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TV Tonight: Friday Night Lights, if You're Lucky

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:30:55 -0700

There's so much great TV on tonight (including the premieres of Pushing Daisies and Private Practice), and yet the one show I'm really pining for is the one that will be hardest to watch. Friday Night Lights returns tonight for its third season — if, that is, you have DirecTV.

I'm trying not to be too bitter; after all, DirecTV is basically the reason we're getting a third season at all. Under a unique deal, NBC and DirecTV are sharing the costs of producing this 13-episode season, with DirecTV getting the rights to air the episodes first on its 101 Network. NBC plans to air the episodes as well, tentatively in February, but they'll be slightly edited from the extended versions airing commercial-free on DirecTV.

Back at TCA, I got some hints about what's coming up, and I'm heartened to hear from some critics who have already seen the premiere episode that the show seems to have returned to its roots after a second season that occasionally went off-course. It's a shame so many of us will have to wait to see it, but the fact that it's coming back at all is enough to make me smile.

After the jump, you can watch two promos for this season: a spooky, moody number set to "Devil Town" (shades of the season one finale), and another with one of Coach Taylor's best speeches (I dare you not to get chills). Will you be watching on DirecTV? Holding out for NBC? Scouring the web for, um, other ways to watch? Check out the videos and let me know when you

Five Minutes With Connie Britton

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:30:06 -0700

One of the biggest Emmy snubs — now two years running! — is the exclusion of Connie Britton for her pitch-perfect performance as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights. For two years, she's played Tami's highs (helping troubled Tyra get her act together) and lows (slapping daughter Julie outside after a particularly troublesome act of teen rebellion) with just the right balance of drama and humor — and, when season three begins, she'll find Tami in a demanding new job.

At NBC's party at the TCA press tour, I stole a few minutes with Britton, who was just back from a trip to Uganda and Kenya with One and the Africa Children's Choir. Despite jet lag — and the fact that I was the only person between her and a glass of wine — Britton was still incredibly gracious in our chat (just as I'd always suspected she'd be). The first question is a wee bit spoilery, but if you want to see the highlights, just

Friday Night Lights: A First Look at Season Three

BuzzSugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:48:50 -0700

Score! The Friday Night Lights crew stopped by the TCA press tour on Sunday to chat about their new deal with DirecTV and what's in store for the upcoming season three.

The show will begin shooting again in Austin in August, executive producer Jason Katims said, and it will premiere Oct. 1 on DirecTV before turning up up on NBC sometime in February. The cast all seemed grateful to be back for another season (not to mention back together — Taylor Kitsch couldn't stop calling Kyle Chandler "Chands," which prompted a few giggles). So what's happening when the show picks up? To find out (spoiler alert!), just

Two Panthers Benched for New Season of Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:45:35 -0700

Two longtime Dillon Panthers players won't be on screen quite so much when Friday Night Lights returns for its third season. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that the two players, who have been series regulars, will now just be recurring characters in the upcoming season. The info could be a little spoilery, so I'll put it behind the jump — but, for the record, I don't think it's necessarily bad news. To see the details and hear my thoughts, just

NBC's Fall Schedule: My Take

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:36:52 -0700

NBC started off this year's Upfronts more than a month early this afternoon, kicking off the frenzy of Fall TV announcements with its no-frills presentation (which took the form of either a PowerPoint presentation or a conference call, depending on where you were). While the format of the announcements wasn't thrilling, the content will give us much to speculate about over the next few months. Here are some of my initial thoughts:

I think Save Friday Night Lights said this one best: Touchdown! The Friday Night Lights/DirecTV deal had been sounding like a sure thing for a while, but it's nice to know for sure that the Panthers will live to play another season. There are more details over here about how the partnership will work, but the short version is that episodes will start airing on DirecTV in October and then be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Fridays on NBC starting in February. I wonder, though, if people will actually wait for the NBC episodes or if BitTorrent and YouTube will be the real beneficiaries here.
The spinoff of The Office is . . . mysterious, to say the least. NBC issued a separate press release about the show, but it's quite vague: "Audiences will follow another comic journey, complete with new faces and new locations, but with the same unique sense of humor and brand of quality from Daniels and his creative team." NBC entertainment head Ben Silverman said they were keeping a lid on things because Office fans are so rabid; when asked if characters from the main show would appear on the spinoff, he responded: "There's a huge ensemble on The Office right now . . . " Come on, man. A title? A setting? Anything?
More on that: Back in October, most of you thought a spinoff would be a bad idea. Now that it's happening, how do you feel? What's your dream setting for the show? Have you changed your mind about which characters it should focus on? Best suggestion I've heard so far: the warehouse.
Also, it's worth mentioning that the big headline from last Spring's NBC Upfront was a Heroes spinoff, and, well, we know how that turned out.
My gal Liberty is wondering what you think of NBC's plan to put special "Weekend Update" segments on the air on Thursdays leading up to the Presidential election in November. There certainly should be enough political mockery to go around by then.

