UPDATE: On Monday, March 30, NBC and DirecTV inked the deal that will bring us two more glorious seasons of this remarkable show!

At long last, here are the answers to your questions for “Friday Night Lights” showrunner Jason Katims (pictured accepting a Vision Award in June).

Loyal readers will recall I first opened up the opportunity for questions prior to the NBC show’s third season premiere on DirecTV's 101 Network back in October. At the time Jason was too involved working on our favorite show to get to your questions. Then, he was swamped with writing  “Parenthood,” his pilot for NBC and Imagine.

I was persistent (some may call it annoying) and with the help of his marvelous assistant, we’ve received the answers we’ve been waiting for. A big thanks to both Jason and Jamie. And I can’t thank you readers enough for your patience.

Those who love "Friday Night Lights" know that the level of devotion you feel for the show can become an obsession. There’s nothing quite like it on television. The show can break your heart every time out. This piece from the Canadian Press does a great job of summing up fans’ feelings.

And yet, the ratings have never taken off (go figure) and as each season approaches its finale, we fans are left wondering if there will be more. Well, recently there has been scuttlebutt on the Web about a two-season renewal in the works. That’s right, TWO seasons. Nothing has been decided thus far and I don’t know any more than you folks, but if you read Jason’s answers carefully you’ll see that he seems optimistic about the future of the show. I have complete confidence that if/when it returns it will be every bit as riveting as it’s been for the first three seasons.

Of course, not all our favorite characters will be back if the series does complete yet another Hail Mary. It is, after all, a show with high school at its core. Kids graduate; people leave small towns.

EW’s Ausiello Files hints at which cast members we could count on seeing in seasons 4 and 5.

Indeed, already this season we fans have had to say goodbye to two favorite characters. At EW’s PopWatch, Scott Porter blogged about leaving the show and Jason Street behind. And Gaius Charles talked about Smash’s exit with TV Guide.

I used the questions that were most relevant at this point in NBC’s airing of the season and Katims answered 10 for us. I'll start with the question Jason and I chose as our favorite. Congratulations Anne, your signed DVD of Season 2 is on its way.

Enjoy!

Q. If you could choose one episode/moment (excluding the pilot) that captures the very essence of the show to sell the show to a new viewer, which one would you choose, and why? — Anne
A. I’d choose Episode 304 — “Hello Goodbye.” It’s the episode that bids farewell to Smash and has such a poignancy to it. But what makes the episode recommend itself is that there are so many other things going on simultaneously. Tyra meets Cash; Landry confronts Tyra as he is recovering from dental surgery; Tami loses the Jumbotron battle. It’s meaty and smart and all the characters and stories seem to be firing on all cylinders. Gaius Charles and Jesse Plemons give two of their finest performances.

It's that annual time to reflect on what worked on TV over the past year… and what didn't. Here is my personal list.

BEST

"Mad Men"
This intricately woven tale of 1960s ad men's work and home lives captured the imagination of an obsessively loyal fanbase. It's also one of the few things Emmy got right, awarding the show its outstanding drama trophy. And creator Matthew Weiner has become one of our favorite people this year. See our Q&A here.

DirecTV's deal for "Friday Night Lights"
A shared window plan between the satellite provider and NBC bought the critical darling another season. Those lucky few who subscribe to DirecTV have had the privilege of enjoying a season that approaches the greatness of the show's epic first season.

"Big Bang Theory"
This comedy about socially awkward geniuses has emerged as a surprise hit this fall after garnering fair ratings in the strike shortened 07-08 season. Creatively the show's never been better, with the razor sharp ensemble now firing on all cylinders and auds propelling it to season high numbers week after week. See our Q&A with star Jim Parsons here.

"Desperate Housewives"
Fast forwarding the ladies' lives five years added a much needed jolt to the flagging drama. See our Q&A with creator Marc Cherry here.

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin
Priceless

"Privileged"
A sweet dramedy that's too smart for the CW's core audience. More people ought to be watching.

"Worst Week"
Consistently laugh-out-loud funny.

"Dexter"
Jimmy Smits proved a suitable friend, then foil, to our favorite sociopathic hero. See our Q&A with exec producer Clyde Phillips here.

“The Office”
Anyone who works in an office has got to appreciate this painfully accurate laffer.

“The Biggest Loser”
As reluctant as I am to include a reality show in any best of list, I have to admit, this one hits on every emotion.

"The Capture of The Green River Killer"
This Lifetime mini was an engrossing and emotional account of the 20+ years search for a serial killer with stellar performances from Tom Cavanaugh and Amy Davidson. It's too bad the broadcast nets have given up on movies and minis.

WORST

The Emmy Awards
An embarrassment to the television community. Everyone involved should be ashamed. If you've blocked out how truly awful it was, read my review from that night here.

