With previous reports of the necessary DirectTV deal to save Friday Night Lights and the two recently sidelined characters from the show, fans may be disappointed that the new 13-episode season, which first airs on DirectTV beginning October 1 and in 2009 on NBC, might not be nearly as good as the first two.  Nonetheless, Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims recently revealed that there will be new faces to feast on, come season 3.

Read on to find out who are the fresh recruits of Friday Night Lights!

Northern Exposure star Janine Turner and D.W. Moffett of Life is Wild will be appearing as married couple Joe and Katie McCoy in the upcoming third season of Friday Night Lights.  The two will play parents to JD, a popular freshman quarterback who soon challenges Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) for the starting job on the Panthers.

In describing Moffett’s character, Jason Katims says that Joe “has a sort of Machiavellian charm.  He is unapologetic about who he is, about how successful he is, and about saying what he wants.”

Katims also reveals his thoughts on his upcoming storylines, saying, “One of the stories I’ve always wanted to play, is the parent wanting to have influence over how the coach coaches, and in this case, wanting his son to have a chance to play before Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is ready to do it.”

“Ultimately the story line gets more personal because it becomes not only about him trying to influence the coach,” he continues.  “But about the pressure he’s putting on his kid, and Coach becoming aware of that and having to intervene.”

On the other hand, we have Katie, who eventually bonds with Tami, Coach Taylor’s wife.  Katims reveals about her, “Katie is a fun, smart, sexy woman who swoops into town and charms Tami and they become friends.  We’ve never really established somebody that Tami talks to other than Coach.  She becomes a bit of an adviser to Tami as Tami becomes the principal [of Dillon High School] and takes on bigger things.”

For DirectTV subscribers, catch Friday Night Lights beginning October 1. NBC viewers, on the other hand, will be able to catch the third season come 2009.


-Valerie Anne del Castillo, BuddyTV Staff Columnist

Source: EW
(Photo courtesy of NBC)

Valerie Del Castillo

Staff Columnist, BuddyTV