More Friday Nights!!

NBC is keeping the lights on for Friday Night Lights.

The acclaimed series has been renewed for two more 13-episode runs and will air through the 2010-11 season, the network said Monday.

"Not only do we know the show is staying on, but we know exactly how many episodes we are going to do," said executive producer Jason Katims. "We'll be able to think about where we might want to lead to ... what kind of stories we want to tell."

The Texas football-and-family drama starring Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton has struggled in the ratings but has been a critical bright spot for NBC, drawing consistently good reviews and Emmy and Peabody nominations and awards.

NBC is glad to stand behind a high-quality show with "a tremendously loyal fan base," said Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment for NBC and Universal Media Studios.

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Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - The Giving Tree

Friday Night Lights
The Giving Tree

Original Air Date: March 20, 2009

Victoria - Associate Staff Writer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

JD goes to a party and has zero game with chicks. Sad. Buddy hangs out at a stripper bar. Classy. Tyra head back to school. Just another day in Dillon.

So Buddy invested in a strip mall and finds out it went belly up. So he beats the crap out of the guy who he invested with and ends up in jail. Eric shows up but can’t get him out of jail. Tami heads over to tell Lyla daddy is jail bait while Eric goes to Matt’s to pick up Julie.

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[photo: NBC]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - Game Of The Week

Friday Night Lights
Game of the Week

Air date: March 13, 2009

Victoria - Associate Staff Writer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

Tami decides she’s going to veto her birthday this year. Landry appears back on the football team (for the first time all season I think) and Tim comes home to a messed up truck and an ever messier Billy who got dumped by Mindy. As if this wasn’t enough drama before the credits, Buddy Garrity shows u[ at practices and announces that the Dillon Panthers have been chosen to be the High School Game of the Week on National TV!

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[photo: NBC]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - Keeping Up Appearances

Friday Night Lights
Keeping Up Appearances

Original Air Date: Feb 27, 2009

Victoria - Associate Staff Writer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

JD’s dad is super nutso. Landry rebounds with a lesbian. Street is ready to sell the house and make millions and Buddy is bonding with his kids – the other ones that disappeared last season. And we say good bye to another Panther vet. It’s a tear-jerker this week!

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[photo: NBC]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - It Ain’t Easy Being JD McCoy

Friday Night Lights
It Ain’t Easy Being JD McCoy

Original Air Date: Feb 20, 2009

Victoria – Associate Staff Writer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

The veteran Dillon Panthers decide to haze the freshman including young QB JD who gets caught naked by the coach who later tells Tim he has to befriend the new QB in order to make the team accept him. Tim does what he’s told- like he has a choice. And invites 1-2 (instead of calling him 7 or 6 like he did with street and Saracen, sigh) on a tour of Dillon. Shows him everything he needs to know from where the best burger is to where the best strippers are.

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[photo: NBC.com]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Friday Night Lights
Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Original Air Date: Feb 13, 2009

Victoria – TwoCents Associate Staff Writer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

Coach Taylor makes a decision when it comes to QB1, Jason Street wheels back into the picture and all hell breaks loose when little Julie gets a little tattoo.

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[photo: TVGuide.com]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - Hello, Goodbye

Friday Night Lights
Hello, Goodbye

Original Air Date: Feb 6, 2009

Victoria - TwoCents Reviewer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com


Tyra ditches a wisdom-toothless Landry to make goo goo eyes at a rodeo cowboy named Ty. I’m totally okay with this because the Landry Tyra thing grew old – fast. Problem is in typical Tyra-fashion her choice of a mate already has red flags all over him. He eats drugs he calls “Cowboy Candy” for one. Then Tyra lies to Landry about why she didn’t go play Florence Nightingale. When she gets caught and Landry confronts her its dramatic and kinda awesome in its angst.

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[photo: NBC.com]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - How the Other Half Lives

Friday Night Lights
How the Other Half Lives

Original Air Date: Jan 30, 2009

Victoria - TwoCents Reviewer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com


Matt is stressing about competing with superstar freshman quarterback JD McCoy. Lyla is trying to get along with Tim’s future in-laws, while Smash contemplates a full-time future at the Alamo Freeze. And last but not least Eric and Tami try to define their new roles at school and at home.

