Comfort Television

When Friday Night Lights returned last night (on Friday, what a concept!), it felt like the return of an old friend. It was like the feeling I get when I have good old-fashioned macaroni and cheese -- comfort television. The music, the feel you get from the camera work, and the return of the radio sports announcers......well, I felt as if I had come home after a very long trip away.

Coach Taylor came home, but not for long enough. He made it in time to see his baby daughter, Grace, enter the world. But he was forced to go back to Austin to his new job before he could really, honestly deal with the growing-up problems his teenage daughter is facing. He tried, as he always does, and Kyle Chandler just shines when he has those deep, important talks with his television daughter. As he does when he has those important talks with his television wife. I'm telling you right now, if Connie Britton doesn't get an Emmy nomination next year for the scene on the couch when Coach Taylor tells her he needs her to talk, she will have been robbed! You can tell that she is trying so hard to talk -- to say something, anything -- but she is too conflicted, too scared, to even speak. I've said it before but this couple is simply amazing.

Many FNL fans (me included) watched this episode online before it aired last night. And much was said in online message boards about the tragedy Tyra and Landry are now dealing with. Many are upset with the story line and feel it was just thrown in for dramatic impact. But all of the critics I pay attention to say "give it time." They say that this story line will bring out some of the best acting we've seen by both characters, so I'm totally willing to buy into it. After all, we tend to forget that these actors are playing teens. Teens often make the wrong decisions, even about serious things like self-defense murder.

It's been a long time since Friday nights were must-see viewing nights for me, probably since Homicide was on the air, so I'm thrilled that the network hasn't forgotten that some people are actually home on Fridays! For all of those folks who are attending real games under the lights on Fridays, I hope you have your DVR programmed. It's worth it!