Friday Night Lights

NBC and DirecTV hosted a luncheon with the cast of TV's best drama, Friday Night Lights, in which executive producer Jason Katims huddled up with a few journalists - such as Entertainment Weekly star Michael Ausiello - and basically outlined plans for the entire third season.

Warning: Major Friday Night Lights spoilers below!

If you're having a tough time coping with the impending loss of Gaius Charles' Smash and Scott Porter's Jason, wait until next year:

Tim (Taylor Kitsch), Matt (Zach Gilford), Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) and Lyla (Minka Kelly) are all entering their senior years this season.

The knowledge that this may be their final year in Dillon will "add an urgency to [their] stories, but also a nostalgia." "It will be sad to leave," says Adrianne Palicki, "but I think we were all kind of prepared for that on some level."

When the new season starts, eight months will have passed since the Season 2 finale, placing the action at the start of a new school year. Among the major developments: Tim and Lyla are now in a serious relationship.

"We think it'll be a tremendously fun storyline, which could ultimately become very moving," Katims says.Continue Reading...

Body art? Working at Applebee's with Tyra? A new boyfriend (who's also her old boyfriend)? That's just some of what Aimee Teegarden says is in store for her Friday Night Lights alter ego, Julie Taylor, in Season 3.

Click on the photo below for an interview Aimee Teegarden did with TV Guide in which she discusses her character as well as living in Austin...

You can't have too many Minka Kelly sightings. Opting for boho chic, the always fashionable Friday Night Lights star looks California cool in a long floral-printed maxi with a sexy slit for an NBC party in Beverly Hills.

What do you think of Minka Kelly's outfit: Hit or miss?

Ever since Friday Night Lights' Season 3 renewal, many fans such as ourselves have been waiting for the other cleat to drop.

Now, Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly reports, two of the series' stars, Gaius Charles (Smash Williams) and Scott Porter (Jason Street), have been taken off contract and will only appear on a recurring basis.

In a statement, executive producer Jason Katims said:

"Peter Berg, myself and our fellow producers have enormous respect for Scott and Gaius both as actors and individuals. In short, we love them. However, both of their characters have now graduated and in the creative spirit of the show, we have decided to give them powerful four episode arcs that will observe their characters as they launch themselves into the next phase of their lives. We certainly will keep the door open for both actors to return in the future, depending on the actors' availabilities. We know both Scott and Gaius will go on to have enormous success and we wish the best for both of them."

It's a big disappointment, but at the same time, not a complete surprise.

Regarding Smash, Katims conceded long ago that finding a way to justify hanging onto his college-bound running back would be difficult.

Continue Reading...

Talented Friday Night Lights star Jesse Plemons will soon be dealing the chronic ... to Kevin Spacey in the indie comedy Shrink.

Shrink centers on Hollywood A-list psychiatrist Henry Carter (Kevin Spacey), who, following a personal tragedy, is unable to cope and turns into a pothead with little concern for his appearance and inability to help patients.

Among the troubled doctor's clients are a once-famous actress, an insecure young writer and a comically obsessive compulsive uber-agent.

Jesse Plemons will play a pot dealer named Jesus, joining a cast that also includes Robin Williams and Saffron Burrows.

Jonas Pate, who actually filmed several episodes of Friday Night Lights, is directing, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In an unprecedented move, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences posted online the top 10 finalists for nominations for the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in the outstanding comedy series and drama series categories.

Among the top shows still being considered: Friday Night Lights.

The 10 drama contenders are Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy, House, Lost, Mad Men, The Tudors and The Wire.

The final five nominees in each category - which will be voted on and a winner announced at the Emmy Awards - will be released on July 17.

All we have to add is Go Panthers!

Friday Night Lights is returning for a third season this fall, but under very unique circumstances, as the series will now debut episodes on DirecTV, before rebroadcasting them later in the season on NBC.

IGN recently spoke to star Kyle Chandler (Coach Eric Taylor) to find out his reaction to the new situation for the series.

IGN: You have a pretty unusual new deal with the show. What did you think when you heard about it?

Kyle Chandler: That it was very unusual. [Laughs]

IGN: Yes, it is!

Kyle Chandler: I'm just learning more about it. Anything to get us back on the air I'm excited about. I'm especially excited because it's a new situation for us and for both NBC and DirecTV. And of course, we're one of the first shows to venture into what they're doing. So it could represent all kinds of possible creative opportunities. So nothing is bad about it - it's all positive. I got the chance to meet the owner [of DirecTV] and the people running it, and they seem like young, creative and excited people. I don't think we could really do wrong.

Kyle Chandler is excited for the return of Friday Night Lights.

Zach Gilford, who plays Matt Saracen on Friday Night Lights, has signed on to star in two new big-screen roles:

1. Opposite Emmy Rossum in the indie drama Dare.
2. A movie adaptation of the 1983 Sierra Club novel The River Why.

Dare is being directed by Adam Salky, who also directed the 2005 short film on which the feature is being based.

Zach Gilford plays one of three bad boy high school seniors who break their own rules and take the biggest risks of their lives.

He joins a cast including Ashley Springer (Teeth), Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live), and Sandra Bernhard. Shooting is already underway.

Friday Night Lights' Zach Gilford: Coming to the big screen.

For River, Zach Gilford is set to play Gus Overton in the story of a young fisherman who leaves his big-city home and goes on a journey of self-discovery along the Oregon river.

Matt Leutwyler (Unearthed) is directing from a script by Thomas A. Cohen and John Jay Osborn Jr. Shooting is scheduled to start later this summer.

Not to worry, Zach will be back on Friday Night Lights, which is set to begin Season 3 in October on DirecTV and early next year on NBC.

In case you missed it, Friday Night Lights is returning for a third season this fall - albeit under very unique circumstances.

The acclaimed, but low-rated series will now debut episodes on DirecTV, before rebroadcasting them later in the season on NBC.

In addition, Season 3 will be comprised of a shorter 13 episodes, all of which will air exclusively on DirecTV beginning in the fall.

With DirecTV shouldering some of the production costs, NBC then will begin airing the same slate of Friday Night Lights episodes in mid-season.

Season 1 of Friday Night Lights had a full 22 episodes, while Season 2 was originally slated for 22 until the writers' strike cut it to 15.

The second season of Friday Night Lights ended before most of its key storylines could. We can't wait for it to return.

Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am has released a new music video aimed at boosting the hopes of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Called "We Are The Ones," it features a pair of Friday Night Lights stars.

Backed by music and the vocal refrain of "O-BA-MA! O-BA-MA!," celebrities such as our own Adrianne Palicki and Jesse Plemons - along with Jessica Alba, Ryan Phillippe, Kerry Washington, George Lopez and many others - offer reasons why they support Barack Obama. The candidate's voice can also be heard.

It's very cool. Check it out here ...