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So with the seeming wealth of characters and storylines, do they trim the fat (and who decides what that is) or do they risk continuity between episodes and concentrate on different characters on different nights?

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I think they can avoid trimming the fat, but what is going to hurt the show (beyond the wirters strike) is its season is already going to be shorter because I believe only 18 episodes were ordered. If FNL had a full season, 22-24 episodes, then I think you could incorporate more of the side storylines, much like they did in season 1. Honestly, that's what made this show so great, all of the characters have lives going on, but are tied together by the fabric of Dillon Panther Football.

This year, because NBC wanted to ramp up the drama, and cut down the football, we had to deal with distractions like the murder plotline. With the short season (pre-writers strike) I wish the producers would have realized how much time that storyline was truly going to waste. Net result, Tyra and Landry's relationship (in the sense of committment to one another) is no different than when we started the season.

None the less, probably one of the best shows on TV.

Funny quick hit from ESPN's Bill Simmons and a good article in Variety today

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According to Variety, the writers' strike has given an improbable boost to "Friday Night Lights," which now looks like it's coming back for a third season. I thought last Friday's episode was the best one of Season 2 for two reasons -- they geared it around Tim Riggins (who definitely made The Leap in Season 2, much like Clooney in the second season of "ER" and the coach's family, and they cut out two characters whose stories pretty much ran their course (Street and Lila). Riggins is threatening to break into the Pantheon of All-Time Great TV Characters. He really is. They could spin him off next season and he could carry his own show. I'm convinced.

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http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117977394.html?categoryid=2554&cs=1

'Friday' lights up during strike
Episode surplus could boost show

While most fall shows have just one or two episodes left to air -- if that -- the Universal Media Studios/Imagine TV-produced "Friday Night Lights" is in much better shape. It'll have six episodes in the can when it returns early next month from a short holiday break.

"We're hoping that the lack of original (scripted) competition will help the ratings," Manze said. "Just by default, we should see some kind of increase."

It helps that "Friday Night Lights" isn't the 98-pound ratings weakling it appeared to be last season. In fact, NBC's decision to move the show to Fridays -- a shift some fans feared was a death sentence -- seems to have worked out well.

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DVRs have also been a boon to the skein, one of the most time-shifted on TV -- ratings rise 18% when you count viewership that takes place after the first date of broadcast.

And while its overall viewership isn't huge, it's the right kind: No other drama on TV has a higher concentration of viewers that make more than $100,000 a year.

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[This message has been edited by InternetFan02 (edited 1/9/2008 11:25p).]

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It helps that "Friday Night Lights" isn't the 98-pound ratings weakling it appeared to be last season. In fact, NBC's decision to move the show to Fridays -- a shift some fans feared was a death sentence -- seems to have worked out well.

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I would just like to point out that I defended this decision on page 1 of this thread to those who were crying that NBC was trying to kill the show by moving it to Fridays. Everyone has a DVR now. Anybody at a HS football game that wanted to watch it still was.

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And while its overall viewership isn't huge, it's the right kind: No other drama on TV has a higher concentration of viewers that make more than $100,000 a year.

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This makes me laugh. There was a thread last year about the top shows watched by rich people, and almost all of them were low-rated but high quality shows. Turns out rich people are smarter than poor people. At least with their remote controls.

That Variety article is a month old

No Street, no Landry, almost no Saracen, no Tyra, no Lyla. No Buddy, No Grandma.

You are missing 5 of your series regulars and 2 key peripheral characters and its still a great episode.

That is called an overdose of good actors and characters to work with.

Kyle Chandler amazes me every week. I want to be Coach Taylor.

Was that Rick Barnes that offered Smash the scholarship from TMU??

Gigem,

Yes. It was. I thought it was funny. That guy is a great recruiter so it makes sense.

Good episode. More football than had been in most episodes this season and kidna tied up some lose ends on sub plots.

I knew I recognized that weasely ******* from somewhere.

How many of you thought that the roommate was going to barge in and shoot Riggins or his brother?

I am sure we haven't seen the last of him. It will make for a good cliffhanger.

Where is the Riggins and drug money story going? Will Riggins start dealing drugs for the guy, or is the guy going to kill Riggins' brother. Either way, Tim is going to get beat up or spend a night in jail before it is all over with.

I guess what is most irritating, is with all the growth and progress Riggins has made this season, stealing this money is definitely going to bite him in the a$$ before all is said and done.

The big question is, with only 4-5 episodes left in the can, will we see this plotline play out, or will it get interupted by the strike.

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guess what is most irritating, is with all the growth and progress Riggins has made this season, stealing this money is definitely going to bite him in the a$$ before all is said and done.

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I actually think this is very real. Yeah, the kid has made progress, but look how that worked out for him. (He stole the money before Coach apologized) The natural thing for him to do when backed up against a wall like that is turn back to his old ways.