Some other thoughts, plus the full night-by-night schedule, so just

PaleyFest: Scoop from Chuck, Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:30:54 -0700

I'm so excited to get down to the Paley Festival tonight, where the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be reuniting! While the Buffy panel was one of the hottest tickets in town, there's been lots of other great TV action all week, including panels with the stars of Chuck and Friday Night Lights.

The coolest revelation from the Chuck panel was that Chuck was originally supposed to have a girlfriend when the season started; then his relationship with Sarah would have been more like a love triangle right from the get-go. But the writers ultimately realized that having Chuck juggle two girls and be a spy might be a bit much, so Kayla was cut. You can watch a video clip of Josh Schwartz talking about saying farewell to the character after the jump. The Chuck writers are back at work now, and the show will start filming again in May. Yay!

Meanwhile, news about whether FNL will be renewed should be coming in a couple of weeks, but it certainly sounds like the cast and writers were feeling hopeful at Paley. And if (or when) the show comes back, the writers have a few things on their minds: making football a bigger part of the story again and possibly introducing new characters so the supposed seniors don't stay in high school forever. And if the show returns, we'll get to see Smash's transition to college football, which was a particularly moving storyline this season.

To watch that Chuck clip, as well as some video from the FNL panel, just

Touchdown? Friday Night Lights Might Get a Third Season!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:30:32 -0800

OK, so it's just a rumor right now, but it's a credible one: Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Friday Night Lights will be renewed for a third season, thanks to a partnership with DirecTV. No deal has been officially announced, but another report says it's just waiting for a signature.

In essence, the deal will have NBC and DirecTV sharing the costs for producing the show. What, exactly, does that mean for us actually getting to see these new episodes of FNL? Unfortunately, that's not clear yet. I'm hoping the deal looks something like the NBC/USA arrangement with Law & Order: Criminal Intent, where episodes air first on USA and later on NBC; as a non-DirecTV subscriber, it would be sad to have to wait, but knowing I'd see the show eventually would be good enough. What I'm hoping won't happen is what NBC did with Passions, which made the episodes available only on DirecTV and nowhere else.

So, until the details are announced, I'm only going to consider this about 85 percent good news. But hey, that's better than nothing, right? Meanwhile, the Save Friday Night Lights folks still have more mini-footballs on the way, so we fans are definitely being heard. Say it with me now: Clear eyes, full hearts . . .

Source

FNL Fans Have a Special Delivery for NBC

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Hey, NBC: Hope you can use some miniature footballs. Like, 6,250 of them. That's what's in those boxes in the picture above, and they're coming NBC's way this week, thanks to fans of Friday Night Lights who want to keep the show on the air.

A while back, I told you about a bunch of fan campaigns to convince NBC to renew the acclaimed but low-rated show for a third season. Though one effort, the Best Week Ever petition, seems to have gone belly-up (possibly due to corporate shenanigans), the folks at Save Friday Night Lights are trucking right along. As of Wednesday night, they'd raised a total of of almost $13,500 to send more than 16,000 customized mini-footballs to send to NBC. They're also raising money for various charities and for DVD sets — both for troops stationed overseas and for network executives at the channels that are reportedly considering sharing the show with NBC.

Will this campaign have Jericho-style traction and create enough ruckus to get the show another season? Only time — and several more pallets of mini-footballs — will tell, but as a fan, I'm encouraged by how well this campaign is doing. Plus, I can't wait to see what NBC does with the footballs. CBS is still trying to get rid of those peanuts.

Photos courtesy of NBC and Source

Link Time! 2/21

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:34:55 -0800

MTV Movie Blog's Josh Horowitz makes his very own Oscars opening montage, and it's rather hilarious.
Popwatch wants to know: What are the greatest duets of all time?
The TV Addict jokingly (I hope) imagines what Friday Night Lights might look like on various other networks.
Cinematical wonders if Jon Stewart will rock the Oscars. What do you think?
Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily says brace yourself: There's much, much more on the way from Paula Abdul.
TV with MeeVee wonders who's to blame for the demise of Bionic Woman.
Stereogum has us take a listen to Janet Jackson sampling Daft Punk in her song "So Much Betta."
TV Squad weighs in on whether the presidential election is shaping up like The West Wing's final season.

