We all complain all the time that good TV is dying. Every season another handful of enjoyable shows bites the dust because they can’t find an audience. Critical favourites are put in the intensive care unit after one episode and are lucky to make it through season 1.

3 years ago, one of the best shows ever came on the air. When Friday Night Lights premiered there was immediate talk of its demise. But NBC picked it up, gave the critical darling one more (strike interrupted) season. That one extra season pickup was more than any FNL fan could have hoped for.
But then NBC, once again, proved to be more than a heartless network with no dedication to quality, they struck a deal with Direct TV to split the cost of producing Friday Night Lights for season 3.

3 seasons. That’s an absurd total for such a small audience show, right?

Try 5.

Yes, 5 seasons.

Direct TV and NBC confirmed this week that they have agreed to giving the beloved show another 2 seasons of 13 episodes each.

Those seasons are sure to see major cast turnover as the final original Panthers graduate and the new generation moves in (hello JD McCoy!). But, at the centre of it all, the pickup guarantees us at least 2 more years of Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler.