Exclusive: 'Friday Night Lights' Cuts Two Players

Links (19)

FNL cuts two players.
Published 7/8/2008 at OH NO!!
... respect for the fans — as well as both actors — to leave them hanging like that." I would expect nothing less from Katims. But enough about me, I’m anxious to hear from you, my fellow FNL loyalists: Sad to see Smash and Jason go? Comforted by the fact that they’ll at least be around long enough to wrap up their storylines? Praying FNL gets some long overdue Emmy love when nominations are announced next Thursday? Comment below! Sad, but not unexpected. source

Breaking News: FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Published 7/8/2008 by theTVaddict at the TV addict
... Oh wait, the breaking FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS news. Well, for that incredibly sad news that has to do with two beloved cast members departing, you’re going to have to head on over to the Ausiello Files. ...

And The Lights Go Down For 2
Published 7/8/2008 by Vance (noreply@blogger.com) at Tapeworthy
Oh No... though I guess it really does make sense. At least the show is back. That's all I care about, but I'm going to miss Gaius Charles and Scott Porter, both excellent actors who portrayed their characters from 2-D stereotypes into fully fleshed 3 Dimensional characters.

Friday Night Lights cuts two
Published 7/8/2008 by SeriouslyOMGWTF at Seriously? OMG! WTF?
... Michael Ausiello is reporting that Friday Night Lights will be coming back without two of their guys full-time. Smash and Scott Porter will be recurring characters next season and not series regulars. I find it funny that the show was built on Scott Porter's paralysis and they are cutting him. I could live without Smash because I think they have done as much as they can with his character, but I will miss Scott Porter. ...

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Loses Two Series Regulars
Published 7/8/2008 by Give Me My Remote at Give Me My Remote
... is reporting that two former stars of the Dillon Panthers will not be returning as series regulars when FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS returns for its third season this Fall. Gaius Charles who plays the hot headed Brian ‘Smash’ Williams and Jason Porter, best known as former QB1 Jason Street will both only appear on a recurring basis according to Ausiello’s sources . These same sources added that there were both financial and creative reasons that these actors won’t be returning as series regulars. Financial reasons aside, as much as I will miss Street and Smash I can see why these ...

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Benching Two Players!!
Published 7/8/2008 by Hercules at Ain't It Cool News - The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.
... get one last glimpse of the series’ most glorious creation, the obnoxious, wheelchair-bound Herc.) When we last left the characters in the strike-abbreviated second season, Street had just knocked up a waitress and Smash had just decided on the college for which he would play. Season three will air exclusively on DirecTV’s Channel 101 this fall, then the episodes will be repeated for non-DirecTV subscribers on NBC starting at midseason. Find all of Ausiello’s exclusive on the matter here . [image] ...

Two 'Friday Night Lights' Stars Sidelined
Published 7/8/2008 at BuddyTV
... for a third season. The series has been critically acclaimed since its premiere, but it's also struggled to find an audience in the competitive primetime environment. While the Dillon Panthers will toss the football around for at least another year, it looks like they'll have to do it without two of the show's most beloved characters. According to Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly , actors ...

Friday Night Lights Cuts Two
Published 7/8/2008 at Radar: Fresh Intelligence Blog
... ). Things, however, are not all good in Dillon: Entertainment Weekly reports that two of the most popular characters, Smash Williams ( Gaius Charles ) and crippled quarterback Jason Street ( Scott Porter ), have been taken off contract and will only appear on a recurring basis in season three for "both budgetary and creative reasons." We can live with the creative rationale Smash has graduated and is off to college; it doesn't make much logistical sense to keep his story arc intact but the budget reasoning is worrisome. The show, with its elaborate outdoor shots and ...

Two Get Benched on 'Friday Night Lights'
Published 7/9/2008 at MSN TV Blog
... Mike Ausiello, now at EW, reports that two characters from "Friday Night Lights" are getting bumped down to recurring status for financial and creative reasons. ...

Early buzz: 'Lights,' Tarantino, 'Watchmen' and more
Published 7/9/2008 by Whitney Matheson at USATODAY.com - Pop Candy
... that gave Warren Beatty its Lifetime Achievement Award. It was surprisingly good! Jack Nicholson , Diane Keaton , Robert Downey Jr. and others really spoke from the heart. Anyway, some headlines: - Bad news for Friday Night Lights fans: Smash and Jason Street ( Gaius Charles and Scott Porter ) will only have recurring roles next season. - We'll see ...