"Do Not Disturb"
Auds mercifully checked out early from this dreadful Fox comedy.

"Grey's Anatomy"
This show has lost whatever charm it once had and now just feels desperate.

"Knight Rider"
A bad idea, executed horribly.

"Crusoe"
Unwatchable.

"ER's" final season
I've been a fan for most of this hospital drama's 15 seasons but this last gasp has been a slow painful death.

"Boston Legal"
Someone needs to explain to me how this ever attracted an audience. I've never been so happy to see a show end its run.

Those are mine. What are yours?

For more best of lists, visit TVGuide.com's list of best shows and best TV moments. TV.com weighs in here. Our pal Mo Ryan of the Chicago Tribune has her say here.

Did you see other lists that resonated with you?

— Kathy Lyford

Season Pass has never been about a roundup of TV news around the Web. We figure savvy TV lovers can peruse the Net on their own. But today we'd like to give a shoutout to our favorite TV sites — some are old friends and a few are newly discovered.

Amuse yourselves while you wait for the latest posts in our Q&A series. Coming up shortly are “Friday Night Lights” showrunner Jason Katims, who is still trying to work us into his busy schedule, and “The Big Bang Theory” star Jim Parsons, who is scheduled to sit down with me on Friday to answer your questions. Look for that post next Wednesday. For more upcoming features, have a look at the menu there on the right side of this page. And we are open to suggestions from readers as well.

Our favorite sites (in no particular order):
Cynthia Littleton’s On the Air blog: Our Variety colleague blogs about all things TV.
TV Series Finale, which remarks on the last episodes of your favorite (or not so favorite) shows. Recent posts include “The Riches,” “King of the Hill” and the MRC slate for the CW. I look forward to their take on the last ep of the venerable NBC series “ER,” which is on its its 15th and final season.
By Ken Levine, from the Emmy-winning vet sitcom scribe and baseball announcer. Hard for me not to dig someone who loves TV and baseball!
What’s Alan Watching?, by New Jersey Star-Ledger tube critic Alan Sepinwall. His “Mad Men” recaps left us feeling inadequate. We bow to his genius insights.
Television Without Pity for their snarky, in depth recaps of our favorite shows
Pop Candy, Whitney Matheson’s fun pop culture blog for USA Today
Coaxial, the TV page on fanboy fave site Ain’t It Cool News
The Watcher, our pal Mo Ryan’s TV blog on the Chicago Tribune site. Check out her funny comments on those silly CNN election night holograms. That ridiculous bit of technology reminded us of watching the NFL on Fox, where there are so many gimmicks and graphics you can scarcely see the play on the field.
Project Rungay, for a laugh-out-loud take from a couple of witty gay guys on one of our favorite reality shows and more
TV Tattle, a roundup of TV news and criticism

And there are many others. Check out our list of links on the bottom right-hand side of this page. Are there any we missed? Please clue us in.

Posted by Kathy Lyford

Update: Sorry everyone. Jason's been slammed producing the last episode of the season. He hasn't had time yet to respond to your questions. I hope to post them next week. Thanks for your patience.

"Friday Night Lights" showrunner Jason Katims has generously agreed to answer fan questions exclusively here on Season Pass. The person who asks the question Jason deems the best will win the Season 2 DVD set.

"FNL" returns to the air tonight only on DirecTV. In a Hail Mary pass from NBC to the satellite provider, our amazing show was saved to live another season. In a unique shared window setup, all 13 episodes will air on DirecTV's channel 101 starting tonight and then begin airing in February on NBC. I'm thinking NBC should have plenty of open spots on its sked by then, based on their new shows I've seen so far.

I've seen "FNL's" first episode and I can tell you it matches the quality we've all come to expect. The writers, directors and cast, especially the phenomenal Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler, are all still at the top of their games. The time lapse between the last episode of Season 2 and this first episode of Season 3 has been handled deftly. You will quickly be caught up with everyone's lives.

Here's how the Q&A works:

1) Leave a comment with your question between now and Friday, Oct. 10.
2) I will choose the 20 best questions and email them to Jason who will then answer at least 10 of them and hopefully more, depending upon his availability and the complexity of the questions.
3) Check back on this post for updates on when you can expect the answers -- I'm shooting for Wednesday, Oct. 22. Again, it depends on Jason's schedule.

Things to keep in mind:
1) Read through the comments to see what others have asked so we aren't getting the same question over and over.
2) You may ask more than one question, but I am going to spread the wealth so I will probably only choose one question per person to submit to Jason.
3) Nothing is off limits, Jason said, but giving away future plot points is always an iffy proposition. Ask wisely. Remember this is your chance to delve into the creative process of one of the finest shows on television.

Fire away. And enjoy the show tonight (if you have DirecTV).

P.S.

