writing and acting--whether you love high school sports or not-- it doesn't matter. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is just the best drama on TV, bar none.

And lucky you who love it as much as I, as the new season is about to begin on NBC, today's New York Times has the most terrific article about the show.

A few memorable lines from today's Times piece, in case you can't get to it:

“Friday Night Lights” stands out in other ways too. In a television world in which network shows are full of speeches, “Friday Night Lights” embraces the silences. “A lot of times on this show, it’s about what we don’t say, or what we are trying to say with our faces, not words, which is sort of how it works in life,” (a quote from one of the young actors)

And this about Coach Taylor and his wife,
And for all of the show’s hotheaded teen romances, it is the chronic love affair called marriage that gets the most air time. The relationship between the Taylors reminds many of the best parts of marriage, in which the injury to the one is felt by both, and victories, sweet and fleeting, are held in common.

Oh, and by the way, I've seen the new season on Direct TV and it may be the best ever. And if you've missed the previous seasons? Rumor has it you can watch on the show's website. But really, it doesn't matter. Just jump in with Season 4 on May 7. You won't be sorry.