'Lights' shines bright

It is an overused label in the television industry, but it must be said: “Friday Night Lights” is the best show you are not watching.

Mistreated by NBC from the beginning, the show was left for dead until DirecTV swooped in and signed a co-op with the network in which DTV covers half the cost and gets to air the episodes first. And with that security now in place (the show will return for at least two more seasons), season three of the show plays even better.

After losing in the playoffs when star running back Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) was injured, Coach Taylor’s (Kyle Chandler) Dillon Panthers have work to do. It doesn’t get any easier when freshman phenom J.D. McCoy (Jeremy Sumpter) and his insufferable parents move into town in hopes of stealing senior leader Matt Saracen’s (Zach Gilford) job.

Meanwhile, Tim (Taylor Kitsch) and Lyla (Minka Kelly) deal with their new relationship, and Taylor deals with his wife as the new school principal.

If you are unaware, “Lights” really isn’t about football. The game is really the backdrop to the show’s excellent drama. The real, honest conversations between friends and family make this show a treat to watch for anyone who has ever lived in a small town.

As always, Chandler and Connie Britton shine as the Taylor parents; they have the best chemistry of any married couple on television. But season three really works when Kitsch, Gilford and the departing Charles and Scott Porter get to star. The four have grown tremendously since season one, and to see their arcs come to an end is beyond satisfying.

NBC Universal’s mistreatment continues on the DVD set, as we only get a few deleted scenes and one commentary on the finale. Luckily, the show’s quality makes up for it.

Well-written, supremely acted and beautifully shot, “Friday Night Lights” is the best family drama on television, and season three only solidifies its reign as such.