• Network: NBC , The 101
  • Series Premiere Date: Oct 3, 2006
  • Season #: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5
Friday Night Lights Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 251 Ratings

  • Starring: Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler, Adrianne Palicki
  • Summary: This drama about high-stakes high-school football is based on the movie of the same name (itself based on the book of the same name by Buzz Bissinger). The film's director, Peter Berg, returns as an executive producer on the show.
  • Genre(s): Sports, Drama, Sports
  • Creator: Peter Berg
  • Show Type: Ended
  • Season 1 premiere date: Oct 3, 2006
  • Episode Length: 60
  • Air Time: 09:00 PM
  • More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Negative: 1 out of 32
  1. 100
    You don't have to love football to admire Friday Night Lights.
  2. Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    80
    Intensely stirring.
  3. Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    60
    "Friday Night Lights" ultimately feels like one of those family programs middle America and conservatives pine for that too few of them actually bother to watch -- a portrait of decent, God-fearing folks wringing joy from America's game as an escape from their hardscrabble lives.
  4. Standard high school sports soap opera.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 12 out of 153
  1. Nearly flawless. Realistic, poignant, inspirational...and it really should be watched by many more people. Myself and a crew of friends just got hooked...and my wife loves it too. Just finished season one... Expand
  2. Based on the book and movie of the same name Friday Night Lights tells the story of the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team in a small Texan town where very little else of consequence takes place. With local radio stations dissecting every game in detail and virtually everyone in town taking an interest team members are treated like celebrities whilst new coach, Eric Taylor, finds himself under pressure everywhere he goes.

    Truth be told many of the storylines aren’t particularly original but the showrunners infuse proceedings with such a sense of realism and intensity that few other drama series can match that this isn’t really an issue. The excellent writing would of course would be nothing without some great performances whether it be from more experienced cast members, such as Kyle Chandler as coach Taylor and his wife played by Connie Britton, or younger stars, such as Zach Gilford as the initially shy Matt Saracen, who suddenly finds himself thrust into the limelight. Importantly the football scenes are also very well shot. Again this helps to maintain a sense of realism to the point where it is sometimes hard to believe you are not actually just watching a real game. All in all Friday Night Lights first season would rank amongst the best of any drama series and, whether or not you know anything about American Football, it is certainly worth a watch.
    Expand
  3. David
    6
    I love High School football but I am trying to be objective here. Anyone that expects absolute realism in a TV show and rates this accordingly is missing the point of entertainment and the shows apparent weaving of real life scenarios around HS Football to entertain. I am giving it a SIX because of the over use of sex in the series. The writers seem to obsessed with proving to us that teens are engaged in sex at every turn. Regardless of the truth one way or the other, we don't need that in front of us or our children. I really enjoy the football drama but hate the sex scenes and tune them out. Some have complained about the camera work, but I think they miss the point there too. The camera shots bring us to a realism that escapes most shows and I for one think they are brilliantly done in putting us right there with the actors. If it were not for the sex scenes running rampant, I would have rated this show at least a 9. Expand
  4. AnnaM
    2
    I was shocked! This show is all about Teen Sex, and it's a real shame. This could be a really good show if the producers would eliminate the senseless side plots of who's sleeping around with who. Expand

See all 153 User Reviews

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