Last year it was announced that an updated version of the classic football series Friday Night Lights was coming to Peacock, but there’s been little word on the project since then. Developed by Peter Berg, who based the series on his own hit movie, we now have an update from the creator himself, and for fans worried that it might just be a rehash of what came before, it’s nothing but good news.
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Speaking with Esquire about a number of topics, Berg’s 2004 film and subsequent TV series were brought up. Inspired by the 1990 novel by H. G. Bissinger, Friday Night Lights became must-see TV back in the mid to late 2000s, as viewers couldn’t get enough of coach Eric Taylor and his Dillon Panthers. Lasting for five seasons, the series is still remembered fondly today, which is why people were cautious when they heard about the new version coming to Peacock. Have no fear, though, because Berg isn’t looking to do a remake, but rather a complete “reinvention”:
“It’s a complete reinvention of the show. We want to do it with a whole new cast, but obviously there’ll be football in it. But the original show was done a long time ago. There were no cell phones. No social media. It was a very different world, and yet the same values still exist, and the same family dynamics exist. Football’s only grown in its relevance in communities all over the country.”
Will Any Cast Members from the Original ‘Friday Night Lights’ Be Returning?
Berg would go on to note that the core themes of Friday Night Lights will still be present in the reinvention, adding that “there’s just so many new elements, so we want to look at that.” It definitely sounds like everyone’s on the right track to make this version of the series into something fresh that will resonate with today’s audience, rather than just be a carbon copy of what came before. As Berg mentioned, the advent of social media and cell phones have certainly changed the landscape in high schools, so it will be interesting to see how that’s presented in Friday Night Lights.
As for the original cast members, it’s unclear at this point who will be returning, but Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) has already teased that he wouldn’t say no if it was the right fit. For Berg, though, he doesn’t think the series will succeed or fail based on nostalgia:
“If certain cast members come back, have appearances, that’s great. But if Friday Night Lights works, it’ll be because it works as a reinvention.”
Given how much TV has changed since Friday Night Lights first hit the small screen back in 2006, we’re definitely on board with what Berg and showrunner Jason Katims are selling. Their reinvention sounds like a smart move, and one that could definitely last for multiple seasons if done right. There’s no word yet on how far along the series is in terms of its development, but we’ll have more news as it becomes available. In the meantime, you can check out all five seasons of the OG Friday Night Lights, which are available to rent or purchase on all VOD platforms.
Source: Esquire
