Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, WATCH THIS SHOW: Friday Night Lights

They're all so pretty...and so troubled

I don’t know how many times I have to say this to get through to you people, but everyone should be watching this show.

It’s fifth and final season starts October 27^th for DirectTV havers only. I know this is unfortunate for those of you without DirectTV but it’s worth the wait for it to come to regular ol’ NBC next year. And this gives you plenty of time to watch the first four seasons. And, if anything, the lengths that NBC has gone through to keep this show on the air should tell you that everyone should be watching this show.

I have yet to recommend this show to someone and when they finally watch it, they don’t like it. Everyone that watches it will fall in love with it. It’s a promise I will make to you now. My word is my blog bond.

Let me tell you what excuses I do not want to hear, I have heard them all before and they are all stupid so lets go ahead and dispel them all right now:

I really don’t want to watch a show about football: Shush your stupid face. No one on earth detests the sport of football more than I do. No one. I think football is the dumbest sport ever and there are a number of things I would rather do than watch an actual football game from start to finish including but not limited to: getting a cavity filled, an extra trip to the gynecologist, listening to entire Katy Perry album, moving back to Mississippi and various other excruciating practices.

My point is, I hate football but I love this show. Football comes secondary to the lives of these people in this small town in Texas. I hate football but when the Lions (previously the Panthers) win a football game, I actively celebrate.  

It’s a show about high school: So? That’s all I have to say about that, “So?” When did you become too cool to watch a show about high school? And it’s not even about high school.

I’ve seen the movie: So have I and that movie has nothing on this show. NOTHING.

It comes on Friday nights: It’s 2010, people. Get a DVR.

I don’t want to hear your lame ass excuses. So stop spouting them off. Listen to me, I know what I am talking about. Watch the show. I will even give you reasons for watching this gem of a television drama:

1. There is not one character on this show that you will not love. Of course the show does have their villains put there to make you cheer harder for the good guys but, for the most part, the main characters whose lives you will follow, you will root for nothing but good things to happen to them. And when they do, if you don’t either tear up or at least smile largely, you are a heartless asshole. If you start with the first season (you should) you will see a few people that you might outright loathe. Give it a minute. Eventually everyone will endear themselves to you and you will find yourself saying, “Fuck if I don’t love Buddy Garrity/ Smash Williams/ Billy Riggins.”



Yes, please



2. Eric and Tami Taylor. If there is one couple on television today that every couple should aspire to be, it is these two. Their marriage and their fights and their love for each other is the realest on television today, or maybe ever. Even though I am 29-years-old and I have wonderful parents, I still want to be adopted by these two fictional people and I want to be a part of their fictional lives. It’s my fictional dream. Also, Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor) could do an entire episode without saying anything. He could do nothing but make facial expressions and I would watch the shit out of it and then try and convince everyone he should win an Emmy for it.  One day, when I grow up and have a family of my own, I want to be Tami Taylor. The woman is amazing. She is the strongest, most amazing female character of any show, ever. Hands down. And she has great hair.

3. The entire show feels real. The things that happen to people of Dillon, Texas could easily happen to you or anyone you know. Okay with an exception or two like the murder plot at the beginning of season two but we ignore that that ever happened and we move it on along. My point is, it’s some compelling shit and it should compel you to snotty tears at some point. Trust.

4. Tim Mother Fucking Riggins. He may be the prettiest person I have ever seen in my life. And you boys are thinking “Like I give a poo if there is a pretty dude on the show.” If you don’t love Tim Riggins, male or female, you are a cyborg intent on destroying the world and your opinion and television viewing choices don’t count anyway.   Tim Riggins embodies everything that is right on television today. From the first season to the fourth season, we have seen him evolve from a kid that just wants to get laid and get drunk, to a stand-up guy that just tries to do the right thing, no matter how epically he fails.

No regrets, let's make some memories

I hope you are all ready to kick yourselves in your worthless asses after you have watched this show and you realize that you have been an ignorant assholes for many years and that this show is awesome. This will happen. Ready yourselves.

You have until October 27^th to catch up on the previous four seasons. That is plenty of time. Once you start watching, you will not want to stop. I expect comments from each of you saying, “You were right all along, I should have been watching this show years ago.” Yes, yes you should have. Idiots.