NBC is Shopping Friday Night Lights to Other Networks

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:12:16 -0800

NBC is Shopping Friday Night Lights to Other Networks
Variety reports that NBC is officially in talks with several cable networks to share Friday Night Lights with NBC. TNT, the CW, and the parent company of E! and G4 have all been approached so far. A potential deal could look similar to what NBC did with Law & Order: Criminal Intent this season. This could be our best hope for a season three!

Fans Plot Ways to Keep Friday Night Lights On

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:30:06 -0800

As I mentioned earlier today, there's a chance the most recent episode of Friday Night Lights could be the end of the show forever. Can't let that happen? Across the Internet, a variety of fan-driven movements are starting up to lobby for keeping the show on the air. Here's how to get involved:

The folks at Best Week Ever have a whole FNL booster club going on, complete with a petition to save the show and an initiative to send light bulbs to NBC to urge the network to keep the lights on. They write: "Light bulbs are cheap, easy to come by, and if they break during shipping, the shattered glass might even seem vaguely threatening when NBC opens the package. Sort of like, 'You try to take away our Panthers, and we might just cut you.'"
This campaign is trying to raise money to send mini footballs to NBC. This one's similar to that Jericho nuts campaign in that you donate money that will go to a group shipment of footballs. Each dollar gets you one football, and the group is hoping to ship 2,500 footballs to NBC (they're at about 550 right now). You can also follow their efforts on MySpace and Facebook.
Another Facebook group is organizing to send bottles of Clear Eyes eyedrops to NBC, playing on the "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" motto.
Give Me My Remote is encouraging fans to make videos explaining why they love Friday Night Lights. She'll collect them all and send them on to NBC.
E!'s Watch With Kristin has a few simple recommendations for how to help the show get renewed: Buy the DVDs or watch episodes online to get some FNL buzz going.
There's also another online petition to save the show.

Will any of these many efforts work? I'm sure any Jericho fan would say it doesn't hurt to try. So, what are you waiting for? If you love the show, get watching, writing, video making, and light bulb, football, and eye drop shopping!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 15, "May the Best Man Win"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:32:37 -0800

It was impossible for me to watch the most recent Friday Night Lights without feeling dread that it could be the last one ever. This episode wasn't meant to be a finale, season or series; it was just episode number 15 of 22, tying up a few stories and starting others — others that were meant to be finished later and now might never be.

I know I'm sounding doomsday, and to be fair, there's some vaguely encouraging news about the possibility of FNL moving to another network. There are also several campaigns underway to save the show; stay tuned for more on those later. But for now, to talk about what might be the end of FNL (sob), just

TV Tonight: Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:30:00 -0800

Is this the end for our beloved Dillon Panthers? As much as it hurts my heart to say it, tonight's episode of Friday Night Lights could be the last one we've ever seen. It's the final episode the show finished before the strike got in the way, and even if the strike ends soon, there's no telling whether NBC will put the show back into production.

Frankly, signs haven't been good. First, Ben Silverman utterly blew off questions about the show in an interview with Radar. Then, someone leaked the news that the second season is set to be released on DVD in April with only 15 episodes, not the 22 that were originally ordered. There's also the unavoidable fact that ratings still aren't good (though with an average of 6.1 million viewers per week, the show is roughly on par with last year, even with its awful Friday time slot). And some of the critics who so vocally lobbied for the show's renewal last year have slowly backed away, citing the Landry/Tyra murder plot and other weaknesses of this season.

On the other hand, Entertainment Weekly reported some slightly more encouraging news: Universal might try to find the show a home on another network if NBC doesn't want it, and the show could potentially complete as many as six more episodes after the strike, at least giving this season a proper end. Plus, at least one Save Our Show campaign is already underway courtesy of Best Week Ever, so check out the petition if you want the show back.

For now, here's all we know for sure: In tonight's episode, Tami's old boyfriend will show up (and be played by series creator Peter Berg, hilariously); Riggins will step up his efforts to woo Lyla; and someone will show up pregnant. I plan to savor every moment, just in case it's the last I ever see of Dillon. What about you? To watch a preview for the episode, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 14, "Leave No One Behind"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:31:25 -0800

I haven't exactly been shy about the fact that Friday Night Lights occasionally makes me cry, but the waterworks reached a new level after watching Friday's episode. Part of that was the episode itself, but part of it was the context: This was the next-to-last episode the show finished before the writers' strike started, and even if the strike ends soon, there's no telling if the show will go back into production. (It's probably safe to say things don't look good.) As a result, this episode felt very much like the end to me. Did anyone else need a tissue and a hug? We can talk about it if you

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 13, "Humble Pie"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:37:54 -0800

