Friday Night Lights is simply the best show on broadcast television. It is the story of the fictional Dillon Panthers whose football team is the lifeblood of their town. While it is a show that is nominally about football, it is the relationships that drive the story. It is the only show on television that will cause you to laugh, cheer, and cry every episode. Yes. Every episode.
The main characters:
* Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) — The first-year coach of the Dillon Panthers. Under immense pressure to succeed, he constantly is conflicted between what is right and what will win. Doesn't seem to approve of his daughter and Matt Saracen dating.
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Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) — The wife of Eric Taylor and mother of Julie Taylor and a guidance counselor at Dillon High. Often acts as the voice of reason to Coach Taylor.
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Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden) — Daughter of Eric and Tami Taylor. Also attends Dillon High School, but in the past, hasn't associated much with the team. Recently has been dating Matt Saracen.
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Jason Street (Scott Porter) — The former starting quarterback of the Dillon Panthers. Was one of the top high school quarterbacks in the nation, but suffered a severe spinal injury in the first game of the season while attempting to tackle a defender. The injury left him physically disabled and with limited use of his hands. Now must deal with rehab and life after football, his fiance's past cheating on him with Tim Riggins, and Buddy Garrity's contant harassment over his current relationship with his daughter. Following the accident and several months of rehabilitation, Jason has now taken up the sport of quad rugby, and is currently trying out for the national team.
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Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly) — Fiance of Jason Street and Panthers cheerleader. With Jason looking at extensive rehab after a catastrophic injury, Lyla must deal with emotional conflict between staying with Jason or moving on. Recently cheated on Jason with Tim Riggins, Jason's best friend. Her father is Buddy Garrity, owner of a car dealership and the Dillon Panthers' biggest booster.
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Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki) — Tim Riggins' on-again, off-again girlfriend and the town "vixen" of Dillon. She seems to be one of the only people in the town who doesn't follow football religiously, and is often disdainful of the way the Dillon Panthers are worshipped. She has expressed an interest in leaving Dillon, but currently still lives with her single mother, Angela. This character is so underused. Let's face it. Tyra rocks!
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Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) — The former backup, now starting quarterback of the Dillon Panthers. Lacks the talent and polish of Jason Street but his passion and heart have led the Panthers to the state playoffs since taking over. Must deal with sudden fame and prominence after remaining aloof both on and off the field for years. Lives alone with his grandmother, who seems emotionally ill. His father is serving in Iraq. Recently has been dating Julie Taylor; very nervous with Julie.
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Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) — The running back of the Dillon Panthers. The most talented player on the team and is most likely to succeed at the college level. His desperation to get to the next level leads him to take drastic measures such as using steroids. Smash's drive to be at the top stems partially from a sizeable ego, but also because he sees a football career as a "meal ticket" and a means for providing for his family. His father is deceased and he lives with his mother and two sisters.
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Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) — The fullback of the Dillon Panthers. Best friend to Jason Street, but was in love with his girlfriend while the two had an affair. Sullen and morose, he is the silent backbone of the Dillon Panthers football team. Appears to have suffered from alcoholism. Lives with his older brother Billy, as parents skipped out on them.
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Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) - Best friend of Panthers quarterback Matt Saracen, but not on the football team, he often gives Matt advice and support, although his advice is often unhelpful. Front man of the speed-metal band Crucifictorious. Recently, he was also Tim Riggins' personal literature tutor, at Mrs. Taylor's request. Landry provides many of the light-hearted comic moments on the show.
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Buddy Garrity (Brad Leland) - Owner of a popular Dillon car dealership and father of Lyla Garrity. Buddy always tries to be involved with the Dillon Panthers football team, doing whatever he can to bring talent to the Panthers and resolve any problems with the players or their families. Recently hired Tyra Collette's mother, Angela, and engaged in an affair with her. This affair was made public after Angela was fired and, subsequently, has caused quite a stir around Dillon.
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Billy Riggins (Derek Phillips) — Brother to Tim Riggins, Billy is a semi-father figure to Tim acting as a peer most times but looking out for his interests like a father at others.
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Mac MacGill (Blue Deckert) — Lead Offensive Coach for the Dillon Panthers. Grew up with a racist father, has admitted to inadvertently allowing some of that to seep into his own psyche.
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Herc (Kevin Rankin) — Athlete with the same injury as Jason Street, member of the national quad rugby team who has taken Street under his wing.
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Corrina “Mama†Williams (Liz Mikel) — Mother to “Smash†Williams, she is very protective of all her children and worries particularly about the pressure Smash puts on himself. She often acts as the voice of reason to Smash when he's allowed his natural enthusiasm to rise to the point of being harmful.
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Bobby “Bull†Reyes (Walter Perez) — Dillon Panther’s star defensive player before being kicked off the team for assaulting a fellow student.
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Ray “Voodoo†Tatum (Aldis Hodge) — Panthers Quarterback for 2 weeks. He only played in one game in which he was removed at half time for calling his own plays, a strategy which gave his opponents a disastrous interception. He was eventually ruled ineligible to play at Dillon and the Panthers were stripped of the game’s victory. Though originally said to have returned to his home of New Orleans it now appears that he moved within Texas as he will play against the Panthers in the State Championship game.
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Waverly Grady (Aasha Davis) — Girlfriend to “Smash†Williams, she is very politically-oriented and tends to incite people to act on issues she feels are important. Suffers from bipolar disorder which only recently manifested itself during the first season.
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Henry Saracen (Brent Smiga) — Father to Matt Saracen and a member of the armed services, he is stationed in Iraq and has indicated he will remain there until the military mission in Iraq is complete. His oppressive attitude, "military-style" fathering, and more concern for the military and Iraq over his son has caused severe conflict with Matt, who in an explosion of pent up anger, demanded that his father leave and go back to military life, letting him and his grandmother live in peace as they had before he came back. This situation brought Matt and Coach closer together.
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Lorraine “Grandma†Saracen (Louanne Stephens) — Grandmother to Matt Saracen, she often requires special care from Matt. She shows signs of early Alzheimer’s disease.
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Angela Collette (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) — Mother to Tyra Collette and mistress to Buddy Garrity for a short period of time, she has lived her life attached to a man and has only recently gotten her first job only to leave after Buddy wished to end the affair. She is extremely unsupportive of her daughter, Tyra, whom she believes will never make anything of herself because they live in a small town, and that Tyra is wasting her time trying to get into college. She is the reason Tyra is nearing explusion from High School, often dragging her away from studying to go drink or shop. Tyra is attemping to stay straight with her studies and not be dragged down by Angela.
