Sports dramas have become increasingly popular over the years and have found success on streaming platforms including Netflix,Hulu, Peacock, and Apple TV. Whether the series is fictional likeCobra Kai, All American, GLOW,orTed Lasso; or a documentary series likeThe Last Dance, Formula 1: Drive to Survive,orWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,there is a lot to value in the range these programs can cover. Even though it didn’t receive initially high ratings during its on-air release,Friday Night Lightsis one of the best sports series ever made.
In 2006,Friday Night Lightsfirst premiered on NBC. The series wasinspired by the 1990 novel,Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dreamwhich was also the subject of the 2004 filmFriday Night Lights,which starred Billy Bob Thornton, Garrett Hedlund, Jay Hernandez, Derek Luke, Lucas Black, and Tim McGraw. Peter Berg directed and co-wrote the 2004 film, and went on to create the 2006 series.
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The show’s debut season introduced the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, and the pride it has for its high school football team: the Dillon Panthers. The drama series follows Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in his first year as the head coach of the Dillon Panthers. With the town’s devotion to the sport and team, Eric’s career and family depend on him getting the team to the state championship. He runs into many struggles with his new team including the team’s boosters, led by an overenthusiastic Buddy Garrity (Brad Leland), and the drama between his players. Brian “Smash” Williams (Gaius Charles) and Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) are amongEric’s most troublesome players, but he always finds promising qualities in both of them and sets them on the right path. Eric’s most challenging task arrives in the team’s first game of the season, where star quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) takes a hit that leaves him paralyzed.
Eric is then given the task of training Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) and bestowing the responsibility of taking the team to the state championship upon him. Matt has lived in Jason’s shadow throughout his high school career and has very little experience with playing time, executing plays, and bonding with his teammates, which gravely impacts his confidence. His friendship with Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons), budding relationship with Eric’s daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden), and encouragement from his grandmother are what help keep Matt grounded. Tami (Connie Britton), Eric’s wife, helps to keep him grounded during the season and its woeful conflicts. She begins working at Dillon High as a guidance counselor, which begins to introduce new problems to her and Eric’s marriage.
Aside from its impressive cast that also includes Adrianne Palicki, Minka Kelly, Michael B. Jordan,Jurnee Smollett, Matt Lauria, and Derek Phillips,Friday Night Lightstackles many real-world themes. The injury Jason Street suffers early inFriday Night Lightssets the tone for the rest of the series, and was inspired by the 2003 football accident of David Edwards. He took a hit during a high school football game that left him paralyzed, and afterward, he became a motivational speaker. Jason follows an equally inspiring path in the series, and the difficulties he and his family experience after his injury are telling. They struggle to afford the cost of his medical care and treatment, putting the relationship between his parents on thin ice. Jason’s relationships with his friends and girlfriend are strained, and those thatonce worshiped him as a football starnow pity him.
Matt has a difficult journey of his own. He is the main caregiver for his grandmother who has dementia, and struggles in the absence of his father who is enlisted in the U.S. Army. He deals with loss, and struggles to overcome that grief and balance all of his obligations in light of it.Friday Night Lightsalso tackles the difficult topics of assault, drug use, alcoholism, abusive family situations, racism, and teen pregnancy. These topics are woven intothe pressures of student-athletes, their families, and making plans for their futures that may or may not involve football. They allow these characters to explore their own identities, allowing them to break into their own naturally timed coming-of-age stories.
The stars ofFriday Night Lightsare still spotted across Hollywood today. Palicki appeared in Marvel’sAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.and the science fiction seriesOrville. Kelly was most recently featured in HBO’sEuphoriaand appeared in the crime dramaLanskyin 2021. Gilford has become a frequent collaborator ofhorror director Mike Flanagan’s, first starring inMidnight Mass. He will also appear in Flanagan’s upcoming projectsThe Midnight ClubandThe Fall of the House of Usher. Latter season additions Michael B. Jordan and Jurnee Smollett have been involved in a number of projects includingBlack Panther,Creed, Lovecraft Country, and Birds of Prey.Chandler and Britton both had illustrious careers prior to joiningFriday Night Lights,and following their stints on the series, nothing has slowed them down.
DespiteFriday Night Lights’initial reception throughout its original airing period, the show established a strong fanbase and received critical acclaim. Following its finale in 2011, Chandler won a Primetime Emmy for his role as Coach Taylor. Jason Katimswon an Emmy at the same ceremonyfor Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for the series finale, “Always.” Since its conclusion,Friday Night Lightshas found additional fans in its availability on streaming platforms, allowing a new generation of viewers to enjoy the characters the series has to offer, and its refusal to shy away from themes high schoolers and student-athletes often experience.
