Okay, here's the official celebration topic that we have all been dying to post in.

WOOOO HOOOOO!!!

NBC has officially listed FNL in their lineup for returning shows.

NBC Primetime 2008-2009 click on the All Shows tab

I will say that I'm disappointed in the reported 13 episodes scheduled for next year.
I'm not thrilled that I have to wait until January to see new episodes.
And how do they expect numbers to be better if only DirectTV subscribers get to view it for a whole 4 months before the rest of the country gets a shot at it?
And please, what is up with all the new reality shows???

The New York Times TV Decoder

April 2, 2008, 3:06 pm
Live from NBC's 'Infront' (Take 4): New Shows for Winter and Spring
By Brian Stelter

2:32 p.m.: NBC has unveiled a winter/spring schedule nine months before it will appear on television.

In a precarious world - "I read your papers, I get scared, I want to go home and enjoy myself," Mr. Silverman said� - the network is offering escapist shows.

On Sundays, a medieval drama called "Merlin" will be shown at 8 p.m., "Medium" will continue at 9 p.m., and "Kings," starring Ian McShane as King Silas in a show loosely based on the story of King David, will be shown at 10 p.m.

Mondays at 8 p.m., "Chuck" will return at midseason, followed by "Heroes" at 9 p.m. and a new show, "The Philanthropist," at 10 p.m.

Midweek will stay mostly the same as the fall. On Tuesdays, couples will replace families on "The Biggest Loser." On Wednesdays, "Lipstick Jungle" will be replaced by "Law & Order" at 10 p.m. On Thursdays, "Celebrity Apprentice" will replace "ER" at 10 p.m.

At the end of the week, "Friday Night Lights" will begin its broadcast run in the winter Fridays at 9 p.m., after it debuts to DirecTV subscribers.

NBC also previewed a Summer 2009 schedule. Although it will likely change, NBC says a new show by the producer Thom Beers, "America's Toughest Jobs," will be shown Mondays at 9 p.m.; another show by Mr. Beers, "Shark Taggers," will be shown Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; and a restaurant reality show, "Chopping Block," will be shown Fridays at 8 p.m.

The latest from the NY Times coverage of the NBC announcement:

Live from NBC’s ‘Infront’ (Take 6): New Deal for ‘Friday Night Lights’

By Brian Stelter

Confirming rumors that had swirled for weeks, NBC said on Wednesday that it had partnered with the satellite television provider DirecTV to keep the football drama “Friday Night Lights” on television.

“This is for love,” Ben Silverman, the co-chair of NBC Entertainment, told journalists. As a videotaped presentation showed clips from the relatively low-rated but critically-acclaimed show, Mr. Silverman said he saw “six or seven of you smile.”

“We all love it, we all believe in it, and we are going to continue to deliver it, hopefully for years to come,” Mr. Silverman said.

But viewers without access to DirecTV will have to wait a while. The third season of the series, set in a small Texas town, will be shown on DirecTV’s platform in the fall. NBC will delay broadcasting the same episodes until the winter, months after satellite subscribers have seen them.

Mr. Silverman said the partnership with DirecTV was a demonstration of “managing for margin” rather than merely for ratings. If the broadcast ratings for “Friday Night Lights” decline 15 percent next season, he said, the network will still come out ahead because of the cost-sharing arrangement.

NY Times Blog - part 6


I like that Silverman speaks so fondly of FNL, and love the comment about how he plans to deliver it "for years to come".

OK, so January can't get here fast enough!! (You never NEVER hear people in Michigan wishing it were January...)

This is such great news! How ironic is it that my condo will be changing to DirecTV next month. But, I do have one question, why if FNL's ratings can decline 15 percent next season and the network will still come out ahead, will there only be 13 episodes? Is that the number that usually makes up a DirecTV series season?

Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, YAY!!!!!!!