See the Marc Cherry/"Desperate Housewives" post here, which kicked off my Q&A series.

Future Q&As include "Ugly Betty" showrunner Silvio Horta (who has the questions in hand already); "Mad Men" showrunner Matthew Weiner, later this month; and "Lost" honchos Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse. Keep checking back with Season Pass for more. And I'm open to suggestions for shows you like to see included.

— Kathy Lyford

Saw this promo on DirecTV the other night for "Friday Night Lights" and was beside myself with excitement.

All I can say is: I. Can't. Wait.

Enjoy. This should tide you over til Oct. 1. And if you don't have DirecTV, I'd consider getting it.

— Kathy Lyford

With all the film roles the cast of "Friday Night Lights" has been booking lately, you might think the show had been canceled and the actors are scrambling for new jobs. 

But as the series prepares to move for its third season to DirecTV (which has been airing some nice and frequent promos for the show during sports broadcasts of late), the "FNL" cast has merely been using its hiatus to raise its profile on the bigscreen.

• Just announced today: Connie Britton (Tami Taylor) in the Lindsay Lohan vehicle "Labor Pains," with production set to begin Monday.
• Also from today's news: Aimee Teegarden (Julie Taylor) in "The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll," with Spike Lee executive producing.
• Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen) is poised to nab two pics: a co-starring role alongside Emmy Rossum in "Dare" (in which it's said he'll play a bad egg) and "The River Why."
• Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) will appear as Gambit in "Wolverine," set for a May 2009 release.
• Minka Kelly (Lila Garrity) is supporting Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the romance, "500 Days of Summer."
• Under the radar, Gaius Charles (Smash Williams) connected with Ally Walker and Leslie Uggams in the interracial drama "Toe to Toe."
• Adrianne Palicki (Tyla Collette) is on the callsheet with Dennis Quaid, Kate Walsh and many others on the apocalytpic thriller "Legion."
• You've already seen — or at least heard about — Scott Porter (Jason Street) this spring in "Speed Racer" and "Prom Night," but he also has the Todd Graff-directed "Rock On" coming up.

The head coach of "FNL," Kyle Chandler, is taking a breather for now after appearing in 2007's "The Kingdom," but no doubt he'll join his colleagues in finding screen time outside of Dillon, Texas. In the meantime, you can count down the days to the series' DirecTV premiere, Oct. 1.   

— Jon Weisman

Before the entire "Friday Night Lights" production moves to Austin in the dead of summer — yeah, it shouldn't be too hot that time of year over there — the cast, crew and execs gathered at a watering hole in Santa Monica last night to celebrate the third season pickup.

It almost wasn't meant to be, but DirecTV decided "FNL" could be a watershed moment for its entertainment division and decided to pay for part of the production tab for the show, somewhere around 40%, with NBC picking up the rest. For its commitment, the satellite provider will have the exclusive window for 13 episodes that are scheduled to begin Oct. 1.

Then in midseason 2009 (probably February or March), NBC will start airing those same episode for folks who don't have access to DirecTV. Hopefully, diehard viewers who will have to wait and see the episodes on NBC will be able to keep themselves in a media blackout from reviews, blogs, plot developments, etc.

Cast members attending the bash Thursday were Aimee Teegarden, who just bought her first car and, much more impressive by our standards, threw out the first ball at the Dodgers-Mets game Wednesday afternoon; Kyle Chandler, who just might be the nicest and most down-to-earth leading man on TV; and Minka Kelly and Connie Britton, who both mingled among the masses.

Showrunner Jason Katims said season three would focus more on on-the-field action than in season two, and that issues will be raised about all the seniors on this year's team. Katims reiterated that senior year can be great fun for those about to graduate, but the Dillon High School gang will face situations that will, once again, test their mettle against trying scenarios.

Also there to relish all things "FNL" were in-house director Jeff Reiner, exec producer David Nevins and creator Peter Berg, who directed the Billy Bob Thornton movie.

— Stuart Levine

NBC’s shared deal with DirecTV on "FNL” may look like a busted play — at least for fans who don’t already subscribe to the sat service and aren’t likely to switch just to see the show in October instead of February.

But the arrangement instantly puts the Dillon Panthers into a shiny new stadium at DirecTV, one with plenty of cheerleaders and visible support.

On Wednesday, as NBC was unwrapping its sked for the media, DirecTV was already talking up "FNL" as a star in its arena. A promo box on DirecTV.com touts the exclusive run and links to a splash page trumpeting the Emmy-winning show's third season. Talk about an instant homefield advantage. The series never seemed to get much love on NBC.com.

The show is likely to be a showcase player for DirecTV's entertainment channel, The 101. The satco could easily pepper its Sunday Ticket package of NFL games with "FNL" promos. And, free of broadcast TV constraints, producer Jason Katims and his writers could even experiment with more frank language and added scenes that could be cut from the NBC run -- a further bit of exclusivity that could help draw more male fans.

