The first season of "Friday Night Lights" introduced viewers to an amazing cast of characters that carried the show for three seasons. But, this being a show primarily about high-schoolers, the cast was bound to change (and did) over the course of the fourth season and this final effort. Though the characters, places, and events changed radically as "Friday Night Lights" wound down in this season, it managed to keep the prized asset that had allowed it to succeed for so many years in the first place: heart.
While still always keeping the Taylor family as its "base camp", Season Five pretty much makes the complete transition from the "old gang" to the likes of Vince Howard, Luke Cafferty, Becky Sproles, Jess Merriweather, & Billy Riggins. It is their stories that dominate the better part of the season, with the old favorites sprinkled in from time to time leading up to the big finale.
Though completely remaking the cast of a TV drama is very tricky business (and I would argue that it can never fully recapture the "glory days" of old), "FNL" does it in about the best way possible. The Taylors are the one constant, and then the solid writing & character development does the rest. Ironically enough, this new batch of characters (while never quite living up to the first season or two of stories) is far more interesting to watch then, say, the Third Season when even the beloved regulars began to get a little stale.
The series finale is, of course, a major highlight of this experience, and it is done in a touching fashion despite all the cast turnover. The writers knew exactly what to focus on and how to wrap things up while walking the fine line between sappy and realistic.
Overall, the Fifth Season of "Friday Night Lights" is still solid dramatic television. Though it may start off a little slow compared to other seasons, within an episode or two it will continue providing those emotional/inspirational moments you have come to expect.
While still always keeping the Taylor family as its "base camp", Season Five pretty much makes the complete transition from the "old gang" to the likes of Vince Howard, Luke Cafferty, Becky Sproles, Jess Merriweather, & Billy Riggins. It is their stories that dominate the better part of the season, with the old favorites sprinkled in from time to time leading up to the big finale.
Though completely remaking the cast of a TV drama is very tricky business (and I would argue that it can never fully recapture the "glory days" of old), "FNL" does it in about the best way possible. The Taylors are the one constant, and then the solid writing & character development does the rest. Ironically enough, this new batch of characters (while never quite living up to the first season or two of stories) is far more interesting to watch then, say, the Third Season when even the beloved regulars began to get a little stale.
The series finale is, of course, a major highlight of this experience, and it is done in a touching fashion despite all the cast turnover. The writers knew exactly what to focus on and how to wrap things up while walking the fine line between sappy and realistic.
Overall, the Fifth Season of "Friday Night Lights" is still solid dramatic television. Though it may start off a little slow compared to other seasons, within an episode or two it will continue providing those emotional/inspirational moments you have come to expect.