Two Panthers Benched for New Season of Friday Night Lights
Published 7/9/2008 by BuzzSugar at BuzzSugar -- Entertainment hourly.
... returns for its third season. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that the two players, who have been series regulars, will now just be recurring characters in the upcoming season. The info could be a little spoilery, so I'll put it behind the jump — but, for the record, I don't think it's necessarily bad news. To see the details and hear my thoughts, just ...

Friday Night Lights Loses Two Teammates
Published 7/9/2008 at Videogum
... Sad news, Dillon Panthers. As Entertainment Weekly reported last night, two members of the championship team, Jason Street and Smash Williams, will have four-episode story arcs in the third season, and then they will move out of Dillon. ...

Sad Friday Night Lights News: Scott Porter, Gaius Charles Will Be "Recurring" Characters in Season 3
Published 7/9/2008 by steve@iscribelimited.com (pantherpride4lyfe) at Friday Night Lights Insider
Ever since Friday Night Lights' Season 3 renewal, many fans such as ourselves have been waiting for the other cleat to drop. Now, Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly reports, two of the series' stars, Gaius Charles (Smash Williams) and Scott Porter (Jason Street), have been taken off contract and will only appear on a recurring basis. In a statement, executive producer Jason Katims said: "Peter Berg, myself and our fellow producers have enormous respect for Scott and Gaius both as actors and individuals. In short, we ...

Clear eyes, full hearts, time to lose Street and Smash
Published 7/9/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (Alan Sepinwall) at What's Alan Watching?
... Michael Ausiello, now at EW, reports that the abbreviated Direct TV/NBC third season of "Friday Night Lights" will write out both Jason Street and Smash Williams, which is no doubt a budget thing but also a case of the writers not knowing how to deal with two characters who wouldn't be on the football team, in high school or, in the case of Smash, even living in Dillon when next season begins. (Again, Jason Katims is going to try to keep the show in real time. On the one hand, that gives them some distance from various season two storylines that ...

Changes coming to Friday Night Lights
Published 7/9/2008 by Brett Love at TV Squad
... It's a question that popped up even before our pals in Dillon had their premiere. What are they going to do when these kids start graduating? Well, we have an answer now, and I'm not sure it's going to be embraced by everyone. EW's Michael Ausiello reports that Gaius Charles (Smash) and Scott Porter (Street) have been moved to recurring status. ...

"You've Got the Feed, We've Got the Food"
Published 7/9/2008 by rheldenfels at The HeldenFiles Online
... The fall season is still a ways off, but I've been thinking about it, including "Friday Night Lights" in the DirecTV/NBC era. (One thing whetting my appetite: A report from EW.com about two actors being demoted from regulars to recurrers. I can understand the issue from a storytelling standpoint, but it still makes me curious about how the show will look in the fall.) ...

Less Street and Smash this fall on “Friday Night Lights”
Published 7/10/2008 by Mike at Pop Critics - Movies|TV|Comics|Music|Reviews|Recaps
... Well, this was another one of those stories out of left field. At least, it was for me. ...

'Friday Night Lights' exec producer previews third season
Published 7/20/2008 by Dan Snierson at Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider
... • The decision to say goodbye to graduates Smash (Gaius Charles) and Jason Street (Scott Porter) is “very sad, but it’s tempered for me by the fact that their stories are so strong,” Katims says, referencing the four-episode farewell arcs that each will have this season. “I’m really looking forward to seeing these two incredible actors dig into them.” Katims teases that Smash hits some kind of “bump in the road,” loses his scholarship, and is working at Alamo Freeze when Coach attempts to help him get back into a college. Meanwhile, to support his baby and prove to Erin (Tamara ...

Welcome back, 'Friday Night Lights'
Published 9 days ago by Whitney Matheson at USATODAY.com - Pop Candy
... this fall, then repeat on NBC in early 2009. Hopefully, we'll be able to avoid major spoilers by then, and NBC won't completely bury it between reruns of Deal or No Deal . I've seen the first episode, and I'm happy to report the gang is back in top form, despite the decision to cut two regular cast members . Riggins is up to some good with Lyla, but he can't abandon his rebellious nature (thank goodness). Tyra got a snazzy haircut. Tami is suddenly ruling the school. A new player may steal Saracen's fire on the field. Julie is still the worst teen daughter of all time. ...