Take a knee

I know I have been so out of the loop on blogging, but I just had to chime in on one of THE best episodes of "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 8:00) EVER.

"FNL" is already one of the most underrated shows on television and it pains me to think how many people miss out on the goodness that is Dillon, Texas. I have gone through plenty of "favorite shows" during my years of TV watching, but there has never been a show that touches me as deeply as "Friday Night Lights". If you aren't watching it then shame on you. I have Seasons 1-3 if you need to borrow them. In this episode, "The Son", Matt learns that his father died in combat in Iraq, and he's left to shoulder the burden of planning the funeral of a man he barely knew. Pause it: As soon as I saw the Casualty Assistance Officer and Grandma Saracen crying I ran to grab my tissues.

When news spreads around Dillon that Matt's dad was killed, the Taylors rally around the former football star in support. Julie (along with best friend Landry) try to help him through his grief. Tami steps in to help with funeral arrangements and Coach Taylor gives him a shoulder to cry on. With so much attention spent on Matt's grandma, I forgot he even had a father. I remember the episode in Season 1, when his dad shows up and Matt thinks he's there to stay. But it turns out his dad had reenlisted for the fourth time and was leaving Matt to care for his aging grandmother. That's a heavy load to carry for a high school junior. Back then it was obvious that Matt looked at Coach Taylor as a father-figure, so it was even more poignant when he walks Matt home after he reveals how much he resented his own dad.

I've said it before: Anything I see pertaining to the military these days make me tear up immediately. My friend's brother recently returned from Iraq, so watching this episode where there was a military funeral with a 21-gun salute just reminds you how lucky these men are who are get to come home to their loved ones. The Watch Party had completely dissolved into a ball of tears by the time the funeral was over. When Matt grabbed the shovel and began burying his father, I was a complete mess. It wasn't just tears streaming, it was to the point of almost hyperventilating. I haven't been this moved by a show since ... I don't know when I've been this moved by a show!!

In true "Friday Night Lights" form, we get reminders of what it's like to be from a small town and how close-knit the residents of Dillon, Texas are. Having Lyla return for the funeral and seeing Coach Taylor watch Smash play in a televised football game are pleasant little surprises that we get from the writers. It was also very moving to see Tim Riggins, his brother and Landry getting Matt drunk then taking him to the funeral home to see his dad's body, even after the parlor director advised him it was a bad idea. These people care about each other, and I care about them.

Most of the characters on "FNL" undergo some sort of transformation. Tyra went from school tramp to college student. Smash went from arrogant football star to a humble one. And Lyla Garrity went from cheerleader captain to slut to religious zealot back to slut then college co-ed. I think Matt is the only person who hasn't changed. Yes, he was a popular football star, but underneath he has remained the same loving, insecure boy we met four seasons ago. But GEEZ! Can we let up on the guy for a second? Bad things just keep happening to Matt Saracen. It sucks to never see him catch a break. He gave up art school in Chicago to stay with his girlfriend, Julie, only to find out she's applying to colleges all over the country. Now he works at a pizza place and attends a local junior college. Could it get any worse for Matt? Let's just hope they send his character away with a happy ending.

Around the town

• Vince and Luke are still at each other's throats. While the team is starting to turn around, these two are still antagonizing one another. A stolen wallet leads to a brawl in the street which leads to the boys getting arrested and Coach Taylor bailing them out. Pause it: So funny to see Vince handing Luke his wallet back as they pass the streets 5th and Shady.
• JD McCoy is turning into such a prick. I can't believe I was rooting for him last season.
• Vince is named Conference Player of the Week and part of the award is speaking to little kids. His speech to them: "Don't panic, stay cool and get paid." Enough said!
• When did Landry become such a lady's man? The kiss he planted on Jess didn't come from the same guy who was crushing on Tyra for two years before making a move on her. Way to go Landry!

This entry was originally posted in December 2009, after watching it on DirecTV.

Settling the score

I just finished watching the Direct TV Season 4 finale of "Friday Night Lights". For the love of all things holy, if you don't watch this show when it premieres on NBC in April, you will be missing THE best show on television. I cheered, I cried, I laughed. There is no other show that makes me verklempt at the thought of it being cancelled. It also makes me angry that NBC didn't give "FNL" the proper chance to find its footing on the network. If you are a true TV Watch Party follower, you will watch "Friday Night Lights" in April. *Forcing you into an uncomfortable hug*

Here's what happened Thursday night on ...

"Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" (CBS, 8:00): First, I must apologize to my coworkers who were subjected to my squeals, laughter and grunts while I watched the show online (off the clock, of course). Secondly, how freakin' excited is TV Watch Party to have a show that makes me giddy like a fat kid with cake? The Watch Party knows that "Survivor" is my all-time favorite reality show and I didn't realize how much I missed it until I heard Jeff Probst summing up the past 19 seasons.

There's been a lot of viewer comments floating around about the return of previous players. Pause it: I don't mind another All-Star season, although some of the player choices are a little suspect. Danielle who? Candace, really? Where is Yao-Man? What about Ozzy? Or even "Dreamz" for that matter? Sandra Diaz-Twine, a villain, says she's going to be meaner this time around. I barely even remember her speaking during her stint on Pearl Islands.

The show wastes no time putting the castaways to the test in a very physical reward challenge. Probst says they're playing for fire, but we all know they're playing for bragging rights. The game is a brutal version of football, except they don't have any protective gear. Heroes Rupert and Stephenie both suffer injuries (him, a toe broken in three places and her a dislocated then relocated shoulder). Cirie was tossing the girls around left and right, while Sandra stripped Sugar of her bikini top. Too bad it didn't stop her from scoring a point for the Heroes. James completely bulldozed his competition and the Heroes win the first challenge.

Back at camp, the Heroes are sitting high on the hog when they manage to snag four chickens. Props to them for being smart enough to build a coop instead of eating them all on the first day. J.T and James form an instant alliance and Sandra and Boston Rob hit it off nicely over on the Villain's beach. Jerri and Coach are making a love connection. Throw in the "Dragon Slayer's" unrequited bromance with Rob and you've got yourself a "Survivor" love triangle. There is so much wheelin', dealin' and lovin' going on, it's hard to keep track.

At the immunity challenge, an exhausting land/water/puzzle contraption, the Heroes get off to an early lead, but blow it when they can't solve the four-layer puzzle. This time it's the Villains who prevail, coming from behind for the win. Rewind: Are all the challenges going to be "take-twos" from previous seasons?

As the Heroes prepare for Tribal Council, former castmates start pairing up, leaving Sugar on the outside looking in. Cirie, Stephenie and Amanda's names are thrown into the mix and it becomes strategy vs. strength when the tribe can't decide who's the bigger threat. Do they get rid of a strong mental player or the weakest physical tribe member? Sugar, who couldn't even figure out how to work the Tribal Council ink pen, is the first person voted out in a 9-1 vote.

Do you think the tribe made the right move or will the mental juggernauts manage to control the game? It's going to be one hell of a season!

Funny lines from the castaways

• "I'm a villain. I think villains are smarter than heroes because they don't mind stabbing someone in the back to get where they wanna get. It's a proven fact ... Google it." - Russell, Villain
• "I'm a gangster in a Oprah suit." - Cirie, Hero
• Hero Amanda explains her jitters: "You know, like before you bungee jump ..." Uh, no sweetie. Let me just stop you right there. I will never know that feeling because the only time I will ever be in a "right-before-you-bungee-jump" position is the day Jack Bauer pushes me off the top floor of a parking garage.

The tribe has spoken: There are a few things I need to get off my chest. Stephenie's eyebrows scare me. They always have. It's like they start on the bridge of her nose then make a run for her hairline. She and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas must have the same brow waxer ... How nice to see people show up in clothes they can actually play in ... I'm still in love with James. If I ever see that gravedigger on the street ... WHEW! I can't be held responsible for what happens to him. I'm just sayin'.

CHANNEL SURFING

• On "Project Runway" (Lifetime, 10:00), the designers must create a look for Heidi Klum to wear on the April cover of Marie Claire magazine. Pause it: I don't buy fashion magazines. I wait until an airline contacts me about unused frequent flyer miles then I cash them in for the free subscriptions. Flamboyant Anthony reels in his tacky and produces a beautiful, structured cocktail dress for the win. Anna is auf'ed after she designs an outfit that I've seen a hundred times in the Jr. Miss department of Nordstrom. Of course the best line of the night goes to Anthony: "Life isn't fair so why in the hell should "Project Runway" be?"
• I really need the set director/writer people to get it right on "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 9:00). IT DOES NOT THUNDER IN SEATTLE!!!
• I finally got caught up on "High School Reunion" (TV Land, Wed., 9:00). It's great that all the couples are finding love or whatnot, but to guilt ladies man Antanus into proposing to his girlfriend of four years was a little over the top. You can't make someone be ready for marriage. But what do I know? He proposed. Feel free to leave that player's card on the table, Antanus.

