Little House on the Prairie v. Friday Night Lights

In seventh grade, once a month we got what was called the "Weekly Reader." In it, among other things, were script portions from upcoming movies and TV shows.

I remember reading a portion of "Little House on the Prairie." This was just before the show made its way to TV. I also remember my seventh grade teacher bashing the show once it aired, saying that people in that time period were not as clean as the show depicted.

I will never forget the night the show was fist shown on television. My dad, a Michael Landon fan, made us watch it. I can remember not wanting to watch it, despite having done a read-along play of it in school. But after watching it, we -- my family -- was hooked.

Every episode was better than the last. And in every episode, as much as I tried to pretend it wasn't happening, I cried. Especially whenever Micheal Landon cried.

It was then, too, that my mother told me if I was going to be a writer, that I needed to be like Michael Landon, and write books that were wholesome, and impacting.

Recently, a dear friend of mine turned me on to a newer TV series. Friday Night Lights. I'd seen the movie. It was all right. Nothing great. Not like "Remember the Titans," or "The Express."

The series, however, contained more.

I registered with hulu.com and started watching Friday Night Lights from the beginning. Season one, episode one.

I am now just about done watching season one. And all I can say is ... Wow.

Not since Little House on the Prairie, have I ever been so emotionally impacted watching TV.

Yes. I love LOST and 24, but Friday Night Lights is ... well, intense.

I am not afraid to admit that every episode, yes, every episode, has brought me to tears.

Does that make me a Sap. It might. It does.

But the passion and intensity of the show is inspiring and impacting. Yes. Impacting.

Many of you may already be fans of the show. Many of you may not.

I love football.

The show is about a Texas high school football team.

Football is a major part of the story, but only as a vehicle. It moves the plot.

I just wanted to take a moment in my blog and compliment the writers of this show for creating a cast of characters, and host of real situations, and putting it all together in a way that ... well, in a way that, as a writer, I can only dream of one day doing ...

Okay. That's my blog.

Thomas