"Humble Pie" is an interesting title for this week's Friday Night Lights, because nobody ended up acting all that humble. Sure, Smash tried, but the kid can never swallow his pride for very long. In the end, it was more about watching the characters channel their anger into various things — some good (Tyra, Jason), and some not so good (Smash, naturally). For more on the episode, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 12, "Who Do You Think You Are?"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:30:39 -0800

This week's Friday Night Lights wasn't the most subtle episode of the show, with its twin themes of separation and prejudice leaving their mark on almost every story line. But amid the occasional heavy-handed nonsense, there were some interesting developments for Smash, Tami, and even Matt (finally). Want to read my thoughts and add your own? Just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 11, "Jumping the Gun"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:15:00 -0800

Friday Night Lights just can't seem to have its characters stop breaking the law this season, can it? Granted, the criminal twist in "Jumping the Gun" seemed more believable than a lot of the Landry/Tyra murder plot, but still, I'm a little surprised. That plot was just a minor part of Friday's packed episode, though, which featured Smash having to make a decision about a college and Coaches Taylor and Dickes facing off in a major game. To read my thoughts and share your own, just

TV Tonight: Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Maybe it's just the writers' strike taking its toll on TV, but the more I think about last week's Friday Night Lights, the more I love it. Sure, it started with a poorly animated tornado, but that cheesiness gave way to one of the fullest and most emotional episodes of the season.

It also left us with a great setup for tonight's installment. For one thing, Coach's rival is still hanging around, and considering that Coach threw him against a wall last week when there wasn't even a game, things will surely get uglier when the Panthers and Laribee finally face off. For another, Riggins is homeless again after Coach spotted him in what appeared to be a compromising situation with Julie, which will further stress their relationship on and off the field. Plus, Smash gets a big story this week, as he prepares to commit to a college.

I admit I'm a little nervous about one scene in NBC's preview for the episode: the fairly unrealistic clip of the Laribee coach tackling one of the Panthers in the middle of a game. But hey, maybe that tackle — like the tornado — will end up overshadowed by some of the best moments on television. To watch the preview, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 10, "There Goes the Neighborhood"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:34:40 -0800

Wow, did I go on a rant during the first commercial break of the most recent Friday Night Lights. First a murder plot, now a horribly fake CGI tornado? What was this show coming to?

But this time, I needn't have worried. Yes, the tornado was pretty awful — but it set up a story that put football front and center at last. The rest of the episode outweighed the cheesiness of the setup, so to talk about it (spoilers and all) just

Buzz Trivia: How Well Do You Remember This Season of Friday Night Lights?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Things have been pretty crazy in Dillon so far this season on Friday Night Lights, with bucketloads of teen angst, football drama, and even murder. How closely were you watching the season's first nine episodes? Try out my quiz.

Photos courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 9, "Confession"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:30:00 -0800

Friday Night Lights is one of the few, fortunate shows that has several more episodes stored up to get through the Hollywood writers' strike. Nonetheless, Friday night's episode felt like the end of a chapter. On the one hand, I'm glad to see some of these stories end; on the other, it felt like a little too much, too fast. To read my thoughts and add your own, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 8, "Seeing Other People"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:36:42 -0800

NBC's promos for the most recent episode of Friday Night Lights promised this would be the episode where Landry's morals got the best of him, driving him to confess to murder. But in reality, that was the smallest part of Friday's episode, which leaned more on strong moments from the Taylor family and one of the best comedic subplots of the season. The ending left us with plenty to discuss before next week's episode, so without further ado, let's get to it. Just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 7, "Pantherama"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:30:41 -0800

The latest installment of Friday Night Lights reminded us of two very important things: Smash still exists, and Dillon High students occasionally go to class. Who'd have thought?

The episode was one of the lightest of the season — maybe too light. But it still had some great moments, including the redemption of Buddy Garrity. (Again: Who'd have thought?) To read my take, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 6, "How Did I Get Here?"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:30:00 -0800

This week's episode of Friday Night Lights was a particularly intricate one, with stories weaving in and out of each other throughout the hour. For the second week in a row, I think the show was up to the high standard of season one — and yes, that even includes the murder story. It's still not the road I would have taken for the show, but this week's episode brought some intriguing fallout. It also brought Tami's sister, a new Dillon cheerleader, and a militant soccer coach into the mix, so to see how they fit into the FNL universe, just

TV Tonight: Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:28:15 -0800

After last week's Friday Night Lights — which I thought was the season's best so far — I'm even more excited for the big developments that are sure to come tonight.

