Friday Night Lights: NBC Wants to Keep Football Drama Alive

NBC has heard the loyal fans and wants to bring the Dillon High Panthers back for another season. The question is whether they’ll be returning to the peacock network or moving to one or more other outlets.

Though execs have yet to officially decide if critically-acclaimed Friday Night Lights will or won’t be returning for a third year on NBC, Variety reports that NBC Universal has been shopping the drama to other outlets. Discussions have reportedly taken place with TNT, CW, Comcast, and DirecTV.

One scenario is that NBC could share the program with one of its sister channels, like Bravo or USA. Last year, Law & Order: Criminal Intent moved to USA Network with repeats playing on NBC several weeks later. The deal has been working out pretty well for both outlets.

Another possibility could put Lights on a satellite or cable-exclusive channel. Early last year, DirecTV purchased exclusive US rights to air the supernatural soap opera Passions once it left NBC. After running it on DirecTV’s exclusive Channel 101 for a few months, the satellite TV provider announced Passions would go off the air in August 2008.

Wherever Lights ends up will likely come down to dollars and cents. Though NBC would like to find a home for Lights, some have suggested that the asking price is quite high. In the unlikely case that a deal can’t be worked out, the series cliffhangers could potentially be resolved in a two-hour TV movie.

But are the series’ demographically-attractive and loyal audience worth the investment of another season to NBC or another company? Stay tuned!