Season of change awaits fans of ‘Friday Night Lights’

When it comes to "Friday Night Lights," the only thing more remarkable than its quality is the fact that it's still on the air.

Almost since its debut, the critically adored, publicly ignored drama's future has been as shaky as its handheld camerawork. Written off as dead at least a half-dozen times, "Lights" has made almost as many miraculous comebacks as the Dillon Panthers, the high school football team at its heart. But none was more spectacular than the deal NBC brokered to keep TV's most uplifting drama around for a third season.

Under the agreement, DirecTV will air the new season -- 13 episodes, guaranteed, no ratings to worry about -- on its 101 Network (9 p.m. Wednesday). Then in February, NBC will broadcast those same episodes for viewers who aren't among DirecTV's 17 million subscribers. And if it works out financially for both sides, the deal could mean "Lights" will stay on for years to come.

But all that begs the question: What's a loyal Panthers fan without DirecTV to do -- besides ditch cable -- when there are so many illegal ways of watching TV online?

"If I were you, I would like to think that I would wait," executive producer Jason Katims said earlier this summer. "I would be patient and wait and watch the real version when it was available to you."

But Zach Gilford, who stars as socially awkward quarterback Matt Saracen, may have stumbled onto a suitable compromise. "I'd say if you're really such a big fan, go ahead and download it," he added, "but then, just out of good conscience, turn it on on NBC later."

That solution might be enough to keep NBC invested in the series, and viewers who follow Gilford's advice will see something different the second time around. Freed from network time constraints, Wednesday's season premiere clocks in at more than 50 minutes, about eight minutes longer than the episodes that will air on NBC. Despite having to edit them for time, producers have talked about adding footage to the NBC versions to give viewers a new experience.

Those "Lights" fans who are able to tune in on Wednesday will witness a season of change.

Paralyzed quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) and brash running back Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) are being written out of the series -- they'll each appear in four episodes -- the show's first nod to the realization that its young characters eventually have to graduate and move on with their lives. (And, really, it's time. As great as they are, several members of the "Lights" cast are pushing 30, making them some of the oldest-looking high schoolers since "Happy Days.")

For most everyone else, it's senior year. Although it sure seemed like privileged good girl Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly) and the once-troubled Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki) were seniors two years ago. And I'd bet my couch that bad boy fullback Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) was, too. Granted, he regularly skips class, and when he does attend, he often turns up drunk.

But surely even Texas high schools have rules against playing sixth-year seniors.

Elsewhere, Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) continues her meteoric rise through the ranks of Dillon High as the new principal. And coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is under more scrutiny than ever from restless fans.

But the best thing about Wednesday's premiere is that unlike last season's disturbing first episode, Landry (Jesse Plemons) doesn't kill anyone.

Regardless of how, when or where viewers watch it, or which version fans see when they do, the "Lights" cast is just thrilled to go back to work.

"A lot of us had in our heads that it was done," Palicki said, unable to stop smiling, days before she was to road trip to the drama's Austin, Texas, production home with Chandler, Britton and Kitsch, who summed up his feelings about the show's unexpected return in Riggins-like fashion:

"I'm excited just to get back and get going and really kick some ass."

Christopher Lawrence's Life on the Couch column appears on Sundays. E-mail him at clawrence@reviewjournal.com.