In The Guardian, Sarah Hughes sings the praises of American drama series Friday Night Lights (adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from the book by H.G. Bissinger).
It might not be anything we'd recognise but Friday Night Lights rings true to its small-town setting. Nor is it just the kids, all inarticulate mumbling, who are well drawn. The adults too, from Lyla's competitive, hypocritical father to the coach and his down-to-earth wife, are recognisable characters not barely present stereotypes.
Yet despite this barely anyone is watching Friday Night Lights in the UK. Part of the blame for this must lie with ITV who having bought one of America's most critically acclaimed programmes - it recently won a Peabody Award for drama - chose to bury it at 8pm on ITV4 where it nestles uneasily among such programmes as Police! Lights! Action!. An odd bit of quality amid ITV4's interesting attempt to become Bravo redux.
FNL is the business. Up there with The Wire.
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