I am so glad to hear this officially - FINALLY! - from NBC and from Ben Silverman himself. We'd all read the internet blogs, and heard the rumors, but we've all also seen other times when something happens to blow a deal at the last second. So like everyone else, I was hopeful, but not really confident, that the series would be back.

Really, I am thrilled that we'll all have the opportunity to see our friends in Dillon again. Find out what happens with Jason and Erin and whether they have the baby. Find out whether Tyra and Landry last as a couple. Find out whether Matt and Julie will make their way back to each other. And what the future holds for our favorite Panther, Tim Riggins.

And of course there is the football ( )... What's happened to the Panthers' season? Did they make the playoffs? Did they win State again? (Please, please, please, will we get to see this??!) Will Smash end up at that small school that seems committed to actually educating him? Is Santiago the future star of our team? What kind of trouble does Coach get into for that fistfight at the restaurant?

Speaking of Coach, I can't wait to get back to Dillon and visit with the Taylors. I miss hanging out with them! I want to see little Gracie's first birthday party, I want to see Julie learn to really love and treasure her baby sister. I want to see Tami and Julie continue to mend their relationship, and I want to watch (and learn!) from Eric and Tami's interactions about, well, anything!!

I want to see Tyra continue to grow in self-confidence. I want to see Tim continue to make himself into a better young man, and I'd love to see him actually have an adult help him get there.

Well, obviously, I could go on and on and on... Y'all get the point. I don't want to allow myself to get bogged down in the disappointing parts of today's news. (We only get 13 episodes next season? And we have to wait until January to see them?? And we somehow have to manage to avoid spoilers from DirecTV viewers who will be watching starting in September??? And NBC is committed to quality, family television full of "laughter, drama, and pathos"???? Seriously?????)

I'm just going to be really, really, REALLY happy that the folks of Dillon, TX are alive and well. And that we'll be back for a visit eventually...

WOO HOO That news has made me so happy. I'm not one to care deeply about any show but FNL is truly and amazing show and I'm glad it'll be back. Now what does the direct tv thing mean? when do people who dont have direct tv get to see it? I really hope they don't change it too much. I'd hate to see it go down the road it started to at the beginning of the second season.

As hard as it'll be to wait so long, it would have been much harder to say goodbye forever.

I understand the wait, in that if DirecTV had to pay for a significant portion of the episodes they were going to require that there be a reason to subscribe to DirecTV to see them rather than waiting and watching on NBC. A delay of a week or whatever wouldn't be enough.

The hardest part about the wait won't be the wait itself but the difficulty in managing to stay unspoiled when some people have already seen the episodes.

The big problem for me (and I haven't read enough to be sure on this yet) is if it's only going to be 13 episodes a season. If that's true, that will hurt much more than the wait. I'm hoping it's 13, check the financial end of things, and if it's working out financially then it becomes a full season.

Of course, even if it is only 13 episodes per season, that's 13 episodes better than we'd get if it were cancelled.

I'm not good at linking things, but if you go to the Direct TV website, it has the full NBC-Direct TV joint press release that runs through all the details of the deal and has quotes from all the parties involved (Silverman, Katims, Direct TV). The one thing that is left unsaid is whether there is any chance that additional episodes could be added beyond the 13. I think the only way that becomes possible is if suddenly a large number of people started subscribing to Direct TV and that could be attributed to their adding FNL. Then maybe Direct TV would push NBC to make more episodes to increase and hold the added subscribers. Otherwise, since FNL is on the back end of the NBC schedule, NBC wouldn't even know if Season 3 ratings were improving until January or February and it would be hard to suddenly shoot a bunch more episodes that late in the game (6+ plus months after they started shooting the upcoming episodes). Definitely not impossible, but NBC would probably have to see the makings of a "hit" on its hands to rush and order more Season 3 episodes be immediately made. Let's hope it happens.