By contrast, the Peacock’s efforts on behalf of the show sometimes felt like those of a weary parent trying to muster enthusiasm for their brainiac kid’s science project while his more popular siblings vie for homecoming queen and student president.

Apart from a savvy love-it-or-it's-free promo for the first-season DVD set, NBC rarely seemed to exhibit a vision for how to broaden “FNL’s” appeal. From timeslot shifts to endless pop-up bugs touting every reality show or quizzer on the Peacock’s sked during “FNL’s” emotional moments, it’s felt like NBC just doesn’t understand the show or its audience.

But with some savvy nurturing from DirecTV, “Friday Night Lights" could easily move from second string to star player.

— Brian Cochrane

By far the most thrilling thing to come out of the big NBC scheduling announcement Wednesday was the news that our beloved “Friday Night Lights” will return with 13 new episodes next season. Wow. Clear eyes, full hearts, we really did win! NBC has engineered a unique deal with DirecTV wherein the sat provider will air the episodes first in the fall, with NBC airing them beginning in February. More to come on this later on Season Pass.

The other news was not so exciting. “ER” is back for another year, limping to its long overdue conclusion at the end of next season. Listen, I’m the biggest “ER” fan out there; I’ve never missed an episode. But this show is really a shell of its former greatness and should have been put out to pasture at least a year ago. I will still be there for every episode but it will continue to be a chore and no longer a joy, as it was for about 12 seasons. What? I’m going to stop now after 14 years?

“The Office” spinoff was met with mixed reaction here at Season Pass. It could be great, it could feel like a ripoff. And, God forbid, it could dilute the mojo of the original. It remains to be seen. More on "The Office" at Cynthia Littleton's On The Air blog.

As for the new offerings… you tell us. I will, of course give each of these shows a fair shot by viewing the pilot before forming an opinion. But at first glance, there’s nothing on the list that follows that engenders the least bit of anticipation for me. I don't see a lot of new Season Passes for my Tivo coming out of this bunch.

Opinions?

— Kathy Lyford

The Save Friday Night Lights movement has taken a philanthopic turn, with more than $2,000 in raised funds already donated to such charities as the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis and the U.S. Quad Rugby Association. The grass-roots organization has also sent DVDs of "Friday Night Lights" to troops stationed overseas.

Now, Save FNL has turned to helping out the family of David Edwards (right), who passed away last week, four years after suffering a paralyzing injury that "FNL" creator Peter Berg used as the template for the show's Jason Street character. Save FNL is aiming to help defray Edwards' medical expenses. 

Approximately 2,500 people, including Berg, attended Edwards' funeral Sunday. Video of Edwards can be found at KSAT.com.

In its most recent update, Save FNL said it has raised nearly $20,000 overall. Much of that amount, to be sure, has gone toward advocating for the return of the two-year-old show, through such means as sending mini-footballs to NBC honchos Ben Silverman and Jeff Zucker. (Inscribed on the footballs: "Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose This Show.") The movement's spokesperson added that Save FNL has also sent DVD compilations to CEOs and presidents at several networks that Josef Adalian of Variety reported could offer an alternate home for the series.

"FNL" lost some of its luster when the Landry-Tyra storyline at the start of the show's second season disappointed a swath of critics and fans, but the series remained one of the best on television. In the wake of Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) being cast in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," some also wonder whether "FNL" can keep its appealing cast together long enough to get that third campaign.

Nevertheless, the show's quality (from its acting and writing to its top-notch but thrifty production values) and its passionate following bolster the case for keeping the show alive, even if cable is to be its ultimate home.

— Jon Weisman

There's little point in speculating today how much more "Friday Night Lights" we'll see. Just too many unknowns right now (though certainly, it's not too soon for viewers to mobilize in support of the show at "Save Friday Night Lights.")

Essentially, "FNL" fans are like the fans of the Dillon Panthers.  With the regular season ticking away, we're wondering if the show is going to make the playoffs.

But thanks to the show's efficient crew, we did get a good long look at the 2007-08 "FNL" team.  Here's a scouting report for the team on (hopefully) the eve of the postseason.

ROLE PLAYERS
You see a play called for them every so often, but they've been deemphasized from the game plan.

Jason Street: Perhaps it was a result of the ticking clock that always hovers over "FNL," but the notion born in last season's finale — that Street had just the right makeup to become a shed-no-tears paraplegic football coach — was tossed aside with seemingly little regret. It's not that one can't understand the impatience or alienation that led Jason away, but was landing him as a car salesman really more satisfying, for the character or for the viewer? Though capable of great moments (such as last week's pregancy story with his one-night stand: "If it happened and it's true and it's mine, it's a miracle."), Street became an ancillary player. On a show that has more roles than it can handle in a given week, "FNL" might have lost something when it sent Jason into the figurative wilderness.

