Universal Studios | 2010 | 562 mins. | NR
Adapted from a book and film of the same name, when Friday Night Lights began, it focused on events surrounding the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to the team’s coach, Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and his family. In the fourth season, Coach Taylor took over at East Dillon High School, where he coached the Lions.
As the fifth season begins, Coach Taylor is increasingly frustrated by the lack of respect given to his Lions. As such, he makes it his mission to coach the team to a the state championship. But as any fan of Friday Night Lights knows, football is simply the vehicle used to explore various problems in contemporary society. Quarterback Vince Howard (Michael B. Jordan) struggles to deal with the reappearance of his convict father and his girlfriend Jess Merriweather’s (Jurnee Smollett) new job in the locker room as the team’s equipment manager. Becky’s (Madison Burge) chaotic home life forces her to take refuge in the Riggins home. Eric’s wife Tami (Connie Britton), now an East Dillon guidance counselor, has her work cut out for her when she attempts to motivate the school’s teaching staff and save its troubled student body; Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden), having trouble making friends at college, winds up sharing the bed of her older, married teacher’s assistant; newcomer Hastings Ruckle (Grey Damon) signs on as East Dillon’s new wide receiver to the indignation of running back Luke Caferty (Matt Lauria); and Buddy Garrity’s (Brad Leland) son (Jeff Rosick) moves back in with him and winds up on the football team, despite not knowing anything about the game.
Throughout its five seasons on the air, Friday Night Lights never shied away from the big issues. So, knowing this was their last season, one can’t blame the writers for trying to hammer home as many points as possible in just thirteen episodes. Frankly, all the episodes this season are well written and thought provoking. As sad as it is to see Friday Night Lights leave primetime, recent evidence has made me wonder if five seasons is the perfect life span for a series. The viewer is given enough time to watch the characters but it’s not enough time for them to feel tired and old.
The series finale, “Always” is just about perfect. While it would seem inevitable that Eric would decide to move with Tami, the road getting there is a powerful experience. More surprising, is the fact that the show gave us some idea where the characters might end up, without presenting it as a certainty. I’m thinking there should be a reunion movie in a decade or so. Friday Night Lights went out on a high note and if you’re a fan, picking up this set is a no-brainer.
Presented in 1:78:1 anamorphic widescreen, the picture quality is as solid as previous releases. Colors are bright and vibrant. For a standard DVD release detail is good and there are no noticeable digital anomalies. The audio, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, is well separated and provides dialogue clearly and precisely.
We get the following special features:
DISC 1
- Deleted Scenes: Deleted scenes from “Expectations”.
- Yearbook : Photos from 2007-2011 which you can navigate with your remote control.
DISC 2
- Deleted Scenes: Deleted scenes from “Perfect Record” and “Fracture”.
DISC 3
- Deleted Scenes: Deleted scenes from “Don’t Go”, “Texas Whatever”
- The Lights Go Out – (30:00) A featurette in which the cast and crew discuss working on the series and their thoughts on final season.
- Audio Commentary for “Don’t Go” – Audio commentary by director Michael Waxman.
- Audio Commentary for “Always” – Audio commentary with executive producer/showrunner Jason Katims.
