Friday Night Lights: I’m sorry for not watching

Dear Friday Night Lights,

I just learned via TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello that you are are perilously on the bubble after your season finale pulled in a low rating. And your fans are being urged to tell friends, family, co-workers, strangers, and alien life forms to watch the show to try to eke out another season from NBC, since head honcho Ben Silverman is being such an ass about bringing you back.

I’m probably one of those people you really want to watch. I’ve heard what a stellar series you are, and I know I would love you. After all, I loved My So-Called Life (which I wrote about here) and Freaks and Geeks–shows that were your predecessors in artfully depicting something painful, beautiful and real about teenagers and parents, families and friendship.

And yet I’ve never seen a single one of your episodes.

Why? Because I’m addicted to good TV. I just don’t watch a show and call it a night. I have to read all the recaps, criticism and interviews too. And I’ve already invested too much time into Lost and The Office and How I Met Your Mother and (until recently) Grey’s Anatomy and and lots of other shows it would be boring to list here. And I knew you’d be so entertaining and excellent that I would end up a spending a good chunk of time on you too. (After all, like the title of this blog says, I’m on a pop culture diet.)

By the way, you weren’t the only one I avoided. I made a concerted decision to not watch Heroes, despite all the buzz it generated before it premiered. And I’ve never regretted not watching that show (I’ve heard the dialogue and plot can be clunky, and a few of the actors are not so good at, um, acting).

But you’re a different story. It seems like you deserved high Nielsen ratings and awards show accolades. And now that you’re inching towards the “Brilliant Yet Canceled” TV graveyard, I feel somehow responsible.

Which brings me to this: I’ve decided to reconsider and make time for you via DVD. I know it might be too little, too late. But it’s the least I can do.

So good luck! I hope you get a third season, Emmy nominations and a better lead-in than 1 Vs. 100.

With affection and apologies,

PCD