Friday Night Lights

Yay! Friday Night Lights returns to NBC for a fourth season on Friday, May 7. It's not just a show about football, it's about so much more than that - small town life, the everyday struggles of average people, family, race and class issues, etc., all set against the backdrop of high school football in Dillon, Texas. It also has one of the most realistic portrayals of marriage that I've ever seen on television.

You don't have to like football to like this show - I sure don't. And it's funny how these characters grow on you - in the pilot I couldn't stand Tim Riggins. He was drunk, obnoxious and a complete jerk. Now he's one of my favorites.

You can expect to laugh and cry in every episode. It's that well written and acted. The fact that Kyle Chandler (Coach Eric Taylor), Connie Britton (Tami "Mrs. Coach" Taylor) and Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen) haven't been nominated for more awards continually amazes me. Taylor Kitsch does a fantastic job as bad boy Tim Riggins as does Jesse Plemmons as Landry Clark and Adrianne Palicki as Tyra Colette.

If you haven't given Friday Night Lights a try, you should. You'll be glad you did. You've got time to catch up before the season premiere! Seasons 1-3 are available on dvd or streaming on netflix.