TV Review: Friday Night Lights
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this drama -- like the movie it's
based on -- centers on the coach and players of an elite high
school football team in small-town Texas. There's constant
tension between the community's desire to win games and the
coach's goal of helping his players understand the inner
strength they need to truly be winners. Racial tensions and
underage drinking are prevalent, and some of the football
scenes can get pretty intense. Kids who aren't into sports
probably won't be interested.
Families can talk the importance of sports in their community. Are high school games as big a deal in your town as they are on the show? What kind of pressures do the athletes (both the ones on TV and the ones in real life) face? What are some of the consequences of those pressures? How do parents and other adult role models help kids learn what success means? What defines success in your community? Are the teen characters on the show realistic? Why or why not?
Common Sense Media Review
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS -- based on the
hit
film starring
Billy
Bob Thornton -- is a drama centered on the world of elite
high school football and the people who live in it.
Kyle Chandler stars as Eric Taylor, the new head coach of the Dillon Panthers, the number-one high school football team in Texas. When the team's star quarterback, Jason Street (Scott Porter), is sidelined, Coach Taylor is left with inexperienced second-string QB Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) and a team of young men all trying to cope with the pressures placed on them by a community that expects nothing less than a state championship.
Coach Taylor struggles with both the town's desire to win and the need for his players to understand that football isn't just a game, but also a journey of self-discovery. The players -- including running backs Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) and Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) -- must learn how to behave as a team both on and off the field, while Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) helps best friend Matt cope with the new weight placed on his shoulders.
The guys' romantic interests, including Jason's devoted cheerleader girlfriend Lyla (Minka Kelly) and the flirtatious Tyra (Adrianne Palicki), add to the drama. And Coach Taylor is both supported and pressured by his wife, Tami (Connie Britton, who also starred in the film).
Friday Night Lights is full of football lingo and pre- and post-game rituals that have become part of high school football culture. Even if you aren't a football fan, it isn't hard to get caught up in some of the show's dramatic storylines, which include teen romance, strong friendship, personal rivalry, and family unity.
The show also deals with some weightier, more controversial issues, including underage drinking, racial tensions, and the serious risks involved in playing contact sports -- all of which are relevant to (and will probably interest) a lot of older middle schoolers and high schoolers. As long as these heavier topics are taken in context -- ideally, with some parental explanation -- the show is a well-executed drama for teens and up.
Because, in the end, Friday Night Lights is about a whole lot more than just winning football games. Fans might also like Two-a-Days, a reality show take on the same topic.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