As disappointing as the news is that Direct TV is going to have a 3-4 month head start on NBC and only (as of now) 13 episodes are going to be made, it seems pretty clear that without these things happening, there is no Season 3. As someone else pointed out, this deal doesn't work for Direct TV if we all only have to wait a week to see the same episodes on NBC. The deal probably also doesn't work if NBC demands that Direct TV (or someone else) pay for 22 episodes without knowing if FNL is going to be a good business move for them. Hopefully, this will be the "groundbreaking" and profitable deal that NBC and Direct TV think it will be, and we fans will be right that this show will find an audience in Season 3. If that happens, we might get more Season 3 eps and a Season 4.

I totally agree, especially with the last statement becuase I don't get DirecTV. Will the people that have already seen it on DirecTV, and those "spoiled" by it being shown first on DirecTV even bother to watch it in January on NBC? That's what I'm worried about. What will that do for the ratings and whatever chance there will be for a full season or future seasons?

Don't get me wrong, I am more than happy that we're even getting a season 3! Regardless of the little details. lol I can't wait to see Riggins and all the other Dillonites back on the small screen.

HOORAY for HOLLYWOOD and GOD BLESSED TEXAS!!!!!!



Finally the wait is over. And we now know for sure we will see the Panthers on the football field again. I'm excited and a little sad. I ain't crazy about waitin' till January to see the first snap of the ball. And only 13 lucky episodes. But I'm ain't gonna gripe much. Cuz, I'm really more relieved than anything. The deal is done and Friday Night Lights is Back Baby. And thats hard to Beat.

OK...Here are some options since I CANNOT possibly wait until January to watch it on NBC...1) switch my current cable contract 2) find a friend/neighbor that has DirectTV that wont mind me parking my butt on their couch once a week 2) Drive 70 miles to my moms house to watch it 3) have someone tape it for me and send me the DVD 4) check into whatever local hotel has Direct TV once a week...For those of us that dont have Direct TV we wont be able to check out this blog anymore because it will be filled with spoilers....

I know I should just stop posting, but I'm too excited!!!

This is the link to the press release cafstar was referring to a few posts ago:

DirecTV Press Release

And WRISCOPS, I thought of one more option (since I don't know ANYONE with DirecTV). We start up FNL fan clubs in various cities around the country. Each club chooses one member to subscribe to DirecTV and host weekly FNL watching parties, and you're set!! Maybe those folks at the "Save FNL" website would be able to coordinate...

DirecTV isn't available outside the USA though.

Q: Is DIRECTV service available in Canada or Mexico?
A: DIRECTV is legally prohibited from transmitting a signal outside of the continental United States.

WOO HOO...so happy (although of course impatient too! January? Argh!)

I wonder if sports bars with DirectTV would show it if enough people requested it.

This is excellent. I'm glad that the show will be back for another season.

As someone who isn't a DIRECTV subscriber, I have to admit that I'm extremely disappointed that the thirteen episodes will air on there before they air on NBC. I don't want to have to wait and avoid spoilers for three or four months.

If it's necessary to keep the show going, though, then I'm all for it.

Then again, I'm sure someone will upload the episodes onto YouTube, so I'm not worried. I'll get to watch them somehow.

They definitely won't make it onto youtube. I think all of the networks are pretty diligent about keeping their work off of there.

But I wonder if the eps will be available online or for download on Amazon like they have been so far. I'd pay to download them from Amazon but won't become a DirectTV customer for one show.

My thoughts exactly. At first when I heard we (and I've been on two other sites reading posts from FNL lovers and I've yet to read one person who has DirecTV) would not see FNL till Feb I thought for sure NBC will have their reason to cancel it after the ratings plummet because A) everyone who has DirecTV will have already seen it, or B ) everyone who doesn't have it will either get a tape from someone who does, or not be so interested because they already know what happens. But then really, if NBC wanted to cancel it they would have, they don't even need a reason. So...........this seems to be an experiment in the making. If Silverman said they want to keep FNL "for years to come", I can't imagine they would keep this 13 episode thing going, they have to give us the full 22 if the ratings hold. I would even consider getting DirecTV but I'd have to give up my beloved CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Co) and that would be incredibly difficult. But I'll consider it. Maybe.
PS: SportsNight.......I'm in Michigan too, and yeah, Feb looks pretty good now!

