'Friday Night Lights': Two Players Out of the Game

What a shame. "Friday Night Lights" is still coming back for a third season, but, according to Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly, without the steady presence of two important actors. Scott Porter will bring back Jason Street and Gaius Charles will bring back Smash Williams, but only on a recurring basis, for a limited number of episodes. Ausiello mentions "both budgetary and creative reasons."

Yes, the show was straining a little to keep Jason in the story. And Smash was clearly on his way out of town. Still, these two performers have been an important part of the show's backbone since the beginning, and I hate to see them go. Porter and Charles have created really powerful teen characters, and each of them could easily lead his own series. All of Porter's scenes were packed with restrained emotion, and Charles was especially memorable in those moments with Liz Mikel as his mother.

I do think the writers might have found a natural way to keep Jason involved in the world of Dillon, and maybe Smash too. But, well, then there are those budgetary reasons. Ah well. Sigh.