'Friday Night Lights' Is Back, Kinda

The third season of "Friday Night Lights" begins Wednesday, but PSYCH -- only if you have DirecTV. The rest of us heathens (and legally minded types) will have to wait until next February, when NBC will do the honors.

I did see a preview disc of the premiere, and it’s mostly good ol’ “FNL.” Last season, the writers strayed from their vision of everyday heroism to give us a misbegotten murder plot. But they seem to be getting back to what matters: character, the forces of despair, and the need for hope. The show is at its best when it captures the smallest challenges in people's lives, with the camerawork accentuating the realism. And the new season promises to focus in, looking at Riggins's effort to be more than a local screwup, Eric Taylor's hunger for a new star now that Smash and Jason aren't in the game, and Tyra's newfound need to find more independence and satisfaction and not be like her mother.

This season, by the way, Tami Taylor is the school principal. Talk about the fast track...

Are you going to watch "FNL" on DirecTV? Or on NBC? Or maybe some other way?