I was on edge all afternoon waiting to hear if the show would continue and I had tears in my eyes reading the statements about the show. However, I am with you Sharnina. I'm not going to get Direct TV! I hope we can download the shows and watch them the first time around. It won't matter to me if I watch each show again in January! I really am happy about this and I hope it plays out that they order more shows and extend the season!

You guys I totally forgot about the Amazon downloads ....... what a lifesaver that will be if in fact we can do that. I somehow think tho that we won't be able to, unless DirecTV gets a cut....is that how it works anyway? Does NBC get paid by Amazon when we watch episodes on line?

You bet they do! That's what the writer's strike was all about - everybody gets a cut and they weren't happy with the amount of their cut anymore.

I won't go to DirectTV. if i have to sit and wait until january to watch, then it's a small price to pay to be able to watch in january!!
I'm thrilled!

I know, it is kind of strange that all of us will not be able to experience season 3 together. I would hate to post on the board and ruin it for those that don't have DIRECTV. Oh well, I guess we have to take what we are given and be happy. I really hope that this deal works out for the best for FNL and its fans.

How does the Amazon thing work? I won't to see if I'm able to do that from my area. If not, I'll have to find another way to view the show because I don't think I'll be able to wait until January! lol

You'll still be able to post on these boards. We'll just make sure to label topics as spoilers and may even be able to include the NBC airdate.

I`M GLAD FNL WILL BE BACK,TOO. IF YOU DON`T HAVE DIRECTV,CALL YOUR CABLE OPERATOR OR LOG ON TO WWW.DIRECTV.COM.IT WILL PREMIERE ON DIRECTV ON OCTOBER 1.

Anything with FNL, I want to see. I absolutely love this show and tell everyone they have to watch it.
I am so excited that it is returning. I am just bummed that it is starting on DirecTV. I don't have that but just might have to subscribe because I love that show so much. How could anyone not love it after they have seen it.

Yeah!!!! This made my year. Although I have been disappointed that NBC has chosen not to showcase reruns during the writers strike and/or on other NBC owned channels, I am so happy that those of us that have only basic cable will be able to see new episodes. I see on my digital cable that if I subscribed to HDTV, then I would at least get to see reruns but I'll take what I can get. All my daughter's college friends DVR this show since Friday night is party night so I hope NBC will add it to another night that more people can watch. Yeah to NBC for realizing a truly great show and renewing!! Love the show. Keep it up and NBC has a fan for life.

awesome!

now everyone ...EVERYONE must watch. turn on your friend's TVs and let them just be on even if no one is watching.
screw the environment, we got the Lights back!

clear eyes
full hearts
can't get cancelled!

Hey...Y'all Friday Night Lights is #4 on Yahoo's 10 most seached today!!! Pretty Cool....Huh? Also readin' some of the articles on Yahoo it seems Ben Silverman does like Friday Night Lights he said. "....the arrangement allows NBC to have this Jewel of a show and not even need to expand its audience to succeed on a financial basis." He likes us.....he really likes us! Who Knew? Not me...but he is startin' to win me over.


And Katherine Pope, President of Universal Media Studios said, "We aren't just trying to keep the parient on life support for another season. This is about bringing the show to the next level, in quality and acceptance. This is about Exploding the Show! You think the show had been brillant these past two years. This is going to the best season yet!" I like the way this woman thinks. Anyhoo, check out Yahoo.

glad that they're coming back. I'm more of a "late" fan of the show. I absolutely loved the movie, and looked forward to the series. However for some odd reason it fell off my grid. I saw one episode of Season 1 on HD-Universal and decided to buy season 1 DVD. My wife and I are now hooked; I guess Seasons 1 & 2 DVDs should suffice for now until NBC starts Season 3 next year.

