Friday Night Lights (season 5)

The fifth and final season of the American serial drama television series Friday Night Lights commenced airing in the United States on October 27, 2010.[1] It is the third season to be aired on DirecTV's The 101 Network. The 13-episode season concluded on The 101 Network on February 9, 2011. The fifth season began airing on NBC on April 15, 2011, and concluded on July 15, 2011. The fifth season was released on DVD in region 1 on April 5, 2011.[2]

Friday Night Lights
Season 5
Season 5 DVD cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkThe 101 Network (first run)
NBC (network)
Original releaseOctober 27, 2010 (2010-10-27) –
February 9, 2011 (2011-02-09)
Season chronology

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Production

The season was produced by Brian Grazer's Imagine Television company, Peter Berg's Film 44 company and Universal Media Studios and filmed in Pflugerville, Texas.

Fictional game results
Fictional game results
Opponent Result Score Record Episode # Episode
Regular season
Croft CowboysWin29–28[a]1–064"Expectations"
Laribee LionsWin31–24[b]2–065 / 66"On the Outside Looking In" / "The Right Hand of the Father"
Royal Rock DragonsWin34–283–066"The Right Hand of the Father"
South King RangersWin38–174–068"Kingdom"
South Milbank RattlersWin28–10[c]5–069"Swerve"
Dillon PanthersWin37–76–070"Perfect Record"
West Cambria MustangsLoss17–28[d]6–172"Gut Check"
Fort Hood CougarsWin19–177–172"Gut Check"
Northfield CubsWinUnknown[e]8–173"Don't Go"
Area playoffs
West Cambria MustangsWin38–69–174"The March"
Regional playoffs
BellemeadeWin30–1410–174"The March"
State quarter-finals
Preston PiratesWin13-711–174"The March"
State semi-finals
Arnett-Mead TigersWin15–1312–174"The March"
State championship
Hudgins HawksWin27–26[f]13–176"Always"

a The final score was clearly 29–28 at the end of the episode "Expectations", but at the beginning of the episode "The Right Hand of the Father", the Cowboys game ball reads 22–21.
b The game was played toward the end of the episode "On the Outside Looking In", but no game footage was shown. The final score was printed on a game ball at Buddy's Bar & Grill at the beginning of the episode "The Right Hand of the Father".
c The game was never shown, but Buddy Garrity announced the score before putting the game ball up at Buddy's Bar & Grill.
d The final score was shown on the scoreboard, and game footage was shown in flashbacks.
e The final score was never mentioned.
f The final score was never mentioned, but the epilogue shows Vince and other team members with a championship ring, and the Lions were down by five points with only three seconds left.

