Image Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/DirecTVThis makes me sad: One of my favorite Friday Night Lights peeps, Jesse Plemons, will not be returning for the show’s fifth and final season — at least not full-time.
Executive producer Jason Katims confirms that the actor’s contract option was not picked up. “With Jesse — as with previous cast members who have moved on — Pete Berg, myself and the producers of the show let the storytelling guide us,” he explains, “and we feel we didn’t have substantial enough storylines to justify keeping such an immensely talented actor from pursuing what we know will continue to be a very successful career.
“Jesse has created one of Friday Night Lights finest and most beloved characters,” Katims adds, “and I can tell you this was not an easy decision.”
But like many of FNL‘s dearly departed vets, Plemons — whose college-bound character, Landry, joined BFF Matt in Chicago in the season 4 finale (which just aired on DirecTV) — may return on a guest star basis. “We hope he will come back for the season opener,” says Katims, “and several other episodes later in the season, depending on his availability.”
The news follows my earlier scoop that another original FNL castmember, Taylor Kitsch (Riggins), will not be back as a series regular either.
Production on FNL‘s fifth season gets underway next month in Austin. The fourth season debuts on NBC on April 30.
Thoughts? Will you miss Landry? Are you, like Katims, hopeful that he’ll return to Dillon on a part-time basis? Sound off below!
For instantaneous scoop, follow me on Twitter at @ewausiellofiles
Who will still be on the show next season???
Sad. But more time for Crucifictorious world tour!
win
I like that idea!
Whilst I’m sad to see Jesse Plemons go, let’s face it, the only person who needs to stay every year to make the show great is Connie Britton. She’s the heart & soul of Friday Night Lights.
I agree that Connie Britton needs to stay, but the true soul of the show is Coach. The two of them together make the best couple ever on television, but Coach Taylor is the bridge between the kids and the adults.
ahhhhh ok as much as the new storylines may be working im going to miss the “originals” of the show… they were really what kept me watching. So i wonder if Aimee is coming back or not too…
I can’t help but think … that’s what happens when you hire 26-27 year olds to play high school students.
Actually, Jesse Plemons was 18 when the show started. He and Aimee Teegarden were both actual teenagers playing teenage characters.
What difference does this make? If he were a 18-year-old now, they would still make the same decision based on the storyline and the actor’s other opportunities
You realize that Jesse Plemons was only 18 when he started on the show, right?
Landry – Ha ha, Crucifictorious world tour! I’d gladly buy tickets for that concert.
Good luck to Jesse Plemons – and Landry!
I used to really like this show. Now, not so much.
I used to enjoy your mom Janniel… now, not so much
Didn’t everyone used to enjoy her mom? My hoes are the best!
Ah, this makes me really sad
OK Katims, give me my Landry/Tyra reunion in one of his eps back next season, and I’ll be able to deal.
Ooooh, good call. She needs to ride off into the sunset with him somehow.
For Landry his season 4 storyline was somewhat thin to begin with. I agree it is better to move on from the character. As for Riggins, what a tragic end to the character. A gutsy end with him in prison. Great television.
Thank you! I thought it was gutsy how they handled Riggins, too.
SPOILER: I was not a bit surprised Riggins took the fall. He’s done it before … It was 100 percent true to his character.
At least he’ll sober up in jail. I still look for a satisfying ending for Timmy R. I’d love to see him coach football!!!
spoiler: The ending they gave Landry this season was the most appropriate final act they could have possibly given him. Landry scoring the winning field goal? It doesn’t get better than that. I miss Tyra but not Landry&Tyra.
I agree. And he and Matt joking about his “70 yarder” while making their plans to head to Chicago was just a nice way to end it as well.
This show should have ended in season 3. Remember how magical and wonderful that finale was? I’m sad to see it dragged out and turned into a ghost of itself.
I felt season 4 was the strongest season of series.
Season 4 was the best season since the 1st one.
Yeah – season 4 ROCKED! I can’t imagine it ended on three – there were so many unanswered questions! I’ll miss Landry but he graduated – this isn’t unexpected! I love the new characters so I’m sure the show will still be awesome!
I was ecstatic when FNLs was renewed beyond S3. And I also thought S4 was absolutely an awesome season … my favorite season after S1.
I’d like to have seen it go beyond S5!!!
I felt Season 4 was terrific! It brought into perspective the difference of the social classes. Or the racial disharmony between th blacks and the whites. I thought this was a bold move and well worth it. FNL is one of the best shows on TV right now.
I agree with the others. I loved season four. Especially the first couple of episodes and the last couple. They definitely would be ranked in the top 15 episodes of the series.
Wow, are you serious? Fans and critics alike have agreed that season 4 was one of the best of the series! Did you watch “The Son?!?”
The writing guides them? How about writing a decent character departure for a change? With quad Jason’s miracle sperm with one night stand baby and forced romance, Tyra’s disappearing act and random non-meeting arranged with Landry, and Matt’s about turn from staying in Dillon for his grandma to suddenly staying for Julie (still don’t know why she said they had been together four years when they only hooked up mid-season 1 and she spent most of Season 2 chasing other guys), I’m starting to wonder why they bother writing departures at all. Why not just have them zapped up by alients or fall down into a mysterious Dillon Black Hole? The show is great, but the departures for these beloved characters… and now doubt Landry is going to suffer the same fate… have been abysmal.
Nice string of ranting gibberish. Watch something else.
I disagree. With Lyla and Tyra is was a simple case of life moves on. That’s the way life is. Sometimes people goto college and leave their former lives in the past. I am glad their departures weren’t made over dramatic. Street was one of the strongest departures IMO. Being able to find life after his accident was one of the more moving conclusions.
With Tyra … it was dependent on the actress’s availability. That’s why they couldn’t book her until S5.
This will often be the case. Some of these actors are fortunate enough to be pursuing some awesome post-FNLs projects.
What about Smash’s departure? I personally loved the way they closed his story.
Their departures are pretty much the way life works…Friday Night Lights has always been a lot more about real life than about what’s supposed to happen on TV.
This makes me sad. If he doesn’t come back for guest spots in the final season I’ll be incredibly disappointed. But I’ll be more disappointed if they end the show with Riggins in prison…
I dunno. I imagine Riggins eventually getting out of prison and returning to life mostly as usual with his brother at the garage. Tim’s not the weak kind of guy who would wind up completely scarred by prison. Once he’s out, his brother owes him big time. There’s no way he won’t have a job waiting for him. His brother had OK business, so I’m going to optimistically think that he’ll be well established and in the black when Tim gets out. I just hope he started budgeting for some health insurance.
And I thought Landry got a great send-off of sorts already. Headed to Chicago with his best buddy to have a grand ole time, on a bit of a high from that game-winning field goal. For a character I think of as basically a lovable loser, (poor Landry…he always gets so close to having something great, but it ultimately winds up out of his reach), I think it’s the best possible way for him to head off to college.
There’s so much you could write about Landry!
It’s true. There is so much they could write about each and every one of these beloved characters.
With these shortened, 13 episode seasons (and such a large cast) … I think the writers have done a phenomenal job within he parameters they were given.
That’s a bunch of crap.
i miss lance already…
I think I’ve heard of this show, but I thought it ended a long time ago.
Isn’t that sad?
*tongue in cheek* I just LOVE the way NBC promotes this show … canceling it before S4 even airs on NBC. What the?
Canceling and deciding to end the show are two different things. Plus, you should go back to Ausiello’s interview with Connie Britton last summer and listened to the part where she says the show will end after Season 5.