“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” is the mantra of Friday Night Lights. But my eyes were blurred with tears by the end of the brilliantly written, shot and acted series’ fifth and final season. It’s that rare television drama that consistently defies expectations, and if you’ve read my reviews of season one and season three, you’ll know I can’t sing its praises enough.

The beyond-football character study of the small, fictional town of Dillon, Texas continues to evolve this season. New characters are brought to the forefront, some old familiar faces reappear, and everyone is contemplating where life will take them. All this culminates into possibly one of the most satisfying conclusions for a series I have ever seen.

The show was turned on its head last season when Coach Eric Taylor (the quietly powerful Kyle Chandler) was fired as coach of the West Dillon Panthers and reassigned to the less equipped, less capable East Dillon Lions. While many other shows hesitate to bring on new characters, let alone get rid of old ones, Friday Night Lights boldly shakes things up – and is immensely successful. It’s the only show I know of that has brought in a new cast that I grew to care about just as much as those original characters.

This season in particular is Vince Howard’s (Michael B. Jordan) time to shine. The troubled teen-turned-star quarterback was introduced last season as a cocky delinquent, but in season 5 he transforms into one of the most compelling characters on TV. Witness Jordan’s spot-on performance as Vince deals with the lure of college recruitment, the return of his drug dealing father and his up-and-down relationship with the no-nonsense, football-obsessed Jess (Jurnee Smollett, also a revelation). His relationship with Coach is one of the core elements this season and the evolution of their bond is powerful to watch.

The storylines of recent cast additions Becky Sproles (Madison Burge), a sweet teen with a sad smile and an unstable home life, and Luke Cafferty (Matt Lauria), a well-mannered farm boy with considerable football talent, also took some interesting turns this season. Becky ends up part of an unconventional family, Luke considers a future beyond football and both pursue their tentative romance (which got off to a rocky start last season).

Had the show went on for one more season, I feel we would have had the privilege of seeing more of certain supporting characters, including Epyck (Emily Rios), a damaged foster kid at East Dillon whom Tami (the amazing Connie Britton) tries to mentor, and Hastings Ruckle (Grey Damon), a messy-haired hipster hottie who joins the football team but who sadly never gets a real storyline. There are numerous shots of his pretty face and a random line here and there, but with looks like that, I was hoping for more screen time. One thing I wish

we would’ve seen less of? Julie’s (Aimee Teegarden) ill-advised, immature affair with her married teacher’s assistant. Thankfully, that plot gets tidied up pretty quick, but it makes for a frustrating handful of episodes.

Through all the changes this season brings, Coach Taylor and wife Tami remain steadfast and true, even when they face a challenge that could define their marriage forever.

Nothing’s quite as special as the show itself, so perhaps that’s why the DVD special features feel subpar. Some deleted scenes at least give you a little something extra to watch after you’ve torn through all the episodes, and the featurette “The Lights Go Out” gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the show. It includes cast and crew interviews, glimpses of on-location shoots in Austin, Texas and peeks inside the writer’s room, the editing room, the sound room and more. There are also two commentaries – one by director Michael Waxman on the episode “Don’t Go” and the other by exec producer/show runner Jason Katims on the series finale “Always.”

Where will the residents of Dillon end up? That I won’t spoil. Where you’ll end up after watching the series’ final moments? With a thoroughly warmed heart, a lump in your throat and the bittersweet feeling that you’ll never witness a TV show quite like this again.