Zach Gilford, Taylor Kitsch, Gaius Charles
In the second part of our farewell to Friday Night Lights, producers and cast talk about the show's controversial storylines (murder! abortion!), the show-saving fan campaigns, sending the Taylors to East Dillon and (unbelievably!) hating on the Panthers.
Part 1: Friday Night Light comes to an end: Producers and cast remember building Dillon
TVGuide.com spoke to stars Kyle Chandler (Eric Taylor), Connie Britton (Tami Taylor), Aimee Teegarden (Julie Taylor), Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins), Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen), Matt Lauria (Luke Cafferty), Michael B. Jordan (Vince Howard), and executive producers Jason Katims and David Nevins about the long road to that final Texas sunset. The series finale airs Wednesday at 9 pm on DirecTV...
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Friday Night Lights
When Friday Night Lights brings back its starting season lineup before the big 2011 series finale, the Panthers will be missing one beloved player. Turns out Gaius Charles, so great as Brian "Smash" Williams, has embraced God over football and is pursuing a masters degree in divinity.
"He and I used to text, but he has fallen off the radar," reports Lone Star's Adrianne Palicki, who will bring Tyra back to town...
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Gaius Charles
Gaius Charles plays a guy who needs no more introduction on Friday Night Lights than the word "Smash." Sadly, Charles' tailback will walk off the field for the last time on Wednesday's episode of FNL (Oct 22 at 9 pm/ET on DirecTV). TVGuide.com spoke with Charles about what he loved most about playing Smash, his bonds with cast members, and what scene was the most emotional scene for him to film in the final episode...
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Gaius Charles by Mitchell Haaseth/NBC Photo, Scott Porter by Mitchell Haaseth/NBC Photo
Friday Night Lights regulars Gaius Charles (aka Smash) and Scott Porter (Jason) will be spending some time on the bench, having been bumped to recurring status for Season 3.As reported by EW's Ausiello, exec producer Jason Katims had to make this tough call in part due to budgetary reasons, but is committed to bringing both players' stories to a proper conclusion. FNL returns Oct. 1, on DirecTV's 101 channel. — Matt Mitovich
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Zach Gilford in Friday Night Lights by Bill Records/NBC Photo
You want to know why we fans of Friday Night Lights go on and on about this show, despite its sad ratings and aggravating lack of presence on the various clueless awards show? I’ll tell you why we go on and on about it. Tonight’s episode is why.This hour is on par with the best of the first season, and that’s saying something. It’s some of the finest TV you’re likely to see all year. I’ve watched certain parts of this episode several times, and each time it takes my breath away with its emotional power. Friday Night Lights is one of those rare series that breaks your heart and lifts your spirit all at once.Even one of TV’s most familiar subplots, a parent preparing a child for a driving test, has unexpected depth—thanks to the subtext of the relationship between Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) and daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden), which has been fraught with conflict all season. The distracted mom and the rebellious teen: seen it before, but rare...
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Hello FNL fans, Leah is on vacation, so I’m filling in. If you don’t know me yet, I’m Casey. So much happened tonight! This episode felt like a stepping stone to greater, not always better, things to come.I’ve been sick all week, so please bear with me. Some people may think this episode was dated, but in the real and present world, race and gender still matter to many. I liked how this episode touched on those issues. I’ll start with the Taylor’s. I hated seeing Shelley go last week, but it gave FNL another opportunity to tackle family values and issues. Some people, like Mac McGill, believe a woman’s place is at home. But as Coach Taylor pointed out, “That just sounds stupid and ignorant when you say it aloud.” Thank you Coach! I am one of four children and both of my parents have worked full-time jobs for their entire 28 years of marriage. My mother’s a flight attendant. I’m still dumbfounded by people‘s rea...
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Question: I know everyone talks about the Landry/Tyra murder on Friday Night Lights, so I won't talk about that other than to say I didn't hate the storyline, and if the writers had another chance at it, I think they should have done it differently. I want to talk about Smash and his underuse this season. I thought Gaius Charles was one of the finest actors on the show last year, along with Zach Gilford, but this season I think he has had only two scenes in four episodes. They have overused Landry and Julie's stories this years, and both are fine actors, but it's not worth the elimination of Smash Williams. Shows always overuse actors that people like initially but eventually get sick of. Think of Entourage and Billy Walsh. Do you agree?
Answer: You're about to get your wish. The next two episodes (Nov. 16 and 30) appear to be Smash-centric, as he begins the process of college recruitment. I wasn't all that bothered by the use (or underuse, as you put it) of Smash, who in the earl ...
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You mean Landry? Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler by Bill Records/NBC
Guest blogger Casey Marsella (Heroes) here! Leah couldn't make it tonight, but I'll do my best to recap this amazing show!Landry! Landry! Landry!Jesse Plemons made Dillon (and FNL fans) stand up and cheer tonight. His performance is what I love about this show. I’ve always noticed that the people who seem "out of place" are usually the ones most comfortable in their own skin. Landry used to be the goofy, one-liner sidekick, but he was always sure of himself. Tonight he proved that. His halftime speech was the highlight of the episode: "We can win together or lose alone." It was the perfect lead-in to: Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose!So, who’s together and who’s alone?Let’s start with the Taylors. Tami is thrilled to have her husband back, but not enough to give him the "green light." Coach was gently shot down and forced to sleep on the couch so Tami could finally get a good night’s sleep. The next day, the bags under his eyes initiated an unwanted ...
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Eric hopes he can get his old job back. Kyle Chandler by Mitchell Haaseth/NBC
Episode Recap: "Are You Ready for Friday Night?"Is this show about football or hockey? There was so many smackdowns (verbal and physical) tonight, that I think I'm forming bruises in sympathy. What does it say about a show when the characters who are doing the best at the moment are the ones who recently committed murder?That's right, you Tyra and Landry fans — the deed has been done, is probably going to be done again. And it seems like they're genuinely in love. Dillon's former bad girl — who seems to have passed on her particular brand of anger to Julie, but more on which later — is in a relationship with a guy that respects her and won't take advantage, so it's just too bad that the entire foundation of their love is that they killed someone. Their watch-shopping scene was the sweetest and lightest of the night ("it really doesn't look anything like [the old watch] except that they are both watches and have hands and tell time"). Definitely a welcome respite fro...
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Matt tries to figure out how to deal with the women in his life. Zach Gilford by Bill Records/NBC
Episode Recap: "Bad Things"Regular readers of this blog know that this show make me cry on a pretty regular basis. Tonight's episode was no exception, though I'm not sure what part was most affecting. You'd think it would be Jason still coming to terms with his paralysis after recovering some muscle function, but that's really just par for the course on this show. As usual, Connie Britton's flawless portrayal of a new mother with a crumbling psyche was wrenching to watch. Was there any scene in which she wasn't desperately trying to swallow her sobs? And the thing is, it all seemed so completely organic — there was no screaming or a melodramatic "Why me?" moment. It's hard not to love a show that allows its characters to fully comprehend the ridiculousness of their choices, and when Glenn (the guidance counselor in need of guidance) asked Tami why exactly she and Eric were living apart, her acknowledgement of, "I don't know, that was just my idea, it was just a stupid idea," wa...
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