# Friday Night Lights - anyone else watching? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021 "2010-06-05T04:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/1 "2010-06-05T04:27:44Z")
What do people think of season 4? I think it’s been very very good. Certainly better than season 2, probably better than season 3. Tonight’s episode was full of amazing moments. The guy who plays Matt can really act. In fact, all the actors are strong, and the writing is consistently good. But more than just about any other show on right now, it just feels REAL. These feel like actual people living an actual life, not characters on a show. If you’re not watching it, you should. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/2 "2010-06-05T04:40:29Z")
I’ve already seen this season when it was first released. I thought the jerky story telling brought about by the truncated season made it less involving than before. However it is still one of the best things on TV. It and _Rescue Me_ are the two current show that I think deserve raves but just don’t get them. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/3 "2010-06-05T05:11:50Z")
I love this show. I haven’t watched tonight’s episode yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/4 "2010-06-05T15:45:30Z")
I haven’t watched the latest episode yet, but I love the show. The change this season of sending Eric to try to build a football program out of nothing is interesting. I’ve also been reading the episode commentaries on [Slate.com](http://Slate.com), and one of the writers there was wondering about the absence of Hispanic characters, especially given that West Texas where the show is set has a large Hispanic population. And I’m amazed at how run-down and poorly funded East Dillon High School is compared to Dillon High School, and not just the football program. Aren’t both schools in the same district? Wouldn’t they be receiving equal funding? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/5 "2010-06-05T16:07:16Z")
This is a really solid show. Not great, but very good and consistently good, too. The bit with Riggins and his little teenie-bopper admirer is a bit overdone, but otherwise the characters are interesting, and the storylines are well grounded. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/6 "2010-06-05T22:03:34Z")
I absolutely love this show and this season has been excellent so far. I was surprised to read an interview w/ Kim Dickens (plays Matt’s mom and was Joanie on “Deadwood.”) where she said that most of FNL is improvised. The director tells them the story and how their characters feel and then just calls action. They start the scene wherever they’re at, sitting on a couch, walking through a door, whatever… and then the camera guys are just really skilled at filming the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/7 "2010-06-05T23:37:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > This is a really solid show. Not great, but very good and consistently good, too. The bit with Riggins and his little teenie-bopper admirer is a bit overdone, but otherwise the characters are interesting, and the storylines are well grounded. The big deal there is that he hasn’t touched her, even though she’s throwing herself at him. I think the first-season Riggins wouldn’t have been so reluctant. So it shows some growth on the part of the character. On the other hand, she’s so annoying that perhaps that’s why he didn’t pursue her. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/8 "2010-06-06T00:27:21Z")
Still watching and still loving it. Last night’s episode was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![MsChilePepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MsChilePepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsChilePepper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/9 "2010-06-06T04:36:26Z")
I watched all of this season’s eps when they were broadcast on DirecTV’s 101 network. They play them sans commercials, which makes me happy, as long as I remember to take a whiz before the show starts. Most of the characters are great, but I can’t stand Julie Taylor. She’s the snottiest little thing, and I can’t understand why Mama Tami doesn’t slap the snot out of her. Oy. Yes, the lack of Hispanic characters bothers me. They just “disappeared” Santiago, which I thought unfortunate. He had some real promise. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/10 "2010-06-06T05:07:15Z")
Yeah, Julie is \*very \*annoying, but thankfully she’s a little better this season. It was nice to see Matt get to show some more depth this week. And Buddy’s really getting some more character. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/11 "2010-06-06T22:08:07Z")
Call me crazy, but I think Julie has always been the most realisticly depicted teen girl in the show’s entire run. Though the new chick crushing on Riggins is up there. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/12 "2010-06-07T00:58:57Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Call me crazy, but I think Julie has always been the most realisticly depicted teen girl in the show’s entire run. Though the new chick crushing on Riggins is up there. Exactly! That’s why she’s so annoying! ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/13 "2010-06-08T23:11:31Z")
> [@MsChilePepper](#): > > Most of the characters are great, but I can’t stand Julie Taylor. She’s the snottiest little thing, and I can’t understand why Mama Tami doesn’t slap the snot out of her. Oy. Julie is a teenager, a lot of them are like that. I think Tami actually did slap her in an episode in an earlier season, then felt really bad about it. This is one of my favorite shows. Last night I saw the first three episodes and am liking this season so far. Is this the first season for anyone watching this? I kind of get that impression from some of the other replies. I really recommend going back and watching seasons 1-3. Seasons one and three are brilliant. Season two was kind of rough for a number of reasons but it was fantastic as well. I think this season will be more enjoyable for people who have seen where the characters have come from. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/14 "2010-06-08T23:27:28Z")
I’ve been watching from the beginning. I was drawn to it by the excellent movie. ---
**Author:** ![Magua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Magua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magua)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/15 "2010-06-14T07:56:29Z")
New member to the forum here. I actually found this site earlier while googling Friday Night Lights message board - wanted to see what other people on the internet felt about this season - and this site came up. I’ve been watching the show all along, and love it. As others have stated, the acting is grade A quality and the storylines are pretty good as well. In a way the show reminds me a lot of myself and my family and friends. Growing up in a smallish town in Ohio that absolutely loves their highschool football. The show makes me miss highschool football so much, and every year when a new season rolls around I get an itch to try and get into coaching. It’s kind of weird watching the show center around a team that is new and young and small (and has yet to win a game…) but it adds different storylines as opposed to seasons 1-3 when they were just trying to hold it together and win championships. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/16 "2010-06-15T04:07:43Z")
One complaint I have is how old the original actors are. I loves me some Minka Kelly, but I could not for the life of me buy her as a freshman in college. (She turns 30 later this month.) ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/17 "2010-06-15T05:02:22Z")
**Magua** , welcome! I watch for Eric and Tammy. They have the best relationship of any married couple I’ve ever seen on TV or in film. And Matt Saracen. I want things to be easier for him, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/18 "2010-06-15T05:36:50Z")
Last Friday’s episode: Good lord, if I had to spend a full 24 hours with Julie on the road, I’d leave town, too. ---
**Author:** ![MsChilePepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MsChilePepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsChilePepper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friday-night-lights-anyone-else-watching/542021/19 "2010-06-15T09:48:24Z")
My family has watched FNL from the beginning of the first season. We always rehash the ep and talk about our predictions and things we’d like to see happen. It’s weird, I really don’t like sports, other than baseball, and I’m not at all fanatical about it. I’ll watch a game in person, but I’m almost never inspired to watch baseball on TV. But I love me a football movie! Varsity Blues? Necessary Roughness? The Replacements? Hell, yeah! And baseball movies like Bull Durham, Major League, and The Rookie, absolutely! Go figure.