Clear eyes, full hearts and a money back guarantee

It's third and long as far as marketing goes for NBC's Friday Night Lights, and the folks at Universal/NBC have drawn up some new plays for season two. In an unprecedented move, they're offering a money back guarantee on the DVD release of FNL's first season (out this Tuesday, August 28.) It seems like a risky move, but when you have as nearly a perfect first season as FNL did, it's not a bad bet that seeing is believing.

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" is the oft-repeated phrase of the football team on the series, and it became a sort of battle cry for dedicated viewers who were justifiably worried about it first being cancelled, then about it not being picked up for a 2nd season. But like they did with their other pet 30 Rock, NBC kept the series in play and finally gave it the full 22 episode renewal, even though it attracted little in the way of eyeballs (FNL finished a dismal 95th in series viewership last season.)

Besides being the best new drama of last year, FNL is also in my top five for best use of music in a series. Much of that is due to the use of the East Texas indie rock instrumental act Explosions in the Sky, who's catalogue of songs were utilized extensively throughout the series. The trio builds sweeping landscapes that reflect the area, so it should be no surprise that it goes so well with the setting of Dillon, Texas. Besides EITS, there was the inspired choice of Jose Gonzalez' "Storm," which got used in a couple episodes. Songs from LCD Soundsystem, TV on the Radio, Spoon, Calexico w/ Iron & Wine, The Go! Team, Richard Buckner, Sparklehorse and Whiskeytown all provided ample goosebumps. But if there's a backup theme song to the first season, it would be the song "Devil Town" performed for the series by Tony Lucca. The song is a cover of schizophrenic pop genius (and Texas resident) Daniel Johnston, who's haunting acapella is probably too eccentric for primetime television. The song acts as a witty commentary on the crazed town of Dillon, and how even the best can fall into fanaticism. "All my friends were vampires / didn't know they were vampires / turns out I was a vampire myself... in a devil town."

Playlist: Friday Night Lights First Season
Full tracklisting with episode breakout

In anticipation of the DVD release, an FNL soundtrack was released last week featuring much of the music here (Friday Night Lights Original Television Soundtrack.)

tags: music, television, soundtrack, friday night lights, fnl, tvotr, explosions in the sky, jose gonzalez, indie rock, rhapsody