The Odd History of Friday Night Lights

"You have been a cancer to me, you've been a cancer to my friends, and you've been a cancer to this team. And just one more thing I want to say: Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."  Buddy Garrity

 I had no idea until just now that tonight's episode of Friday Night Lights is not just the season finale, but the series finale.  This is probably because of it's unique, rambling history of nobody watching, constantly being threatened with cancellation, and then the weird tv deal with NBC, lurching on for years with a "when it's on, it's on" vibe and accompanied by fawning critics begging people to watch it.  There are two types of people: those who've seen a minute of FNL and immediately became slavishly devoted, and those who haven't seen it despite the first group nagging them to please, please watch it.

Unfortunately, those devoted slaves were comically outnumbered.  I really don't know why.  And what are they watching in the South/Middle America if they're not watching this?  How much "more America" can a show get?

I'm also surprised at how quickly I accepted the later cast; I have a tendency to cling to the originals and groan about change, but the flow from one team to the next was seamless; I'm gonna miss Luke and Vince as much as I will Smash and Landry.

At least we'll always have the Riggins boys  :)

There's some incredible scenes to remember HERE. One great scene they missed was Luke's. An oral history HERE. 

The final scene is about 20 minutes away...if they end it with another improbable, last-second heroic win, I'm gonna be pissed.  They should come running onto the field, the ball is kicked, and then...black screen.

So we can get to that Buddy Garrity spin-off the world needs!!!!

UPDATE: Of course they sold out.  And of course I cried during the montage, cause I'm such a fucking pussy when it comes to finales.  Grrrr.