Riggins is back from Mexico, but will Coach Taylor want him back on the team after he went MIA? (For that matter, do he and Street even know Coach is back?) And things start moving faster in the murder/cover-up story, now that Landry's dad suspects something's up. Is that his station wagon I spy going up in flames in NBC's promo?

But I think I'm most excited about the arrival of Jessalyn Gilsig as Tami's free-spirited sister, Shelly; she'll be around for six episodes, making some green changes tonight as part of Green is Universal week and generally shaking things up around Dillon. It might not be a huge part of tonight's episode, but I always like the Taylor family stories the best; I don't think there's a more lovable TV family around. For a taste of what's to come tonight, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 5, "Let's Get It On"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:30:03 -0800

Hey, now that's more like it! In my view, the latest episode of Friday Night Lights was easily the best of the season so far, dispatching one controversial plotline, making new headway with another, and — most of all — getting inside the lives and heads of these characters we've come to love. To hear my thoughts on the episode and share yours, just

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 4, "Backfire"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:25:52 -0700

It seems like everyone's talking about how Friday Night Lights just isn't as good this season, with the murder plot and the Mexico trip and Coach being away. I've had my complaints, too. But I loved the latest episode (with one exception — but I'll get to that in a minute). And the amazing thing was, the story that I liked the most was the one I was prepared to truly hate. To see what I'm talking about, just

TV Tonight: Friday Night Lights

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

The Taylor family has had it pretty rough so far this season on Friday Night Lights, with Coach off in Austin, Julie rebelling bigtime, and Tami struggling to keep a handle on things with baby Grace. But things might be looking up after tonight: Thanks to Coach's deal with the Buddy Garrity devil, he's on his way home to Dillon tonight.

Of course, things probably won't be easy even once he's back; after all, there was that promo last week showing Coach saying something like "are you telling me I don't have a job?" But they'll work it out, I'm sure of it. The show just hasn't felt the same without Coach dressed in Panthers blue.

Meanwhile, Riggins and Street are off on their Very Bad Idea Trip to Mexico, which — judging by the promo pictures NBC released — looks like it involves karaoke. Oh, and there's this little matter of a body being recovered from the river. Check out some scenes from the episode and then let me know: Are you ready for Friday night?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 3, "Are You Ready for Friday Night?"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:58:40 -0700

Last week, everything was starting to fall apart on Friday Night Lights. But that was nothing compared to this week's episode, which plunged everyone into full-out crises. There were a lot of story lines to cover — with varying amounts of good and "wha?" — but the heart of the show is always the Taylor family, and right now they are in t-r-o-u-b-l-e. To read my thoughts on the episode and share your own, just

Buzz In: Which TV Characters Would Make Good Halloween Costumes?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:12:56 -0700

I am so sure that the Halloween parties I attend this year will feature at least one girl dressed in a blood-spattered red-and-white cheerleader costume, in honor of that indestructible cheerleader Claire on Heroes.

If you were so inclined, you could grab a cane, a stethoscope and a surly attitude to go as Dr. House. Or make like Jim Halpert and dress and act like Dwight Schrute (or make like this guy and go as the Dwight Schrute bobblehead doll!).

In fact, you can even purchase a Panthers jersey to dress up as your favorite football-playing Friday Night Lights character.

So tell me in the comments section: What TV-inspired costumes could be out and about this year?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 2, "Bad Ideas"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:30:05 -0700

Friday Night Lights sure is shaking things up this season. With Coach Taylor in Austin, Tami dealing with a new baby, Julie going after the Swede, and of course that crazy plot twist with Landry and Tyra, Dillon is looking a lot different right now. To talk about this episode, just

Link Time! 10/9

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:31:05 -0700

E!'s Watch with Kristin gets the scoop that "Gossip Girl" is getting a full first season, the first show of the fall to get the official order.
Cinematical claims these are the top seven worst Stephen King adaptations, but I'm pretty sure Shawshank Redemption should not be on that list.
Buddy TV interviews Yvonne Strahovski from "Chuck."
The MTV Movies Blog chatted with George Lucas about all things Crystal Skull.
Merry Swankster delivers a quarterly podcast stuffed with great songs, including tracks from The New Pornographers, MIA, Spoon and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
An essential part of every "Friday Night Lights" fan's wardrobe: Give Me My Remote's What Would Riggins Do? T-shirts.
Popwatch opts to talk about lunchtime tacos instead of Britney Spears, and it really is more entertaining than you might think.
Tube Talk puts together some Halloween costumes for TV lovers.
One writer over at Rolling Stone's Rock 'n Roll Daily got a preview of Jay-Z's American Gangster LP, "I'm Better Than Al Capone."
Meanwhile, Best Week Ever gets a sneak listen to Radiohead's In Rainbows. (They're kidding.) (I think.)
TV Squad shares one of the weirdest things I've seen all day: "Deal or No Deal" models recreating a scene from "The Office."

