Just last week, I proclaimed my renewed loyalty to “Friday Night Lights” as it righted some of its obvious wrongs from earlier in the season. I still stand by that decision, but last Friday’s episode frustrated me because it highlighted another “FNL” weakness this season: The Christian characters on the show are really boring.
Now I know Beliefnet editor Michael Kress cited Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami as two of the top Christian characters on TV, but their religious convictions are more implied than overtly stated. No, my beef is with what “FNL” has done lately with former sexpot cheerleader turned goody-two-shoes Lyla’s conversion, and the meek and mild Christians she has surrounded herself with. They sit clustered together in the cafeteria away from the other teens to better discuss their desire to be holy. Lyla goes to a nice megachurch where everyone is always happy from what I can see. Then Lyla falls for Christian DJ, Chris, who is always understanding, and so perfect that he feels a little sleazy.
I’m glad Lyla gave up the pom-poms, and I am not necessarily in the camp that thinks Riggins and Lyla should hook-up. However, I’d like to see Lyla–who has been through so much on the show between her ex-boyfriend’s paralysis and her parents’ divorce–ask some tough questions and do some real soul searching. I’d like to see Lyla and company do something signficant at school to fight social injustice–in Dillon and around the world. In other words, I am, once again, simply looking for television to show me Christians I might actually recognize from my own world.
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posted January 28, 2008 at 3:35 pm
If the Christians your meeting are boring, your not meeting the right ones. lol. Try again.Where do you meet them?
posted January 29, 2008 at 2:24 am
They tend to come in two catagories, boring or crazy. Crazy is more interesting but the one-note conversations get pretty boring after a while. So yeah, they are all pretty boring in the end. Not the kind of people you want for neighbors.
Gays throw better parties.
posted January 29, 2008 at 10:29 am
Galatians 5 talks about gays, and no christians are not boring they have just been born-again. When you use the word Christians if you take the tians off that word it leaves Christ so don’t blaspheme.
posted January 29, 2008 at 11:23 am
Gee you all. This is just a television program that is interesting because it appeals to all us who love high school football and all that goes with it — the kids who play — the parents who may or may not be good parents — the kids who don’t play but wish they did — kids that are the “different ones” in school — and the adults in the school as coaches, teachers, counselors, administrators and school board members. This “Friday Night Lights” TV world is like our own world where you will find some people are Christians and some not. The Christians in this show are mixed in variety too. That is what makes this an interesting program. And, gee gosh golly, not many televison programs even talk about Christians and allow Christians to be good and bad in their own Christian ways. Keep this show going and developing.
posted January 29, 2008 at 6:16 pm
What do you expect? If one (such as a screen writer) is not a Christian or does not even associate with Christians, how in the world would they know what we do for fun? Perhaps it is beyond their comprehension that anything outside of a buzz or an orgasm can cause a smile or laugh.