Episodes
See also: List of Friday Night Lights episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
641"Expectations"Michael WaxmanDavid HudginsOctober 27, 2010 (2010-10-27) (DirectTV)
April 15, 2011 (2011-04-15) (NBC)
Coach Taylor tempers high expectations for East Dillon's impending season as Tami becomes frustrated in her new job. Vince and Luke work to recruit a new player for the Lions' squad and Dillon bids farewell to two alumni as they prepare to leave for college.
652"On the Outside Looking In"Michael WaxmanKerry EhrinNovember 3, 2010 (2010-11-03) (DirectTV)
April 22, 2011 (2011-04-22) (NBC)
Eric realizes that not everyone is satisfied by the Lions' performance in the first game. Vince receives unexpected benefits as a football player. Luke's aggression has repercussions.
663"The Right Hand of the Father"David BoydPatrick Massett & John ZinmanNovember 10, 2010 (2010-11-10) (DirectTV)
April 29, 2011 (2011-04-29) (NBC)
Someone from Vince's past resurfaces. Julie connects with a faculty member. Eric tries to instill discipline in the team. Buddy is troubled after learning something about his son.
674"Keep Looking"Todd McMullenBridget CarpenterNovember 17, 2010 (2010-11-17) (DirectTV)
May 6, 2011 (2011-05-06) (NBC)
Coach is forced to play mediator as tensions erupt in the locker room. Luke gets recruited. Buddy deals with the trials and tribulations of fatherhood. Tami deals with a troubled student. The Lions welcome a new player.
685"Kingdom"Patrick NorrisRolin JonesDecember 1, 2010 (2010-12-01) (DirectTV)
May 13, 2011 (2011-05-13) (NBC)
Coach discusses recruitment regulations. The Lions take a road trip. East Dillon's four stars make a pact. Julie's relationship becomes more complicated.
696"Swerve"Jonas PateRon FitzgeraldDecember 8, 2010 (2010-12-08) (DirectTV)
May 20, 2011 (2011-05-20) (NBC)
A popular magazine hails Coach as the "Kingmaker." Vince's past catches up to him. Luke reacts to the truth. A suspicious accident delays Julie's return to college.
707"Perfect Record"Adam DavidsonEtan Frankel & Derek Santos OlsonDecember 15, 2010 (2010-12-15) (DirectTV)
May 27, 2011 (2011-05-27) (NBC)
Rivalry week stirs up controversy and the return of a familiar face. Vince is caught in the middle between Coach and his father Ornette. Billy takes Luke under his wing.
718"Fracture"Allison Liddi-BrownMonica HendersonJanuary 5, 2011 (2011-01-05) (DirectTV)
June 3, 2011 (2011-06-03) (NBC)
Coach fears he's beginning to lose his grip on the team. Tami worries that one of her students is being neglected. Vince alienates his teammates. Becky enters a beauty pageant.
729"Gut Check"Chris EyreDavid HudginsJanuary 12, 2011 (2011-01-12) (DirectTV)
June 17, 2011 (2011-06-17) (NBC)
Due to his behavior, Coach threatens to suspend Vince. Luke faces pressure. Billy learns some surprising news from Mindy. Becky starts a surprising new job.
7310"Don't Go"Michael WaxmanBridget CarpenterJanuary 19, 2011 (2011-01-19) (DirectTV)
June 24, 2011 (2011-06-24) (NBC)
An elite college football program attempts to lure Coach away from East Dillon. After realizing how selfish he has been, Vince vows to earn his spot back, even if it means he has to work his way back to win Coach's trust again. Friends and family speak at Tim's parole hearing. East Dillon holds a Fall Sports Banquet.
7411"The March"Jason KatimsRolin JonesJanuary 26, 2011 (2011-01-26) (DirectTV)
July 1, 2011 (2011-07-01) (NBC)
Budget cuts threaten the teams status as they fight towards going to state. Tim has trouble adjusting to the home life he left behind. Vince's father shows his true colors. Tami gets a new job opportunity.
7512"Texas Whatever"Kyle ChandlerKerry EhrinFebruary 2, 2011 (2011-02-02) (DirectTV)
July 8, 2011 (2011-07-08) (NBC)
The School Board reaches a decision about the future of Dillon football. An old friend helps Tim find his way. Jess and Vince reunite. Tami and Eric face a tough decision about their future.
7613"Always"Michael WaxmanJason KatimsFebruary 9, 2011 (2011-02-09) (DirectTV)
July 15, 2011 (2011-07-15) (NBC)
With the decision to close the East Dillon Football program speculation runs wild on two fronts. Will the Lions be able to win State by beating the Hudgins Hawks and go out in a blaze of glory; and will Coach Taylor agree to return to coach the Dillon Panthers and a super team with the best of both schools? Tami's PA job offer adds conflict in the Taylor home as does a new development with Matt and Julie. Meanwhile Tim Riggins and Tyra talk seriously about their futures and Luke and Becky clear the air.