Better to be a late fan then not one at all. lol Welcome to the board!

Kelly, yes, you can watch it on Amazon's "Unbox", which anyone can download for free, then you order a whole season, or an episode at a time (under $2.00). It's extremely user friendly and the picture is beautiful, and no commercials. Sharnina thanks for the info regarding NBC getting money from Amazon, that's good news eh? Means DirecTV could make some extra bucks, and they will be, if they offer us the episodes. Oh, and today I was considering switching to DirecTV but I(and I feel stupid not knowing this) didn't know I'd have to get a dish and I really don't want that .......combined with the fact they don't carry CBC, so, sorry DirecTV. It will be an adventure for us when October gets here, we'll be putting cotton in our ears and wearing Friday Night Lights filter glasses so we can't see anything FNL related. Yikes

For FNL, I'm giving up cable and switching to DirectTV and I was going to suggest to everyone who intends to do this to let DirectTV know that FNL is the reason why we're all doing this...never to late to start bargaining for Season 4. What do you guys think?

Is that Amazon thing available in Canada? How do they charge, do they accept Pay Pal? Because I couldn't get DirecTV even if I wanted to! Apparently it's only available in the USA, which really sucks for us non American FNL fans.

I do get CBC though, not that I watch it often. lol

Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - April 3, 2008
http://losangeles.bizjournals.com/losangel...31/daily35.html





Thursday, April 3, 2008 - 1:12 PM PDT
DirecTV, NBC partnering to save 'Friday Night Lights'
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals

Thanks to a unique carriage agreement between NBC Universal and DirecTV, the vocal fanbase of the critically acclaimed, yet lightly watched, "Friday Night Lights" will get a third season of the show.

Under the agreement, the 13 episodes of the new season will first be broadcast on DirecTV's (NYSE: DTV) channel "The 101" on Friday nights at 9 p.m. eastern starting in October.

The shows will then be broadcast on NBC in 2009 after the network's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIII. The episodes will be available for streaming on nbc.com and Hulu once they move over to NBC.

"This mutually beneficial agreement shows that we are very flexible in providing additional platforms that will allow quality shows such as 'Friday Night Lights' to keep turning out wonderful stories," Marc Graboff, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said in a statement. "This represents a new business model and DIRECTV is the perfect partner for this new venture."

The show is an adaptation of H.G. Bissinger's book of the same title that looks at the lives of members of a high school football team in Texas. Peter Berg, who directed a film version of Bissinger's book, serves as the executive producer of the television show.



All contents of this site © American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.

I know I should be grateful and I am but I feel kinda ripped too. First of all we are only getting 13 episodes after a season that didnt even end properly. I also do not have Direct TV so I will have to wait almost a year just to see it? Hopefully the episodes get put on the internet right away.

*waves at Kevin7*

Hey, good to see you.

I know, I kind of felt the same way but I guess we should be grateful. It is only a one year deal so I wonder what will have to happen to get the deal extended. Ben Silverman made it seem like a decline in the ratings didn't matter now that this deal has taken place but I know that can't be entirely true. I am going to get DIRECTV so I am excited about that but I do feel bad for those Panther fans that have to wait until January. Unfortunately, I heard they won't be available online until they appear on NBC. But, if you know someone with DIRECTV you can have them tape the episodes for you.

Hey there, any idea why only 13 episodes?

Have to give Silverman some credit. Back when he made comments that he liked the show but nobody watched the show, it sure looked like FNL was doomed. Not only did he apparently keep an open mind about it instead of just deciding to cancel it and never looking back, he found a very creative way to "share the risk" financially and keep the show on the air. It also appears that he listened to the fans because he has made comments about how strongly the FNL fanbase feels about the show. To some small degree he is putting his butt on the line with this deal, so he is definitely "putting his money where his mouth is."

