Friday Night Lights

As we've previously reported, Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen) will not return as a series regular next season on Friday Night Lights. Nor will Minka Kelly (Lyla Garrity), following in the footsteps of Gaius Charles (Smash) and Scott Porter (Jason), who left town.

As for Zach, how long will he be around before bidding farewell?

Michael Ausiello of EW says about five episodes, but possibly more. That's not bad considering the whole season is 13, and it should give him ample time for an awesome goodbye story line.

We're gonna miss Matt, but he would want to leave Dillon.

Friday Night Lights' realism translates into its characters being written off the series when the time naturally comes for the youngsters to leave Dillon, Texas.

But might we see some old faces return later on?

Of his future with Friday Night Lights, Scott Porter, whose character Jason Street was a central component of Seasons 1 and 2 but left town last year, says:

"I may have a guest spot return to Dillon in Season 5. In the final episodes of the wrap-up season, we'll put a bow on everybody. There are definitely some ways to bring Jason Street back."

"If Tim Riggins gets in trouble, or if Riggins ends up getting married, then I'll come back for that. [Street's return] is probably going to be Riggins-related, although since I'm a football scout now, I could probably come down and look at some of the new kids at East Dillon."

Friday Night Lights has been picked up for two seasons, with the next beginning this fall on DirecTV. However, the stars have stated that those two will be the last.

For now, Scott Porter filmed a Fox pilot called Masterwork about international art theft. It was filmed on location in Europe, and Porter plays an FBI agent.

The Friday Night Lights cast is currently in flux, as usual. Who's still on it? Who's leaving? Who's in, but only for a farewell story arc a la Gaius Charles and Scott Porter?

Here's the scoop on the new season of Friday Night Lights, which returns in the fall on DirecTV for Season Four, which will then air on NBC beginning in January 2010.

EW says the following all-stars will be back as full-time cast members: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Jesse Plemons, Taylor Kitsch, Aimee Teegarden, Jeremy Sumpter.

Meanwhile, these regulars for the first three seasons are moving up and moving on, but will be back for  farewell acts: Adrianne Palicki, Minka Kelly, and Zach Gilford.

The actress who plays Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights is so incredible, she's able to play the role without being a wife or a mother in real life. Now that's acting!

The perpetually brilliant, Emmy-worthy Connie Britton recently sat down with EW to discuss some major Friday Night Lights spoilers for this season and beyond.

You can check out her full interview below, but the highlights are:

• "I'm pretty sure in the next two seasons there's a very strong possibility that Tami will have an affair with a student." Double gulp.
• Kyle Chandler, Taylor Kitsch, Aimee Teegarden and Jesse Plemons will be back. Minka Kelly and Adrienne Palicki? Unlikely.
• Friday Night Lights resumes filming in September ... ish.
• The series will end after the fifth season in 2011.

Here's Connie's interview ...

Now that Shonda Rhimes' political pilot, The Body Politic, has not been picked up by the CW (The Vampire Diaries, Melrose Place and The Beautiful Life won spots instead), does that mean Minka Kelly, is still leaving the current show she stars on, Friday Night Lights?

Unfortunately yes.

According to reports, Lyla Garrity is not returning to Dylan, Texas, as was the plan all along.

Friday Night Lights thrives on its realism, and that means folks leaving town, as we saw with the exits of full-time cast members Gaius Charles and Scott Porter.

Minka told E!, "I actually will probably be moving on. I think it would make more sense story-wise that I graduate and move on to college. I think I'll be moving away."

Here's hoping some lucky show lands the lovely Minka Kelly.

Luckily for fans of One Tree Hill, another star of the ill-fated Body Politic, Brian Austin Green, is rumored to be joining that show's cast as a full-time series regular.

If he can get over his case of cold feet, that is.

Now that Friday Night Lights is officially coming back in the fall - and the fall after that! - the question has turned to which cast members will be back with it.

The show prides itself on realism, and in real life, people move on and leave town. The fact that Friday Night Lights reflects this facet of life is very cool.

But perhaps more than any character besides Mr. and Mrs. Coach, Taylor Kitsch's Tim Riggins would be a borderline irreplaceable loss. Will he be back?

EW's Michael Ausiello says, reassuringly, that somehow, some way, we've yet to see the last of Tim. Taylor Kitsch is definitely returning for Season Four!

A quick note for those who STILL have not bothered to check out the best show nobody cares about, but NBC clearly values, having just given in a two-season pickup.

From executive producers Peter Berg (The Kingdom) and Brian Grazer (The Da Vinci Code), the third season of the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning series Friday Night Lights, currently airing on NBC, is coming to DVD on May 19.

Inspired by the best-selling book and theatrical film of the same name, the show features a great ensemble cast led by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton and provides a heartfelt look at life, love and football in the small West Texas town of Dillon.

All 13 episodes of Season Three of Friday Night Lights will be featured on the four-disc set along with bonus features. Seasons Four and Five (2009-2010 and 2010-2011) will each contain 13 episodes as well, airing on DirecTV in the fall and NBC in spring.

The perpetually on-the-chopping block Friday Night Lights has been granted a reprieve - this time for two years, carrying the show through it's fifth season!

Multiple sources now confirm that Friday Night Lights is a go for two more 13-episode seasons, airing first on DirecTV in the fall and later on NBC in winter.

Connie Britton (Tami Taylor) recently told E! about the possibility of a pickup for the drama, "I am feeling optimistic about it and really hopeful. As much as you feel like, 'OK, it's time to move on,' the reality is that to have the opportunity to create something new with [this show] every day is simply the greatest gift. It would be great if we had another season."

Looks like she's been granted her wish - and all 113 of us who enjoy this wonderful drama each week now get to reap the benefits through at least 2011!

Is Friday Night Lights really coming back for not just one, but two more campaigns? Looks like it! A little info on Friday Night Lights from Michael Ausiello at EW today ...

Q: What's the word on Friday Night Lights?

A: The two-season pickup (26 episodes) will be announced any day now. Unfortunately, it looks like Tyra will only be appearing in a handful of those 26, as (future CSI: Miami guest star) Adrienne Palicki is not expected back full time next season.

Ditto Minka Kelly, who was recently cast in the CW pilot Body Politic opposite Veronica Mars' Jason Dohring. Both will likely be given multi-episode arc send-offs a la Gaius Charles' Smash and Scott Porter's Jason in the coming season(s).

Friday Night Lights is expected to be renewed for a fourth season (and possibly a fifth!) any time now. Assuming the best show you don't watch does come back next fall, what's in store for viewers? E! Online's latest spoiler chat touches on that subject:

Q: Any word on what the potential season four of Friday Night Lights will bring?

A: As a matter of fact, we were just able to get some great insights into next season from some of the amazing Friday Night Lights cast members themselves! Kyle Chandler tells us that his transfer across town may open up some new doors for the people of Dillon.

"Coach Taylor has been moved into the poor part of town, and we have no pool to draw from for a football team. I think it opens up [the show] to be far more representative, having more Hispanics in the show, blacks in the show. And then also just being the underdogs going up against my old school where my wife is still principal," he said.

Any chance Tami Taylor will follow Coach to the wrong side of the tracks? Connie Britton has her theories on that potential story line: "I think it would be interesting if she did, but it may be too difficult to depict in the show. It could also be interesting if I also go over there and we're both struggling at this school that is just falling apart."

Mind you none of this is set in stone, as Connie is quick to point out, "We generally leave that stuff to the writers because their ideas are going to be 10 times better than anything I'd have an idea for!" Well, no arguments there! We just hope we get to watch!