Don't do it, Billy!

Did you remember that Heroes is back on tonight? I hope this reminder didn't come too late. Remember A LONG TIME ago when we heard Heroes wasn't back until April 23rd and it seemed like an eternity away? I wondered how I would ever remember to take the trash out, as every Monday night I would say to myself "Don't be a hero. Just take the trash out." after I finished a blissful episode. And there were a few weeks where I did forget to take the trash out. Thankfully, it's back, so I don't have that concern anymore.

So I have a question for you. You like Heroes, right? Everyone in America does. But it is about superheroes, which could be seen as a little nerdy. But it is OK, because everyone is doing it. But what if you watch Battlestar Galactica? That is super nerdy, right? No questions asked. If you watch Battlestar Galactica, you are a fracking nerd. Why is that? Why is Heroes OK to discuss the next day at work, but not BG unless you work at a comic book convention or the factory where they make Nerdberry Ice Cream.

Now, what if you like Harry Potter? That's cool, right? What about if you are excited to see Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer? Pass the Nerdberries.

I love all of these things. (Except the Silver Surfer. Why is he silver? And why does he surf?) And I love long books about wizards and epics and dragons (Which my wife affectionately calls "Nerdy Books." And coincidentally, I just finished "A Feast For Crows" book 5 in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and it was delightful.) So I am a died in the wool, true-blue, through and through nerd. I just wonder what it is that causes one to cross the line from mainstream "Sure I like Heroes but who doesn't?" to Comicon Attendee? Your thoughts....

Where were you on Friday Night?

Were you with me, cheering on the Dillon Panthers as they took state after running a risky hook and ladder? Well you should have been. Truthfully, it happened on Wednesday night, as that is when the show airs despite its confusing title. And, truthfully, I didn't watch it on Wednesday or Friday night. I only watched it a couple of days ago, because we were behind on the Tivo and I was making a lime pound cake with raspberry sauce for a friend who was pregnant with twins. But the point is: Why are you not watching this show?

I regret that when I posted last fall about what you should be watching I neglected to mention this show. I knew it was based on the movie that was based on a book, but I hadn't seen or read the source material. I remembered that my brother Joel, who played football all through high school and college, told me that he had cried when he watched the movie. (Or did he cry at that one with James Van Der Beek? Or was the one with James Van Der Beek "Friday Night Lights?" And how do you get four names like James Van Der Beek? I really can't answer any of these.) And I also knew that I didn't really care about football, so I wasn't sure that I could care about a show about football.

So our downstairs Tivo (which we view less frequently) diligently recorded the first 7 or 8 episodes and I thought that I would either end up deleting it eventually to make room for The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, or I would watch it in the summer, for Tube Storage. (You know, those shows that you don't watch during the regular season but you watch when nothing else is on? My friend Lisa wisely calls it Tube Storage.) But we hit a bit of a TV lull in December, so we decided to watch an episode. And then another, and another. I was instantly hooked. And it has quickly climbed the list to one of my favorites shows.

The basic premise is that in small town Dillon, Texas you either play football, or you root for the local high school team, or you wish you could move out of Dillon, Texas where everyone thinks about nothing but football. The show follows Coach Eric Taylor as he tries to help the team recover from a devastating season opener where there star quarterback, Jason Street was injured and paralyzed halfway through the game.

It sounds simple enough, and it sounds like it is about football. And it is. But it is smartly written, and dramatic and funny and brilliant. If you like football, you have no reason not to watch this show. And if you don't like football, you have no reason not to watch this show. What, Wednesday nights you are too busy with Bones? Or YMYW activities? This is more important.

What makes this show so great are the amazing characters. The coach and his wife get a lot of media attention for being the only realistic portrayal of married life on TV. They love each other deeply, but they disagree and they make fun of each other, but always with an undertone of respect and none of that condescending, eye-rolling garbage you see on "Yes, Dear." But there are so many other characters to love. Like Matt Saracin, who takes over as QB1 after Street is injured. He is shy and geeky and inspiring and I want him to marry one of my unborn daughters. And Tyra, the resident bad girl, who hates football and has a slutty messed up mom but is fast friends with the coaches innocent 14 year old daughter. And Landry, Matt's nerdy best friend who plays in a death metal band and never fails to make us laugh out loud.

That sort of sounded like a Sunday School talk about the kids in my ward, but believe me: the characters are real and interesting and well acted and don't feel like they are being exploited by Hollywood. Like no one cares what kind of bag Tyra is carrying (I am looking your way Mishca Barton.) I hope when Emmy season rolls around this show gets some much deserved attention, because it is in danger of not making back next season, and I need to know if the Coach takes the job at TMU and if Tyra falls in love with Landry, and what happens with Julie and Matt. So until then: watch the reruns or get it on DVD when it comes out and set aside your Friday nights next fall. Have I ever failed you before? (OK, "The Nine" got really stupid really fast and then got canceled. Forget that one.)