Peacock reboots classic sports drama that didn’t need to be rebooted

Peacock is planning a reboot of Friday Night Lights, but do we need a new version of the acclaimed show? 

Reboots are all the rage in Hollywood; everyone knows that. TV shows just can't get enough as we've got Dexter: Original Sin, a new version of Suits, and more in the works. So it's not too shocking that Peacock has announced plans for a new take on Friday Night Lights.

Per TV Line, the project comes from the original shows' executive producers Jason Katims, Peter Berg, and Brian Grazer. The show is intended to be a true reboot of the original series with new characters and perhaps setting, with the logline hinting it's a tale of how the football team helps a small Texas town deal with tragedy. 

"Following a devastating hurricane, a ragtag high school football team and their damaged, interim coach make an unlikely bid for a Texas High School State Championship becoming a beacon of light for their town."

The Friday Night Lights saga began with the 1990 book of the same name by H. G. Bissinger. In 2004, it was adapted into a big-screen movie starring Billy Bob Thornton. In 2006, NBC adapted the series, focusing on the fictional town of Dillion, Texas, with Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor and Connie Britton as his wife, Tammy. 

While never a ratings hit, the series won wide acclaim from critics as one of the best shows of its time. It launched the careers of stars Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Jurnee Smollett, Jesse Plemons, Michael B. Jordan, and more, with Chandler winning an Emmy for his role. 

The show bounced from NBC to DirectTV before ending after five seasons. It's maintained a great audience since, and the timing may seem right for a reboot, but there are reasons it can be awful. 

Why we don't need a new Friday Night Lights 

The most obvious reason why a new FNL is a bad idea is that the original series is so astounding that trying to redo it is pure folly. True, the second season faltered a bit with the foolish "murder plotline," but it more than regrouped for its last few years for one of the finest shows, not just in its time but all time. 

The series excelled in the human drama with one of the most realistic takes on high school life ever seen on TV. These weren't adults in kids' bodies making snide pop cultural references or clever quips. They'd screw up, make mistakes, and be overwhelmed by the world just like real kids. There was also the way this town that worshipped football above all else added to their pressures. 

The cast was a "lightning in a bottle" gathering of future famous faces, with Chandler and Britton showcasing what remains one of the best couples on TV. It'd be nearly impossible to replicate that and the worries of trying to update the story for modern times could rob it of the magic that made the original work so well.

Even with the original writers and producers involved, it just seems foolish to try this again. It's unclear if this is a continuation set in Dillion or a brand-new version. The former might not be bad to get some of the original actors on board. But starting this all over again just sounds like the creators want to tell a new story with the same name. If the reboot can't live up to the original (which is likely), then it can mar the great memories fans have of that original show (see the likes of the Gossip Girl reboot). 

Maybe this can work out well and be a good story in its own right. Yet given how absolutely wonderful and terrific the original Friday Night Lights was, a reboot feels utterly unnecessary and risks marring the legacy of what remains one of the finest TV shows of the 2000s. 

Friday Night Lights is streaming on Netflix.