Friday Night Lights season ends April 11 - Renewal?

[Bierboy]

Just read where the season finale is April 11...I'm bummed http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k137/Bierboy/cry.gif. Anyone heard if it'll be picked up for next year? This is one of the best shows out there now.

[lodica1967]

Upfronts aren't until May. My fingers are crossed though.

[mwhip]

You can also go to E! online and help the show:

http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/blog/index.jsp?uuid=52af6b98-eb72-45a0-b27b-7798e6bf906f

[Bierboy]

Thanks for the link, mwhip!

[DevdogAZ]

Thanks for the link. Of those on the list, I also want Veronica Mars and Studio 60 to return, but I voted for FNL because if VM can't be saved on it's own merit, my vote isn't going to do it, and S60 is dead regardless.

[mwhip]

Yeah I had some really heated debates with people in the E! forums for telling them they were clueless if they were voting for VM. Basically my argument is that the show has had 3 years to find an audience and they are not miraciously going to get 2 or 3 million more viewers overnight. Shows like FNL do have that chance if NBC markets it correctly in the summer make all the episodes available on their site as well as iTunes and also gets the DVD's out by July. Also a heavy campaign for Emmy nominations would be good for the show also. Don't get me wrong I love VM it is a top 5 show for me but so is FNL and I would love that show to get 60+ episodes.

[That Don Guy]

I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember reading somewhere that FNL and 30 Rock are considered to be on NBC's "we know they're not particularly strong in the ratings but we have confidence in them, so they should be back next season" list. (Studio 60, on the other hand, is on the "um, er, well, uh, we're not quite sure yet" list.)

-- Don

[MasterOfPuppets]

Word on the street is that the NBC execs are strongly behind FNL.

[spikedavis]

I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember reading somewhere that FNL and 30 Rock are considered to be on NBC's "we know they're not particularly strong in the ratings but we have confidence in them, so they should be back next season" list. (Studio 60, on the other hand, is on the "um, er, well, uh, we're not quite sure yet" list.)

-- Don

There was an article in Entertainment Weekly where the head of NBC talked about heavily promoting the FNL DVDs this summer and hope to build an audience for season 2. And also NBC really really loves the show, unlike Studio 60.

[Peter000]

I'm hoping it'll be back next season too. Is FNL based on the movie of the same name?

I love VM too, but FNL kicks VM ass in terms of acting and general overall production.

[TheDewAddict]

I'm hoping it'll be back next season too. Is FNL based on the movie of the same name?

I love VM too, but FNL kicks VM ass in terms of acting and general overall production.

It's based on the movie in that it's about a high school football team in Texas who deals with the loss of a star player early in the season. Other than that, it's different. All the characters are different, and it's more focused on the school than the book/movie was (which was much more heavily into the football aspect). The coach's wife is actually played by the same actress in both the movie and the TV show, but she plays a different character.

[flyers088]

Word on the street is that the NBC execs are strongly behind FNL.

What street are the execs giving out the info on?? I have a few questions I might go and ask. :p

[betativoII]

It's based on the movie in that it's about a high school football team in Texas who deals with the loss of a star player early in the season. Other than that, it's different. All the characters are different, and it's more focused on the school than the book/movie was (which was much more heavily into the football aspect). The coach's wife is actually played by the same actress in both the movie and the TV show, but she plays a different character.

This is what I don't agree with...the characters, for the most part, are NOT different at all...

Mike Winchell=Matt Saracen
Don Billingsley=Tim Riggins
Boobie Miles=Smash Williams

Maybe I'm just being picky, but as far as I'm concerned, all that's changed is names of characters and towns.

I DO agree that the TV show is more focused on school, and the movie/book more on football. But otherwise, I don't see much difference.

Maybe I have a different perspective, having lived in Odess and gone to Permian for a time. I knew some of the folks mentioned in the book. But I know when I watch the TV show, I keep thinking about my years in Odessa...much to my chagrin! But I'm addicted to FNL and hope it comes back!

[Martha]

The movie is coming on FX on Sunday at 7:30 - for anyone who's interested in the original. I haven't seen it and plan to Tivo it.

[DreadPirateRob]

Smash != Boobie

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that they are RBs with funny nicknames. Smash appears to be pretty bright - he may not show it all the time, but he has a head on his shoulders. Boobie, not so much.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Boobie is closer in relation to Street in the show. They play different positions...I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie (the movie is great).
The "shaky cam" was also part of the movie...

Y'all wanna win, put Boobie in.

[jsmeeker]

It's based on the movie in that it's about a high school football team in Texas who deals with the loss of a star player early in the season. .

don't forget it was a book well before it was a movie.

The book is "the original". The movie follows the story of the book with the same school, characters, etc. The TV show is based on the overall theme of the book. And I think it's much, much better than the movie.


read the book.

[skweaz]

FWIW, Austin recently approved a financial assistance package for the production of FNL:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/03/19/daily24.html?from_rss=1

[analog4]

Interesting information.

I think FNL is one of the better acted / casted / produced shows.

I found out that the director of FNL (both the movie and the TV show) - Peter Berg, was the goofie guy in "Corky Romano".

[Bierboy]

FWIW, Austin recently approved a financial assistance package for the production of FNL:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/03/19/daily24.html?from_rss=1
Yes, very interesting information....specifically that the impact of the show to Austin is in the TENS of millions of dollars.

[madscientist]

Yes, very interesting information....specifically that the impact of the show to Austin is in the TENS of millions of dollars.Well, after all, FNL really helped by publicizing Austin's amazing balleters!

[BriGuy20]

I'm hoping that it comes back, but isn't 1/3 of NBC's schedule (8PM all week) going to be devoted to gameshows/reality TV next year?

I don't think that leaves much space left for the remaining scripted shows.