Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Wednesday Night Lights

By Arielle

More love for Friday Night Lights from Chicago Tribune TV critic Maureen Ryan. With some interesting tidbits, like that they shoot every scene in a real location, and some of the characters (like the old lady in the jewelry store) are real Texas people who come up with their own lines.

This bit pretty well sums up what this show does so well:

Co-executive producer Jeffrey Reiner, who’s directed many of the show’s first-season episodes, talks about filming an early scene in which Tami was supposed to come in the Taylors’ living room and say she “can’t stop thinking about” Street’s injury, as her husband, the coach, sat watching game films.

“We tried it, then I gave the line to the coach,” Reiner says. “And it was better. But then I took the line out. I said [to Britton], ‘Come in, look at him watching TV, know what’s on his mind. Kyle, you look at her, tell her to come over, and just kiss her.’ And that’s what the scene was. [Executive producer] Pete Berg [who directed the film ‘Friday Night Lights’ and the TV show’s pilot] called me and said he loved that scene, because it was just a little moment of behavior.”

But then, since understatement seems to be unAmerican these days (I'm looking at you, Mr. Hummer driver), maybe they can make one episode with a bad talent show, an audience call-in and a stupid British judge, and use those ratings to get another season out of NBC.

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