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Post by shmeep on Mar 2, 2007 9:17:59 GMT -5
I love Matt Roush over at TV Guide. He was supportive of Blind Justice while it was on and he has been more than supportive of FNL all along. Here is a little something from this week's Q&A that I enjoyed reading:
Question: Please tell me Friday Night Lights is doing better in the ratings and may be renewed for next year. The stories on this show are so entertaining, and the interactions between the characters are the most engaging I've seen since Lost's first season. I find that this sort of writing only comes along once or twice a year. On a side note, is it possible that Kyle Chandler could be nominated for any awards on such a poorly viewed show? He plays that character so exceptionally it's hard to pick out particular instances of brilliance, but to name a few from last week (Feb. 21): talking about sending his daughter to a nunnery in Rome, telling Buddy he didn't want to hear about his affair, and his quiet expression of relief after Julie finally got home. Priceless. — Michael L.
Question: After watching the most recent (Feb. 21) episode of Friday Night Lights (which they pre-empted for an NBA game and shoved into the 4 pm/Sunday time slot), I was inspired to write to you and anyone else who can campaign for an Emmy nomination for Connie Britton. This show not only continues to defy the norm and go in completely unexpected directions, but the acting is real. Case in point: Britton's scene when she questioned her daughter about sleeping with Matt Saracen. I am a 35-year-old typical male (with a pretty little 6-year-old daughter, mind you) who is afraid to cry in public or private, but I'll be darned if I wasn't moved by that scene. "Don't you smirk at me, Julie, this is very difficult!" I don't even know if I got the line right, I was so moved by the performance. There is no doubt in my mind when I watch that family that they are anything but a family: I don't see them as actors. Isn't that what good acting means? Anyway, I think they all deserve an award, but this scene in particular was exceptional, so please do what is in your power to get Connie Britton and the cast and writers of Friday Night Lights the recognition they deserve.— Rob L.
Matt Roush: There's only so much I can do, but let me use this pulpit and this double-barreled blast of praise to beat the drums once again for this wonderful show and its remarkable cast, who make poetry out of understated realism. This last batch of episodes has generated even more positive mail than usual, starting with the episodes in which Smash led a walkout of the African-American players — how rare to see a racial conflict played out so thoughtfully — and peaking in the Feb. 21 episode in which Julie and Matt went to the brink of their first sexual encounter, but to their relief (and especially to her parents'), they thought better of it. There wasn't a false moment in any of this. I'm especially keen on the way Kyle Chandler plays this coach and father. On the field and with his team, he has all the answers, or at least tries to give that impression of authority. With his daughter, however, he can be rendered speechless. His discomfort with Julie, his regret at blowing up at his wife Tami: all perfectly pitched. A career high. And Connie Britton matches him, sometimes surpasses him, all along the way. They are my No. 1 TV couple right now, as sexy as they are real. With nearly a full season behind it, and (fingers crossed) a renewal on the horizon if NBC knows what's good for it, I'm hoping the off-season will bring Friday Night Lights the awards recognition it deserves. I would hope it will be recognized not just by the Emmys and the TCAs (I'll do my part for the latter), but by the administrators of the Peabodys, the Humanitas, etc. If ever there was a show that deserves to be kept alive for prestige purposes, it's this one. If only it can survive these weeks of American Idol onslaught.
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Post by housemouse on Mar 6, 2007 17:15:39 GMT -5
A couple of FNL points.
1. I am really bummed that this week's episode is a repeat. I need my FNL fix.
2. There was a comment on Scott Porter's myspace congratulating him on the show getting picked up for another season. I have been unable to confirm that information. Has anyone else heard anything?
3. I just finished Mark Zupan's book Gimp. (Not a great book, but a great story - Zupan and Igoe are myspace friends now!) After reading the book I am pretty sure it is not Herc who is based on Zupan, it is Street.
Quad rugby pretty much turned Zupan's life around. As a matter of fact there is a scene in the book that is exactly like the seen where Herc first tells Street about the game. Even the dialog is almost the same.
