FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS’ Finale Debuts on DirecTV Tonight

The series finale of one of the finest shows in television history will air tonight… and, strangely, most TV fans will be totally unaware.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, TV’s little engine that could, struggled through five seasons of less-than-stellar ratings, all the while producing one fantastic episode of television after another.

For those who discovered FNL on NBC, where it first began back in 2006, I don’t have to detail the merits of the program. To watch FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS — a show about family, marriage, small town life and everyday fumbles — is to fall in love with it. Unfortunately, few people were fortunate enough to ever find it.

Why?

Who knows. It was never embraced by a large audience. A TV mystery, which I don’t know how to explain. And yet, NBC — a network that was itself struggling throughout FNL’s run — recognized the creative gem they had on their hands and partnered with DirecTV, a cable entity which agreed to shoulder the costs of the show in return for the episodes airing on their network first.

Tonight’s series finale will run on DirecTV. NBC won’t premiere the final season until later this year. So, those of us who don’t have DirecTV, can put off our official goodbyes.

But because FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is just that good, and never did get the recognition it deserved, we at GIVE ME MY REMOTE do feel the need to give it a shout out today.

This final season has been just as spectacular as each one that came before it. Even with regular characters gone, the writers have managed to make every hour entertaining while maintaining FNL’s creative integrity.

And because it’s Christmastime in Dillon, Texas during this finale, many of the familiar faces that have been MIA for a bit will be back, which is a beautiful thing for longtime fans.

For those who have been watching on DirecTV, the Taylors will face a few decisions tonight that could change their lives dramatically. How will this couple, which is arguably the most realistic and loving marital team ever portrayed on the small screen, deal with what’s in front of them? With passion and grace and, of course, clear eyes, full hearts.

I would post a clip, but I don’t want to spoil anything for those who are waiting to watch the whole season on NBC this spring.

I will just say to them, it’s worth the wait. And to those who will watch tonight, savor every last second, this is sacred TV!

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