Friday Night Lights

:

Season 5
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 79 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 79
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 79
  3. Negative: 6 out of 79
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User Reviews

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  1. Ammon
    Jan 5, 2011
    10
    It is difficult to write a review that does this show justice. Being from a small town this show hits close to home in both accuracy and emotional touch. Yet I have many friends who were grew up in metro areas who have equal love for this show. Many shows lose the magic they once had when they began, but FNL continues to get better with age.

    You would be doing yourself a real disservice    It is difficult to write a review that does this show justice. Being from a small town this show hits close to home in both accuracy and emotional touch. Yet I have many friends who were grew up in metro areas who have equal love for this show. Many shows lose the magic they once had when they began, but FNL continues to get better with age.

    You would be doing yourself a real disservice if you didn't watch this program in its entirety.    … Expand
  2. LuizCC
    Oct 12, 2011
    5
    Too much overhyped, this series tells a cliche story, with not bad cast, but bad characters. It's just people saying how they're unlucky, but don't do anything to change it. At all, it would be a great series if the charatecrs and the plot change, because the dialogues are just too boring for me.
  3. Fireside
    Apr 26, 2011
    6
    The first 3 seasons were great, but during the 4th season the show started to loose some of its shine, and this season it is just straight up covered in rust. I'll watch the remainder of the episodes for the sake of closure.
  4. PollardsVision
    Feb 16, 2011
    10
    By my estimation, FNL is the 3rd best TV show of all-time (behind The Wire and The Shield). A wonderfully compelling drama with the most authentic feeling TV marriage ever at the heart of it all. The final season delivered like we've come to expect over the years with this show. It's a terrible shame that this show never garnered a larger audience.
  5. acquiredtastes
    May 16, 2011
    10
    Once again, I find that a show "too good for TV" has been cancelled prematurely. FNL is simply one of the very best, most honest, and realistically touching shows ever on television. The cast is uniformly wonderful and have created characters that one can really root for and wish to see more of in the future. Best wishes to Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton and company on delivering one of theOnce again, I find that a show "too good for TV" has been cancelled prematurely. FNL is simply one of the very best, most honest, and realistically touching shows ever on television. The cast is uniformly wonderful and have created characters that one can really root for and wish to see more of in the future. Best wishes to Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton and company on delivering one of the very best shows of all time, in my estimation.… Expand
  6. Kaptain
    Jul 18, 2011
    10
    Very sad to see this show end. Friday Night Lights may be one of the most under appreciated television shows of my generation. This show is less about football and more about life, character struggle and the pursuit of finding your place in the world. I wasn't sure if FNL could hold my attention once the initial cast moved on, but the writers & producers did a great job bridging the oldVery sad to see this show end. Friday Night Lights may be one of the most under appreciated television shows of my generation. This show is less about football and more about life, character struggle and the pursuit of finding your place in the world. I wasn't sure if FNL could hold my attention once the initial cast moved on, but the writers & producers did a great job bridging the old with the new all the while keeping just enough pieces to keep you caring what happens. I'm glad I got to be a part of this show while it aired. A toast to one of the best.… Expand
  7. nitenurse2001
    Apr 26, 2011
    10
    This is what tv should be. Reality with fabulous acting. I've loved it from the first episode. The characters make you care about their lives without hitting you over the head with their angst.
  8. drlowdon
    Feb 27, 2013
    10
    Having almost been cancelled following each of its first three seasons a last minute deal between NBC and DirecTV fortunately saved the show allowing one of the best drama series of all time two more years to finish on its own terms. The concept of a TV centred on a high school football team in Texas will always be a hard sell to audiences here in the UK but anyone who has watched FridayHaving almost been cancelled following each of its first three seasons a last minute deal between NBC and DirecTV fortunately saved the show allowing one of the best drama series of all time two more years to finish on its own terms. The concept of a TV centred on a high school football team in Texas will always be a hard sell to audiences here in the UK but anyone who has watched Friday Night Lights up to this point will know it is about far more than that. Continuing the development of Dillon’s residents, including many of the new East Dillon cast members that were introduced in season four, each and every storyline is able to reach a natural and emotional conclusion.

    Of all the great dramas I’ve watched I might just miss Friday Night Lights the most of all.    … Expand
  9. Astrosfan
    May 26, 2011
    10
    Friday Night Lights is one of the most underrated shows of all time. The last two seasons were a bit different from the first three but still amazing in their own ways. The characters and background stories stay true to the current times and don't get too involved with just any one character. They weren't over dramatic with sappy lines and cheesy music. The music was actually scored by anFriday Night Lights is one of the most underrated shows of all time. The last two seasons were a bit different from the first three but still amazing in their own ways. The characters and background stories stay true to the current times and don't get too involved with just any one character. They weren't over dramatic with sappy lines and cheesy music. The music was actually scored by an Austin band called "Explosions In The Sky". It's sad that this show never really found an audience. This show is true to Texas high school football and paints a good picture of how seriously it's taken, especially in west Texas.… Expand
  10. playnejayne
    Jul 10, 2011
    10
    I am not a diehard football fan; I did not see the movie "Friday Night Lights" (mainly because I wasn't interested in seeing a football movie, or Billy Bob Thornton, or Tim McGraw); and, I will probably never see the movie "Friday Night Lights" because Jason Katims' television series has put Dillon, Texas high school football on a pedestal, and nothing else could ever live up to itsI am not a diehard football fan; I did not see the movie "Friday Night Lights" (mainly because I wasn't interested in seeing a football movie, or Billy Bob Thornton, or Tim McGraw); and, I will probably never see the movie "Friday Night Lights" because Jason Katims' television series has put Dillon, Texas high school football on a pedestal, and nothing else could ever live up to its greatness.

