Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006)

[X.]

I really like Peter Berg. His feature film adaptation of the Bissinger book by the same “Friday Night Lights,” convinced me of this once-actor’s abilities behind the camera ("The Kingdom" should win over any remaining skeptics). The film was thoughtful and very well-directed (besides it had a soundtrack by Explosions in the Sky, who kick a post-rock fan’s ass!). Most importantly, it managed to become something more substantial than only a Sports Movie; even though the film is of and about American Football (a game I still don’t understand), it wanted to tell a *story* about the people that played it. But “Friday Night Lights,” the movie, had the limitations of a feature-length film: there just wasn’t enough time to cover the vast social canvas in Bissinger’s book.

To correct this, Berg then started work on the TV series. He kept the same Odessa, Texas setting, but went for a totally new fictional cast. The result is the new show, Friday Night Lights. And let me tell you, it’s the best thing in Television right now.

I would attribute that to Berg’s intimate camerawork and attention to realism: you see people in a small-town *living* their lives. This is the story of Middle America, warts and all: racial tensions, parental pressures, college life, football. All this in a full 22 episode format. Enough time for characterisation and story development.

There’s poetry, a finesse to how the lives of these people is depicted in the show: Berg has admitted to being very cognoscente in preserving the American small townism in his show, in the NPR interview I heard (it was excellent, a testament to how meditative and learned and humble this guy is). He narrated an incident involving a lady carrying a baby in one hand and a tub of popcorn in the other, rising above the flight of stairs in the packed football stadium, during a night’s game, while he was location scouting. She looked at him directly and asked: “Are ya a filmmaker? I just want to say that we’re no monsters. I hope you will not show us as monster in your movie.” Berg responded: “No, ma’am. I’m not going to do that.” And he doesn’t. He shows us the human face of middle-class Americans.

Friday Night Lights is a great show about people who just happen to adore football.

Season 1 is done and dusted; following the huge push to get more viewers to see it, NBC has just confirmed, a couple of days ago, that S2 is a go. Good for them, great for us.

[X.]

Hey assholes, when are you starting on this? I need Show Buddies -- discussing FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS with the mirror is no fun anymore!

[kaytee]

Wont be watching this anytime soon. Have got it with me but no time at all to watch it.

[X.]

Wont be watching this anytime soon. Have got it with me but no time at all to watch it.

Wrong answer, asshole!

[captainhowdy]

Hey assholes, when are you starting on this? I need Show Buddies -- discussing FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS with the mirror is no fun anymore!

OK, I watched Berg's film last night. More than the game, it was about the people who played it and the fans who literally lived it. It was intimate, raw and very touching. I loved Berg's Mann-like camera style. After all, he has confessed that he considers Michael Mann as one of his heroes. But as far as viewing satisfaction is concerned, I enjoyed Stone's Any Given Sunday a lot more. Anyways, I'll be getting FNL (TV) shortly and will give it a spin. I've got a lot of TV on my plate at the moment so it'll have to wait.

[X.]

Watch the FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS pilot.

I guarantee you it will shoot to the top of your list (if only for the intimate camerawork and the achingly beautiful editing).

[kaytee]

Started watching it today and I am impressed. Peter Berg shows his true class...

[X.]

He's going to the top...the guy's got pure talent.