I just watched the series finale of Friday Night Lights. It’s so good. And I’m so sad it’s over. I even cried! I think it might have the most talented writing staff on TV.
Have you ever watched it? I promise, you don’t have to love football — or Texas — to enjoy the show. But you will probably end up being a big fan of both if you do watch it. (Yay Texas!) I told Ben Blair that I think it portrays the closest thing to a real, working marriage that I’ve ever seen in media. Seriously good TV.
Are you a FNL fan? Is there any series that would leave you super sad if it ended?
{ 105 comments… read them below or add one }
i love that show too! and parenthood – which is made by the same people – very real life also -
I have loved this show. Mostly because of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, their marriage and relationship. Was so sad to watch the finale, but it ended so well!
Love that show. I don’t love football or Texas (although now I can’t wait to visit) and I loved the show. It has something for everyone. We have DirectTV and they aired the final season before it showed on network tv. Amazing writing, acting, and one of the best series finales I have ever seen. And yes, I may have shed a tear or two as well.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Friday Night Lights… :)
One of my all-time favorite shows, I’ve been saving the last series to watch all at once on a quiet Saturday.
I agree with you, one of the most realistic marriages ever portrayed on TV.
LOVE FNL, so sad it’s over. I’ve heard good things about Parenthood, maybe I’ll have to start watching that on Netflix so I can catch up?
I had no idea Parenthood was the same people. I’ve been watching it and it’s great.
I would be lost without Parenthood, Modern Family, and Rescue Me (which is on its last season). Also, HBO had a series that only ran for 1 season back in 2007 called “Tell Me You Love Me.” The most authentic, raw portrayal of relationships that I’ve ever seen on t.v. Why do the good ones always get cut?
loved the finale! so perfect. if the blairs are considering texas when you return to the states, let me go ahead and put in a plug for AUSTIN! :)
When we moved from New York, Austin was on our shortlist of cities to move to. It’s such a cool place!
FNL is brilliant, amazing, every good adjective. This is the show that I unreservedly recommend to anyone and everyone. (And if someone tells me he/she doesn’t like FNL, I secretly think badly of him/her.)
I love Coach and Tami’s marriage so much that I watch all of their scenes together at least twice.
Allison, I am cracking up at this, I totally agree :) Such a great, great show. I wish I had more Tami Taylor in me-style and all. I’m working up to it :)
I so hear you! And I swear, my friend Laura (the http://thequeso.com) grew up in small town Texas and is totally Tammy Taylor.
ahhh…love FNL! i definitely cried in the finale. it was so good and it ended so perfectly. coach taylor reminds me of my husband, so i think that’s why i like it so much.
LOVE this show!! I still have a few episodes to watch, and I’m putting it off because I don’t want it to be over. I know a couple of others have mentioned it, but if you loved FNL, you should definitely check out Parenthood. Same creators and a few of the same actors too. Great show!
Yay Texas is right, girl! FNL is based on the HS football-crazed town right next door to ours, no joke. Football is insane here, they start tackle football at SEVEN years old! Makes me so thankful my boys like baseball. :)
Hi Leslie, are you talking about Carroll high school? I worked in Southlake for years!
LOVE Friday Night Lights.
I’m still mourning The West Wing. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop missing it.
LOVE FNL! I cried like a baby. It was pathetic.
Hah! Me too.
so much love for FNL!!!! the best show ever made! everything about it was wonderful…the acting, cinematography, music, plot….it was a beautiful piece of art. its so sad that it didn’t get the ratings it deserved. The show also makes me want to visit Texas. I never before cared about Texas, but now I do!
LOVE that show! i’m not married, nor anywhere close to being married. but i’d be lucky if i ever had a marriage like theirs. i didn’t watch the show until recently when i discovered it on netflix, then watched it for 2 months non-stop. it really was one of the best shows on television. (next to lost!)
