Updated: July 23, 2020
Originally Published: Aug. 9, 2015
‘Friday Night Lights’ made its debut in the fall of 2006—just a month before my second little one arrived. I can’t say I missed the show because I was too busy raising my kids. Nope, I just chose to dive into other popular TV gems of the time, like ‘Lost,’ ‘Brothers & Sisters,’ ‘Ugly Betty,’ and even the not-so-cool ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’ (I swear I was not the only one watching that!).
Back then, I thought a show centered around football wouldn’t be my cup of tea. But after an entire month of binge-watching all five seasons, it turns out I was wrong. The praise surrounding ‘Friday Night Lights’ is well-deserved—it’s the best series from the latter half of the 2000s. Sure, there’s a fair share of football, but at its heart, it’s all about friendship, love, community, and resilience.
Now, I could feel guilty about spending so many delightful summer hours watching Coach Eric Taylor and his sometimes-counselor, sometimes-principal wife, Tami Taylor, navigate the ups and downs of life with their fictional teens. But guess what? I don’t feel bad at all! I actually managed to cross off a bunch of to-dos while the show played in the background (and occasionally in the foreground).
Here’s what I accomplished during my month-long ‘FNL’ marathon:
- I successfully packed my older kids for sleepaway camp.
- I tackled their closets, clearing out clothes that were too small and stashing them away for the little ones.
- I discovered that I could actually sit through a football game if I cared about the players—and I learned a surprising amount about the sport!
- I transcribed a ton of essay ideas from my purse notebook into a neat document on my computer, organizing them by category.
- I realized that watching videos on my phone without Wi-Fi devours my data plan faster than you can say “clear eyes, full hearts.”
- I compiled all the quotes I’d highlighted in books over the past year into one handy document on my laptop.
- Honestly? Before Connie Britton’s character, I thought all TV hair was just okay—she redefined the game!
- I sorted through my phone and computer photos, deleting the bad ones and uploading the keepers to Shutterfly. (This took me an entire season, no kidding!)
- I revamped my Twitter account, which also consumed almost an entire season’s worth of time.
- I brainstormed a nonfiction book idea and jotted down potential chapter titles.
- I truly felt the essence of “Texas Forever,” channeling a spirit of a Texan despite being a Midwestern gal at heart.
- And of course, I learned that clear eyes and full hearts can’t lose—no matter what!
So, what’s the takeaway? Anyone can justify binge-watching a series if you can still tick off your to-do list!
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Summary:
This summer, I embraced a binge-watching session of ‘Friday Night Lights’ while simultaneously accomplishing a whole slew of tasks, from packing for camp to organizing my life. It’s amazing what you can achieve while glued to the screen with the inspiring tales of Coach and Tami Taylor!