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 continue be to be amazed at the network’s willingness to throw garbage at the viewing audience and not understand that if they actually showed true confidence in a show as perfect as Friday Night Lights and gave it a time slot that would allow it to succeed, it actually would succeed. Clever to put it on Friday to match up with the title BUT NBC knows Fridas is the worse day for great programming! I get so frustrated that over the years so many great shows have been cancelled and yet realtiy tv continues to flourish. It is disgusting… Read more »
This show has some of the best acting on tv my husband and I love these kids they
are old enough to be our grand kids or we are old enough what ever, when they are
on the tv you get so involved in their lives because they make you forget its not
real that they are really going through these troubles and good things that come
their way we wait impatiently for its return every year will be sorry to see it go,
especially with the junk its replaced with.
I wish they wouldn’t cancel FNL. I am almost distraught! Everyone I know watches this show, so I can’t figure out how they “say” the ratings are low. I am so sick of reality TV, except it feels like you really are in Dillon, TX. And Riggins….Need I say more? Maybe another network will wakeup and pickup one of the best shows on TV.
We need to keep this show on TV. It is one of the best shows – well written, directed and so true to life. It would be a huge injustice to cancel FNL.
My husband and I watch this show every week and we always find ourselves so caught up in their lives that we have to tell each other out loud “it’s just a show, it’s just a show, it’s just a show” as the actors are so fantastic at making every dramatic scene so real and touching. Not since Little House On The Prairie have I found myself so wrapped up in characters and story lines that make me both laugh out loud and shed tears within the same shows.
This show is far and away the best drama on television. Well written and protrays very true-to-life-situations. Actors are wonderful, each and every one. Please don’t let it go!
I love this show because it takes us back to a simpler time in life. I know that we have “technology, etc.” but I love to watch this show with my husband and teenagers and enjoy that we all recognize how simple these characters live and how happy/sad they are together, it reminds me that Family is the most important part of life, not possessions, work, career or any material items that are possessed. Family is the heart of the show and simplicity and I am going to be very sad to see it go because that is what the… Read more »
FNL is one of the best shows on TV right now. I have watched from the very beginning and will watch till the end. When you watch FNL it is like you go to Dillon and you are with the Family. I have laughed and cried right along with everyone. The episode whe Matt’s Dad died, it was if a family member of mine had died. Please give us a Season 6,
I had found out about this show awhile back when it first aired on tv but never actually watched it because I wasn’t into Football or anything that had to do with Football. Then I got bored one day and started looking on itunes for shows to watch & saw that Minka Kelly was in it & I just adore that girl. So I downloaded the show and started watching. I swear, I’ve watched Seasons 1-4 in 4 days, not even kidding. From the moment I woke up, to the moment I went to bed, I sat at my computer… Read more »
I agree with the other posters…I LOVE the show and look forward to watching it every Friday. I Loved the finale and would LOVE to see it keep going…at least for a sixth season…let the sophmores graduate.
OK..so NBC will show another season on FNL? This is confusing….
If Direct TV has the fall season on FNL in 2010, then NBC should show the final season next summer, right? OR is NBC not showing the final season that Direct TV is showing?
I would really like to see the end of the series and I don’t have Direct TV.
No one seems to know the answer to my question….
Is NBC showing the final episodes of FNL?
@deb mcgee: Yes. They just haven’t announced when they’ll air it. NBC has to wait until DirecTV is finished airing it before they can begin.
Last nights episode was so great by far the best episode of tv I have ever watched. I don’t understand why this show would ever be cancelled there is nothing on tv as well written, acted, or directed. The conflicts are real, the solutions are real. It is so much better than reality tv. I wish more people would watch this show it is amazing. I don’t know what I am going to do on Friday nights I guess I will buy the DVD sets of FNL and watch that. I can’t wait for FNL’s return.
Love Friday Night Lights! Yes, we want more FNL. Please keep it going. One of the best shows on TV. NO MORE REALITY SHOWS, PLEASE.
I really enjoy FNLs and hope it will continue. Like other posters, I can’t wait for Friday to watch it. It is well written and well acted. Everybody on the show has such a good story line and I feel like I know them.
I think Friday Night Lights is one of the best shows ever. It’s a great show that is real and down to earth, full of excitement and drama. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton are two of the most talented actors on television and definitely deserve the Emmy nominations they have received. The show was nominated for an Emmy last year, and with Kyle and Connie being nominated this year, that should tell the powers at NBC something. It should tell them that Friday Night Lights is a great show with a lot of incredibly talented people on it. The story… Read more »