I cried when ‘Lost’ ended, can you believe? I had invested so many years in that show, and it was filmed in Hawaii, so it reminded me of home, and I just got very teary when I watched the finale! I’ve heard that ‘FNL’ is great, maybe I can find the series on DVD and watch the entire series!
oh… i love FNL! we finished watching it months ago, but i still miss it. the portrayal of their marriage is by far the best relationship on tv!
Favorite show of all time. Like Allison, I recommend it to everyone. LOL about secretly thinking badly of the haters!
Honestly, I’m a little in denial that it’s over and I’ll never get to see the Taylor’s or Tim Riggins again.
I’ve never seen FNL, but was very sad when Arrested Development ended as well as Firefly.
Arrested Development was brilliant. They are fun to rewatch a million times.
My husband and I have watched and re-watched Arrested Development from beginning to end so many times I have lost count.
Loved this show! So sad it is over.
I’ve watched the first four seasons and just ordered the fifth on Amazon. I ADORE this show, and know no one else who watches it. It’s the best.
I loved FNL, and I will watch an episode here and there on Netflix if I need a FNL fix! This is one of the best shows I’ve seen on television in a long time. I was dreading the finale, because that meant it was over. I don’t know if I will ever like another show the way I liked this one. I’m the daughter of a former high school football coach, so football is in my blood! And I love how Coach and Tami’s marriage was portrayed. Just an all-around good show. I caught the end of Parenthood last season; now I’m hooked on it too.
Love that show! My husband and I used to watch episode after episode together and just cry! Such a beautiful show, and I agree – great portrayal of a working marriage. And I think I kinda want to be Miss Tammy Taylor when I grow up.
Best. show. ever. And this is coming from a girl who was also addicted to LOST!
And ditto to the Parenthood recommendations.
Oh Gabrielle, I didn’t think it was possible…but I love you even more now that I know you are a FNL fan!
Love love love FNL & am in denial that it is over. I cried after the finale and told my husband that I am going to miss our “friends,” Tammy and Coach Taylor. I can’t believe they are gone from my life. I am a Dallas/Austin girl ( my husband is from Austin), and we loved watching TX from
our Bay Area home.
Texas Forever!
Tell me you didn’t rewind and rewind to see Matt Saracen’s crooked smile one more time…
Thanks for the suggestion. I work out every morning (except Sunday), most of the time on my spinning bike with my ear plugs and a good tv series. I am always looking for something intriguing and clean which has proven to be a tough combination. If I have a good show though I work out harder. I saw this one to borrow at the local library so now will have to try it out!
Hmmm. Not sure if I would classify it as “clean”. There is lots of teenage sex.
And a strip club.
OMG. I LOVE THAT SHOW! I am soooo sad it’s over. It was truly under appreciated and could have gone so much longer had the ratings been where they should have been! I love Coach and Mrs. T. They are such an inspirational couple who really put their marriage above all else and cared for the kids in their schools and community like they were each their own. And seriously… Tim Riggs was HOT HOT HOT!!! :) I cried throughout the episodes and beamed with tears with the finale!!! The only other show I was deeply sad to see go was Once and Again with Sela Ward and Billy Campbell. I loved the real relationship they portrayed… I know sometimes it’s better to go out with a bang, but really WISH some shows could last forever. I mean, my gosh, soap operas have been on for decades!!! Then again, you can pick up on them after years of not watching a single episode!
Seriously. I’m predicting Tim Riggins is the next Brad Pitt.
I don’t comment very often, but I HAD to comment on this one because I LOOOOOOVED this show too! Everyone thinks I am lame when I tell them about it, but Man, it is SO good.
The Taylors’ marriage especially.
Let’s just say this: I didn’t cry at the birth of either of my children, but I sobbed like a baby at the finale!!
That’s hilarious, Caitlin!
Ditto Ditto Ditto! Love the show, love the Taylors…don’t like football, but I was riveted during every episode! Just cried at the finale and went back and watched the first episode….cried even harder. I forgot how moving the end of that episode is when Street gets hurt!
Nice to know I’m not alone in my guilty pleasure!!!
Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.
I am compelled to write. Yes, I loved this show, and I, too, am so sad it’s over. I completely agree w/ you about the portrayal of a good, solid marriage – that’s good TV! It was well-written and well-acted, for sure. Kudos, FNL! You’ll be missed!