Lyla Garrity: You could be forgiven for wondering whether Lyla still went to school, or whether she simply spent her days praying and hiding from Tim Riggins. The intentions of "FNL" were unassailable in having Lyla explore her faith, but the show simply ran out of time to do so in as meaningful way as it surely would have liked to. Though "FNL" did scratch the surface of a young person trying to live a religious life in a secular world, and last week's episode set up a nice conflict between her faith and her hormones, in the end she, like Jason, had to take a backseat to most of the other characters.

SPECIAL TEAMS
When you need an extra point or two, they're automatic.

Buddy Garrity: Buddy is still Buddy — kind of the Michael Scott of Dillon with his tendencies toward misplaced priorities and saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, but also with his surprisingly good intentions. Buddy adds a lot of life to the show in his short bursts of screen time, and "FNL" wouldn't be the same without him.  If "FNL" found Buddy a woman on par with him, that would be a riot to watch.

Corinna Williams: My colleague Kathy Lyford has been extolling the performance of Liz Mikel all season, and I agree that she deserves a special shout-out. Corinna was critical because we needed to take seriously that her son Smash didn't operate in a football-only vaccum. Corinna transcended the cliche that she might have been. She didn't have all the answers, but she provided backbone in a world that, when you think about it, lacked any outside of Eric and Tami.

STRONG IN RESERVE
This player's learning curve would pay off in future seasons.

Julie Taylor: Quietly, after a rather noisy start to the season, Julie seemed to mature this year in a way that was gratifying. She's still a young girl who can be overly demanding of her mother's attention, but one gets the sense that she was really learning from her misinfatuations with the Swede, Noah and Riggins. Both she and Matt Saracen have been through some rough times without each other this year, and I wouldn't have any problem seeing them reunite in the theoretical future and really get serious. Keep in mind that for all the romantic comings and goings, "FNL" hasn't yet had a sustained teenage relationship that lasted a season. A Matt-Julie combo would be a nice complement to Eric and Tami. Julie's a fine, developing player on this team.

OVEREXPOSED
Sometimes, there can be too much of a good thing.

Tim Riggins: When in doubt, give the ball to Riggins. That seemed to be the "FNL" mantra this year. His Odyssean search for a place to crash, his endless pursuits of Lyla and his woebegone status on the football team all provided him with all the screen time he could handle.  Was there any better example of this than his inexplicable appearance as a courtside helper with Tami's girls volleyball team? In my mind, some other "FNL" players suffered because of the overemphasis on Riggins, though it's not as if he couldn't get the job done. His performance as a first-time sportstalk host last week provided one of the funniest moments of the season.

1,000-YARD RUSHER
Just give him the ball and watch him run.

Brian "Smash" Williams: Unlike his character, who was suspended at season's end, Smash had his biggest moments as "FNL" went down to the wire. His anguish over his future and his attempts to make sense of how God closed a door but opened a window were completely convincing, and they helped the show overcome the contrived conflict that cost Smash his scholarship. (Was there not one enterprising reporter in football-mad Texas who could expose the lie when Smash's provocateur said that he and his friends were attacked "just because we were white"? Guess we may never know.)

LOST IN THE OFFENSE?
These would-be-MVPs have worlds of talent, but they aren't always getting the right play called.

Matt Saracen: Matt might have had the single best "FNL" moment of the year with his "What's wrong with me" lament from inside the shower, but all in all, it was a bit of a lost year for QB 1.  His relationship with Carlotta was pretty but never got to fully develop. Little of interest happened on the field. He lost touch with Landry throughout the latter's troubles with the law. Matt's the greatest, but he probably deserved a little better.

Landry Clark and Tyra Collette: What's truly depressing about the Landry-Tyra saga is that, just as I feared, history is being rewritten on some websites to suggest that it was the killing of Tyra's stalker that brought Landry and Tyra together. Some people have already forgotten that the bond between Landry and Tyra was being formed before Tyra's stalker even materialized — that it was Landry's rescue of Tyra at the end of the first season that crystalized them as a couple and made the show's most-criticized storyline this year unnecessary. Landry and Tyra worked because Landry's love of Tyra yielded an insight into her character that in turn gave life to her self-esteem and made her see that beauty was anything but skin-deep. That's a lot of brilliant material right there, and it was all in the works before Landry ever hit anyone over the head with a pipe. Still, I eagerly anticipated every moment that either of them were onscreen. They're just wonderful to watch. (And by the way, I loved Landry's jilted Jean (Brea Grant).)

MVPs
You cannot stop them; you can only hope not to contain them.

