I don't watch much TV even less football but this show will tug at every emotion you've ever experienced over its 5 season and 76 episodes. And the DVD box set is so satisfying with all the additional bonus material right up to the very end that will only add to your enjoyment and keep the characters alive and ready to be relived over and over again.
Football is the backdrop to the trials and tribulations of these authentic high school characters in small town Texas when everything comes to a head on Friday nights.
Coach Taylor (deserving Emmy Award Winner Kyle Chandler) and his lovely wife Tammy and daughter Julie are a typical hardworking family around which the stories are so excellently written and acted upon.
Eric Taylor is a moulder of young men. His wife keeps him and indeed so many others around them grounded. They stand up for what is right and many is the time when they open the door of their home late in the evening to a troubled teenager including the biggest child in the series, the magnetic Buddy Garrity played with fun and nearly always with a glint in his eye (Brad Leland).
The sweet and reliable Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) is the backup quarterback of the Dillon Panthers high school football team who is trust into the limelight when the fist choice QB Jason Street (Scott Porter) is injured in Season One. He lives with his adorable grandma (Louanne Stepens) and some of their scenes are so authentic and are real tearjerkers.
Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) is a typical high school, good looking jock but his character is one of the strongest in the series and particularly when he is with his wayward brother Billy who actually gets more screen time as the series progresses (Derek Phillips).
Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) lights up many a scene with his running on and off the field of play and his mother is a real find. So relatable was Liz Mikel and in particular when the erstwhile Tammy (Connie Britton) turns up unexpectedly at her place of work that I was really hoping she would make a reappearance towards the end.
Jesse Plemons as the nerdy Landry got a lot of stick in Season Two for the murder story but he earned his chops throughout and was always watchable and funny as Matt's best friend.
The cheerleaders are beautiful and smart and talented and their love interests with the footballers are very well written and acted upon for the most part. I have to say though Julie (Aimee Teegarden) drove me a bit crazy with her bad decisions despite having loving and responsible parents. Indeed I saw an interview with Zach Guildford recently (Midnightmass) where he said he found it difficult to understand why Matt put up with her after the way she treats him (Swedish guy!).
Minka Kelly as the always smiling and (false) positive Lila Garrity plays her part well but for me Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) was the star of the show. Indeed her sister and mother come into their own too and the Colletes are not to be messed with.
Season 4 and 5 sees the introductions of new characters led by the impressive Michael B Jordan as Vince Howard. Some beautiful and heartwrenching scenes as the East Dillon Lyons try to do the impossible. Tinker, Luke, Becky and Vince's girlfriend are superb and we really get to know them in such a short space of time.
Overall this is a very well written, directed, superbly acted and produced TV drama series with beautiful guitar music to boot. You really get invested in the characters and want them to succeed and fulfil their dreams. Peter Berg and his magnificent crew deserve all the accolades that have been and no doubt will continue to be thrown at them as a new generation of viewers hear about how good FNL really is. Unputdownable. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.