I just loved this show! I think it was so well written and the characters were so realistic. I have watched this show every season and will really miss it. Clear eyes, full hearts…..can’t lose!
Oh yes, both my husband and I loved it and are sad to see it end. We especially enjoyed the portrayal of relationships & marriage.
oh my goodness, I LOVE Friday Night Lights. It’s a testament to the writing of a show (as you suggest) that it can appeal to even the most jockey boy (aka, my ex), a nice middle aged lady (my mom) and a mid-twenties arty girl (me). I, too, cried when I watched the last episode. It’s one of the few dramas that I would actually consider buying on DVD.
I agree! I loved every season. I watched the finale with husby and had to point out to him how Tammy was such a true mother, making sacrifices for her children all the time. That is, on the last episode how she was willing to sacrifice her job so that Eric couldn’t say ‘no’ to Julie. I am SO sad the show is over!
Oh Gabby, I’m so happy you posted this! I have been in love with FNL since the very first episode. It is the only show I’ve ever cared about owning on DVD.
Texas Forever!
Texas Forever!
Yes, Friends & Frazier. Wait! They did end, many years ago. I’m sad all over again.
LOVE FNL!
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts…sniff! One of my faves. Sighed a big ol’ sigh when the final credits rolled. I was lucky enough to go to a screening and Q&A with the cast while I was still living in L.A. Such a thrill!
What a treat that must of been!
have you ever read the book? when i was in high school, it was all the rage. especially in the small town where i grew up and it was really kinda like that. we all lived for football game fridays and the hype was always intense. great book!
A book? I didn’t even know there was a book!
we love love friday night lights. tim riggins. coach taylor. and the music is great.
The music was the reason I stopped and watched the first episode. I remember flipping through channels and hearing that guitar and thinking: whatever this is, it’s going to be good. : )
I’ve never watched FNL but I was so sad to hear Brothers and Sisters ended no warning. And Chicago Code that was an awesome show can’t believe they got rid of it. And there have been countless others that I was so sad to see end.
This was my husband and my favorite show and we got to move to Texas at the beginning of this year. The show helped the move feel more like home in a weird way. I LOVED their marriage and I thought their parenting was realistic and I’ve told my husband MANY times that I want to be Tammy Taylor to which he responds…He will never be a football coach!
Adored Friday Night Lights, and yes I cried too at the finale. Life is always better with a little Tim Riggins. :-) Tammy and Coach Taylor are awesome – one of the most real relationships on any TV show. I was so happy to see them get nominated for Emmys. What a great show!
I agree! Such a great show! The writing. The way it was filmed. Unlike anything else.
funny you posted this. I just finished watching the last episode last night! i cried too. LOVED that show. so sad it’s over. clear eyes full hearts!!
We’ve been watching that show since the beginning and were so sad that it ended! Ugggh! A great finale.
Cool to know. Marriage relationships on TV usually make me cringe.
YES! Big fan. I haven’t finished the series yet, but I’m kind of putting it off. I want to make it last longer.
I felt the same way! It was on my computer for ages before I finally watched it.
We loved watching FNL on netflix and then watched the last season on our DVR. It was a great series and we’re sad it’s over.
!
It is BY FAR my favorite show I’ve ever seen on TV. Me and the husband became obsessed with it when we found it streaming on Netflix and then proceeded to watch a little starting from Season 1 every single night – we caught the final season several months ago on cable. Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose. Best show on TV :)
As a high school teacher I found this show to be an accurate portrayle of the lives of “real kids” ( unlike Gossip Girl…….or other teenage dramas) and their families. I truly respect and admire the writers and actors. Why cant more shows be like this? Thank you FNL for being more than just another TV show!
I’ve watched every season of FNL and loved it! I agree that the portrayal of Eric and Tammy’s marriage was a good one. She’s also a wonderful example of a great mom, too. Such good stories. I cried (every week almost) and was so sad to see it end.