Series finale

Reception

TVLine's Michael Ausiello said after watching the finale that "One of the best dramas in the history of TV is over..." [3]

Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly wrote "...that was one fine, emotional, intelligent, and satisfying ending... Watching the final episode, I came once again to the conclusion that this was the best portrait of a marriage I’ve ever seen on television."[4] The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" rating, stating "...what made Friday Night Lights such an appealing show is the way it captured the joys of life in a small, football-obsessed town. Most of those joys stemmed from the relationships the characters forged there, all of them related, directly or otherwise, to football. Some of them were quite unexpected".[5]

TV Guide named the series finale "Always" the best TV episode of 2011.[6] Time magazine's James Poniewozik included it in his Top 10 TV Episodes of 2011. He said, "Bracing for a great series to produce its final episode can be like watching an egg-on-a-spoon race: you tense up, hoping your player doesn't drop it at the last moment. FNL kept the egg intact, finishing up five seasons with a finale that gave closure to a vast number of Texas stories while giving poetic voice to its values of community and selflessness" and concluded "To the end, the heart of this American classic was not whether you win or lose but how you play the game".[7] BuddyTV also listed it as the best TV episode of 2011.[8]

Deleted scenes

A speech by Coach Taylor playing over the final montage was cut, as Jason Katims wanted the montage to be all about the small moments coming into one.

Scott Porter asked Katims while filming the scene where Tim and Billy are building the house, to include his character Jason Street. The scene was filmed, for the experience of the scene, Katims says, but was never intended to be included in the episode.[3]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the fifth season scored 82 out of 100, based on 10 reviews, indicating "Universal acclaim".[9]

Accolades

American Cinema Editors "Eddie" Award
  • Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television, Angela M. Catanzaro for "Always" (Nominated)

Directors Guild of America Award

Humanitas Prize
  • 60 Minute Category, Jason Katims for "Always" (Won)

NAMIC Vision Award
  • Best Drama Series (Nominated)

Primetime Emmy Awards

Satellite Awards

Screen Actors Guild Award

Television Critics Association Awards

Possible film

In July 2011, it was revealed that executive producer Peter Berg was interested in continuing the series, as a feature film.[10] In August 2011, Berg said at a Television Critics Association panel that the Friday Night Lights film is in development. Berg was quoted as saying "We're very serious about trying to do it", adding that the script is currently being written. Universal Pictures and Imagine Television would produce the film, with Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton set to return.[11] In May 2013, executive producer Brian Grazer confirmed the continued development to make a film.[12] In December 2013, it was confirmed by Berg that a film would not be moving forward.[13]

References
  1. Ausiello, Michael (August 11, 2010). "Exclusive: 'Friday Night Lights' return date set". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  2. "Friday Night Lights: The Fifth and Final Season (2010)". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  3. Ausiello, Michael (July 16, 2011). "Friday Night Lights Post Mortem: EP Jason Katims Reveals the Ending You Didn't See". TVLine. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  4. Tucker, Ken (February 10, 2011). "'Friday Night Lights' series finale review: We've reached the end. 'Coach, you changed my life.'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  5. Phipps, Keith (July 15, 2011). "Always". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  6. "2011's Top TV Episodes". TV Guide. December 25, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  7. Poniewozik, James (December 7, 2011). "The Top 10 Everything of 2011 - Friday Night Lights, 'Always'". Time. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
  8. "The 50 Best TV Episodes of 2011". BuddyTV. Archived from the original on December 21, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  9. "Critic Reviews for Friday Night Lights Season 5". Metacritic. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  10. Ausiello, Michael (July 15, 2011). "Exclusive Details: Friday Night Lights May Continue… On the Big Screen". TVLine. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  11. "TCA: Peter Berg Confirms 'Friday Night Lights' Movie In The Works, 2012 Start Eyed". Deadline.com. August 1, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  12. Fleming Jr., Mike (May 16, 2013). "Cannes: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard Introduce Imagine 2.0; A Pele Pic On The Croisette, A Crowd-Funded 'Friday Night Lights', 'Dark Tower', Jay-Z And One Angry White Whale". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  13. Ausiello, Michael (December 9, 2013). "Friday Night Lights Movie Is Dead". TVLine. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
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