Guilty Pleasure

 I heard about the TV show Friday Night Lights a few years ago. I knew there had been a movie by the same name that starred Billy Bob Thornton that I had seen, but it didn't make much of an impression. I was hearing great things about the TV show, though, and I have loved Kyle Chandler (Coach Tim Taylor) since I watched him on a TV series called Homefront when I was in college. So, sometime between the second and third seasons, I decided to sit down one afternoon and catch up by watching it on Netflix.

Not only did I like the show, I was blown away by the characters, the strong storylines, and a really good cast. Much to my surprise, what I had intended to be a casual look-see while nothing better was on, turned into a few marathon sessions to catch up with life in Dillon, Texas. The characters were believable and the town had a realistic feel to it. And then there was #33...



Taylor Kitsch playing a troubled Tim Riggins is pure sex on a stick. How could I resist that? Anyway, the show quickly became my new guilty pleasure.

Sadly, I think the show is now in its last season. But I am so glad I found it. It reminded me that there could still be good drama on TV. I felt invested in these characters unlike any contestant I could root for on any reality show. And I wasn't the only one. Friday Night Lights received such critical praise and had such a strong fan base that it became known as the "little TV show that could." Much credit goes to director Peter Berg. The second season had a bit of a bizarre storyline and the season was shortened due to the strike in Hollywood. Berg let the storyline continue to play out even though there were no cameras rolling. This allowed us to return to school with the players in the fall and see what happened over their summer in real time. Brilliant.

The show has been consistently excellent. The first season's cast graduated and new members have filled their places, just as would be expected for each school year. Bad things happen to good people and there isn't always a happy ending, but I've always felt satisfied with story. If you've missed the show, it's still available on Netflix, and the series is winding to a close on TV. A little time with Coach Taylor and his team is time well spent.

So I guess what I'm saying tonight is that Friday Night Lights is my guilty pleasure and that Tim Riggins can put a smile on my face any time. "Clear minds, full hearts, CAN'T LOSE!"