There has been very few teen shows that have resonated with me long after I have finished watching them. Friday Night Lights was not only just about a football game, but it was about the importance of family and persevering through tough times.
On the show, not every character had a perfect family to go home to and it is important to show on TV the non-traditional dynamics of a family. However, with Friday Night Lights recently being taken off of Netflix there is wonder as to when we will be able to watch these life lessons again.
The show centers around Coach Eric Taylor and the job he has taken on as the head coach of the Dillon Panthers. He has a great team full of star players including Jason Street, Tim Riggins, and "Smash" Williams.
But in the very first episode, the star team basically falls apart. With a play that ended in a bad tackle, Jason Street ends up becoming paralyzed and effectively ending his football career.
From then on out the show turns from being just about high school football in the heart of Texas to the importance of family and being there for one another during hard times.
Friday Night Lights also focuses on the importance of preserving towards the goal that you want to achieve. Tyra Collette is the school's mean girl and has the persona that she doesn't care what anyone else thinks of her.
She is failing most of her classes and doesn't show up to school half the time. When the school counselor, who happens to be Coach Taylor's wife, takes a chance on her, Tyra realizes that she wants a future for herself. Tyra becomes involved in extracurricular and tries to bring her grades up.
She perfects her college essay and she eventually gets into college. Tyra becomes the first person in her family to do so. She had set a goal for herself and as a result bettered her future. Life lessons like that just aren't seen on TV anymore.
Friday Night Lights main audience was teenage girls. As one who watched the show and enjoyed it immensely, I had no idea how football was actually played.
Yes, I had spent many Sunday's watching a game if my dad had it on, but no matter how many times he explained the game to me, I still could never understand it. However, five seasons of FNL later and I could hold a decent conversation about the basics of football. I can now confidently tell you what a running back does, thanks to Tim Riggins.
With Friday Night Lights leaving Netflix there's also a loss of comfort. How many times do you go back and rewatch episodes of your favorite tv show when you were having a bad day or were sick? So until FNL begins streaming somewhere else we will cherish the memories and always remember: Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose!
