Friday Night Lights
 Wednesday, March 19 |
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Watch a video highlight clip from this event!
The Peabody and Emmy Award–winning Friday Night Lights limns the quotidian details of a small, high school football–obsessed American town with an insistent authenticity and emotional directness that imbues the proceedings with a grace and intelligence seldom achieved in the medium. Creator Peter Berg has assembled a gifted and appealing cast to populate the fictional Dillon, Texas, and the show’s loose, expressionistic style instantly distinguishes the series from anything else on television. We’d compare Friday Night Lights to the limpid, heartbreaking coming-of-age films of Francois Truffaut or one of Robert Altman’s protean community portraits . . . but it wouldn’t do to put on airs in Dillon. We’ll just say it’s awesome, y’all.
Go Panthers!
—Arthur Smith, Researcher
In Person:
- Connie Britton, “Tami Taylor”
- Kyle Chandler, “Eric Taylor”
- Zach Gilford, “Matt Saracen”
- Jason Katims, Exec. Prod.
- Adrianne Palicki, “Tyra Collette”
- Jesse Plemmons, “Landry Clarke”
- Scott Porter, “Jason Street”
- Jeffrey Reiner, Exec. Prod.
- Aimee Teegarden, “Julie Taylor”
PaleyFest 2008 
March 5, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Is the character Landry named for Tom Landry, legendary Dallas Cowboys coach?
March 7, 2008 at 12:28 pm
To Kyle Chandler: How is this role in “Friday Night Lights” compare to your role as Gary Hobson in “Early Edition”?
March 9, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Does the Taylor family bicker constantly on set?
March 11, 2008 at 6:34 pm
We’re all big fans of the show and have been since the very first episode. The quality of this show is in a class by itself. Thank you for all your hard work in creating a show that affects us so deeply. One of the bloggers at TVGuide.com, the ever-talented Leah Friedman, coined the phrase “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t cancel!” and we’ve taken that up as our warrior cry.
On behalf of a few people, I have a few questions (okay, 12 questions).
1. How choreographed or rehearsed are the football scenes?
2. Since the show is often shot on real locations in Austin, how often do you have to re-shoot because of street noise (hecklers shouting at the crew, for example)?
3. For the actors: Are you always aware of when the camera is on you? Or do you shoot the scenes as if you were in a documentary? Have you ever been caught pit pf character while on-camera?
4. For Jesse Plemons: Did y’all hate the Landry murderer storyline as much as the rest of us?
5. Does moving the show onto DirecTV give you opportunities (in terms of storytelling or production) that you were unable to do on NBC?
6. For Jason Katims: Did your experience fighting to save bubble-show Roswell help you fight for bubble-show Friday Night Lights? What did you do differently this time?
7. What the heck ever happened to Waverly?! She just up and disappeared!
8. Matt and Landry’s friendship is one of the foundation stones of this show and we were disappointed when we didn’t get to see as much of it in Season 2. Is Matt ever going to find out that Landry killed a guy??
9. What was the point of having Carlotta on the show? She was there for a handful of episodes then she upped and disappeared (like Waverly). Was the character’s sole purpose to serve as the straw that broke Matt’s back (in terms of abandonment issues)? (That scene, however, of Matt breaking down in the shower, was one of the most powerful scenes of the season. Kudos, Zach!)
10. If the show goes on for five seasons, will we focus on new characters or still follow our original characters or both (like the last season of Degrassi)? What’s the plan for that transition?
11. What’s going to happen to poor, sweet Jean? We loved her! Will we see her again?
12. What special features can we look forward to on the Season 2 DVD?
I have more questions, but I don’t want to hijack the blog! Thanks again for everything!
March 12, 2008 at 11:19 am
First, thank you to the cast and crew for giving us a show that my entire family enjoys watching.
I wanted to know how the show comes off looking and feeling so realistic? I feel as if I’m a fly on the wall in these characters life.
March 12, 2008 at 4:11 pm
We (my family) don’t really have a question but a comment or two. We would be there if we could but, simply wanted to share with you our love of the show. I am a Texan, married Father of two (15 & 12) and can’t tell you how much we enjoy the show. Having grown up in that enviroment and now living it again with our children, we know you people. The show could not have been cast better, written better, or produced better. We know, we live it every week! Also, we have to DVR your show because we are at our games when your on but, that’s OK because if we lose that night we come home and watch you guys win. So, if the boardroom people don’t like something about the show tell them to move it to a better time-slot and watch it go off the charts. Thanks for all you do and your time.
Have a goodevening.