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Post by shmeep on Mar 7, 2007 13:44:38 GMT -5
1. I am really bummed that this week's episode is a repeat. I need my FNL fix. Worse! It's not even on. It will be hard to hold out for the next couple of weeks. 2. There was a comment on Scott Porter's myspace congratulating him on the show getting picked up for another season. I have been unable to confirm that information. Has anyone else heard anything? All I've heard so far is that, while the show doesn't have great ratings (kind of Blind Justice level, for the most part), it still has a good chance of getting picked up because it's a critical favorite and is owned by NBC outright. As far as I know, there has been no official word on next season, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I really hope it has! 3. I just finished Mark Zupan's book Gimp. (Not a great book, but a great story - Zupan and Igoe are myspace friends now!) After reading the book I am pretty sure it is not Herc who is based on Zupan, it is Street. That sounds like an interesting book. If your theory is correct and Street was based on Zupan, then that means there are a lot of very interesting developments ahead for Street. I can't wait! |
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Post by krissie on Mar 7, 2007 16:49:41 GMT -5
I've just seen Episode Three. (Do they have names at all? If they do, I haven't noticed.) At the moment, I don't like Lyla. She's in denial... and, oh, so annoyingly good and sweet and perfect. Apart from that snog with Tim, which showed both poor taste and a betrayal of her I-am-going-to-marry-him-one-day love for Jason. <Ick.> (It was Tim, wasn't it? I'm gradually figuring out which name goes with which character, but I'm having a surprisingly hard time doing so.) Jason: I like him. (Mind you, I noticed something both last week and this that I find a little distracting. Now, I warn you, this is going to sound weird, but... His mouth reminds me of Paul Gross's! (Benton Fraser in Due South, for those who remember that.  It's something about the shape of the lips, the whiteness and the angle of his teeth.) Tim: Nope. I don't like him at the moment. If he gets over his beer obsession, maybe I'll like him some more. At the moment, all I can ask myself is why Jason would be best friends with this guy. Maybe if he ever goes to see Jason and I get to see them interact I'll understand this better. Meanwhile, I'll put the question down as One Of Life's Little Mysteries. Two things I noticed missing from this week's episode were: 1) The days of the week, subtitled at the bottom of the screen. Wow. Have the viewers grown up enough to know without having to be told that time is passing by? 2) No spontaneous bouts of uninhibited mass praying. (I forgot to mention that last week. That struck me as very odd! Not something I can ever see happening here. If anyone tried that here, outside of an open air church service, I predict that at least seventy-five per cent of the crowd would look uncomfortable and there would be a lot of shuffled of feet.) This week, all we had was Lyla making reference to prayer meetings. (How will she reconcile Jason's injuries with the hand of God, once she stops denying that the paralysis is permanent?) I still don't understand American football. And I'm not sure I understand coach's training methods, either. I'm not sure that matters, though. Just as I let all the medical jargon on ER and the technobabble on Star Trek: The Next Generationfloat high over my head, I guess I can let the finer subtleties of the rules of the game drift past me.  Overall, though, I found less to be bemused by this week than I have in the last two. I think I might be in terrible danger of being sucked in by this series! Krissie |
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Post by shmeep on Mar 8, 2007 10:37:48 GMT -5
Yay! More FNL krissie reactions! I was delighted to read this and to know you're starting to get into the show. Thank you so much for posting your thoughts over here. I've just seen Episode Three. (Do they have names at all? If they do, I haven't noticed.) They do have names! These are all the episodes shown so far: Pilot Eyes Wide Open Wind Sprints Who's Your Daddy Git'er Done El Accidente Homecoming Crossing the Line Full Hearts It's Different for Girls Nevermind What to do While You're Waiting Little Girl I Wanna Marry You Upping the Ante Blinders Black Eyes and Broken Hearts I Think We Should Have Sex Extended Family There are four more that have yet to be aired. At the moment, I don't like Lyla. She's in denial... and, oh, so annoyingly good and sweet and perfect. Apart from that snog with Tim, which showed both poor taste and a betrayal of her I-am-going-to-marry-him-one-day love for Jason. <Ick.> (It was Tim, wasn't it? I'm gradually figuring out which name goes with which character, but I'm having a surprisingly hard time doing so.) You have the names right. I completely agree with your take on Layla--especially early on. I partly disliked the character and partly disliked the actress. She emotes by talking through gritted teeth and that drives me crazy. She has finally just started to grow on me, but more because I feel sorry for her. She does eventually grow. I find her development, both with Jason and on her own, very well done and I don't have to like her to acknowledge that. Even her "encounter" with Tim, while horrible and wrong in every way, was understandable. Jason had just pretty much rejected her and she was just starting to realize how different everything was about to be and she freaked out right when Tim was at a particularly vulnerable point as well. I hate that they did that, but it was pretty gutsy of the show to have this play out. Jason: I like him. (Mind you, I noticed something both last week and this that I find a little distracting. Now, I warn you, this is going to sound weird, but... His mouth reminds me of Paul Gross's! (Benton Fraser in Due South, for those who remember that. It's something about the shape of the lips, the whiteness and the angle of his teeth.) I like him too. I have no Paul Gross associations. I just think he's adorable and likable and a very well-drawn character. He goes against the norm when it comes to characters--particularly athletes--who become disabled. He goes through every emotion there is, but he's always himself and