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Yep, things are changing in Hollywood. Though Hollywood’s far from perfect or fair, this kind of open patriotism and honoring of our military seemed all but extinct 5 years ago.

In fact, 5 years ago Hollywood was shamelessly lying to us about how patriotism didn’t sell.

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In a recent interview with Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler from “Friday Night Lights,” Chandler discussed his onscreen marriage to Britton. According to Chandler, executive producer Peter Berg told him and Britton “that the relationship wasn’t going to break up from divorce…It was going to be a regular marriage, with two people who were dedicated to each other and loved one another.” Even though other dramas often feature divorces and marriages collapsing, “FNL” took a stand and attempted to show a strong and realistic marriage with two committed adults in it. In fact, one of the best aspects of “FNL” is how the show is able to create realistic situations where characters are allowed to make both good and bad choices. Because of that and the show’s focus on both sides of the controversial debate, “FNL” has managed to overcome a recent controversial storyline about abortion.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the “Friday Night Lights” pregnancy storyline that ended with Becky, a pregnant teenager, aborting her child. She did this partly because her mother strongly advocated that decision and because she felt that her mother always regretted giving birth to her. The episode ended with Becky talking to Luke, the baby’s father, and telling him that she had taken care of the situation. Although he was aware that Becky had contemplated having an abortion, he didn’t realize that she was definitely going to do it until procedure was completed.

In the three episodes that have aired since that episode, the pregnancy storyline has focused on Tami (Britton), a local school principal, dealing with the political ramifications of the situation. After becoming pregnant, Becky had approached Tami and asked for information about getting an abortion. That conversation proved controversial as some individuals, including Luke’s mother, called for Tami’s resignation after the abortion. In the show’s season finale, Tami planned to publicly apologize for her role in the situation but opted against it at the last minute. Instead she said that she “had always put the welfare of the students ahead of everything else” and that “every action that [she] made was with that intent.”  Tami was then put on administrative leave. Instead of suing the school to get her old job back, Tami said that she would accept a lower-profile position serving as the head counselor of a local school where her husband coaches the football team. The season ended after she offered to make such a deal. (more…)

“Friday Night Lights” has won a Peabody Award, a Television Critics Association Award and an Emmy.  We have been watching the show for all four seasons, but last week it really won a distinguished place in the hearts of my family.

That probably doesn’t mean a hill of beans to a whole lot of people, but when you work in Hollywood, in a culture that tends to treat flyover country like the red headed stepchild, and compares your religious beliefs to those of Al Quaeda, it rocks when you can sit down as a family and watch a show that reminds you of how you grew up: A show that honors the core values that you try to raise your kids with.

Peter Berg

My Dad used to say, “Once the kids stop saying “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, it all starts to go to hell.” When I was a kid, I just thought he was hard on us. When my kids use “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am” at the mall, the stares that we receive from the other parents lead me to believe that they may feel the same way.

The kids in “Friday Night Lights” speak in the same fashion.  Yeah it is a Texas thing, but those kids show a respect for their elders that one doesn’t always find in Southern California, or many other places outside of small town USA. (more…)