One of my favorite sports dramas of the past 10 years has been Friday Night Lights. I’ve been a big fan of the show since its debut episode, and I’ve followed closely the highs and lows of the Dillon High School football team – the Panthers for the first three seasons, and then the last two seasons as the East Dillon Lions. I’ve followed the lives of Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami and their daughters Julie and Gracie Bell; I’ve watched the loves and losses of Julie Taylor and backup QB-turned-starter Matt Saracen; the pretty “bad girl” Tyra Collette and math whiz Landry Clarke; and of course, the love triangle between poor little rich girl Lyla Garrity, crippled quarterback Jason Street, and moody running back Tim Riggins.
Oh heck, why recap it here? Watch this clip for what might be every single Eric Taylor motivational speech.
Now Friday Night Lights ended its run after five years with a suitable closing episode – including having Coach Taylor move with his wife to Philadelphia, where she got a job as an administrator at Bryn Mawr, and he became a high school football coach in Philadelphia. And… scene.
But wait – what if there was enough material to bring back the cast and crew for a two-hour movie?
Well, gather up your Dillon (or East Dillon) gear, because it’s going to happen.
According to USA Today, a Friday Night Lights reunion movie is in the works. A script is almost finished, and if they can get actors Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton (Eric and Tami Taylor) to sign on for the movie, it’s going to get green-lighted. The script is rumored to be a fictional parallel to the firing of Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach, and may contain information on whether Coach Taylor crosses the line – or is accused of crossing the line – when a player on his new team shows concussion-like symptoms.
Rumor has it that if Chandler and Britton sign on for the show, then Taylor Kitsch – running back turned felon Tim Riggins – may also join up for the series.
Here’s the thing. Sports dramas and sports comedies barely last a season, if at most a few games. The network graveyard is coated with everything from Playmakers to Clubhouse, from A League Of Their Own – The Series to Hardball; from Bay City Blues to Power Play. Friday Night Lights was really the first network drama to actually take a sporting event and turn it into serious, attention-grabbing, heartstring-pulling drama. And no, I’m not counting One Tree Hill. I’ve been blissfully oblivious to that show and I’m not starting watching it now.
But yeah, if this new movie – for a TV series – which was based on a theatrical movie – which was based on a best-selling book – gets filmed, you bet my clear eyes and full heart will be in the front row of the theater.
Can’t lose. Go State.
Chuck The Writer 