So many Friday Night Lights fans! I love it. We need to have a send off party. : )
I love Friday Night Lights and am so sad it is over! I also heard that Brothers and Sisters was cancelled. That is another one of my favorites.
My husband & I have ADORED FNL . .by far one of our all-time favorite shows. So sad to see it end, but love that it received some acclaim & attention towards the end. Did y”all see Coach on the cover of Relevant magazine last year? They did an article on best shows to start watching now! FNL, as we would all agree, was one of their top picks. One of our favorite aspects of the show was the portrayal of how 100% vested the Taylors were in the lives of the kids of Dylan. Such a good message. Hope hope hoping we see more of Coach, Tammy, Tim, Landry, etc in some good new shows . . . love seeing “Vince” on Parenthood :)
I’ve watched like one episode. I do like Texas though. Lived there for 10 years but never fully appreciated it till I left. Figures.
LOVE that show! And I’m so sad it’s over. What I loved about it was that it was interesting and dramatic and addictive without being melodramatic. It was just GOOD. I liked there was never any unfaithfulness in the main couple. They loved each other and worked hard at their marriage. There was conflict, but it was real, honest, normal conflict.
SUCH A GOOD SHOW!
Best show ever… I will miss it so very much!
That show touched my soul!
Felt like I was saying goodbye to my friends. So sad.
If you haven’t read Alan Sepinwall’s coverage of this show, you should. It’s excellent.
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/friday-night-lights-always-texas-forever
On another note, I heart Tim Riggins and want this shirt.
http://tinyurl.com/riggshirt
My husband I have just started the FNL series over again because we missed the characters and story line so much! Such a great show! I have also fallen in love with ABC’s Brothers and Sisters and cry regularly through it as well. Both shows seem so much more relatable to me than most others out there (I love parenthood too!) I just learned that Brothers and Sisters was cancelled after it’s 5th season and was seriously devastated for days. Guess I’ll be rewatching that series soon too. :)
So so sad that FNL has ended. It has been one of my favorite shows.
My heart is SO SAD that FNL is over. I have been OBSESSED with it since I started watching about 3 years ago. I agree, the marriage between Coach and Mrs. Taylor is a great picture of a real relationship. I’m from small town West Texas and the show portrays small town Texas football life in a completely realistic way. Anytime anyone asks me about my favorite show I just gush about FNL.
Absolutely loved this show and I seem to be all alone in loving it until now!!!! So sad to see it end!
I’m not much of a poster either, but this will prompt me. My husband and I are high school sweethearts and Julie and Matt had us reminiscing quite a bit. Of course, we could also relate to the fabulous relationship portrayed by Tammy and Coach Taylor. I feel like I went into mourning at the end of this one, The Wire, and 24. Nothing alike, but I was equally addicted to all of them.
I am a daughter of a high school coach and I married a college football coach and while I love how they portray they Taylor’s marriage, my favorite relationship is between Coach Taylor and his daughter, Julie. This is right up there with my favorite shows of all time!
I love FNL too! I will never know why it didn’t have a bigger fan base. But for those who watched it, they LOVED it (like me). Wish I lived next door to the Taylors :)
My husband and I are both in mourning that the show is over. Texas forever.
My husband and I just started watching the series via Netflix. We’re midway through the first season but we love it. I agree, the acting and writing is fabulous!
FNL has been one of my favorite TV shows ever. The writing is so good, and the characters are so genuine. I will miss it!
The Husband and I both loved that show. Sad to see it end. We were always commenting about the realism of the relationships, especially Coach and Tammy. Excellent.
Ditto to Parenthood, another one that always gets us talking, laughing, and me crying.
Best. Show. Ever.
Love the Taylors – I think the portrait of marriage they portrayed is just beautiful and can we talk about Tim Riggins….swoon!
I watched this show from the pilot episode way back in ’05. Everything about it was AMAZING! So sad to watch it end. There aren’t many shows that don’t involve lawyers, doctors or police! This one was a winner!
