Saturday, March 24, 2007

Friday Night Lights: A Top 10 List

The amount of sheer joy this show gives me is ridiculous. I grin and squeel and get sucker-punched by situations that are all too real. Honestly, if you're not watching FNL, you're missing out. NBC.com has all the episodes on their sorta sub-par media player. They're also available on itunes. And for the last time, naysayers, this show is not about football. It features football, but it's about so much more.

Top 10 Awesome Moments of Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes:

10. The awkward grand gesture that was Tyra's mother dragging her into the Father Daughter Dance to prove that she's not a sabotaging harpy.

9. Buddy’s Dr. Phil-inspired scrapbook.

8. Riggins teaching 9 year-old Beau how to fight and reminding him that eye gouging and groin kicks are totally within the limits of a school yard brawl.

7. Buddy's spot-on local car commercial.

6. The Taylor family bantering over Eric's "award-winning"/"very mediocre" chili. Extra points for being able to see just how much Tyra wished her family could hold a candle to Julie's.

5. "Appreciate your service, Sergeant Riggins."

4. Riggins getting in a 10 year-old bully’s face and threatening to punch a hole in his chest and rip out his heart if he ever bothers Beau again.

3. Lyla smashing the shit out of several cars and the front window of her dad's dealership upon learning of his habitual infidelity.

2. Beau's mom giving into the lazy charm of Riggins. “Beau can never know.” I’ll say, the minute he finds out, he’ll start in with “I can’t believe Tim Riggins is gonna be my new dad!”

1. Smash, Riggs, Matt and Street on the field, having the boy-bonding session to end all boy-bonding sessions. And ending it with a Brokeback joke and a promise of renewed friendship between Tim and Jason. Sigh.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you posted this, because can I tell you how I totally was about to call you several times Wednesday night and write you Thursday to say how much I grinned and squeeled and (ahem) almost cried a few times? What can I say, I'm a sap.

Q

Tim Dragga said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tim Dragga said...

I don't see how they can't keep this show, it's one of the most well put together 41.5 minutes broadcast. It's got "film quality" (whatever it means when they say that) cinemitography, production design, direction, acting, and writing and it manages to, like the West Wing before it, accomplish all of this while dealing with the constraints of Network television.

I am, however, starting to get worried. It's ratings have recently, for reasons I can't understand, dwindled at a steady pace, down to a 3.8/6/1.8 for "Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes." The change from Tuesday to Wednesday also doesn't seem to have found a sweetspot for it.

I can understand, in some ways, the great though complex character dynamics and thick plot making it a little unaccesible to new viewers just joining in, but I don't understand why viewers would be dropping out at this point. A lot of plot lines are building nicely and I've always felt like the over arching narrative of the show has continued to progress in a steady and focused manner (as opposed to the way that Studio 60 seemed simultaneously all over the place while also managing to not get anywhere quickly).

So what gives, people? This thing could be on the bubble and the last thing we need is for it to limp into it's season finale.

On a side note, if you go to NBC.com to watch it and 30 Rock (or old Studio 60 episodes) please click on the advertisments that book end each part. NBC track the hits those ads get and it helps bolster the numbers with sponsors.

St. Clare said...

1. I really think NBC's gonna stick with FNL. It's so critically acclaimed and I think if they'll tow the line as far as quality goes and give it and 30 Rock some room to grow. That's my hope anyway.

2. Q, the only other show that makes me as misty as FNL is Battlestar. Apparently nothing makes me sappier than the Texas boys and the end of the human race.

Anonymous said...

I agree - Kevin Reilly LOVES FNL and I think he'll give it a shot and try to re-market it. Also, the showdown between the Adama boys last week and Lee and Roslin on the stand? Jesus that's amazing TV!

!

Gossip Boy said...

I don't watch this show, so I don't know what you all are banging on about.

I just popped in to tell St. Clare that in my recent issue of GQ, (I'm a gentleman, don't you know) there is a photo spread of someone from this show (Taylor something or other?) modeling swimsuits.

I'm saving for you. For, you know, your journalistic research and such.