High School football in Texas? Actually giving air time to the quiet back up QB even if it is to make him do stupid stuff? A workhorse black RB with issues of racism on on the team? The starting QB goes out with an injury? The back up comes in and leads them to a come from behind win? Wait didn't I see this when it was the movie Varsity Blues?

Actually, this was based on Friday Night Lights (the movie).

This was very disappointing. After all the buzz, hype, hoopla, ballyhoo, raves, etc., all I witnessed was a teen soap opera with football.

It's a better version of One Tree Hill but it is not saying much. The ratings prove me right.

I tried it, but it is just not my cuppa.

I caught up via the new addition of ALL episodes on the NBC website. I must say that it moved up to one of my favorite new season shows with the snap of fingers. Great story lines and casting.

It's one of our favorite shows too...so glad there is a new episode tomorrow night!

I think it's my favourite new show this season on American Network TV...

(and I say "American", because "Torchwood" is a British show, and "Network" because "Dexter" is on pay cable, I prefer both of these shows, but FNL is great!)

Fortunately, Matt is just a sophomore. Smash is a junior. Do we know Riggins grade? Lyla may be a junior, and I guess Street is the senior.

They could also hold Jason back with all the school he missed. Riggins too if his grades don't improve - Landry might need to tutor him fulltime.

Anyway, I pray it's a problem we get to face at all.

This show just continues to impress. I think I'm 13 for 13 with bawling at least once. Even when some of the subject matter seems cliched, the execution never is. The steroid reveal, for example. Or Jason's friendship with Herc.

OK...who's still watching it? I am & loving it...and needing to talk to people about it!!

Last night's show was scary (as the mother of a 15 year old girl ) but so well done & well acted! I really hope that NBC sticks with it - it is unlike anything else on the air right now!

I am watching, and I was in tears last night when Julie came home. Tami has no idea how much Tyra actually helped Julie not to go through with it.

I really like how they are exploring all the different characters. It was nice to see Jason away from Dillon & being able to talk about his accident. It'll be interesting to see how the Taylor's do with Buddy the houseguest next week!

I'd make Buddy sleep in the garage...he's just dirty.

Any word about a second season?

I LOVE Friday Night Lights and I think it is the best show NBC has going for them.

DANG! TONIGHTS EPISODE WAS REALLY GOOD. DEF. MY FAVORITE SO FAR!! <3 I LOVE THIS SHOW. THERE BETTER BE A 2ND SEASON!!

Last night's episode was jam packed but wonderful! I liked that we got to see a little bit more of Landry, esp. with Tyra. Glad to see Lila & Waverly becoming friends...did you notice Waverly talking to Mama Smash at the end of the football game? I wonder if she was confiding in her like Smash asked her to? Anyone else notice Coach Taylor almost cracking up? It was in the scene at the big football stadium where Eric didn't want to play The Game? He flicked a bug (or something off the other coaches collar), the other coach said thanks & then it looked like both of them wanted to laugh. I did hear that there is a lot of adlibbing on the show!

Keeping my fingers crossed that we get a 2nd season!!

Yes! All of that was great!! HERES TO HOPING FOR SEASON 2!!

It's back tonight!!!

It was and how!

Poor Landry and Tara!

It definitely lived up to my expectations...the character development on this show is incredible. Hope that Julie comes to her senses about Matt!

Julie's life is messed up right now. I can understand as young as she is why she doesn't know that Matt is wonderful. I guess we can see it in our experience.

Oh boy, what happens next week with Landry and Tyra.

you're right about Matt & Julie...plus, she admitted to him she didn't want to turn into her parents (got together young)...I think she wants to see who else is out there (doesn't make me like it though! )

Yup, Tyra & Landry who'd a thunk?!

I felt bad for Buddy...everything is going south for him (not that he didn't bring on most of it himself...but still)!

Interesting article from Entertainment Weekly. Some spoilers if you haven't watched Friday, Oct. 26th show.

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/10/friday-night--3.html

'Friday Night Lights': Loving Riggins...but something's still missing
Oct 27, 2007, 10:38 AM | by Ken Tucker

Whatever happened to "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose"? The slogan of our beloved Dillon Panthers has been turned, in recent weeks, into clouded eyes (this week's Jason-gets-drunk-in-Mexico excursion), broken hearts (Julie, that rebellious teen, realizes the older guy she's pining for could care less about her), and can't win (Coach Taylor gets his high-school job back, but has to feel guilty about having a part in ousting the mean new coach).

Don't get me wrong — I'm a big fan of feel-bad TV. And I'm loving the way Tim Riggins is turning into the most soulful character in the show. It's just that Friday Night Lights used to show some range; the only time I had a laugh during last night's episode was when Lyla went to the prison to proselytize and hadn't come prepared to endure either the inevitable catcalls from inmates or their most elementary religious questions. Her character never used to be plain stupid. And do any of you think that neat coincidence — the prisoner fresh out on parole who gives her the opportunity to make good on her professions of trust — is going to turn out well? And by well, I mean interesting. I'm already tired of this dead-eyed ex-con who's bound to cause either trouble or heartache for Lyla.

This Friday night, we got two semi-resolutions to major plot-points, neither of them satisfying as drama. The police fished that dead body out of the water, and when Tyra was called down to the police station, didn't you sense in advance that nothing of consequence was going to happen? Unless Landry's cop-pop found the grandfather's Lost watch near the corpse, that whole fraught subplot has just evaporated. Sure, I'm glad it's more or less over — it was a drag — but the method of execution left something (subtlety, shades of character) to be desired.

And, boy, I was really looking forward to a big showdown between Coaches Taylor and McGregor — Kyle Chandler and Chris Mulkey are two terrific actors you really want to see go toe-to-toe and in-your-face. Instead, the fired McGregor just shows up at Taylor's House and makes him feel like a heel for going along with Buddy Garrity's plan to reinstall Taylor. We don't want Taylor/Chandler looking like a whipped dog.

Here’s the thing about Friday Night Lights so far this season: You have to pour everything you know and love about these characters from last season into these hollow versions of the same characters this season, because the show has become all about its melodramatic subplots, and not about people. Remember when we could happily spend whole segments just watching Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton debate, argue, make up, and crack each other up? Remember when a high point of an FNL hour was overhearing Landry and Matt (Matt Saracen! How much we miss you and your shy, halting talk this season!) bicker and joke about silly things? No one behind the scenes is writing that kind of dialogue anymore, or letting enough time play out in any given scene for us to become emotionally reinvested with these people.

We all know the kind of ratings pressure Friday Night Lights is under, and we appreciate that the show is trying to hook new viewers by taking the characters off the field and into new territory. (Mexico and stem-cells extracted from sharks — now that sure as heck is new!) But it ain't the Friday Night Lights most of got hooked on. As Buddy Garrity put it, there's a hitch in its git-along. I'll keep watching, fanning the flames of hope that, now that Eric Taylor's back in town, he can light a spark under everyone, on the team and at home. (In the latter area, I'd start by making that brat Julie hold her baby sister in her arms for a few minutes a day, and do the dishes and the wash for her mom before she gets her driver's license.) We want clearer eyes, fuller hearts on this show — then, even when someone loses, they'll win in our eyes and hearts.

So much has happened since we last checked in, but it looks like Landry has no moral choice but to turn himself in to the police.

Good resolution but sad if he goes to jail.