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[photo: NBC.com]

Friday Night Lights - Recap & Review - Tami Knows Best

Friday Night Lights
Tami Knows Best

Original Air Date: Jan 23, 2009

Victoria - TwoCents Reviewer
victoria@thetwocentscorp.com

Tim Riggins got a letter of interest from a college. For real. This astounding revelation comes when Billy storms into Tim’s room without knocking holding the letter. The only thing more amazing than Tim getting in to college is Billy not knocking. Your brother is Tim Riggins – he probably hasn’t been in a bedroom alone since grade 6 and you don’t knock? Lyla was there and completely forgot about the belt buckle on Tim’s pants (which she was trying to undo) and wrote a letter back to the college on Tim’s behalf.

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[photo: NBC]

Friday Night Lights News

News was a bit sparse this week, but let's start things out the right way with your weekend eyecandy in the form of Taylor Kitsch's video for Dockers' "THE LINEUP."

Now, for the good news/bad news part of our roundup. I'm a firm believer of getting bad news out of the way first, so on that note, Adrianne Palicki had to cancel her appearance at the Asylum Convention due to her work on the film Legion. However, it has just been officially announced that Early Edition is coming to DVD! You know the show, handsome man gets the paper a day early, handsome man runs around being handsome and setting things right, handsome man is Kyle Chandler, handsome man has a kitty? Yeah, that's the one!

And to cap us off, a bit of exciting supporting character news. One of my absolute favorites on the show, Liz Mikel, aka Mama Smash, brought down the house filling in for Oprah Winfrey at a New Orleans production of The Vagina Monologues. Way to fill those big shoes! Also exciting is this bit of casting news from TV Guide's Ausiello. Seems our very own Santiago, Benny Ciaramello, will be guest starring on Grey's Anatomy as one part of a gay couple who were discharged from the military. That article contains some general TV spoilers, so proceed with caution!

Regina - TwoCents Correspondant

"Friday Night Lights" Headlines

Our biggest news this week comes from Peter Berg himself who confirmed to TVGuide's Michael Ausiello that, among other things, FNL's 13 episode order is set. So no back nine, folks, but I say 13 is better than nothing! Berg also reveals some information about the upcoming season, so the article contains mild spoilers for season three.

In cast news, Scott Porter's movie Prom Night is being released this weekend, so be sure to go check it out! The film's premiere took place on Wednesday, and Scott was joined on the red carpet by co-stars Minka Kelly and Aimee Teegarden! You can check out some pictures here,courtesy of IESB.NET. Minka looks gorgeous as always in white and I'm loving Aimee's cute little sequined dress! (Added Bonus of Scott Portery Goodness! Check out a cute if brief little video of Scott on the Red Carpet here.

For your weekend dose of PRETTY, be sure to check out these two cute videos from Adrianne Palicki: Adrianne Palicki's love advice and Adrianne Palicki's work advice.

And just for fun, be sure to check out Film.com's article outlining how they would end the strike shortened second season (and how's THAT for alliteration?) of Friday Night Lights. Also interesting is this article on how Friday Night Lights Direct-TV deal could usher in a new era of shared broadcast, and how that could such shows as twice cancelled, once revived Jericho.

-Regina, TheTwoCents Correspondant

Friday Night Lights Headlines

A new member of our TheTwoCents team, Regina will be submitting a weekly update of the hottest Friday Night Lights tidbits!! Enjoy!

Our biggest news, of course, is that Friday Night Lights has just been renewed for a third season! I, for one, am highly relieved. This will save me a lot of time, what with not having to go camp out outside NBC's Burbank offices in protest and all. The show has a 13 episode order as of now, and NBC will begin airing it shortly after the Superbowl in 2009, in its same Friday night timeslot. The good news for those of us with Direct TV, however, is that the episodes will begin airing Wednesday, October 1 on Channel 101. That's right a full three months early. Anyone care to predict a rise in subscription rates? For the full details, check out NBC's press release on the subject.

In other news, our favorite Dillionites have been keeping themselves quite busy until the show resumes filming. (Rumored to be in late June.)

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NBC's Upfront Announcements - Fall/Winter Schedules

NBC today unveiled its new Fall lineup for the 2008-09 television season, introducing a schedule earlier than ever that combines some of the most acclaimed and popular returning series on television with four new programs that will join the schedule in the opening weeks of the season, including "Kath & Kim," "Knight Rider," "My Own Worst Enemy" and "Crusoe."

Among the critically hailed series returning to the NBC schedule next season will be "ER," the most-nominated series in Emmy Award history, returning for its 15th and final season (see separate release) on NBC's Thursday night lineup, and the acclaimed "Friday Night Lights," slated to re-join the Friday schedule in February as part of a unique broadcast partnership between NBC and DIRECTV (see separate release).