Tami Taylor: It's hard to believe that when the TV version of "FNL" was being developed, Connie Britton was going to pass out of fear she wouldn't have an important enough role. Tami became as essential to this show as anyone outside of Eric and is a role model for any television writer trying to create a female character. Perhaps my only frustration with Tami this season her recurring tendency to be judgmental. In Friday's episode, for example, she walked out in an indignant huff when Eric gets in the fight with her ex-boyfriend Mo (Peter Berg), neglecting the fact that she kindled the fire by being so warm to Mo and so oblivious to how that would make Eric feel. But there's no denying it: Tami could be the MVP of the show.

Eric Taylor: It's Eric's world; the rest of us just visit. Nothing against Chris Mulkey, who played Eric's draconian replacement in the season's opening episodes, but can you imagine "FNL" without Eric's presence?  He's the man, and no one outshines him.

— Jon Weisman

Man. I think I'm speechless. 

Tonight's scenes with Smash and Saracen, one on top of the other on top of the other on top of the other, were just beyond exceptional.

Both storylines brought the entire history of the series, the entire weight of the pressure both these two kids have been feeling for 30-odd episodes, to an emotional intensity that was just a privilege to be a part of.

For me, this was the Super Bowl.

– Jon Weisman

Even if the second season hasn't quite lived up to the first, it really has been a gift in this strike-plagued season to have had this many episodes of "Friday Night Lights" — and still a few more to come.

Rather than spend this post rehashing the most recent episode, I thought I'd do a spot-check on how things are going for the myriad "Lights" characters.

Eric (Kyle Chandler): All in all, Eric has found a nice equilibrium since returning from his short-circuited assistant coaching venture at TMU. The past two episodes all but brought peace to his and Tami's household, with sister-in-law Shelley ankling the household, toddler Gracie finally settling in at daycare and daughter Julie in one of her calmer phases. This could mean that Eric's football world is ready for some drama. As promised by showrunner Jason Katims last summer, the games have gotten less attention on "FNL" this season. That, in a sense, has given Eric some cover — but for how long? After all, the defending state champion Dillon Panthers have lost at least two games, maybe three, if I'm counting correctly. The team hasn't been playing solid football, and the community wouldn't figure to be tolerant of that forever.

Which is the greatest sports television series of all time: "Friday Night Lights" or "The White Shadow"? As much as I adore "Lights," I still lean toward "Shadow."

A small but significant part of my fascination with that show is the directorial talent that came out of the Carver High gym. Eric Laneuville and Tim Van Patten each picked up Directors Guild nominations today, bringing to 12 the number of DGA noms received by former performers on the series.

Thomas Carter (Hayward): one nom, one win

Kevin Hooks (Thorpe): three noms

Van Patten (Salami): four noms, one win

Laneuville (Gordy - guest role): four noms, two wins

The group has also combined for 15 Emmy directing nominations and three Emmy wins.

But back to my original question: What's the greatest sports series of all time? Any other Shadowers?

— Jon Weisman

Not again.

So Austin Nichols segues from "John from Cincinnati" to "Friday Night Lights," playing a teacher that is either well-meaning and stimulating or someone who is well-meaning but stimulated —  by exactly the last student he should dare to get stimulated by, Eric and Tami's daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden). 

"FNL,"certainly, isn't shy about taking on melodrama and seeking out the high road within, but the show's real strength is exploring the nuances of normal relationships, such as Eric and Tami's marriage. How nice would it be if "FNL" devoted this new storyline to Julie finding herself as a person through a good and upstanding teacher — yes, they do exist —  and a nascent interest in crusading journalism, rather than through another ill-fated infatuation that you can find anywhere else on TV.

It's fine that Julie has a crush. It's even fine that Nichols' Noah has a crush (whether or not he realizes it). But maybe this time someone could hold back on their impulses. Maybe this crush doesn't have to wipe away everything else. You can be hopelessly infatuated with the opposite sex and still have a life.  Can't you?

— Jon Weisman

I didn't grow up in a small town, but I suspect that the fictional Dillon, Texas, embodies much of what it's like to live in a small town -- both good and bad. And it's fitting that Friday's episode was titled "How Did I Get Here," since the series looked like it might have veered off the road a bit from its season-one perfection.

That's mostly due to the out-of-left-field turn that had Tyra and Landry whacking her stalker (yikes) then dumping the body (huh?) and Landry lying to his father, a local sheriff (double yikes) -- elements that felt more like, well, regular TV than the dead-on realistic characterizations that have defined the show.

Yes, the Tyra-Landry-Dad plotline continues to take some befuddling turns (Sheriff Dad is now helping his son cover up evidence? I hope that's not common in any jursidiction, regardless of the heartfelt motivation.), but credit Jesse Plemmons (pictured at right) and Glenn Morshower for bringing nothing but real emotion and richness to a relationship that in most TV shows would be rendered as sullen son vs. authoritarian father.