David in Texas
March 12, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I absolutely love Friday Night Lights!! It’s has to be the best show everrrr aired on television!! I wish I could personally meet everyone of you guys!! Thanks for making such a great show!!!
❤ CaRsOn!!!
March 12, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Are ya’ll ever going to come to East Texas to do a meet and great kind of thing… if so please e-mail me!!!!!!!! Thanks again!!
March 12, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Guys,
Best show on TV. I’ve given the First Season as a gift to 10 people and everyone isingle one of them signed the petitions to save the show!
For Scott Porter. how did you get acclimated to the wheelchair? Your perfomance is so real and so believable that many people forget or may not even know that you’re an amazingly talented singer and dancer (Altar boyz , anyone?). What kind of guidance did you and Kevin Rankin receive to prepare you for your role and to make sure you all even got the chair transfers right? (hey, I’m a doctor I should know what’s realistic and what isn’t) .
Thanks to everyone on this amazing show!
March 13, 2008 at 11:14 am
For Connie Britton:
There seems to be a trend in the declining representation of healthy marital relationships on television. Why do you think that is, and how do you and Kyle Chandler, through Coach and Tami, manage to portray the most realistic and positive marriage on television today?
For everyone or anyone on the panel:
What has been your favorite or least favorite episode to film thus far, and why?
(I’ll be there on Wednesday! I can’t wait!)
March 16, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Props to Aimee Teegarden for being the most believable teen on television at the moment. Question for her – How has working with Connie and Kyle affected your acting?
March 17, 2008 at 12:04 am
Id just like to say that FNL is the best tv series ever made hands down period.. Im not a big tv watcher when it comes to tv series but my family and i have seen every episode and we all look foward to dinner every mondy night (TIVO). Ive heard rumors of the show being cancelled and cant understand why.Just about everyone i know watches it and loves it.So id just like to say to nbc execs if theres any truth to the rumors BIG MISTAKE.To the cast great job guys youre all wonderful
March 17, 2008 at 6:04 pm
What are the chances of seeing Julie and Tim hanging out more? I really enjoyed their chemistry as a brother/sister relationship.
March 18, 2008 at 12:51 pm
After a second season that was lighter on football game action than the initial season, how do you plan to balance the football season with the personal drama in the show’s (hopefully) upcoming third season ?
March 19, 2008 at 1:09 am
1. Have you or will the producers ever approach Explosions In The Sky to do original music for an episode?
2. Will there ever be a soundtrack released featuring the original music of W.G. Snuffy Walden?
3. Although you have the affairs, the inappropriate relationships, and some character’s just flat out doing the wrong things, there are still morals in the show, whether its consequences, messages, or lessons learned, they blend perfectly into the story without it feeling repeated or being to obvious or preachy/sugar-coated, do the writer’s intentionally write those morals into the story or does the plot/situation and/or desired dramatic effect just demand it and will this be continued in season 3.
March 19, 2008 at 2:08 pm
To the actors – If you could play any other character on the show outside of your own, who would it be (if gender and race were non-issues)?
How would season 1 have ended if the threat of cancellation wasn’t a factor?
Also, and most importantly, can you please ask Coach Taylor to lead us in the Panthers chant tonight? “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose” That would make my day.
The show is amazing. Keep up the good work.
March 19, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Oops, I think I’m getting these in too late. Here goes anyway:
(1) Producers – How much of the Season 2 storyline was defined from the outset? In what ways, if any, did the plot deviate from the plan as the season progressed? Does fan reaction factor into your decision to change a storyline?
(2) Actors – How would you compare you own high school experiences to that of your character’s? What FNL character were you most like in high school?
(3) Jeffrey Reiner – We know that in Season 1 you occasionally departed from the script to take advantage of natural light, spontaneous dialogue, or an opportunity to let real people play minor characters. Describe some of the serendipitous moments of Season 2.
(4) Producers – if you could redo Season 2, what would you change?
March 19, 2008 at 2:20 pm
The relationship between Coach Taylor and his wife is hands down the best portrayal of chemistry on television today. The banter between the two of them seems so natural that my question is, “how much of what is spoken between the Taylors is ad-libbed versus written?” I can’t believe that all of that is on the script.
March 19, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I hope this isn’t too late
(1) To everyone: Do you check out the message boards, fan-fiction stories, the FNL Wiki, and other creative pursuits by the fans? If so, who does it the most, and does this person have a favorite site to visit?
(2) Will will ever learn more information about Matt’s mother? Ever since the beginning of the series, I’ve been dying to know her story. Will she ever come into play in season 3?