he is never bitter. He also hasn't become some overly-wise character (which is another annoying stereotype). He's just as flawed as ever and just as likely to do something stupid as anyone else. I love that about him. Tim: Nope. I don't like him at the moment. If he gets over his beer obsession, maybe I'll like him some more. At the moment, all I can ask myself is why Jason would be best friends with this guy. Maybe if he ever goes to see Jason and I get to see them interact I'll understand this better. Meanwhile, I'll put the question down as One Of Life's Little Mysteries. Tim grew on me gradually. I can't say he makes huge strides toward being a better person, but he is soooo troubled and silent and vulnerable and you really start to understand why as the show goes on. He's a favorite of mine now. Two things I noticed missing from this week's episode were: 1) The days of the week, subtitled at the bottom of the screen. Wow. Have the viewers grown up enough to know without having to be told that time is passing by? Yeah, that wasn't really needed. I don't know why they felt the need to tell us what day it was all the time. I can see in the very first episode to set up a countdown toward the game, but...it didn't add much. 2) No spontaneous bouts of uninhibited mass praying. (I forgot to mention that last week. That struck me as very odd! Not something I can ever see happening here. If anyone tried that here, outside of an open air church service, I predict that at least seventy-five per cent of the crowd would look uncomfortable and there would be a lot of shuffled of feet.) The praying was really over the top, especially in the second episode. I was raised with this kind of church culture and I still have a lot of friends back in L.A. who break out in prayer with very little provocation. It's not the norm, but it can happen. In most places, it would be mostly in a church setting or at least with other people of the same faith, but in Texas I guess the assumption is that everyone shares the same faith so the church culture extends beyond the regular church setting. I found it very off putting even though I used to be surrounded by it, but I guess it is true to the setting. You'll be happy to know that there will be very little of it from now on. I still don't understand American football. And I'm not sure I understand coach's training methods, either. I'm not sure that matters, though. Just as I let all the medical jargon on ER and the technobabble on Star Trek: The Next Generationfloat high over my head, I guess I can let the finer subtleties of the rules of the game drift past me. That's what I do. I still barely understand the game and I have no intention of figuring it out. My husband can instantly grasp everything that's happening on the field while we're watching the show and he'll make a call before the referee does and he's always right but all I know as I watch is who is winning--and that's only because of that really big and helpful scoreboard. I went to football games all throughout high school and I never had a clue what was going on. Overall, though, I found less to be bemused by this week than I have in the last two. I think I might be in terrible danger of being sucked in by this series! Don't fight it! It only gets better from now on. |
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Post by Chris on Mar 8, 2007 19:26:42 GMT -5
That's what I do. I still barely understand the game and I have no intention of figuring it out. My husband can instantly grasp everything that's happening on the field while we're watching the show and he'll make a call before the referee does and he's always right but all I know as I watch is who is winning--and that's only because of that really big and helpful scoreboard. I went to football games all throughout high school and I never had a clue what was going on. Karma, Shmeep! This makes me more comfortable not getting football at all I always thought that all Americans knew what football was all about, like it was in your genes or something like that. Whenever I see football in a movie or in a TV show I keep thinking, what are they doing, there is a pile of men and this oval ball, and that's basically what I have figured out so far. On the other hand, I don't get much more of Soccer either, which is the big deal here, I can tell when someone scores, unless he "Off-side" in which case the goal is annulled. What "Off-side" means exactly, I have no idea, but, at least in Denmark, it's a known fact, that women don't get off-side so I'm not the only one And Krissie, about the mass praying, if someone tried that in Denmark, I predict that ninety-five per cent of the crowd would look really uncomfortable, faith is a very private matter here. - Chris  |
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Post by krissie on Mar 9, 2007 2:57:04 GMT -5
Shmeep, thanks for the list of titles. I'd rather try to remember names than episode numbers, so the list will come in very handy! Also, as you suspected, I'm very happy to know that the worst of the praying excesses are now over! Also, it's good to know that you treat the football detail similarly to me.  Chris, you said: You made me laugh when I read this. True, mine was a very wry laugh, but it was a laugh, nonetheless. See, I can relate to each and every one of those poor, misjudged Americans who don't understand football. When I was in Canada, I got invited along to a baseball match. I said that I didn't know the rules, so I wasn't sure that I'd get much out of it. The response? "C'mon, you're British. You understand the rules of cricket, and baseball is simple compared to that!" Cricket? Understand? The rules? Not on your life! I know that there are two sets of wickets, a bat, a ball, an umpire, and that certain games can go on for five days. Oh, and sometimes 'rain stops play', which always sounds wimpish to me. But beyond that? Nope. No idea. No desire to get an idea, either. However, having twice shared houses with soccer (now, that's what I call football ) freaks, I do understand the off-side rule. (Piece of cake, compared to cricket. ) Krissie |
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Post by Chocky on Mar 9, 2007 6:01:24 GMT -5
Heh heh, well said Krissie. Does ANYONE understand the rules of cricket?!! Long boring games if you ask me. (Although it's nice to hear on the news that Australia won!)
