By Philip Friedman | April 6th, 2012
As with any type of artistic medium, it can often be tough to follow up a brilliant initial breakthrough. Thankfully, Friday Night Lights creator and writer Peter Berg was up to the task of writing a well-written drama intertwined with solid music. The second season of NBC’s critically acclaimed football drama does not disappoint.
The show continues in high gear, as the town of Dillon, Texas revs up for another season of Panther football. While Friday Night Lights is mostly a show following sports in small-town West Texas, football often takes a backseat to characters that are dealing with some real issues. In Season 2, Matt, Tim, and Coach Taylor (among others) learn the real values of family beyond the glory of the football field. No surprises there.
Musically, Friday Night Lights continues with its Texas-driven theme, using powerful ambient rock from the likes of Explosions on the Sky to set the tone. The characters in the show seem to mimic the music, wandering aimlessly before eventually building up momentum. Austin’s …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead also contribute to the Texas indie rock vibe that really helped the first season of the show stand out.
Oldies but goodies from bands like Wilco and Brian Jonestown Massacre were also featured during the second season, giving a little flavor of alt. country with a dash of shoegaze. Moreover, a track from Broken Social Scene member Kevin Drew’s solo album proves that the show’s music director knew what was going on in current indie music circles.
All in all, Friday Night Lights continues to juggle quality TV and quality music, giving the viewer a true audio/ visual experience that must be tackled during a weekend-long marathon of watching episodes 1-15 of Season 2. So cue up your Netflix account, and prepare to be moved.
Also, be sure to check out some highlights from Friday Night Lights Season 1 here.