Friday Night Lights: The Complete 3rd Season

TV Show Grade: A

DVD Features Grade: B+

Overall Grade: A-

Every now and then a TV network does something right. In this case it was NBC's decision to renew Friday Night Lights for a third season by pairing up with DirecTV. A genius solution for a genius show.

As I stated in my season one review, the show has such a feeling of authenticity you often forget you're not watching a documentary. And for all of you non-converts who still think this is a show about football "” get a clue! The high school football of Dillon, Texas is just the backdrop. The real attraction here is the characters.

Incidentally, season three marks the departure of two of them. This isn't your average teen drama where high school kids stay in high school for eight years. They graduate, they move on. FNL isn't afraid to have these characters leave the show in a natural progression. Sad as it may be to see them go, it only feels right. In two of the best constructed episode of the series "” yes, series "” we bid farewell to Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) and wheelchair-bound former golden boy Jason Street (Scott Porter). (In the episodes Hello, Goodbye and New York, New York, respectively.)

Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and wife Tami (Connie Britton) remain the show's emotional center, and are still the best married couple on TV! I can't say enough good things about Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, who are able to convey so much in subtlety and nuance. Check out the scene in New York, New York where Eric has to tell Tami they can't afford to buy a new house. His face says it all "” his sadness at having to disappoint his wife, his embarrassment at having to admit that his salary just isn't enough and his own disappointment over a dream that can't yet be realized. Tami's reaction to this? Equally as brilliant. Why hasn't Emmy taken notice?

While the Emmy's seem to overlook the FNL crew, Hollywood is beginning to take notice of this talented cast. Taylor Kitsch, who plays resident beer-guzzling hottie Tim Riggins, and Zach Gilford, who plays sensitive sweetheart Matt Saracen, are poised to become movie stars. Kitsch scored a part as Gambit in the new Wolverine movie, and Gilford plays Alexis Bledel's love interest in the flick Post Grad, coming out this summer. Keep an eye on these boys. They're going places.

For me, this was also the season of Tyra Collette (Adrienne Palicki) "” easily one of the most interesting women on TV. Her model good looks belie enough inner insecurities to light a football field. She's a real girl who occasionally "” ok, often "” makes bad decisions, but only because she doesn't realize her worth. And her tentative relationship with Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons), a

geek with a heart of gold, was this season's romance to root for. Leave it to Landry to frequently crack her icy cold façade and kick start her confidence.

A couple of characters still haven't gelled with me. Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly), whose finally committed to dating Riggins this season, and Julie (Aimee Teegarden), Eric and Tami's daughter who's finally back to dating Saracen this season, are the weakest links in terms of acting chops. Plus, their storylines are never as interesting as everyone else's.

In addition to the main characters, this season a bunch of supporting players get the chance to shine. Billy Riggins (Derek Phillips), Tim's screw up older brother, and Mindy Collette (Stacey Oristano), Tyra's stripper sister, get more well-deserved screen-time. The trashy couple's up and down romance, and subsequent engagement, are pretty hilarious. As is Mindy's desire to have her bachelorette party be a "classy" tea party.

This season also introduced some new characters into the mix. J.D. McCoy (Jeremy Sumpter), a freshman and football wunderkind, threatens to take over Matt's position as quarterback, and his overbearing, and possibly abusive, father (D.W. Moffett) is hell-bent on making things difficult for the coach. Plus, Matt's estranged mother (Kim Dickens) returns to give the overworked kid some much needed relief taking care of his dementia-stricken grandmother.

Stand-out episodes include Underdogs and the aforementioned New York, New York. New York, New York is a personal favorite of mine. Jason Street decides he must move to New York and get a job as a sports manager in order to support his new baby. Riggins goes along for the ride. It's a great episode about friendship and includes on-location shots from all around the city. Seeing southern boy Riggins take on the big city? Priceless. In Underdogs, the Panthers play their most challenging competitors yet, and Landry helps Tyra write her college essay. When she reads her finished essay in the end, I dare you not to cry.

Extra features on this 13-episode, four-disc set include deleted scenes and two lost storylines from the episodes Keeping Up Appearances and the season finale Tomorrow Blues. There's also a commentary on the finale by exec producer Jason Katims and co-exec producer/episode director Jeffrey Reiner. Not much in the way of extras, but the show's so good, you won't even miss 'em.

I could go on forever about the merits of Friday Night Lights, but I'll sum up by saying Season Three is the best season yet. The lights are shining brighter than ever.

TV Show Grade: A

DVD Features Grade: B+

Overall Grade: A-