My wife and I are hooked on Friday Night Lights….we watch at least one episode a night on Net Flix streaming. What hooked us? The characters and the realistic, compelling way they are drawn by the writers. This is a show which has “nailed” life the way it really is; with all of its complexity. You can tell in large brushes who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are, but upon further review it is not that clear. Just like life. Take Buddy Garrity for example….one of the “bad guys.” He is an off putting, obnoxious, car salesman (need I say more) whose whole life is focused on the local high school football team and who is a pest to any coach who comes to town. Worse, he is adulterer who loses his wife and family because he has an affair with his secretary. But wait….Buddy can be disarmingly warm and tender at times, particularly with his oldest daughter, Lyla. One feels sympathy for him when he loses his family because of his adultery. And in one episode he counsels the “good guy” (Panther coach Eric Taylor) to return to the town from his college job in Austin (4 hours away) because his wife and daughter are struggling with in his absence. Yes, Buddy has his own selfish agenda for offering this counsel (he detests the current coach), but there is still the glimmer of concern and friendship toward Eric which shines through.
Oh, and Eric….he’s the “good guy” who is devoted to his wife (no adultery or even a sideways glance at another woman), who teaches his high school players to live with character and integrity. A truly devoted family man (i.e. he is not Buddy Garrity). But wait….not so fast…Eric leaves town to take a dreamed for college job. While he is away his wife gives birth and begins to struggle emotionally, even having a breakdown in his presence. Eric doesn’t return. His daughter’s behavior spirals downward and she tells Eric how much she misses him, that she feels abandoned. He doesn’t return. No, he doesn’t return until aforementioned “bad guy” Buddy Garrity lures him back to the town by promising to “can” the current coach so Eric can get his old job back and return to his family. Nice. After the dirty deed is done and Eric is returning to the locker room to talk to the players he glances up at a sign on the wall of the room. It says, “Character is what you do when no one is looking.” Ouch!
So what do we have? Flawed characters all the way around. Generally “good people” who screw up at times and generally “bad people” who do good at times. Sounds like sinners in need of redemption. Sounds like you and me. Sounds like the kind of people Jesus came for. That’s why I like Friday Night Lights!
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