Friday Night Lights

This is long.  If you don’t want to read it, the whole post can be summarized in one sentence: Watch Friday Night Lights. 

It is also not spoilerish so feel free to read it if you haven’t watched the show.

Anyone that has been listening to me at all on Twitter or in real life knows that I have been caught up in a new TV series Friday Night Lights.  Like I needed one right?  But Kaitlin insisted in my Fall TV post that I should watch it.  I had heard before that it was good so I found myself at surfthechannel.com to check it out.  Well.  I think I can safely say halfway through the first episode I was hooked.  By the 3rd episode I was ready to start a fan site.  And in my world, that’s the highest compliment I can give.

I spent hours upon hours this weekend during the late evenings and early mornings (thanks 2 two sleepovers for the girls) catching up on Season 1.  At episode 8 Friday night, surfthechannel.com failed to deliver an episode.  Saturday morning, my first stop was Blockbuster and then Wal-Mart to find it on DVD.  At that point I knew I wanted them anyway.  Saturday evening, I handed them off to my parents and sister insisting they had to watch it.  And they loved it too.  At 2:30am on Sunday night/Monday morning I finished Season 1. 

It’s so. good.

Like, really, really good.

As in, you should RUN to Wal-Mart and buy it for $14.99.

So what’s to love?

Every. single. character.

I’ll give this from a Season 1 only perspective because I’ve watched some of Season 2 and I realize things start to change…

I always start with Riggins.  I love Riggins.  I love that he’s the bad boy.  Tall, greasy hair and screws up a lot that you want to save.  I love that he is vulnerable because his parents flaked out and he has a barely supportive brother.  I love that on one hand he’s a womanizer and then the other he says “Lyla…Lyla” in that Texan accent.  Yep, he’s the ultimate bad boy in love with the good girl.  The couple that should be together but isn’t.  Do I love that he does all the bad stuff?  No, of course not.  But I love watching how he deals with it.  I love trying to figure out what drives him.  What motivates him.   Who he really loves and doesn’t.  Ah, I love Riggs.

Next is Matt.  Matty.  That’s what I call him.  Cause yes, I do talk to him through the screen.  Matty, that’s so sweet.  Poor Matty.  I love how he stutters.  I love how he’s a gentleman.  I love how he has no clue what to do with Julie.  I love how he’s fiercely loyal to his team.  I love him and Landry.  They crack me up. Yep, he’s the boy you want to take home to your Mom.  He’s the one you want next to you at your wedding.

And Riggins is the one you want at the honeymoon.

Just sayin’.

Coach Taylor and his wife.  Can you really separate them?  I love them together.  I love how they love each other.  I love that they make out in the kitchen.  I love that she’s always right and he knows it.  I love that they parent Julie together.  I love the looks they give each other.  I love how they care about the students on the team and at the school.  I love how Coach Taylor goes out on a limb for them.  I love that he goes against the rules when it makes sense.

Now Jason.  I’m not a huge fan of his.  I like him, yes, but I’m not as invested in him.  I do love that he called out Riggins and Lyla.  I love his determination although at times it can be a bit much.  I just want to say “calm down” to him sometimes.

Lyla.  The good girl.  One that made a huge mistake.  Of course I love her with Riggins.  I love how she tells him how crappy he’s being.  I love that she supports Jason.  Even though she screwed up, she was at that hospital A LOT.  I love that she tries to hold her family together.  I’m not her biggest fan but there are definitely things I can relate to in her.

Smash is hilarious.  I love that towards the end of the season we got to see the boy behind all the smack-talk.  His character has really evolved and I like that.

Tyra.  I love that she tells it like it is.  She doesn’t take crap from anyone.  And yet, under all that she’s as vulnerable as any of them.

Landry.  I love him. I love him with Matt.  Did I mention they crack me up?

Matt’s Grandma, Smash’s Mom even Buddy Garrity.  I can’t help but be glad they’re on the screen too.

It’s amazing that one show could make you care about so many of the characters.  Of all the shows I watch, there are NONE that have a cast of characters that I care about and feel invested in like this one.

I love the writing.  It’s smart, it’s funny.  The timing is impeccable.  The storylines are dramatic yet handled a real way.  Or maybe the storylines are just realistic and they are able to dramatize them. I don’t know.  But there has yet to be a time where I say, you know, I really don’t like this storyline.  Because somehow it’s not a storyline.  Somehow it’s just their life.  And doesn’t life have enough drama?  I of course love the Christian undertone of the show.  That many of the families are Christians.  That they aren’t afraid to have scenes in a church.  That they’re not afraid to talk about God.

So yeah, I love this show. 

And that was my brain dump after watching 880 minutes of one show in a matter of days.

And I can’t recommend enough that you do the same.