Riggins deserves the $3K for having to live with that guy as long as he had to.

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Riggins deserves the $3K for having to live with that guy as long as he had to.

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Oh, most definitely. Especially all the times he walked around in the whitey-tighties.

I do agree that it is probably truer to Riggins character to take then money when backed against the wall. This is just what makes this show so great, you really feel for these characters, and you want to see them make the right decisions/choices.

really liked this episode, how about the opposing coach tackiling Riggins for the game winner

geno:
that came as quite a surprise for me. I was like "What the hell just happened"? It was a great moment! The whole episode was really solid though. Tim Riggins has become a favorite character of mine this season.

Julie and Tyra are my favorite characters

I wonder if coach's little "that's honorable" speech will make Riggins re think his decision to take the money.

Although it's most likely drug money so on one hand who really cares. On the other hand it is still stealing.

I hope they don't go off on a tangent with the drug money story line like they did the murder - and that's what I'm fearing will happen.

I agree that this was the best episode of Season 2 though - and it came back to football which was nice. I was happy to CT the family man too...

I think they were setting something up with the ex telling Riggins how much his brother loved him. I wouldn't be suprised if Riggin's brother ends up biting the bullet for him. Maybe in some type of Meth lab explosion.

[This message has been edited by Macpappy99 (edited 1/15/2008 8:12a).]

One of the problems is that Riggins took his clothes and bag with him from the house when he took the money. If he would have left that stuff there, then the meth dealer might not have known who it was. If it was just some random person that stole the money, they wouldnt take Riggins bag.

So this leads me to believe that the meth dealer is going to come back after Riggins and his brother.

great point. hadnt thought about that.

Now that Mack and Barnes have both made cameo's on the show, do you think other coaches will make an appearance?

ttt for tonight

Worst eppy of the season IMO. I am not remotely interesed in Lyla though watching Riggins pine over her makes it slightly bearable.

As for Saracen, Carlota leaving so suddenly makes me think that she is the preggo of the series.

Smash's actions are going to bite him in the arse. I am sure someone at the theater knew who he was and he will get busted by the cops, but that will be nothing sompared to the wrath of his mom.

The best scene was with Saracen and Landry. Landry is a riot.

And lastly, have they ever shown the principal of the school? It is ridiculous that a counselor can just bring her infant to school and nobody cares.

^In all fairness, in a small-town football obssessed school, the coach and his wife can get away with absolutely anything like that if the team is doing well.

When they start losing, the town will use it to refer to her as a crazy ***** and add it to the list of reasons they should be run out of town.

Haven't seen this scenario with a baby, but plenty similar.

Was it the worst episode? Call it a rebuilding or a background show--setting up possible plots for Tim/Lyla, Buddy/Santiago, Smash, Saracen, etc.

Edit--"Transition" is the word I was looking for. We've followed other threads for other characters, and now we're shifting to new things for different people.

That said, you could see the Riggins thing coming from a mile away, I'm leery of the Santiago situation, and I'd hate to see Smash become the focus of racial tension (if it hasn't been a problem til now, I just don't think it'd work all that well as a story).

[This message has been edited by aggie kid (edited 1/19/2008 10:18a).]

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I'd hate to see Smash become the focus of racial tension

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Not remember the Mac McGill episode from s1 where Smash led a walkout of all the black players?

Great episode, very focused on racial tension. And again, very realistic in a small town.

[This message has been edited by 20ag07 (edited 1/19/2008 10:25a).]

I have a recruting question? How come they use some real Universirties i.e Alabama, Georgia but also use obvious fakes like Oklahoma Tech and TMU? Dp they have to have a schools permision to just mention a name? Can't they just say, I am thinking of going to Oklahoma, Texh or A&M?

I believe Alabama recruiter actually said Alabama Tech, even though they made obvious ref to roll tide and other things.

Maybe if they have someone actually portraying personell from the university then they have to use a fake name?

No the Alabama reference was the actual school, not a made up one. I was wondering about this too.

Clear as day they were saying Alabama. I was wrong.

Maybe it is a Big XII thing?

Good catch 20ag07. I do recall that now, but I'll admit to not really getting into the show until this season.

I think an inter racial relationship would be solid drama. I wish they would have gone that way last year, instead of the walk out.

Rewatching the pilot from season one (replayed on some HD channel) there was racial tension from the very beginning (Smash v Riggins), but it was overshadowed by the spinal injury.

I've been wondering about the school thing too. It seems really lame to have fake schools like Miami Southern and Oklahoma Tech mixed in with Alabama and Georgia. And Smash mentioned in the pilot episode going to texas and playing for Mack Brown. So I wonder if its a Big 12 thing?