• HOME
  • BOOKS
  • ALLY
  • BLOG
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • FAQS
  • Media Room
  • For Writers
  • Ally Gear
  • CONTACT

Ally Carter

Author

JOIN ALLY'S MAILING LIST
 Facebook Twitter Instagram Tumblr Pinterest
Follow Us on RSS

Categories

  • Books
  • Contests
  • Double-Crossed
  • Embassy Row
  • Excerpts
  • For Writers
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Gallagher Girls 5
  • Gallagher Girls 6
  • Heist Society
  • Heist Society 3
  • Movies
  • My True Love Gave To Me
  • Retro Throw Back Posts
  • Shellie
  • Tours and events
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • A Gallagher Girls/ Not If I Save You First crossover scene!
  • Going back to the Gallagher Academy!
  • New York Times best-seller!
  • Tour!
  • Almost time to go to Alaska

Archives

Why I love Friday Night Lights

May 7, 2011 by Ally Carter 13 Comments

You hear so much these days that “there’s nothing good on TV” to which I always have to stop and think what are you watching?  Because I know–just know–that anyone who says that is not watching Friday Night Lights.

When this show debuted a few years ago I was right there, tuning in, not at all sure what I was going to find.  After all, I had really enjoyed the movie, but I had no idea how that would translate to an hour of TV every week.

You see, here’s the thing about TV–you have to do it every week.  That’s why most hour-long TV shows are in some kind of procedural situation.  A hospital, police station, fire station, law office–some place where new challenges literally walk through the door on a weekly basis.  A small town football team?  Not so much.

But I was optimistic.  It had Kyle Chandler and a great producing team.  It could work.

And, boy, did it.

The first thing that I loved and respected was that it got the town right.  Dillon, TX is fictional, I’m sure.  But it is a REAL place.  I know because I grew up there and so did everyone else who ever lived in a small, rural community where community really is a way of life.  I’ve walked the halls of that school.  I’ve been to those pep rallies, and I’ve gone to church with Buddy Garrity.  I KNOW DILLON and Dillon is real.  The people who live there are real.  The challenges and heartache and pains that the characters encounter are real.

And that, my friends, is why Friday Night Lights has more reality than all the reality shows on TV.

Now, as I’m finally getting to watch the last season as it airs on NBC I’m still in awe of what it does, and I’m reminded of all of the other shows I’ve ever loved and the thing that they’ve all had in common.  I’ve talked before about how Vampire Diaries never saves anything for the swim back–how the great shows are never afraid of the game-changing moments.

And last night I realized that that’s especially true of Friday Night Lights.

A lesser show would still be dragging on, manufacturing drama for characters like Jason Street and Smash Williams, but Friday Night Lights was smart enough to let those characters go on; they trusted their own talent enough to create new characters who are equally heroic and heartbreaking.

It’s storytelling at its best and, as a story-teller, I just had to say so.

 

-Ally

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    May 10, 2011 at 3:06 am

    Ally,
    How are you always so right? Thanks Ally your the best. I CAN’t wait to read UC and GG5!
    -Alexis 🙂

    Reply
  2. Whitney says

    May 11, 2011 at 2:54 am

    Friday Night Lights is my favorite TV show! I was actually just watching it before I saw this post.

    Reply
  3. Jaimie says

    May 16, 2011 at 7:47 pm

    I can’t say I agree. Seinfled is so much better than both of them! Glee, America Idol,and Friends are some of my faves!!
    -Jaimie

    Reply
  4. Katie says

    May 29, 2011 at 3:02 am

    I’ve never watched Friday Night Lights, but after reading your post I’m going to watch a few re-runs. I also wanted to say that as much as I liked Kat in Heist Society, my favorite is still Cammie, the best Gallagher Girl ever. I also like Zach. He’s one of those characters you just can’t help but fall in love with.
    I can’t wait to read the 5th Gallagher Girl book and Uncommon Criminals,
    Katie

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Copyright © 2022 Ally Carter