Photo courtesy of The CW

"Friday Night Lights" Rundown: Episode 1, "Last Days of Summer"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Oh, "Friday Night Lights," it's good to have you back. This episode had a lot of what makes "FNL" so brilliant — but it also had one major moment that took the show down a new, and pretty controversial, path. If you're ready to talk about the episode, just

TV Tonight: "Friday Night Lights"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:00:00 -0700

In its first season, "Friday Night Lights" was an absolute gem. It was a show I looked forward to each week, and virtually every episode had a moment so moving and real that I ended up in a teary puddle on my couch. It's funny, touching, and real — and it's about so much more than just football.

The show returns for its second season tonight, and I'm a little nervous about it — partly because it's now on Fridays (when even a die-hard fan like me might not tune in), partly because of what I hear is a major and uncharacteristically melodramatic plot twist involving Tyra and Landry. I elected not to watch the episode when it was online early a couple of weeks ago, and the suspense has become almost unbearable. While no review I've read has revealed what the twist is (though I think one of NBC's own promos might — jerks!), nobody seems to think it's a positive turn for the show to take.

I hope it's not something big or bad enough to ruin "Friday Night Lights," which was practically perfect despite its low ratings. Frankly, I can't even imagine what could wreck the show; it just has so much going for it. My episode rundowns will be published on Buzz on Mondays, so whatever it turns out to be, we'll talk more about it then. For now, to watch a promo for tonight's episode (not the super spoiler-y one I referred to above), just

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! In the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights, Connie Britton played the wife of the head football coach. What is the name of the actress who plays the coach's wife on the TV version of "Friday Night Lights"?

Watch the "Friday Night Lights" Premiere Online Now!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I was totally bummed when I saw that "Friday Night Lights" wasn't returning till October, so imagine my joy when I learned that I don't have to wait after all: The full episode is streaming right now on Yahoo! TV. The episode is only online till Sunday, so I'll have to decide pretty quickly if I need to watch now or if I can hold out for the official premiere.

Meanwhile, for those of you still on the fence about the show, check out this column from Bill Simmons, a writer for ESPN. Sure, his normal domain is sports and not television, but when someone says "If you like to watch TV, you wouldn't knowingly turn your back on a great show" and then calls the series "the best date show ever," I certainly take notice.

Meanwhile, if you're still looking for pilots online, "Chuck" can be seen on Yahoo! TV, "The Big Bang Theory" is on Yahoo! and on iTunes, and "Life" is on AOL TV. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Fall TV's Five Toughest Tradeoffs

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 07:30:00 -0700

"What am I going to watch tonight?" Come the start of fall TV this month, that question gets infinitely more complicated. New shows will duke it out with returning favorites for TiVo space, and some of my favorites will go head-to-head. A gal can only watch one thing at once, so here are the toughest tradeoffs of my fall TV schedule so far — and how I plan to solve them.

No. 5: "Chuck" vs. "How I Met Your Mother" & "Aliens in America" (Mondays, 8-9 p.m.) — "Chuck," one of my favorite new shows, is battling against the underappreciated comedy "How I Met Your Mother," which I've pledged to watch this season, and "Aliens in America," one of the most intriguing new shows. Which has more pull: My goofy TV crush on Zachary Levi, or my curiosity about where "Aliens" will go? Solution: Zach wins, at least so far. I'll watch "Chuck" live and TiVo the other two.

No. 4: "Reaper" vs. "House" (Tuesdays, 9-10 p.m.) — Cranky doctors, or the cranky devil? This one's a tough call. "House" had one of the better cliffhangers of the season last year, ending with House's entire team gone; "Reaper" was one of the most fun pilots I watched. I'll watch them both, but which comes first? Solution: At the start of the season, "House" comes first, but once things get back to normal at PPH, I might switch over to "Reaper."

For the rest of my tradeoffs, just

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:30:00 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

"Heroes" — Season 1
The first season of NBC's hit sci-fi drama "Heroes" is now available on DVD and it's extras-tacular. The show follows "ordinary" people who happen to have extraordinary powers (invisibility, regeneration, flight, mind reading, time travel, etc.). The 7-disc set features a good number of extras, including (but not limited to): audio commentaries, the 73-minute unaired original pilot episode (along with the option of commentary by Tim Kring), deleted scenes and a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes stuff, like a stunt featurette and a profile on artist Tim Sale. On the HD-DVD you can expect more interactive features, like something called a "genetic abilities test." If you missed this season when it was on TV (and then online), you can catch up with the DVDs before the second season begins September 24.