Additionally, the most highly anticipated comedy of the upcoming season, "The Office" spinoff, from Executive Producer Greg Daniels, will get the highly coveted premiere timeslot post Super Bowl XLIII following a special original telecast of "The Office" (see separate release).

Continue Reading for all the info and FULL Fall & Winter Prime Time Schedules...

Friday Night Lights is Returning!!

TVWorthWatching.com has the exclusive scoop!

"Here's an exclusive I'm very pleased to report: NBC's Friday Night Lights will, indeed, be returning for a third season, according to series star Kyle Chandler.

I recorded an interview with Chandler yesterday for an upcoming edition of NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and Chandler confirmed that a deal to spread costs and continue the series had been struck. All that was left, he said Wednesday, was to "dot the i's and cross the t's." He was scheduled, and planning, to report back to Austin in June, he said, to start filming season three on location."

Read more HERE.

NBC Announces Prime Time Schedule for 1st Quarter

NBC's first-quarter primetime schedule is slated to deliver significantly more hours of original programming than was ever the case in the first quarter of 2007. The line-up features a schedule packed with original scripted, reality programming and specials, featuring the return of "Medium" on Monday, January 7 (10-11 p.m. ET) plus new episodes of such favorites as "ER," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Friday Night Lights," "Las Vegas," "Scrubs" and the returns of "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Also included will be the premiere of the previously announced new dramedy "Lipstick Jungle."

In addition, NBC has a solid lineup of original reality programming, including the announcement of the new series premiere of "The Baby Borrowers" on Monday, February 18 (8-9 p.m. ET). It will join another previously announced new reality series, "American Gladiators," and the fresh season debuts of "The Biggest Loser," "The Celebrity Apprentice," "1 vs 100," as well as the continuing hit "Deal or No Deal," which returns to Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) beginning January 7 in addition to its Wednesday edition (8-9 p.m. ET).

Continue Reading for Full Schedule...

"Friday Night Lights" Recap & Review - "Backfire"

Friday Night Lights
“Backfire”

Original Air Date: October 26, 2007

Tiffiny F - TwoCents Staff Writer

Thanks to life getting in the way, I’ve missed recapping two episodes. But I’m back, so let’s get to it, shall we?

Street and Riggins travel to Mexico where Street is pinning his hopes of walking again on an experimental stem-cell surgery. But the doc’s gone, so the boys must make some memories for a week in our neighbor to the south. In the meantime, the Dillon Panthers are mired in a less than productive version of Smashball, which isn’t working out as well as new coach McGregor had hoped.

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"Friday Night Lights" Recap & Review - "Last Days of Summer" (Season Premiere)

Friday Night Lights
“Last Days of Summer”

Original Air Date: October 5, 2007

Tiffiny F - TwoCents Staff Writer

Welcome back to Dillon, FNL fans!

We join the kids 8 months post-State championship at the local pool. Julie’s a lifeguard, Smash and Riggins are surrounded by ladies, Matt and Landry are together and discussing girl problems—it’s like we never left. First problem: Julie’s spending a lot of time talking to “The Swede”, a fellow (older) lifeguard, which doesn’t sit well with Matt. Second problem: Tami Taylor, heavily pregnant, goes into labor while at the pool, but Coach isn’t in Dillon.
Where has Eric Taylor been? Working for TMU in Austin, that’s where. He does manage to arrive in time for the arrival of little Grace Taylor, much to his wife’s relief. Also, want to know how to keep your teenage daughter from getting pregnant? Have her there in the delivery room while you give birth to her baby sister.

As for the football part of this show, there isn’t much to say—yet. There’s a new coach in town, some “hillbilly from Tennessee,” according to Buddy Garrity, who isn’t a welcome practice spectator in the new coach’s eyes. Bill McGregor is a tough character and the boys, especially Riggins, aren’t overly impressed with his new hard-nosed style. Oh, and did I mention Landry is trying out for the team? That Tyra sure has some influence on him.

Lyla Garrity has found a new path and it leads straight to Jesus. We see her getting baptized in the river as part of her rebirth. She and Riggins have a nice little confrontation when he sees her putting flyers for her teen Christian group on cars in the grocery store parking lot. I want to see more of this dynamic: Christian Lyla vs. Hedonistic Riggins.

Meanwhile, Coach is asked to go back to Austin a week earlier than planned and Tami is devastated. I’m not sure how the stress of him being away, leaving Tami with a new baby and a moody teenager, can possibly be good for their marriage. Speaking of marriages, the Garritys are still separated and Buddy sleeps at his dealership, which is looking more and more like a permanent arrangement.