I’m a huge fan and so sad it’s over. My husband was a big fan too – it’s so nice when we both enjoy watching something together. This is a great article on the actors’ perspectives – you should definitely take a look if you’re a fan! http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6766070/clear-eyes-full-hearts-lose
LOVED this show. There was not one bad character. Great casting and writing and sets. Wow… sad that there is such a lack of real good drama on the tube.
I only saw a few episodes but after reading these comments I am going to watch from the beginning. Thanks!
Oh my, how I love this show.
I was a latecomer to the show. I began watching it on Netflix last summer with my newborn adopted baby in my arms. I live in Austin, Texas and never cared about the “Dillon Panther” trucks driving around our streets. I fell in love with the show too late…one week before their final taping. Ughh, the agony of not being able to actually see this show being filmed…
I live in the neighborhood where the “Alamo Freeze” and the Taylor and Riggins homes are. Darn it that I didn’t even know it until this summer! My neighbor was even an extra.
I too cried in the last moments of the show. I was so thankful for the happy endings. It’s silly, I get weepy whenever I think back to the last scenes.
I’ve heard there may be a movie?
I wonder how embarassed my husband would be if I started wearing this http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=100698
shirt?!
I love this show! I cried too that last episode. I gasped when I saw that Luke did not go to college on a football scholarship. I live in Austin and it had been fun to come up on places where they filmed scenes. Coach and Tami Taylor are the best tv couple ever. @Eugenie the tv show is based on the movie that was based on the book. There was a great Fresh Air interview that last Friday of the show. It aired July 15th here is the link! http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=7-15-2011
My husband and I discovered “Life” while we were in Japan.
Got hooked on it, caught up on all the episodes, and then BAM! It got cancelled. So so sad. (I hear Jay Leno is to blame–I never liked that guy.)
We still miss Veronica Mars, too! Crappy marketing, AWESOME show!
At least we have Modern Family and The Middle!
this is my favorite show of ALL TIME. there’s a possible movie in the works!
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43991923/ns/today-entertainment/t/friday-night-lights-movie-works/?fb_ref=.TjhizXgTpAQ.like&fb_source=profile_multiline
ps. i love the taylor marriage, the friendships, mentor relationships, tim riggins, and parenthood
After all the posts and praise, I had to get the first series off Amazon and I LOVE it.. thank you… just think… I have four more series to loo forward to AND parenthood.
Ditto nichshee, downloaded season 1 to see what the fuss was all about. I live in Australia, I don’t think it airs here at all as far as I know and I know nothing about American football or Texas. Both my husband and I are are really enjoying it though, thanks for the tip.
Thank you so so so much for this recommendation. I have never watched the show, but I started watching it on Netflix after reading your post. I watched all 5 seasons in the last couple months while feeding my newborn (seriously great at 3 AM). I finished the last episode last night, and I cried too! I loved this series and agree with your statement about Eric and Tami’s marriage. Thanks again!
I can’t decide…Atticus Finch or Eric Taylor. Which fictional father would I rather emulate.
Love for the game of football, comraderie, unbreakable bonds, etc runs through my veins but what makes me love this show is that football is but a tiny aspect of this show.
Over the five seasons, I can think of numerous scenes, instances that made this show so poignant for me that is is impossible to single any out.
Obviously, the relationship that the Taylors have is something that all of us should aspire to work for…BTW, on record, I think that Conne Britton as Tami Taylor is the most attractive woman on TV, mainly because you could prrobably run into a woman just like her in the grocery store.
I just finished viewing season 5 and strongly believe that the season finale was the best that I have ever seen…I would have been satisfied with it ending in the mall with Santa…but the fact that they chose to end it with the hail mary starting in the Cotton Bowl and ending at Pemberton was beautiful.
Tami and Eric walking off Pemberton’s field together was gorgeous…
I can’t say enough
Dont’ even get me started! Mrs. Coach is the best, and don’t we all wish we had hair like that?!
…And of course.. Tim Riggins. In my imaginary future for him, he became the next Dillon football coach.
And embarrassingly, I was bummed when the OC ended… it’s the trashiest best soap opera ever.