I just finished watching the pilot episode of Friday Night Lights. It was unbelievable. Extremely high quality for a 7 pm show on a major network.
I’ll say it: it’s one of the best hours of television I’ve ever seen.
Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton were as exceptional as expected, but what’s shocking is how good the young actors are. Although the characters are standard for a sports drama (gifted yet humble leader, trash talking back, “damaged” teen, guy in over his head, loyal girlfriend, man-eating sexpot), the actors—along with the writing—are making them much more than the clichés they could easily have been.
Yes, the show is about a football team. And, yes, the pilot is about the first game of the season.
But what is at the show’s heart is much more. The last ten minutes of the episode should prove that to anyone who thinks this is “just a football show”.
Peter Berg has set the bar for what could be the best show of the season.
You owe to yourself to watch this show, and NBC is giving you plenty of chances to see it again. The pilot is re-airing three more times before next Tuesday’s new episode. All times are CST.
Thurs, 10/5 from 10-11 pm on USA
Sat, 10/7 from 8-9 pm on NBC
Tues, 10/10 from 6-7 pm on Bravo (right before episode #2 @ 7pm on NBC)
[I am not an employee of NBC. I did not receive anything for the above post. I just really like this show.]
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Prison Break 10/2/06 "Buried"
Okay, I’m going to be talking about tonight’s Prison Break here, so if you haven’t seen it, you may not want to read this right now.
So, the last six episodes have led us to this—and left us a few cliffhangers we’ve got to wait three weeks for.
Lincoln left the others to go after L.J.—even though it stinks of a trap.
Haywire steals some equipment and gains a friend—a dog followed him because he had beef jerky. And he’s got a life plan: he’s going to sail the ocean (starting in Lake Michigan) to Holland, so he can live in a windmill. He just has to get started by building a raft from the driftwood on the lakeshore.
We get a great moment with the gang (digging again) where C-Note informs T-Bag that the Asian Black Market T-Bag intends to get a hand from won’t have white hands, so the racist slimeball will have an asian hand attached to him.
Governor Tancredi gets killed (even though it was made to look like a suicide).
Doctor Tancredi finds morphene and syringes on her coffee table—and a mysterious man waiting for her. Will Agent Kellerman get to her before she’s killed? Will Kellerman go against The Company?
Our boy, Sucre, turned the tables on the others. Gotta say I didn’t see that one coming. He’s the one I would have least expected to screw the others. Looks like he doesn’t get far as next ep’s previes show he and Schofield having a showdown.
Agent Mahone admits to Tweener that he found Shales—and killed him.
Tweener leads Mahone and the Feds to Debra Jean’s house to tell her that he’ll write to her instead of leading Mahone to the rest of the gang. His heroic (at least by not ratting) move upsets Mahone to no end, so he takes Tweener into the woods and shoots him, point blank.
And now we can see what kind of mental state Mahone is in.
Now, Tweener was on the short-list of people to be killed, so it wasn’t a big surprise. What was surprising was that Mahone’s so off his rocker that he killed a man in custody.
I’m not as obsessed with the show as much as I was last year, but three weeks is too long to have some of these things resolved…
R.I.P Tweener. Or Dave (nice moment he had with Debra Jean, where he tells her his real name).
So, the last six episodes have led us to this—and left us a few cliffhangers we’ve got to wait three weeks for.
Lincoln left the others to go after L.J.—even though it stinks of a trap.
Haywire steals some equipment and gains a friend—a dog followed him because he had beef jerky. And he’s got a life plan: he’s going to sail the ocean (starting in Lake Michigan) to Holland, so he can live in a windmill. He just has to get started by building a raft from the driftwood on the lakeshore.
We get a great moment with the gang (digging again) where C-Note informs T-Bag that the Asian Black Market T-Bag intends to get a hand from won’t have white hands, so the racist slimeball will have an asian hand attached to him.
Governor Tancredi gets killed (even though it was made to look like a suicide).
Doctor Tancredi finds morphene and syringes on her coffee table—and a mysterious man waiting for her. Will Agent Kellerman get to her before she’s killed? Will Kellerman go against The Company?
Our boy, Sucre, turned the tables on the others. Gotta say I didn’t see that one coming. He’s the one I would have least expected to screw the others. Looks like he doesn’t get far as next ep’s previes show he and Schofield having a showdown.
Agent Mahone admits to Tweener that he found Shales—and killed him.
Tweener leads Mahone and the Feds to Debra Jean’s house to tell her that he’ll write to her instead of leading Mahone to the rest of the gang. His heroic (at least by not ratting) move upsets Mahone to no end, so he takes Tweener into the woods and shoots him, point blank.
And now we can see what kind of mental state Mahone is in.
Now, Tweener was on the short-list of people to be killed, so it wasn’t a big surprise. What was surprising was that Mahone’s so off his rocker that he killed a man in custody.
I’m not as obsessed with the show as much as I was last year, but three weeks is too long to have some of these things resolved…
R.I.P Tweener. Or Dave (nice moment he had with Debra Jean, where he tells her his real name).
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Premieres 10-2 to 10/8
Sorry for the lateness (again). Time flies…
Monday, 10/2
The Bachelor: Rome; ABC, 8 pm CST (2 hr) Season Premiere.
A royal bachelor this time. Thirty-four year old Prince Lorenzo Borghese from Italy (who’s lived in the U.S. since he was five—does that count?).
