Friday Night Lights II
I’ve found another fan of Friday Night Lights the new NBC show on Tuesday nights. Slate has a glowing review today.
Troy Patterson writes: "If you understand that a touchdown is worth six points and have a rough idea of how many feet are in a yard, you should be able to follow the show. If you're interested in thoughtful, low-key riffs on community, Christianity, and youth culture in America, you should love it."
I wrote about the way religion was handled in the first episode last week, and I continue to be impressed. The second episode, which aired last night, began on a Sunday morning with various characters at their various churches. The head cheerleader, whose quarterback-boyfriend has been paralyzed while making a tackle, says a prayer for his heeling while lying on this chest in this hospital room. All of this is handled matter-of-factly, as part of the wharp and woove of everyday life. The series’ creators do not keep their characters at an ironic distance in these moments, and I appreciate that.