"This is not just about football"

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TVs 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!

So Matt Saracen is gone. Really gone. I mean, I knew that last week, but watching Julie nurse a broken heart made mine break too. For three years we've watched her and Matt fall in love so I feel shortchanged that they didn't give the relationship some sort of closure. I know it happens like that in real life sometimes but this is TV. I wanted my happy ending. Pause it: Chin up, Jules. Been there, done that, went to therapy about it then claimed the visits on my taxes.

To help herself out of the break-up slump, Julie signs up for every extracurricular activity she can find, including the beautifully named Academic Smackdown, a Quiz Bowl-like school competition that she also sucks Landry into. "Do you realize the irony behind the term 'academic smackdown?'" he quips. Julie ends up breaking down after finding out that Matt has been in contact with his family but hasn't bothered to call her. Where do you think Matt took off to? Chicago to give art school another try? I hope it's somewhere close so he can come home and visit us. The only thing that could drive this story home is if Julie finds herself in the family way and Matt is forced to come back to take care of the baby.

Elsewhere around the town, Coach Taylor picks Vince to be quarterback for the East Dillon Lions. I am loving the slow build of the relationship between the two of them. When the police show up to search Vince's locker after someone accuses him of carrying a gun, Coach Taylor takes his time confronting him. He offers Vince a pep talk about the importance of staying out of trouble, but Vince isn't as trusting of Coach just yet. "Am I just another player who can throw the ball and run fast?" he says. "If I break my ankle and can't play no more, you still going to come around here?" Vince obviously sees Coach as the father he doesn't have, so getting attached to someone who may leave at any moment doesn't have much appeal. It was very telling when Vince shows up at Coach Taylor's house and hands him a paper sack with the gun inside. I hope Coach doesn't disappoint him. If he's telling Vince to walk the right path, the least he can do is help him read the map.

Dillon High is awarded the Blue Ribbon of Excellence and they have Tami to thank for that. She's been the principal for a year and has already turned the school around. The staff takes her out to celebrate and as soon as they cut to a karaoke bar I thought Tami was being set up to be caught in a compromising position. Well, she was put in a position alright. One of the drunk teachers plants a kiss on her as they waited for a cab. Pause it: Tami is far more diplomatic about that situation than I would've been. I know he was drunk and all, but he definitely would've gotten a tongue lashing and it wouldn't have been that French kiss he was going for.

There were a lot of sweet moments in this show, but one of the most tender was when "Tinker", one of the football players, shows up to help Luke fix a fence for his father. Luke had already missed practice and was falling asleep during school when "Tinker" offers to lend a hand. "Friday Night Lights" is set against the backdrop of football, but like Vince said, "This is not just about football." This show has always been about showcasing the best and worst sides of people's personalities; their joys and heartbreaks; their pride and their shame. You can't help but to melt when Riggins gently explains to Becky why her father will never be the type of dad she wants. Or when Luke's dad realizes his son is a great football player. Those are the moments that bring me back to Dillon, Texas, every week ... not football.

It's three weeks until we get a new episode. I'll try not to hurt myself during the wait.

"I think he's leaving"

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TV's 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!

By now you all know I have a blatant love affair going with "FNL". This week we had our first fight.

If last week's episode left me dissolved into a brown puddle of tears, this one had me East Dillon red. We all new Matt Saracen's day was coming, but is that really the way he's leaving us? No dramatic buildup? No heartfelt goodbye with Coach Taylor? Every original character has gotten a proper sendoff. Smash, Tyra, Street and Lyla all got the "special episode" treatment. And what does Matt get? He gets to drive off into the proverbial sunset.

To me, Matt Saracen is what "Friday Night Light" is all about. The small-town boy with big city responsibilities; the guy you root for and the guy you pity, all in the same breath. If Coach Taylor is the heart of Dillon, Texas, then Matt Saracen is it's soul. If that really was his last episode, I'll cry for him the way I cried for the rest of them. At least the writers let us know two things: one, that he received a $100,000 death gratuity because his father died in combat and two, we don't have to worry about his grandma because the insurance payments have her set for the rest of her life. Pause it: If Matt is gone does that mean that was the last of his mom and grandmother? Just stick the knife in and twist it, why don't cha?

