Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Flagg Taylor, Guest Contributor ·
Oct 13, 2011 at 12:18pm
For the past few months, day after day, I have come to work to hear a few colleagues talking about Friday Night Lights, a show I have never watched. References to the show abound in conversation. My friend won't leave it alone. I told him to shut up already.
Then the complete 5 seasons, 76 episodes showed up in my mailbox. Is it worth my time? I trust this friend--he's no dummy. But how good are we talking? The Wire good? I suspect once I wade in, I'll want to go all the way to the end. Is it worth it?
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Feb '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Flagg,
I consider myself a discriminating television consumer. I watch only a few series, usually dramas that emphasize character development and don't condescend to the viewers. Last fall, with a skeptical eye, I gave FNL a try. To my delight the show lives up to the hype. With the exception of Season 2 (which I have never watched and was told to skip), it does not disappoint. Season 5 (the finale) just appeared on Netflix and I can hardly wait. (I just need to catch up on Breaking Bad). It doesn't reach Sopranos/Breaking Bad heights (I've never seen The Wire), but it is well-written, wholesome entertainment. I heartily recommend.
Dec '10
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
It's pretty darned good, with moments that are occasionally great.
Feb '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
I thought it was very good: as a calibration point, I don't watch much television and am not much of a spectator-sports fan.
I review FNL, along with several other series, in this post, which spawned a considerable comment thread.
Apr '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
As a native Texan I can tell you that the premise of the show is pretty accurate. The small towns in Texas really do seem to revolve around Friday night football. Even the Texas accents aren't bad. Hollywood and major actors usually get them embarrassingly wrong! (Are you listening, Julia Roberts?) I loved the first three seasons of FNL. After that season many of the leading characters graduated and left the show. I never could get invested in the new characters or some of the plot changes. I just lost interest. Having said that, though, give it a shot. I think you will enjoy it.
Sep '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Thanks to all--I have also been told that it treats religion (gasp!) respectfully--a rare thing.
Feb '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
I am also a Texan and I find FNL generally accurate. My sole complaint is with the innumerable, implausible victories. Coach Taylor must hold the record for game-winning touchdowns on 4th and 37 with less than a minute to go...
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
It is very good (especially the first two seasons) but it is not in the same league as The Wire.
I just caught up with Breaking Bad over the past few weeks. It is also excellent.
Edited on Oct 13, 2011 at 1:17pmApr '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Jordan, I had forgotten about all those down to the wire wins. Oops.......did we give away too much of the plot?
Jul '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
My 22 yr old stepson who I put through Pop Warner moved to Texas and played 4 years of high school ball as a starting linebacker and has a state championship ring. Other than repeated narrow victories rather than the occasional one(as noted above), The show is quite real.
My nearly 9 year old is in his 4th year and plays D end. I love living vicariously every weekend.
Kenny Chesney - The Boys of Fall
Feb '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
An interesting contrarian view on FNL from the always thought-provoking Stuart Schneiderman.
Jun '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Sorry, can't help... every time I saw Minka Kelly in cheerleader gear my mind went blank.
Jun '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
I loved Friday Night Lights. Go for it.
Aug '10
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Jordan Rodriguez: Flagg,
(I've never seen The Wire),
It's almost exciting to find people who haven't seen the Wire as I get a vicarious thrill just reliving the wonderment of my appreciation for that incredible series. It is such a treat. You have a real surprise waiting for you. Enjoy.
Some TV really is surprisingly good, or is it that movies have gotten surprisingly bad ?
We probably need Lileks to weigh in here, although I coudln't handle Deadwood with the wife in the room after the four hundredth "f" word. It sounded tinny and false, therefore completely gratuitous.Either that or Eastwood has , for me, effectively closed that book with The Unforgiven.
Apr '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Some thoughts on FNL - Pt I
A red state slice of life, mostly straight up, with very little irony or snark. Although I agree with Schneiderman, referenced above, there is always a blue state multicultural sensibility nibbling around the edges. After all, though filmed on location in Texas it was created by Hollywood.
The production reminds me of a repertory company. The same group of actors performing a series of dramas over time. Schneiderman calls some of it romantic comedy, but there is far less comedy and far more drama. The romantic and sexual attachments are not played for laughs. In fact the central romantic drama, Tami Taylor and Coach Eric Taylor, is a great five year portrayal of a marriage and love relationship. I would argue there has seldom been this monumental a portrayal of marriage in contemporary theater accomplished without any of the conventional accompanying postmodern subversion.
The acting ensemble of unknowns together with the production team has developed a interesting method of what looks to be a combination of scripted and extemporaneous acting. The story moves along in bursts of scenes, sometimes the story is moving along seriatim, sometimes several stories are moving if parallel.
Apr '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Some thought on FNL - Pt II
These little bursts of drama or short dramatic set pieces are some of the best parts of FNL and these unknown actors make the most of them. At their best these scenes combine both wonderful acting and wonderful theater.
The cinematography or more properly videography is also pushing the envelope. They make the most of those dramatic set pieces. There are a lot of closeups, odd angles, a nice naturalistic use of the camera in closed spaces. They do a good job in the crowd scenes and local color but the camera work shines during those short intense bursts of drama.
There are other elements worth exploring in this series. The exploration of the life of a paraplegic, for example. As Schneiderman writes there must have been a great temptation to change this from a red state dramatic series to a blue state dramatic series, for as everyone knows people in the blue states live larger, richer and more informed lives. Maybe that happened towards the end I haven't viewed the last year+ yet. If this series had been set in central Baltimore you would have heard raves from the intelligentsia.
Nov '10
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
I think it's unfair to compare network programs like FNL to those on cable channels (like Breaking Bad and The Wire). The business models (yes, TV is first and foremost a business) and development processes are just too different. That said, season one of FNL was the single best one-hour show on network television since The West Wing. It's great. Is it as good as The Wire? Well... no. But FNL needed to work within a much more strict and regimented set of rules than The Wire or Breaking Bad ever did. So one-on-one comparisons are, IMO, a little unfair.
Aug '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
flownover
Some TV really is surprisingly good, or is it that movies have gotten surprisingly bad ?
Both.
May '10
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Viator: Some thoughts on FNL - Pt I
...
In fact the central romantic drama, Tami Taylor and Coach Eric Taylor, is a great five year portrayal of a marriage and love relationship. I would argue there has seldom been this monumental a portrayal of marriage in contemporary theater accomplished without any of the conventional accompanying postmodern subversion...
Vistor, I totally agree. I can't recall a better portrayal of a strong healthy marriage from` dealing with disagreements about kids, to weathering through job issues together and even financial issues which are seldom ever addressed in network television and keeping the spark of romance in it. Nor are Tami and Eric portrayed as interchangeable equals, but as complementing one another.
Sep '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Chris,
Can you elaborate here a bit? I don't doubt your claim, just curious.
Sep '11
Re: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
Viator, thanks for all of your thoughts.
Edited on Oct 13, 2011 at 7:32pm