Tyra has a stalker, and it’s the guy from last year who attacked her in the diner parking lot. He makes the mistake of following her and Landry to a convenience store, and while Landry’s inside getting some food, the stalker attacks Tyra again, but this time, Landry sees it and ends up clubbing him in the head with a pipe, and the stalker dies. Now what do they do with the body? Tyra suggests they throw it in the river, but Landry isn’t convinced.

We leave you with the state championship ring presentation ceremony and the sight of Landry suited up in a football uniform. Until next week, remember: clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!

Final grade: A

TwoCents Fall Preview - Fridays (NBC)

A couple Friday shows and we threw in a Saturday too for...

NBC

Show: Las Vegas
Premiere Date: September 28th
Time: 9:00PM EST (moving to 10:00 when FNL starts)
TwoCents Staff Returning Drama Rank: 20 of 25
TwoCents Staff Writer: TBD
Starring: Tom Selleck, Vanessa Marcil, James Lesure, Josh Duhamel, Molly Sims
Description: Television icon Tom Selleck joins the cast this year as A.J. Cooper the mysterious rancher who takes the reigns as the new owner of the Montecito Resort & Casino. Danny McCoy, an ex-U.S. Marine and Las Vegas native, (Josh Duhamel, “All My Children,” “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton,” “Turistas,” and the upcoming “Transformers: The Movie”) heads the surveillance team and deals with card-counting cheaters, costly streaks of random luck and rival casinos stealing their big-money players.

Show: Friday Night Lights
Premiere Date: October 5th
Time: 9:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Returning Drama Rank: 11 of 25
TwoCents Staff Writer: Tiffiny
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Zach Gilford, Scott Porter, Gaius Charles, Taylor Kitsch, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Connie Britton, Daniella Alonso
Premiere Description: SEASONS OF CHANGE-Season Premiere-- With summer coming to an end, the defending state champion Dillon Panther’s look to continue its success despite a lot of changes taking place. Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) begins his career as head coach at TMU and immediately discovers the hardship of being separated from his family as Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) heads into labor with their second child. Meanwhile, Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki) is revisited from someone in her past that will alter her life forever. Best friends Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) and Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) battle with new lifestyles that neither of them seem ready for.
Tiffiny's TwoCents: Last time: Coach Taylor and the Dillon Panthers won the state championship, but he's leaving for the TMU job in Austin. Mrs. Taylor is pregnant, but still wants to stay in Dillon with Julie. Jason Street is the new QB coach and Matt Saracen is HIS project with Coach leaving. Hopes: That Coach Taylor has a change of heart and stays in Dillon. It would also be nice to see Riggins settled down with a nice girl...and no, I don't mean Lyla Garrity. Tyra and Landry would be a cute odd-couple pairing - the double dates with Julie and Matt could be wonderfully awkward and sweet. I'd also like to see more of the Smash Williams' Emotional Growth, he really made some strides in the last few episodes of Season 1 in his relationships with his teammates and with his bi-polar girlfriend, Waverly.
TV by KP: The premiere episode picks up right where we left this show last season - with GREAT performances, writing, and stories. WOW, this show doesn't get the respect it deserves. I don't know how it wasn't nominated for Emmys this past year, but if the premiere is any indication of this upcoming season, that could change next year!

Show: Saturday Night Live
Premiere Date: Saturday September 29th
Time: 11:30PM EST
TwoCents Staff Rank: N/A
TwoCents Staff Writer: PG Ignacio
Starring: Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, Kristen Wiig
Description: Athlete LeBron James hosts with musical guest Kanye West. Seth Rogan shows up in the 2nd episode.
PG's TwoCents: Where We Left Off: SNL had a very entertaining season that included a list of star-studded hosts such as Scarlett Johansson, Peyton Manning, Justin Timberlake, and Rainn Wilson. *What We're Looking Forward To: The 33rd Season of SNL is set to kick-off with the NBA's new marketing "king" of professional basketball, Lebron James, and show-stopping musical guest Kanye West.

The Office, Heroes, Sopranos, FNLs and More - WINNERS!

The Television Critics Association Awards were handed out this weekend.

You can read a full story about it here, but some highlights include:

- "The Office" - outstanding achievement in comedy
- "Heroes" - outstanding program of the year
- "Friday Night Lights" - outstanding new program
- "The Sopranos" - outstanding achievement in drama and the Heritage Award, which salutes long-running programs with "a lasting cultural or social impact."
- "Planet Earth" - outstanding achievement in news and information and outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries and specials.