Three more new releases so

Buzz News Roundup, 8/24

BuzzSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:30:53 -0700

NBC is offering 1,000 "Friday Night Lights" fans a chance to throw a house party with a sneak preview of the show's second season, and the Futon Critic has the details. You have to enter by today, so hurry!
The movie based on the TV series "Dallas" will be a comedy directed by Betty Thomas and starring John Travolta as J.R. Ewing, Variety reports.
"Anchorwoman" has been canned after just one airing, Broadcasting & Cable reports.
"American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis has just scored his own record deal, says E! Online.
The Smoking Gun has the contract parents had to sign before their kids could be on "Kid Nation."
Zap2It reports that Mummy director Stephen Sommers will direct the G.I. Joe movie.
Comedy writer Buddy Sheffield is suing The Walt Disney Co. for allegedly stealing his idea for the series "Hannah Montana" and never compensating him, the AP reports.
According to Variety, Ang Lee's fall espionage thriller Lust, Caution has received an NC-17 rating.
Drew Carey's first episode as "The Price is Right" host will air Oct. 13, according to TV Guide.

Source

Love "Friday Night Lights" — Or Your Money Back

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:33:35 -0700

I've already done a lot of raving about "Friday Night Lights," but you don't have to take my word for it. If you don't love the first-season DVD, which comes out a week from today, you can get your money back.

Seriously.

If you aren't hooked by the end of the first season, you just have to mail in the DVD with a receipt and a special form, and in six to eight weeks, you'll get a refund from Universal Home Entertainment.

I think that's a pretty bold move for a show that might be depending on strong DVD sales to whip up a fan base for its second season. It definitely shows how confident the producers are in their product, though. And besides, nobody is going to take advantage of this offer, because after just a few episodes, they'll see how perfectly written, beautifully acted and stunningly composed the show is. Right? Right?

via TV Tattle
DVD photo Source

BuzzSugar's Must-Haves for August

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to the first installment of BuzzSugar's monthly must-haves, where I show off a handful of the things I'm most looking forward to watching, buying, renting and reading. Here are six goodies that I'm looking forward to in August:

To hear why these six things are at the top of my list,

"Lights," "Heroes," "Sopranos" Headline TCA Awards

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:05:52 -0700

The Primetime Emmy Award nominations may have been all the talk among TV critics last week, but that didn't stop the group from giving out a few honors of their own.

The TCA Awards, presented Saturday night, shared some things in common with the Emmy nominations — lots of love for "The Sopranos," "Heroes" and Alec Baldwin — but the critics also gave top honors to "Friday Night Lights" and Michael C. Hall of "Dexter," both of whom were snubbed in the Emmy voting. "Friday Night Lights" won for Outstanding New Program, while Hall was recognized for Individual Achievement in Drama.

I'm told there were a couple of funny "Sopranos"-related moments — one when David Chase used a cryptic Beatles reference to joke about the finale, another when Alec Baldwin expressed his dismay at "The Sopranos" ending "because now I won't be able to be on the show." To see the complete list of winners,

Rosie O'Donnell to Guest on "Friday Night Lights"?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:32:29 -0700

Finally, a piece of Rosie O'Donnell news that doesn't make me groan! TV Guide's Michael Ausiello reported this week that "Friday Night Lights" executive producer Jason Katims is hoping to snag Rosie for a multi-episode arc in the upcoming season. Apparently one of the new recurring characters Katims mentioned to me is a female soccer coach angry about all the school's resources going to football, and he told Ausiello he'd love for Rosie to play the part.

One of her representatives confirmed to Playbill that "they are in talks and she loves the show," though nothing is definite. And on her blog today, Rosie responded to a question about whether she would guest-star on the show with "if they ask me yes."

Rosie is controversial to say the least, but I love the idea of her in this role; it makes me think of her character in Beautiful Girls who goes on a classic rant about men, women and objectification. In fact, it's really one of the few things Rosie could do next that wouldn't make me squirm, and it would put her brash, unapologetic attitude to good use. I usually hate stunt casting, but I could get behind this. What do you think?

Source

Snap Judgment: The Emmy Drama Nominations

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:35:41 -0700

While there were a few pleasant surprises in this morning's Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, the choices overall struck me as safe and boring. I say it every year, but I wish the Emmys would recognize quirkier or lesser-known shows alongside the more mainstream fare. Then again, I'd also like a unicorn.