Around the town

• Coach Taylor and his East Dillon Lions faced off against their toughest opponent yet in their first televised game. The Lions still have milk on their breath, but they are starting to gel as a team. Vince and Luke must've had a really nice talk on that long walk home last week, because their relationship is starting to resemble that of Landry and Saracen. The Lions lost the game in the last seconds, but they gave that undefeated team 4 quarters of football hell.
• Speaking of Landry, he admits to Jess that he enjoyed their kiss and wants to see where things could go, but, oh yeah, he still has feelings for Tyra. She slaps him. No further explaination needed.
• Lyla Garrity stopped by to say hello to Tim. And by 'hello' I mean 'hello'! Lyla will be that girl who goes on to marry well, have 2.5 kids and drive an SUV. But deep down she will always pine for the grease-monkey loser she loved back in high school.

Take a knee

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TV's 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!


"FNL" is already one of the most underrated shows on television and it pains me to think how many people miss out on the goodness that is Dillon, Texas. I have gone through plenty of "favorite shows" during my years of TV watching, but there has never been a show that touches me as deeply as "Friday Night Lights". If you aren't watching it then shame on you. I have Seasons 1-3 if you need to borrow them. In this episode, "The Son", Matt learns that his father died in combat in Iraq, and he's left to shoulder the burden of planning the funeral of a man he barely knew. Pause it: As soon as I saw the Casualty Assistance Officer and Grandma Saracen crying I ran to grab my tissues.

When news spreads around Dillon that Matt's dad was killed, the Taylors rally around the former football star in support. Julie (along with best friend Landry) try to help him through his grief. Tami steps in to help with funeral arrangements and Coach Taylor gives him a shoulder to cry on. With so much attention spent on Matt's grandma, I forgot he even had a father. I remember the episode in Season 1, when his dad shows up and Matt thinks he's there to stay. But it turns out his dad had reenlisted for the fourth time and was leaving Matt to care for his aging grandmother. That's a heavy load to carry for a high school junior. Back then it was obvious that Matt looked at Coach Taylor as a father-figure, so it was even more poignant when he walks Matt home after he reveals how much he resented his own dad.

I've said it before: Anything I see pertaining to the military these days make me tear up immediately. My friend's brother just returned from Iraq on Monday, so watching this episode where there was a military funeral with a 21-gun salute just reminds you how lucky these men are who are get to come home to their loved ones. The Watch Party had completely dissolved into a ball of tears by the time the funeral was over. When Matt grabbed the shovel and began burying his father, I was a complete mess. It wasn't just tears streaming, it was to the point of almost hyperventilating. I haven't been this moved by a show since ... I don't know when I've been this moved by a show!!

In true "Friday Night Lights" form, we get reminders of what it's like to be from a small town and how close-knit the residents of Dillon, Texas are. Having Lyla return for the funeral and seeing Coach Taylor watch Smash play in a televised football game are pleasant little surprises that we get from the writers. It was also very moving to see Tim Riggins, his brother and Landry getting Matt drunk then taking him to the funeral home to see his dad's body, even after the parlor director advised him it was a bad idea. These people care about each other, and I care about them.

Most of the characters on "FNL" undergo some sort of transformation. Tyra went from school tramp to college student. Smash went from arrogant football star to a humble one. And Lyla Garrity went from cheerleader captain to slut to religious zealot back to slut then college co-ed. I think Matt is the only person who hasn't changed. Yes, he was a popular football star, but underneath he has remained the same loving, insecure boy we met four seasons ago. But GEEZ! Can we let up on the guy for a second? Bad things just keep happening to Matt Saracen. It sucks to never see him catch a break. He gave up art school in Chicago to stay with his girlfriend, Julie, only to find out she's applying to colleges all over the country. Now he works at a pizza place and attends a local junior college. Could it get any worse for Matt? Let's just hope they send his character away with a happy ending.

