Friday Night Lights was one of the best TV shows to hit our screens for a long while. The show focused on the lives and problems of a high-school football team in the fictional town of Dillion in Texas, and explored the plots and characters with such depth that it won a number of awards and accolades.
Firstly, the way it was filmed was quite unique among TV dramas, and gave a realism that is rarely seen in series like this. The actors were allowed the freedom to change their lines if they thought they weren't true to their characters, and all the scenes were shot in one take whenever possible. The creators also used real places in Texas to film, rather than creating film sets, making the show even more realistic.
The show also used some original filming techniques that were unusual for a TV drama but used to great effect. For example, to make the show as realistic as possible all the scenes were shot in one take if possible, and if the actors felt a line wasn't true to their character they had the freedom to improvise with it. They also used real locations for filming in Texas where the show was set, rather than pre-fabricated sets. This all meant the show achieved a level of realism that was unique among TV dramas and probably won't be repeated again for a long while.
The actors on board were also fantastic- both Kyle Chandler, who played coach Eric Taylor, and Connie Britton, who played his wife Tami Taylor, won awards for their performances. Many of the other actors in the series were also praised for their performances, with some, such as Minka Kelly who played Lyla Garrity, going on to secure roles in feature films.
The show itself got a great critical reception, winning numerous awards including a Peabody and multiple Emmys. However, it never got the ratings figures to match the critical success, and left our screens in February 2011, though it is sure to remain a classic for years to come.
Firstly, the way it was filmed was quite unique among TV dramas, and gave a realism that is rarely seen in series like this. The actors were allowed the freedom to change their lines if they thought they weren't true to their characters, and all the scenes were shot in one take whenever possible. The creators also used real places in Texas to film, rather than creating film sets, making the show even more realistic.
The show also used some original filming techniques that were unusual for a TV drama but used to great effect. For example, to make the show as realistic as possible all the scenes were shot in one take if possible, and if the actors felt a line wasn't true to their character they had the freedom to improvise with it. They also used real locations for filming in Texas where the show was set, rather than pre-fabricated sets. This all meant the show achieved a level of realism that was unique among TV dramas and probably won't be repeated again for a long while.
The actors on board were also fantastic- both Kyle Chandler, who played coach Eric Taylor, and Connie Britton, who played his wife Tami Taylor, won awards for their performances. Many of the other actors in the series were also praised for their performances, with some, such as Minka Kelly who played Lyla Garrity, going on to secure roles in feature films.
The show itself got a great critical reception, winning numerous awards including a Peabody and multiple Emmys. However, it never got the ratings figures to match the critical success, and left our screens in February 2011, though it is sure to remain a classic for years to come.
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