    "Friday Night Lights" is not really about football. Yes, football is the driving mechanism behind the characters and the plotlines, but, truly, this is a show about people, about heart, about integrity, and about life. Of course, at the center of it all is the Taylor family - Coach Eric Taylor, his wife Tami, and their daughters Julie and Gracie Belle - which is a family that embeds itself into the very heart and soul of the town. The writers do an amazing job of fleshing out all of the characters that inhabit small-town Dillon, and the show is about transformation and evolution of those who grace our screens. Over five seasons, beloved characters have come and gone, and some have come again. Some characters were introduced, but never fully explored.

    Character development is one of the strengths of FNL. My personal favourites of this season (returning and/or supporting cast members not included) included the strong female characters in Jess Merriweather, who is smart, witty and grounded, and of course, the ever-gracious Tami Taylor who is my personal idol. Also, we have Coach Taylor whom I love on every level, sweet Luke, and local town hero Vince.

    Katims has always been adamant that stories drive the show forward; "story" determined whether we saw a lot or a little of any particular character. While some were underutilized (Hastings Ruckle, Epyck),, the stories themselves were satisfying and little more could have been squeezed into this final season without diminishing some of the other narratives that were front and center.

    On a final note, and with the series finale fresh in my mind, I must say that Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler play Eric and Tami to perfection. Their scenes together in "Always" were simply amazing. ...

    Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose.    … Expand
  11. nessington
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    This show was a bit of guilty pleasure viewing for me in the sense that I usually watch quite dense shows like Deadwood, The Wire and Breaking Bad. That being said, the casting on this show is second to none. Every character seems perfectly placed. While the first three seasons were the standout ones, it almost doesn't matter when it comes down to what this show was really about. It couldThis show was a bit of guilty pleasure viewing for me in the sense that I usually watch quite dense shows like Deadwood, The Wire and Breaking Bad. That being said, the casting on this show is second to none. Every character seems perfectly placed. While the first three seasons were the standout ones, it almost doesn't matter when it comes down to what this show was really about. It could be quite melodramatic at times, but the goldmine of this show was the depiction of a strong marriage. I'm not aware of any other show that casts marriage in such shining light. The coach and his wife showed that sometimes values can be interesting and inspiring. No small feat.… Expand
  12. ahnehnois
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    An excellent final run for this rich and engaging show. With the jump to the East Side now established, the existing characters are developed, a variety of surprising new developments unfold, and the last episode wraps the whole thing up.

    There are uneven bits. The only new starring character (Hastings Ruckle) is odd; he's basically a glorified extra who barely gets any lines. Another    An excellent final run for this rich and engaging show. With the jump to the East Side now established, the existing characters are developed, a variety of surprising new developments unfold, and the last episode wraps the whole thing up.

    There are uneven bits. The only new starring character (Hastings Ruckle) is odd; he's basically a glorified extra who barely gets any lines. Another new character introduced midseason is a problem child whose only purpose seems to be to give Tami something to do, and who leaves the show with little ceremony. Tyra returns, but seems to be there for no reason other than fanservice, while Lyla is oddly absent. The final couple of episodes feel rushed, with a few too many developments in too little time. Julie continues to refuse any sort of rational thought and gets involved in an affair and crashes her car on purpose. However, the quality of the characters and the realism of the situation ultimately prevails.

    Amazingly, the east-siders are now good at football. After having been a joke team last year whose only accomplishment was playing spoiler, they begin to dominate. This ascendance brings college recruiting to the forefront, and predictably it doesn't go all that well, and conflicts emerge. Other extended plotlines include Becky moving in with the Riggins family, Tim getting out of jail, Vince's family situation going south, Buddy's son coming home, and Jess trying to apprentice herself into being a football coach. A budget crisis for the schools throws the future of the newly established East Dillon team in doubt.

    Besides a climactic football game and a satisfying montage, the finale concludes with a powerful choice: the Coach has to choose whether to re-up for another round of Texas high school football, or whether to give up the Friday Night Lights culture forever, a choice that strains his marriage more than anything we've seen before, but which also serves as a referendum on the entire show. This takes the show to a satisfying and thoughtful conclusion, resolving all the characters' stories but leaving new openings for the dreamers in all of us.    … Expand
  13. Middlax21
    Mar 5, 2014
    10
    This is an absolutely unbelievable show. This last season, last episode, and especially the last 3 minutes of the episode brought me near to tears. Trust me, I am not someone who this would usually occur to. I would strongly recommend you take the time to watch this show because it is so great. Clear eyes, Full hearts, Can't lose.
  14. MattArmando
    Aug 3, 2014
    10
    Beautiful, flawless, gorgeous, authentic, realistic, artful, seamless, masterful. That's what the final season of the poignant, ever so thoughtful FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is.

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best TV Season of 2010
50
#50 Most Discussed TV Season of 2010
33
#33 Most Shared TV Season of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    Apr 15, 2011
    70
    The first few episodes don't always click (strangely, the Tami story line doesn't feel real), but even when the storytelling hits a rough patch, there's enough raw emotion and drama--on and off the field--that hits the right note, saving the hour.
    Read full review
  2. Boston Herald
    Reviewed by: Mark A. Perigard
    Dec 13, 2010
    100
    Friday Night Lights used high school football as a vehicle to explore plainly and authentically the way in which people live, struggle and thrive in small towns. It just might be the finest scripted series on prime time.
    Read full review
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Dalton Ross
    Dec 13, 2010
    83
    FNL's final season begins with one person staying put (Taylor Kitsch's Riggins is still in jail) and others moving on (Aimee Teegarden's Julie and Jesse Plemons' Landry are college-bound). Meanwhile, Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) heads to the basketball court to find his next star player. [Oct 22/29 2010, p.107]
See all critic reviews »