Around the town

• Vince and Luke are still at each other's throats. While the team is starting to turn around, these two are still antagonizing one another. A stolen wallet leads to a brawl in the street which leads to the boys getting arrested and Coach Taylor bailing them out. Pause it: So funny to see Vince handing Luke his wallet back as they pass the streets 5th and Shady.
• JD McCoy is turning into such a prick. I can't believe I was rooting for him last season.
• Vince is named Conference Player of the Week and part of the award is speaking to little kids. His speech to them: "Don't panic, stay cool and get paid." Enough said!
• When did Landry become such a lady's man? The kiss he planted on Jess didn't come from the same guy who was crushing on Tyra for two years before making a move on her. Way to go Landry!

Show up and shut up

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TV's 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!

Sorry it's taken me so long to post on "FNL". I'm preparing for vacation and the clock has not been on my side. In any case ...

I'm so glad I have access to Direct TV. I would get get down on my knees and kiss it's feet if I were into that kind of thing ... or if it had feet. Direct TV airs the show commercial free and it makes those 44 minutes fly by.

After last week's bonfire of solidarity, Coach Taylor's Lions no longer have uniforms. They set out on a fund-raising mission which was more about building team unity than raising money. The boys had to push a car up and down the street, yelling for the residents of East Dillon to contribute. Little did they know, Coach Taylor was pulling the money from his own pockets and sending Tim Riggins ahead of the car giving money to people to drop into the bucket. Pause it: Can you imagine what it would've done to team morale if they knew the coach was bribing people to give money? When Coach Taylor asks the school principal for money to buy new uniforms, he tells Coach that nobody ever expected him to take the job and he's nothing more than a joke.

Coach Taylor calls in a favor to his friend at Under Armour (nice product placement guys) and asks for more time in paying for the $5,000 order. The rep needs a partial payment of $3,000 so Coach whips out the family checkbook and writes a note that was probably hotter than a whore in church. When Tami asks if he forgot to write down a check in the ledger, he says yeah ... $45 for dry cleaning. He could've at least made it a couple hundred. There are a lot of numbers between 3,000 and 45. After Tami learns the truth, the couple argue in that cute Taylor way, eventually making up after he apologizes.

Poor Luke Cafferty! He's on the verge of getting his clocked cleaned by jealous Vince Howard. Luke is doing everything he can to show the coaches how badly he needs football. He's offense, he's defense, the cheerleader, the mascot and he probably paints the stripes back on the field after each game. Apparently Vince knows nothing about football because during East Dillon's second game, Luke was on his way to scoring the team's only touchdown and Vince misses a block on purpose. Rewind: In pretty much all teeny-bopper football movies, this is how the star player becomes paralyzed. Vince still manages to score a TD after a botched punt, but he'd better watch how he talks to Coach Taylor. That ass chewing Coach gave him was the maddest I've ever seen him. I don't know if his face can get any redder than that.

And finally ... Buddy Garrity's paranoia gets the best of him and he admits to the G.O.B (Good Ol' Boosters) that he did, indeed, tell Coach Taylor about the mailbox. "I put it there, I can do whatever I want with it," he yells. I could not believe it when he told off Joe McCoy, calling him a "cancer" to the Panther team. "You need to polish that ring of yours. It's lookin' a bit tarnished," he quips. I knew it was just a matter of time before Buddy left the fold to follow Coach Taylor. He knows what Eric can do with a football program. (Do you guys mind if I call him Eric?)

I'm really enjoying all the characters they are introducing. Jess, Landry's soon-to-be love interest, is fun to watch and is the complete opposite of Tyra and Lyla. I'm warming up to Luke Cafferty, too. He was a little prick in the first episode, but now that I know his story, I can empathize with him. I was loving Vince on day one, even if his attitude stinks. By bringing in all these new faces, they are trying to distract us from the actors that are about to leave (prep your Kleenex for next week). I appreciate the writers for trying to soften the blow.

Let's finish it!

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TV's 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!

I would so hate to be on Tami Taylor's bad side, but I definitely want her to be my new BFF. She's smart, sassy and not easily intimidated. The way she put the smack down on Joe McCoy and the G.O.B. (Good Ol' Boosters) earned her a spot in my Sister Circle. Pause it: The Sister Circle is an elite club that includes Oprah, Michelle Obama, Karen Walker and Jack MacFarland ("Will & Grace"), Arianna Huffington, Julia Roberts and my BFF Jeff. It's very hard to get in.