Apart from that ongoing plot uncertainty, however, the rest of the episode was absolutely pitch-perfect, with all the major characters questioning their past choices and where that leaves them on the Dillon map.

Jason, Lyla and Riggins driving back home after their Mexico trip, still friends despite the gaps in goals and beliefs that divide them, is everything you hope smalltown bonds might be. On the flip side, Jason's uneasy reacclimation to a place that still views him alternately through his past glory and his current wheelchair-bound state touches on the yearning that anyone from a small town must at some point feel to define themselves beyond the boundaries in which they live.

Better still for the "FNL" world view, the introduction of two new characters -- Tami's sister Shelly and girls' soccer coach Bobbie -- brought a sharp and funny dose of outside perspective to the paths chosen by the coach and his wife.

The utterly single Shelly is an instant reminder of all the things Tami's given up in her current life, including even the simple option of stepping out to see a Dixie Chicks concert. Bobbie's in-your-face introduction to Coach Taylor (in his new role as Dillon H.S. athletic director) was a great bit of humbling perspective on the consequences of his choice to leave Dillon and then hastily return ... at half of his former pay.

This is a show that lives and breathes in the small moments between its characters. On most shows, it'd be tempting to overwrite the dialogue to hammer home themes and story points. Fortunately, "FNL's" producers and writerrs continue to put complete faith in the show's stellar ensemble to find their own beats.

This episode finds the show firmly back on course, and the final scene -- with Jason, Matt, Riggins, Smash and new prospect Santiago working out their conflicts and future relationships on the field while Coach Taylor lobs in a few words of wisdom and a jumbo jet takes off in the distance) -- was as good as TV gets.

-- Brian Cochrane

Still love the show.  Still love Landry and Tyra.

But deep into the hide-the-homicide plot of "Friday Night Lights," I'm still bumming.

It's not that showrunner Jason Katims and his crew, once they forced Landry and Tyra into crisis mode with his killing of her stalker/rapist, have done a poor job with the story. The first time Landry's cop father confronted Tyra about her interest in Landry was among the best scenes the show has had in its sophomore year. But not even the finest moments have kept me from mourning the loss of the real relationship the two high-schoolers had been building.

What's most frustrating for me is the way "Lights" is erasing the memory of Tyra's initial attraction to Landry, which was borne out of an unlikely yet sincere connection between the two — a priceless reminder that looks and status needn't be the determining factors when it comes to having the hots for someone. Frankly, I'm a little insulted by the possibility that we weren't supposed to believe that what they had was solid.

Instead, the Landry and Tyra story will always be about how they overcame (or didn't) this tragedy.  It's quite a tale, but it's not a tale to cherish, the way the rest of "Friday Night Lights" so typically and so amazingly is.

— Jon Weisman

"Women's Murder Club" lured most of its members back in the ABC drama's second outing Friday, while Fox's "The Next Great American Band" played to less than a capacity crowd in its two-hour debut.

ABC's femme gumshoe ensembler (pictured left) averaged 9.7 million viewers and 2.0 rating/6 share in the adults 18-49 demo, per prelim Nielsens. That was down about 1 million viewers and one-half of a demo point from "Murder's" strong (by Friday night standards) preem last week. Perhaps the most important sign of life for "Murder" was that it once again jumped noticeably from its 8 p.m. "20/20" (6.8 million, 1.7/6) lead-in.

"Murder" tied with CBS' 10 p.m. anchor "Numbers" (9.7 million, 2.7/9) for bragging rights as the night's most watched program, though CBS' egghead hour won by a wide margin in the demo. And CBS' frosh 9 p.m. drama "Moonlight" (7.8 million, 2.1/7) topped "Murder" by a razor-thin margin in adults 18-49 for the hour.

Fox's "The Next Great American Band" didn't throw off too many sparks, finishing out its 8-10 p.m. opener with an average of 3.6 million viewers and 1.5/5 in adults 18-49.

Inexplicably, the single-best drama on TV (IMHO, until "Lost" comes back and then it's probably a tie), NBC's "Friday Night Lights" (5.5 million, 1.9/6), continues to pull only modest numbers. But thankfully, on a night when the ratings bar is set pretty low, show's demos are respectable enough, and reviews glowing enough, to keep hope alive.

So far this season, Brad Leland (pictured right), who plays "FNL's" garrulous car dealership owner and self-appointed No. 1 high school football booster Buddy Garrity, is shining particularly bright amid the stellar constellation of thesps on this show as his character is enduring all kinds of emotional torment and mid-life crises. Can't wait for next week's installment.

