Bear with me while we have a teensy digression from the world of books and romance writing. Have you been watching NBC’s new show, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (FNL)? Why on earth not? This is one of the best TV shows I’ve seen in a really long time, not that I watch a lot of TV. USA TODAY reported that the show’s ratings haven?t been great, something I find unbelievable. If anything, FNL’s 8:00 slot may be a problem - this is definitely a grown-up show. FNL deals with Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler doing a wonderful job), rookie head coach of the Dillon, Texas high school team, the Panthers. I’m not from TX, but I understand that high school football is like a religion down there, and I feel like I know these people. Maybe it’s because my mother’s family is from a small town in Indiana, and high school sports are DEFINITELY a religion in that neck of the woods. Poor Coach Taylor is surrounded by fierce fans who all expect the Panthers to have a state championship season, and all feel free to tell him - loudly and repeatedly - how to coach the team. His wife, Tami, gave an impromptu barbeque party for all the townsfolk in last night’s episode, and she really ought to be nominated for sainthood. But I want to talk about the romances on the show. The Panthers’s first-string quarterback (or QB1 as we like to call them), senior Jason Street, broke his neck in the first game of the season and is now in a wheelchair in rehab with dim prospects of ever walking again. Jason’s a great guy - Boy Scout type from a nice family - and has a lovely, devoted girlfriend, cheerleader Lyla. Lyla has stood by his side and stubbornly insists that they’ll still get married, as planned. No problems, right? Enter Jason’s best friend and teammate, bad-boy Tim Riggins. Tim appears to be from the wrong side of the tracks, has got a sketchy home life, and is sullen and moody. One of his favorite pastimes is driving golf balls of some nearby cliff. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Tim string more than five words together at a time, so he’s definitely the really strong, REALLY silent type. Tim hasn’t gone to see Jason since the terrible accident because Tim feels guilty that he didn?t protect Jason better on the field. Naturally, Lyla marches off to let Tim have it for neglecting Jason in his hour of need. Can anyone see where this is going? Last week, Lyla, the devoted girlfriend, and Tim, the bad-boy best friend, shared an explosive kiss in the pouring rain. Last night, Tim showed up in Lyla’s bedroom to explain that he could no longer stay away from her, only in Tim’s succinct style, it came out as, “Lyla? I can’t ?” Next thing you know, Tim and Lyla are tumbling onto Lyla’s bed… I’m going to put aside my obvious concerns about teenagers having sex, and just go ahead and state the following: I LOVE this triangle. Clearly, Tim is deeply troubled and probably needs years of therapy. Jason loves Lyla, is a nice boy, and is the safer long-term choice. And anyway, these are TEENAGERS, and long-term to them is probably the length of, well, a football season. But, still - I kinda like bad-boy Tim. What’ll happen next? Will Lyla be able to live with the guilt? Will Jason find out? And what?ll happen with Jason and Tim’s embittered ex-girlfriend, Tyra? Is something brewing there? And what about the potential romance between sophomore QB2 turned QB1, sensitive Matt Saracen, and Coach Taylor’s daughter, Julie? God, I can’t wait to find out. Here’s my prediction: Jason’s rehabilitation will go much better than anyone suspects. He’ll be outta that chair in no time. Seriously. Check out FNL. Great show. Anyone else out there watch it?
http://www.nbc.com/Friday_Night_Lights/index.shtml