Tami is the every-woman character that's hard to come by on TV these days. A working wife and mother of two who floats between both roles effortlessly. She's the kind of mother a daughter tells her secrets to and the woman every man wants by his side at a dinner party. Tami Taylor is who I hope to be when I grow up (but with a better paying job than high school principal).

The action picks up with the fallout of Coach Taylor forfeiting last week's game. The whole team has quit and he's left with nothing. When Landry lays into him about the way he deserted the team, it's one of the rare times we get to see Coach in an unflattering light. Enter Buddy Garrity who squeals that Dillon High's star running back, Luke Cafferty, has a fake address and belongs at East Dillon. When Joe McCoy learns that Luke must transfer, he corners Tami with the threat of the Panthers being stripped of all their state titles won under the leadership of her husband. Tami never waivers and calls him in front of the G.O.B., asking if the men around the table knew their rings were at risk because of Joe's threats.

Coach Taylor calls a special practice for Saturday night and asks Vince to help him put the team back together. In a show of solidarity, they burn their old uniforms and the tapes from the forfeited game. Luke, who is very desperate to play football, even tosses in his Dillon Panthers t-shirt. They decide they're going to "finish it" together. If Vince keeps stepping up the way he did in this episode, I see him becoming a team captain. I thought he was going to be another Smash, but he's going down the path of becoming the next Matt Saracen - the kid with the hard-knock life, but the heart of a champion.

Random thoughts: If Tim Riggins joins East Dillon's coaching staff, do you think he'll change his ways? ... I chuckle every time he encounters someone and they ask, "Aren't you Tim Riggins?" ... Landry Clarke is still one of the most endearing characters on this show. The day he graduates will be the day I hunt down the writers of ths show and beg them to make him a schoolteacher at East Dillon.

Clear eyes, full hearts: FNL is back!

SPOILER ALERT!! I'm watching "Friday Night Lights" on Direct TV's 101 network so if you're waiting until NBC airs the episodes in 2010, read no further!


My favorite show is back (and commercial free!) and not a minute too soon. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this show. It's the only one that I have ever purchased on DVD. It wasn't until the "FNL" theme song that I realized how submersed I am in this show. The people of Dillon, Texas, have become friends of mine. I identify with them because I was born and raised in a town just like Dillon. A place where football reigns supreme and people relive their glory days through their children. The acting is amazing, the emotions are true; it's very easy to get attached to the characters. What's hard is seeing some of my favorites gone - Tyra, Smash, Lyla and Street - but the series does a great job of slowly introducing new characters and allowing you to form new relationships with them.

When they left off, Coach Taylor had been fired and offered a job at dilapidated East Dillon High School. Redistricting has the town up in arms and parents are angry that their kids are being forced into a new district. Principal Taylor is torn between staying true to her school and supporting her husband, but after seeing Tami in action, it won't take long for the coaches at Dillon to see which side her bread is buttered.

At the first practice of the season, Coach has his work cut out for him. It only took 18 minutes for him to see that what he had to work with was a bunch of out-of-shape knuckleheads. Both schools had opening football games and the juxtaposition of the two teams was night and day. Dillon High has cheerleaders, a band and a TV crew while East Dillon barely had 20 people in the stands and wore miss-matched uniforms. We know how the game ends for Coach Taylor and the Lions, but I was praying to my Heavenly Host that the Panthers got their clocks cleaned.

With Riggins and Saracen graduated, a new string of football players emerge. J.D. McCoy is back and he's grown a pair since becoming a sophomore. We also get to meet his sidekick, Luke, and juvenile delinquent Vince Howard. Pause it: Some of you may recognize Vince as Reggie from "All My Children" or Wallace from HBO's "The Wire". I'm already attached to Vince because his portrayer, Michael B. Jordan, plays the rags-to-riches part so well. With Coach Taylor as his mentor I'm sure we'll be seeing more of the heart-wrenching scenes like we saw with him and Matt Saracen. With so many new faces it was nice to see Landry in the mix (what was the deal with everyone commenting on what a weird face he has?) Of course Julie is back and so are Matt and Tim Riggins, who dropped out of college after only 3 weeks.

"Friday Night Lights" is one of the main reasons I wanted to start a blog. It's the best show on TV that nobody's watching. If people would start watching this show with full eyes and clear hearts, they definitely can't lose! Stick around! This is one Watch Party you don't want to miss.