Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, CAN'T LOSE!

Recently I became completely addicted to NBC's Friday Night Lights. The show tells the story of life at Dillon High School in fictional Dillon, Texas. The show focuses on the lives of the Dillon Panther football team and the career of Coach Eric Taylor. It's a program that flourishes due to it's extensive character development, high production value, and satisfying script writing.

The show completed its third season on Direct TV's channel 101, but is now re-airing those episodes appropriately enough on Friday nights. The entire first and second seasons are available at Hulu.com, which happens to be my favorite flash based video site yet and it's even all legal. The third season is being posted on Hulu after the episodes air on NBC the next few months. The sad thing is, despite all of the available options to watch this show I read that it has an uncertain future and may not be back for a fourth season. I have posted the pilot episode here and encourage you to give the show a try.



I could talk about why I like all of the characters and plot lines, but if you watch the show you will see soon enough. What really amazes me is how nostalgic the show makes me feel. I am kind of a sports nut, but that's not why I love the show. High School was the best time of my life. I had the best friends of my life there and I felt important and loved. I was kind of an obnoxious tool at times, but that's just part of being maturing adolescent. Friday Night Lights has all the drama of high school and captures all of the nervousness and neurotic activity of teens, but also the swagger, cockiness, and exuberance that young people have as well. When I watch the show it reminds me of how I want to remember high school. The rumor mill, the nosiness, the scandal of it all were titillating.

When I left A-West at 17, I thought we were the greatest and most impactful class the school had ever seen. I have hardly stepped foot in the school since the day I graduated and have since realized that life goes on and we were just one of many celebrated classes to move on from that high school's halls. Despite that realization that in reality I wasn't as great as I remember, high school was still great because my importance in the world was real to me then.

Friday Night Lights takes me back every time I watch it and all the wonder and excitement of my teens flood back into my mind.