Why Friday Night Lights?

     Friday Night Lights should be the most popular, respected, beloved TV show in the universe right now.  Why isn’t it?  Why don’t a lot more people watch it?  What kind of world are we living in anyway?  Well, I know one problem.  Two years ago, when the show first came out, it was basically marketed as a show about football.  Unfortunately for everybody, that strategy turned off about 90% of its potential audience.  How many people really want to watch a show about football?  I don’t, and I love football.  And so, from the beginning, ratings have been a major problem for Friday Night Lights.  Despite all the love it has gotten from critics and madly devoted fans, too many people either don’t know about it or don’t believe it’s a show for them.  And they are so wrong!  Of all the TV shows I have ever loved, this is the one I know for sure that I can recommend to every single person I know.  It’s completely addictive.  In a general sense, it is just like any other great drama – it’s about people.  You know, all the big stuff:  love, loss, family, relationships, friendship, growing up, parenting, etc.  And yes, maybe a little football.  So what?  You can hate football (like my mom, for instance) and you will still love Friday Night Lights.  You will still come to care deeply about all the characters in this brilliantly written, brilliantly directed, and brilliantly acted show.  And then you’ll say to yourself, “I can’t believe I’ve been missing this!”  So what do you say?  Are you ready for some football?