Friday Night Lights On the Small Screen

According to Variety, a television series based on the film Friday Night Lights has gotten the green light from NBC. Peter Berg, who directed the film starring Billy Bob Thornton (and which we always mix up with Varsity Blues), will write and executive produce the series. We have no doubt Texans will eat it up. Of course the film was based on a most beloved book about Texas high school Football.

A good portion of the movie was filmed at our own Westlake High School, home to rich white kids who drive cars that cost more than what we make in a year. Not that we are bitter or anything. We doubt the series will stick with Texas, though. Television makes LA stand in for everything from Las Vegas to small town Connecticut.

The cast has not been, uh, cast. Any suggestions, readers? We think Bobcat Goldthwait would make an interesting coach. And James Van Der Beek, what's he up to?