Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

Listen, there are two things in this world that I really dislike - football and the south (it's too hot there!). So when a friend recommended that I watch Friday Night Lights, there were already 3 strikes against it (the third being that I had seen the god-awful Friday Night Lights movie with Billy Bob Thornton. Terrible.). But, my interest was piqued, so I decided to give it a whirl. Best.Decision.Ever.

Based on a book (and the aforementioned movie), FNL takes place in a fictional rural Texas town where high school football is life. The show centers around the lives of Coach Eric Taylor, his wife Tami (who is quite possibly the coolest and strongest female character I have ever seen on television!), and the football team. The acting is absolutely phenomenal. And fun fact - the directors decided to do very little rehearsal and blocking, and instead, encouraged the actors to react to any given situation the way they believed their character would. The show was shot with 3 cameras, which allowed the flexibility for improvisation as well as some very real and moving performances.

This show was so good, it made me care about football. Well, that's not entirely true. The show made me care SO MUCH about the characters, that I cared about every aspect of their lives, which included football. I began asking my football-loving friends about plays and positions (which I think made them question my mental health). I  cared, so I could be far more empathetic to how football-crazy the culture of this town was. And secretly, I really and truly enjoyed the football scenes.

The two best qualities of FNL are the relationships between all the characters (especially Coach and Tami) and the heart the show portrays. Let me explain further. Coach and Tami were real. They fought, they made mistakes, they had "real people" conversations (like about what to make for dinner, or who should take out the garbage), and the chemistry between Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton was nothing short of perfection. The supporting cast is also incredible (I have a magnet of Tim Riggins on my refrigerator - you'll understand once you watch the show!). The entire cast of characters inspired me, and they will always have a piece of my heart.

In case my ramblings haven't persuaded you to watch this fabulous show, perhaps the words of Coach will. Texas Forever, y'all.