TV-Reviewed

I’m always told by friends and colleagues that I should check out some show that I don’t normally watch. Dexter was one of those and I love it. Another is Friday Night Lights. I’m really not interested in shows that focus on characters in high school and college. They seem to be all about sex, drinking, and drugs. The pilot episode of Friday Night Lights had a fair amount of drinking in it along with some sexual talk, but it was relatively tame in that aspect.

The pilot did a very good job at setting up the story. A great coach, Eric Taylor, comes to coach the Dillon Panthers. He’s got a great reputation for winning, but this is Texas, so football is more important than just about everything. His neck is really on the line and the season is just beginning.

While Taylor is focused on the team, his wife is trying to get them moved into a new house. She found one in the paper that she found appealing because of the large closets, but her husband is only thinking of football right now. Connie Britton, who plays Taylor’s wife, is a favorite of mine. She was not only in the movie Friday Night Lights, but played the main character’s wife, though they had different names in the film. It’s unusual for this sort of thing to be done, but I think she was properly cast for the role.

There were only a handful of notable characters on the football team. Brian “Smash” Williams is instantly a favorite. He tends to remind me of a lot of the flashier football players, always running their mouths. But it’s never in a negative manner and he seems to be able to back up what he’s saying.

Two of the other standouts were the quarterbacks, of course. Jason Street (Scott Porter) is the star quarterback. He’s supposedly the best thing since Joe Montana, though there are no direct comparisons made in the episode. His season comes to an end in the first game with a shocking spinal injury.

The game is left to Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford). Saracen’s never been taken seriously because he’s never really taken a snap. Street’s always been there to play, so when Saracen has to step up to the plate, everyone, including himself, was surprised. The movie Rudy instantly popped into my mind when this series of scenes was playing.

The last few scenes were very emotional. The acting and storytelling were perfect in this episode. The importance of the game became overshadowed by Street’s serious injury. Since I’ve only seen the pilot, I don’t know what happens after this, but almost has me hooked. I intend to watch more of the series. Unlike a football movie (which all have the same story), a television series has to constantly bring a new plots to the viewers, so it’s going to be interesting to see what the writers can come up with.

Friday Night Lights - Pilot
Original Air Date: October 3, 2006

Rating: 8.9