After more than a year away from network television, Friday Night Lights is back on NBC with season four. But, how long will it last? The acclaimed TV show’s always been ratings-challenged. Has it already been cancelled?
Friday Night Lights (FNL) revolves around a high school football team, its players and the surrounding community. The large ensemble cast boasts performers like Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Taylor Kitsch, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden, Gaius Charles, Blue Deckert, Scott Porter, Derek Phillips, Brad Leland, Liz Mikel, Stacey Oristano, Nieko Mann, Kate Krause, Kevin Rankin, Louanne Stephens, Josh McVaney, Pablo D. Flores, Katherine Willis, Joey Truty, and Jeremy Sumpter.
After struggling through two seasons on NBC, it looked like FNL was doomed to become one of those “brilliant but cancelled” series that has their life cut short. Fortunately, NBC and DirecTV went into business together and agreed to share the production costs. Under the agreement, DirecTV gets to air the episodes first. This sometimes frustrates NBC viewers but it’s better than the show not being produced at all.
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After season three, it looked like FNL might be cancelled once again. Surprisingly, DirecTV and NBC renewed the show for two seasons, albeit with only 13 episodes apiece. There was speculation that this would translate into season five being the end for FNL.
Unfortunately, that seems to be the case. Various sources have reported that season five will be the end for FNL. The actors and crew have also been informed that they’re free to find other work once production shuts down in June.
Both NBC and executive producer Jason Katims insist that nothing is official but it’s obvious that the writing’s on the wall — unless of course the episodes bring great ratings for NBC. After three seasons of disappointing numbers, nobody’s expecting that to happen.
Katims is hopeful that FNL will get a sixth season but said, “If it winds up being the final season of the show, then I will feel very, very lucky and grateful that we were able to do as many episodes of a show that is so dear to my heart.”
Fortunately for NBC viewers, they still have 26 episodes of the series ahead of them. And, since the fifth season is still being produced, the cast and crew should have no trouble coming up with a fitting way to end the series. DirecTV is expected to start airing season five in Fall 2010.
What do you think? Any suggestions on how to end Friday Night Lights or should it continue for a sixth season?
Image courtesy NBC.
i love friday night lights, please don’t end the show. iam a big fan of the show. so do what you can to keep it one.
thanks
toni joiner
I can’t believe at very least TNT hasn’t chimed in to look at the show? They produce some pretty great TV shows on their own, and even saved that show Southland! Hourlong drama is in their yard! This is the show they need to jump in and save. It would fit in with the other style shows they have, it is a proven fan fav, and the quality is above and beyond a typical show! Why would NBC wait to see what the ratings are to decide. These new ep’s aired months ago on Direct TV?! I watched it then… Read more »
I have been waiting to see FNL on NBC since it was dropped from the schedule. I love the show and hope it is never cancelled. It really delivers great messages. Terrific cast.
NBC is the worse network – FNL is a great show with a talented cast. I’m so glad I have Direct TV which airs the show 1st and commercial free!
What I don’t understand is why NBC won’t try this show on another night. It’s a critical success and has a very loyal following, but it’s also broadcast on a night when most of its target audience is out partying, or — surprise, surprise — at a football game.
What does NBC have to lose? It’s overall ratings are in the toilet anyway.
FNL fans might also enjoy this May 6, 2010 Mr. Media video interview with new “Lights” star Drew Waters, who plays Coach Wade Aiken on the show: http://www.mrmedia.com/2010/05/video-friday-night-lights-star-drew.html
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS IS STARTING OUT BEING OKAY FOR NBC. HOWEVER A SERIES ENDING WOULD WORK LATER
Please, please, please keep FNL’s as I was so surprised to see it comming back the other night. I have loved this show since the beginning and at the Mother’s Day dinner tonight my brother and were commenting on how much we do enjoy the show. We both are in our 50’s and find others that also have grat respect for the actors and writers and crew so there you have it. Don’t let this show be yet another sad mistake being taken from all of us before it has a chance to shine. Remember, Friends took awhile!
I always thought this would be the perfect show for ESPN to build a new slate of scripted shows around. 3 or 4 million viewers is good for cable.
Oh, such a good idea. But ESPN is owned by ABC…maybe Universal Sports could do that. Though, administrator (?), what about Comcast? How might that affect FNL?
@Arlene: The Comcast deal hasn’t gone through yet and the deal for DirecTV and FNL is already in place. It shouldn’t change anything. However, it’s hard to say if a partnership like this would happen again.
This is another show that could go 10 years if it had the writing to keep it afloat. Puzzles me why it hasn’t found a greater audience- it’s a fantastic family-friendly show.
Dunno, guys. You ran a story like this about ‘The Deep End’ — only the opposite: something like ‘(someone)…says show is not cancelled,’ yet we hear nothing about renewal. So maybe your ‘reporting’ (read, implying) FNL ‘Already Cancelled’ the first night it returns to NBC, means it won’t be.
@Arlene: Thanks for your comment however your facts are a little mixed up. If you read the Deep End article you’ll see that, while many other sites were reporting that the show was OFFICIALLY cancelled, we confirmed with the show’s ABC rep that it was not. The article goes on to say that, realistically, we believe it’s highly unlikely to return because of such low ratings. The show’s cancellation won’t be a surprise but, even now, ABC could decide to do another season and everybody would be contractually obligated to do it. With FNL, the cast and crew have been… Read more »
Oh, okay, sorry, I didn’t understand the difference. Thanks. Very complicated, the entertainment world.
I love this show and have been watching it religiously since day 1. If season 5 is the final season then it will sadden me, but I will be very glad it had gotten as many seasons that it received. Most shows don’t have DirecTV as their guardian angel to keep them on the air for 3 more seasons past near-cancellation and I will always be grateful that NBC made that deal. All I hope is that they write the season 5 finale so that whatever problems from 4 or 5 are resolved for good, and nothing is left hanging.… Read more »
there is other networks, it’s not over yet
Clear eyes full hearts can’t lose!
If it was up to me it would never go off the air. I love this show I love Kyle Chandler. I have waited for it to come back on all year and have plans to watch it every night it is on. We need a show like this. It is just a great show.
I thought they said months ago that season 5 would be the last. Cancelled seems like the wrong word here. It’d be like saying that LOST was cancelled.
@Will: Except that the producer and cast don’t want it to end.