Third Season of Friday Night Lights Starts Tonight On NBC

I really really recommend this show. It's one of those "critically adored, low rated" series that shows what TV can be when you have compelling story lines and an excellent crew both in front of and behind the cameras. Many of the cast members of this show fall into that "stars of tomorrow" category.

And this season, which may be the last for the series, is really good. How do I know? Well, the entire season has already been broadcast on DirectTV via some kind of deal struck between the satellite company and NBC. Of course, I don't have DirectTV (shout out to Verizon FIOS - it rules!), but I do have this neat little program that allows me to access and watch online any series that has aired anywhere on television over the last 25+ years. Including international shows.

So, the third season of Friday Night Lights aired on DirectTV every Thursday night over the last few months. By the following Friday afternoon, I could access it online and spend an hour with the Dillon Panthers. And no commercials!

This program can also access new release movies and a host of other broadcast and cinema specials. Really cool.

Check it out here.

I'm Hooked On These Online Network Television Archives

Was putzing around on the computer late last night after the wife and kiddo had gone to bed. Just another case of Friday night energy that seems to hit at the end of a long work week.

I ran out of productive things to do and when I reached the point where I was just aimlessly browsing the web, I decided to catch up with some old friends.

Pulled up my handy little online TV/Movies tuner and punched up a couple of episodes of Moonlighting (I love Bruce Willis in that show). Then I got really ambitious and started watching the first couple of episodes from the first season of 24. My wife and I only picked up on watching the series in season 3, so it might be fun to see how it all started.

You would not believe the amount of tv shows and movies (from old series like Gunsmoke to the newest episodes of current shows) that are available online. All for free! When I started looking into the online directories that came with the tuner software, I found episodes posted a day after network airing and movies that are still in the theater. Pretty wild.

Anyway, the software does a good job of consolidating all the online sources and presenting them in an easy to use interface. Well worth the one time charge to have access to all this current and past entertainment at your fingertips for immediate viewing or download.

Check it out here . I promise you, it beats buying DVDs of old shows or trying to search thru your cable channel guide to find something worth watching.