Tuesday, 10/3
Friday Night Lights; NBC, 7 pm. Series Premiere
One of the most critically acclaimed new shows this season. Peter Berg comes back to tell the story of the Texas High School football team that must win at all costs (Berg wrote the screenplay based on Buzz Bissinger’s book and directed the film as well as the pilot for the TV series). The movie was great, and while the TV series is missing Billy Bob Thornton and Lucas Black, it will have the underrated Kyle Chandler as the coach. Must Watch.
Veronica Mars; CW, 8 pm. Season Premiere
I’ve only watched the first six episodes of Season One, but fans of this show are incredibly devoted. You may want to check out this third season.
The Street; BBC America, 9 pm. Series Premiere
From TV Guide: “This drama focuses on the interlocking lives of a group of working-class neighbors in northern England.” That’s all I know. But seeing as how BBC America has some of the best shows on cable, it’s probably worth checking out.
Wednesday, 10/4
Lost; ABC, 8 pm. Season Premiere
The third season of a show I really need to start watching (I’ve got both season in my basement, just waiting to be watched).
The Nine; ABC, 9 pm. Series Premiere
Another critically-acclaimed new show with a killer cast. This series is about a group of nine people who survive a 52-hour bank robbery standoff, and how their lives change. Sounds boring, but I haven’t heard a bad thing about this show yet. Must Watch.
South Park; Comedy Central, 9 pm. Season Premiere
The best satire on TV right now, hands down, starts its tenth season.
Freak Show; Comedy Central, 9:30 pm. Series Premiere
David Cross cocreated this animated series about carnival freaks who work for the Pentagon.
Thursday, 10/5
This Old House Hour; PBS, 7 pm. Season Premiere
Joan Cusack’s Local Flavor; Travel, 8 pm. Series (?) Premiere
The funny-woman finds herself in France
Drawn Together; Comedy Central, 9:30 pm. Season Premiere
Somehow this show got a third season.
White Boyz in the Hood; Showtime, 10 pm. Series Premiere.
No idea what it’s about.
Friday, 10/6
Trading Spouses; FOX, 8 pm. Season Premiere
Hey! Look at that! Another series that somehow got a third season…
Battlestar Galactica; Sci Fi Channel; 8 pm. 2 hour Season Premiere
The other great show I just haven’t watched yet. Don’t miss out on what many, many critics call one of the best shows on TV.
Saturday, 10/7
Saturday Night Live has Jamie Pressly hosting. Normally, I wouldn’t mention it, but I haven’t watched SNL’s premiere from last night yet, so there’s a glimmer of hope the show may actually be good.
Sunday, 10/8
No premieres—thank God.
Monday, 10/2
The Bachelor: Rome; ABC, 8 pm CST (2 hr) Season Premiere.
A royal bachelor this time. Thirty-four year old Prince Lorenzo Borghese from Italy (who’s lived in the U.S. since he was five—does that count?).
Tuesday, 10/3
Friday Night Lights; NBC, 7 pm. Series Premiere
One of the most critically acclaimed new shows this season. Peter Berg comes back to tell the story of the Texas High School football team that must win at all costs (Berg wrote the screenplay based on Buzz Bissinger’s book and directed the film as well as the pilot for the TV series). The movie was great, and while the TV series is missing Billy Bob Thornton and Lucas Black, it will have the underrated Kyle Chandler as the coach. Must Watch.
Veronica Mars; CW, 8 pm. Season Premiere
I’ve only watched the first six episodes of Season One, but fans of this show are incredibly devoted. You may want to check out this third season.
The Street; BBC America, 9 pm. Series Premiere
From TV Guide: “This drama focuses on the interlocking lives of a group of working-class neighbors in northern England.” That’s all I know. But seeing as how BBC America has some of the best shows on cable, it’s probably worth checking out.
Wednesday, 10/4
Lost; ABC, 8 pm. Season Premiere
The third season of a show I really need to start watching (I’ve got both season in my basement, just waiting to be watched).
The Nine; ABC, 9 pm. Series Premiere
Another critically-acclaimed new show with a killer cast. This series is about a group of nine people who survive a 52-hour bank robbery standoff, and how their lives change. Sounds boring, but I haven’t heard a bad thing about this show yet. Must Watch.
South Park; Comedy Central, 9 pm. Season Premiere
The best satire on TV right now, hands down, starts its tenth season.
Freak Show; Comedy Central, 9:30 pm. Series Premiere
David Cross cocreated this animated series about carnival freaks who work for the Pentagon.
Thursday, 10/5
This Old House Hour; PBS, 7 pm. Season Premiere
Joan Cusack’s Local Flavor; Travel, 8 pm. Series (?) Premiere
The funny-woman finds herself in France
Drawn Together; Comedy Central, 9:30 pm. Season Premiere
Somehow this show got a third season.
White Boyz in the Hood; Showtime, 10 pm. Series Premiere.
No idea what it’s about.
Friday, 10/6
Trading Spouses; FOX, 8 pm. Season Premiere
Hey! Look at that! Another series that somehow got a third season…
Battlestar Galactica; Sci Fi Channel; 8 pm. 2 hour Season Premiere
The other great show I just haven’t watched yet. Don’t miss out on what many, many critics call one of the best shows on TV.
Saturday, 10/7
Saturday Night Live has Jamie Pressly hosting. Normally, I wouldn’t mention it, but I haven’t watched SNL’s premiere from last night yet, so there’s a glimmer of hope the show may actually be good.
Sunday, 10/8
No premieres—thank God.
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