The Lights Go Out: The Fifth and Final Season of Friday Night Lights

At the end of any series, there’s a moment of sadness mixed with hope as you watch the characters’ final stories, knowing that there’s not much else left for them. But as that moment passes, you also know that you’ll still be left with memories. Having already watched the fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights as it aired on DirecTV, the DVD set happily fills the void left as I still long to watch the lives of the people of East Dillon.

The final season unfolds as the East Dillon Lions try to improve on their previous season. Vince struggles with the responsibility of being QB1 while also working to help his family. Jess tries to work out her issues with Vince while being the one to look after her brothers. Coach and Tami, as always, are rocks— both for their friends and for the students around East Dillon.

Friday Night Lights: The Fifth and Final Season includes 13 episodes on 3 discs, plus the prerequisite deleted scenes for a few episodes, but the real bonus for fans of this enduring series is “The Lights Go Out”, a 30-minute documentary about the production of the show. The featurette examines just how quickly the show was filmed and how different shooting it was compared to many others (in fact, the show has no blocking for scenes and lines can be improved if the actors feel it helps). “The Lights Go Out” does an equally good job of conveying to everyone not involved how much the cast and crew worked in a setting that they can only describe as “magic in a bottle”.

Also included in the set are two audio commentaries, one by producer-direction Michael Waxman on “Don’t Go”, and another by show runner and executive producer Jason Katims on “Always”, the series finale. Both commentaries offer insights into the minds of two men who have helped to define the show so clearly.

Friday Night Lights: The Fifth and Final Season is available on DVD today.