As someone on this thread already said, it's never too early to start lobbying for Season 4, and I agree with them. I am going to look into Direct TV and possibly subscribe if it won't disrupt my watching other shows and events I want to see. If Applebees, Gatorade and Under Armour continue to support the show by having their products featured, I am going to give their products extra consideration (I'll go to Applebees instead of Fridays, drink Gatorade and not Powerade). I am also going to give some NBC shows like Heroes and 30 Rock (shows I've never watched) a look and try to support them; just like I would have made an effort to avoid NBC had they canceled FNL.

I think you are right about supporting the sponsors. The only real problem I have with this Direct TV Deal is this: In my area, the system does not work when it is raining. I asked several people with the systems and they all said that their systems go to black when it rains. I am concerned that people will not watch the show when it comes on NBC in January. If they run the show from October to December and then start it up in January the same people with Direct TV and the people who will be viewing the show for the first time need to watch the show on NBC. I am still afraid that the Direct TV viewers won't watch the show again. I just wish it had been a cable channel and then it would be avaliable to most viewers. I am happy, so happy, about the return of the show and I am trying to decide how I am going to stay away from reading anything about the show until January. I'm telling you, it is going to be hard, hard, hard:)

Been doin' some more readin' at Yahoo and it seems that Direct TV will be mounting it's own aggessive marketing campaign of Friday Night Lights to heightened public awareness of the show. NBC and Ben are hoping this will carry over and draw a larger audience for the NBC run of the show. Which is great because NBC does a lousy job at promoting Friday Night Lights. Maybe they can learn sumpin from Direct TV.
And Jeff Katims the excutive producer is happy about the number of episodes. "It's reasurring to have known quantity of episodes, and not have any question marks." He's got a guaranteed season to work with. "I think that will really energize our storytelling." It seems they thought the show could be cancel at any time because of the rating. They were livin' week to week so the speak. Katims also said "that 4 or 5 weeks ago the network and studio bosses Vowed to figure out a way to keep this show on the air, despite all the challenges of justifying it from a business standpoint. And here we are, they did it." And Thank God they did it. I might just have to send Ol' Ben a Thank You Card. He's Better Man that I knew.

What a great idea. Just as we sent the "footballs" we should send him a thank you card! That way, he will never forget the FNL fans. He will be surprised and I'm sure he will think, "Gee, those people are determined and they have manners too!"

I think we should send a thank you card to Ben Silverman and the President of DIRECTV, that would really show some class. Besides, we don't want to burn our bridges you never know when we might have to cross them again.

I thought you guys would be interested in reading this Jason Katims interview done by Michaeal Ausiello of TV Guide. I found it to be very informative about the 13 episode season.

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV...riday/800036898

Thanks for the link.....Frifanatic.....Man he seems really psyched about season 3. I guessin' season 3 will be like a relaunch of Friday Night Lights with Direct TV's money. The guy at Direct TV is Eric Shanks, he is vice president of entertainment. He said, "I'am a fan of the show and was happy to be in a position to help it continue." "I'am so enamored with the quality of the product that I really haven't set any particular rating goals or subscriber goals for it." I read that from the Kansas City Star.

I'm thinkin' these 13 episodes will be stellar. Like season one was. We will get more football action. Better story lines, more realistic and honest to season one. As far as people watching. It doesn't take long, to fall in love with Friday Nigh Lights. I was hooked after only one episode. "It's different for grils" was my first. After watchin' it on TV I had to know more about this show. So I went on-line and watched all the other episodes. I think the Direct TV folks will fall in love with Friday Night Lights, just like we have.

I don't see how they couldn't. I was hooked after just one episode as well, my first was "Crossing the Line."

I only hope that my satellite provider ( the other one!)will somehow merge with Directtv!! Now, That would be great! I can't wait to see it~ Have already ordered a 2nd season DVD..

i hope there will be more seasons and episodes

when will the second season be in stores?
How much is it?

It's suppose to be available most places on April 22nd. I'm not sure of the price, but I think I remember reading that it's going to cost a bit more then the first season did. Hope that helps!