--Cynthia Littleton

"Women's Murder Club" drew a crowd for ABC in its Friday premiere. Gumshoe drama starring Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome, Laura Harris and Aubrey Dollar (pictured left) opened to a strong (by Friday night standards) 10.8 million viewers and 2.5 rating/8 share in the adults 18-49 demo in the 9 p.m. hour, per prelim Nielsens.

"Murder Club" didn't get much help from its 8 p.m. lead-in, newsmag "20/20" (5.6 million, 1.6/6) and it appeared to out-perform Fox's coverage of the American League Championship series (reliable national ratings figs for the live sports telecast won't be available until Monday.) It also picked up about 350,000 viewers at the half-hour mark.

CBS' vampire-detective skein "Moonlight" (7.3 million, 2.0/6) felt the competition from ABC's lady sleuths as it dropped by nearly 2 million viewers in its third outing. The debut of "Murder Club" and the baseball post-season action also put a dent in the turnout for NBC's "Friday Night Lights" (5.4 million, 1.7/5) which dropped from last week's solid sophomore season preem. ("FNL's" Zach Gilford pictured right)

The momentum from "Murder Club" didn't help ABC's sophomore drama "Men in Trees" (7.05 million, 1.9/6), which slipped to third place at 10 p.m. behind CBS' "Numbers" (9.1 million, 2.5/8) and NBC's "Las Vegas" (7.13 million, 2.1/6).

--Cynthia Littleton

One of the many great moments from this week's second season premiere of "30 Rock" came when Kenneth the page started humming the theme to "Seinfeld"-- while in an elevator with Jerry Seinfeld. Every facial muscle dripping with exasperation, Seinfeld offered a one-word response to Kenneth's well-intentioned homage: "Really?"

That's the same reaction I had Saturday morning when I called the ratings hotlines at a couple of the nets in order to find out how the first new episode of "Friday Night Lights" performed. It's make-or-break time for what's quite possibly TV's best show, and I wanted to know if viewers found the show on its new night.

"Due to Nielsen processing issues," the voice on Fox's hotline began....and that's all I had to hear. I've called the hotlines enough times to know that when the voice on the other end mentions "processing issues," Nielsen's screwed up-- again. Sometimes the delays are just a few hours, but often times, it can be a full day before the ratings monopoly gets its act together and issues a report.

I understand a delay when there's a big snowstorm back east or a hurricane in the south. I can even forgive Nielsen for taking an extra day during the holidays.

But lately, Nielsen seems to have "processing issues" at least a couple times a month. And it always seems to occur when there's some big series premiere or special event for which everyone's dying to hear the ratings. There's been at least one other delay since the season started two weeks ago.

For the networks who shell out millions to Nielsen every year in order to obtain quick, accurate results, it has to be maddening that the company seems to be finding it more and more difficult to make so-called "fast national" ratings live up to their name. And for producers like those on "Friday Night Lights," it must be torture waiting an extra day to see just how steep their uphill battle will be this season.

Unfortunately, Nielsen seems to be getting no better at reducing its processing issues. And the extra day the biz had to wait for the Oct. 5 ratings isn't even Nielsen's biggest bumbling act of the season.

What really has execs pulling their hair out is the fact that it's going to take Nielsen a full three weeks to hand out final DVR data (so-called "live plus seven" ratings). That's right: In an era in which box office watchers can figure out how a movie will do after just a few east coast screenings, the TV biz has to wait nearly a month to find out exactly how well its shows are performing.

Really?

UPDATE: While the nets didn't update their ratings hotlines, looks like Nielsen finally issued numbers Saturday night. The good news: "Friday Night Lights" actually won its timeslot, tying with CBS's "Moonlight." The bad news: Both shows posted a very modest 2.2/7 among adults 18-49, a sign broadcasters will continue to struggle to draw auds on Friday nights.

--Josef Adalian

The premiere most of us here at Season Pass have been salivating for since April is finally here: The return of the vaunted “Friday Night Lights.” We’ve all seen episode one and most of us have also viewed episodes two and three and are dying to dish about it. (Note: spoilers after the jump.)

Kathy: To loyal viewers, the premiere will feel familiar initially, will break their hearts just a little in the middle and then may shock them with its ending. But I urge everyone, especially new viewers, to give the show three episodes before passing judgment. Trust in the writers to continue to deliver the goods. I’ll admit the twist felt wrong and untrue to the characters involved, but it would take a lot more than this misstep — if you want to call it that — to sway me from the belief that this remains television’s best drama, by miles. By episode three everything was back on track for me and I can’t wait for the rest of the season — God, viewership and network executives willing.

Stu: Don’t forget that some of the show’s best storylines have developed after life-changing incidents, specifically Jason Street’s paralysis in the pilot. I’m OK with big plot developments, knowing that they come from a group (Katims and his writing team) who wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the integrity of the show.