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Post by housemouse on Mar 16, 2007 7:25:30 GMT -5
Kevin Rankin's episodes of Six Feet Under are airing on Bravo over the next week or so. The character couldn't be more different from Herc.
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Post by shmeep on Mar 16, 2007 8:03:03 GMT -5
And in other Friday Night Lights news...they are showing repeats on Bravo between now and the middle of April. I believe it is on Fridays at 7 and Saturdays at 2, but I could be wrong about. If you started watching late or if you're curious and want to get into it, it's not too late.
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Post by housemouse on Mar 16, 2007 8:21:01 GMT -5
And in other Friday Night Lights news...they are showing repeats on Bravo between now and the middle of April. I believe it is on Fridays at 7 and Saturdays at 2, but I could be wrong about. If you started watching late or if you're curious and want to get into it, it's not too late. It's not too late and you won't be sorry. Really, really give it a try! |
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Post by shmeep on Mar 20, 2007 11:25:50 GMT -5
It's back tomorrow night! And rumor has it there's a fairly good chance of a second season so don't be afraid to jump on in. There are so many reasons to love this show. The broken friendship of Jason and Tim and the hope that these two will be able to make up:  The best TV couple ever:   Mama Smash (who should have her own show):  The young love of Matt and Julie:  Landry's horrible Christian speed metal band:  The way Jason has grown and changed since his accident:   The strength and sassiness of Tyra:  The thinly-veiled vulnerability of Tim:  And the best reason of all...Herc!  Yeah, there's football in there somewhere, but this show is about so much more than that. |
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Post by housemouse on Mar 20, 2007 12:30:46 GMT -5
Karma to shmeep for a great post! To everyone else - WATCH THIS SHOW!!! You will not be sorry - I promise!
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Post by housemouse on Mar 22, 2007 6:58:42 GMT -5
I have so much to do this morning I can't really dig into last night's episode until later today. That being said, this show just keeps getting better!!! I have blown away by how great this show is.
WOW!!!!!
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Post by shmeep on Mar 22, 2007 8:12:06 GMT -5
It might sound like a stretch to claim each episode is better than those before it, but last night absolutely blew me away!
Jason doesn't make the Quad Rugby team. I was shocked, but then it all seems realistic when Herc explains that his comfort with being in a chair was the issue and not his skill. Makes sense, but it's heart breaking just the same. Over the last few episodes, Jason had been so sure that this was the answer. This was where he belonged. All his hopes had started hinging on whether or not he would tour with this team and compete in the championship and to have that pulled out from under him was just horrible. But then Herc points out that they all need to make the team but that it's the championship, not therapy. Whoa. Herc isn't at all sympathetic, but his words are exactly what Jason needs to hear.
I don't know what to think about Jason making out with Tattoo Girl and then telling Lyla he's not sure if he wants to be engaged. I'm disappointed in him, but it was nice to see him finally having some real chemistry with someone. But I'm feeling bad for Lyla for other reasons now. Her broken faith in her father and the way her family is falling apart was very well done. And who thought she would have it in her to go and trash her father's dealership? That was quite shocking.
I loved seeing Tim defending the kid, and was glad when the mom rebuffed his advances and reminded him (and the audience) that he is just a kid. But...ew! Then she decides she doesn't care after all.
The high point of the whole episode was when Jason encounters the other teammates and finally has a normal time hanging out with them on the football field. And when he coaches Matt! He finally seems to be fitting in again and feeling comfortable and he actually makes a difference. And best of all, he and Tim acknowledge their friendship. I have a feeling Jason could end up doing some coaching in the future.
Oh! And I don't want to forget about Tyra! I love her scenes with Tami. The change that comes over her when Tami finally convinces her she is better than she thinks she is and has a ton of potential is remarkable and realistically done--and so is the way this new attitude threatens her uneducated mother. I hope her mother is finally ready to allow Tyra to live up to her potential and that she'll stop sabotaging it. A nice touch is the shifty way Tyra's mom is sitting in Tami's office, like she's still a bit uncomfortable because of her unfortunate ass accident in the previous episode.
Of course Coach will stay in Dillon, but I hope it's not just because his fifteen-year-old has a boyfriend. Still, those father-daughter scenes almost had me undone. What a great family! And Julie really looks like she can be the child of those two. She has her dad's round cheeks and her mom's blond hair. I completely buy them as a family in every way.
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It's something about the shape of the lips, the whiteness and the angle of his teeth.) 