Over the next couple of days, I'll be sharing some of my thoughts on the nominations. Here's my take on the dramas:

I might as well get this out of the way first: "Friday Night Lights" being shut out of all the major categories is nothing short of ridiculous. The show won a Peabody award and is a major critical favorite, and I can't think of another show that consistently moved me to tears this season. And yet, it's passed over for "Boston Legal"? Not that I don't like the show, but I'm not sure anyone has ever finished an episode of "Boston Legal" and thought, "Wow, that changed my life."
On the other hand, go "Heroes"! It had two big strikes against it when it came to the traditional Emmy biases: It's a new series, and it's sci fi. But it managed to break through anyway — plus snag a nomination for the lovably geeky Masi Oka.
Honestly, I could talk all day about the drama series category alone (should the strong second half of "Lost" have vaulted it above the weak second half of "Grey's"? Did a show like "Dexter" even really have a chance?) But I'm not sure how any show but "The Sopranos" could win this year. Yes, the ending was controversial; no, it didn't necessarily get the great ratings that previous seasons did. But it was the final season of a show that gets a lot of credit for changing the creative climate of TV, and with 15 nominations, it's clearly going to be rewarded this time around.

More thoughts, so

"Friday Night Lights" Stars Reveal What's Next

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:26:45 -0700

Sure, the Panthers have won State, but that doesn't mean things are going to be easy in Dillon when "Friday Night Lights" starts again this fall. During and after their presentation at the TCA press tour, the cast and crew spilled some secrets about the show's upcoming second season premiere, which is scheduled for Oct. 5. If you don't want to know what happens with Coach Taylor's job, Tami's baby, or Matt and Julie's relationship, stop reading now. But if you want some delicious teasers for the stories coming up this season,

Got Questions for NBC Stars?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:15:00 -0700

Starting Monday, I'll be bringing you the scoop on this fall's new and returning TV shows straight from Los Angeles, where stars, writers, producers and journalists are gathering for the annual Television Critics Association press tour. While I'm there, I'll have a chance to chat with the people behind your favorite shows — and I want to make sure I'm asking the questions you want answered.

First up is NBC, where I'll be attending panel discussions with the casts and creators of NBC's new fall shows as well as stars from "Saturday Night Live," the Thursday night comedies, "Friday Night Lights," "Law & Order," and the new Sci Fi Channel series Tin Man with Zooey Deschanel.

So, take a spin through NBC's fall schedule and, in the comments below, let me know which of the network's new shows you're most curious about, what you'd want to ask your favorite NBC actors and actresses, and any other questions that cross your mind. Then, look for my reports right here on Buzz starting on Monday!

My Top 10 Wishes for the Emmy Nominations

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:45:00 -0700

The nominations for this year's Emmy Awards will be announced next Thursday, July 19. That means it's high time we started to speculate about which shows will be selected and which will be snubbed. Here are 10 of the things I hope happen when the names are read next week:

No. 10: A drama series nomination for "The Wire."
Alright, yes, I'm starting out with one that I'm sure is not going to happen; "The Wire" has fervent devotees, but it's not accessible enough for an Emmy nod. I understand why: Series creator David Simon has created such a busy, bustling world that it's tricky to jump in and see what it's about. When I finally started watching the show, I had to watch the pilot twice; even after that, I only knew one character's name. A show with that kind of niche appeal tends to get acting nominations only (see: Michael Chiklis on "The Shield"), and "The Wire" is too much of an ensemble show for even that to be likely. But hey, a girl can dream.

No. 9: "24" left out of the series nominations. Don't get me wrong: I still like this show. But I want the producers to know that "24" can't coast by on the strength of its previous seasons when this one was not up to par. Yes, having it rank second-worst in the critics' survey should be a wake-up call, and the production problems the show's been having lately seems to suggest that the powers-that-be know they need to change things up, though they might not know how best to do it. Leave it out of the nominations this time around, and wait to see if it reclaims its old magic.

Eight more, including my No. 1 hope, so

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Emmy Finalists

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:36:55 -0700

Emmy nominations won't be announced until July 19, but it's officially time to start speculating about who will be recognized. The Envelope, the awards site of the LA Times, has the lists of the top 10 finalists in the best comedy series and best drama series categories.

The top 10 were selected by polling all members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on the most deserving shows. Judges will now screen the 10, and their votes plus the original poll results will whittle the list down to five in each category. (For more on the voting, which really sounds a lot like the system judges use for elimination on "Dancing with the Stars," check out this Variety story.)

"Heroes," "Friday Night Lights" and "Dexter" are the first-year series making this first cut in the drama category, along with "The Sopranos," "Lost" and — somewhat surprisingly to me — "24". "Brothers & Sisters," a show that grew on me over the season, isn't on the list, and not a single FX drama made the cut.

To read about the comedy finalists and see the full list for both categories,