Has Friday Night Lights found its next Tim Riggins?
Sources confirm that producers have recruited relative newcomer Grey Damon to join the season 5 cast in the series regular of Hastings Ruckle, a sexy, laid back basketball player who ends up joining the Lions as a wide receiver.
The casting breakdown for the role called for a “super, super hot guy who must be over 6 feet tall with a strong athletic build.” The character possesses a “dark, hippie, party-guy vibe,” per the notice, “and kids — especially girls — gravitate to him because he seems not to care too much.”
Damon, whose credits include guest stints on Greek, Lincoln Heights, and 90210, is one of several new characters FNL is bringing in to help fill the void life by departing vets Zach Gilford, Taylor Kitsch, and Jesse Plemmons.
Production on FNL‘s fifth (and likely final) season is now underway in Austin.
Wow, I actually thought that was a picture of Taylor Kitsch from days of yore! And it’s Grey Damon! Is getting a doppelganger such a good idea? Um, YES IT IS.
Wait, isn’t this the final season? Do we need to be introducing new characters who will not get arcs longer than 13 episodes anyway? I think there are plenty of loose ends with the characters we already know to fill these last 13 hours, probably even sticking to just the Taylor family.
I was encouraged by the news that FNL was trying to bring back Smash and Street, figuring that they would devote the next season to wrapping up ALL the characters we love from the show (including those we got to know last year), but I think I’ll be disappointed if it ends up being mostly about new people.
Why can’t NBC do FNL a favor and send it to TNT … This show will do good with another network that cares!! This CAN’T be the last season!!!
Can anyone tell me when FNL will be shown on NBC? or have I missed it?
I think it starts the first week of May.
He looks like he could play Robert Pattinson’s body double. Why didn’t just put out a notice asking for vampire wannabes?
Hehe, when I saw this, I came here to check the comments just to see if anyone else said that.
Yes he’s smoldering…but there can never be another Tim Riggins…just sayin.
here here!
Just agreeing!!!!
AMEN!
Agreed…
And Taylor Kitsch was truly amazing this season.
JennaD I couldn’t agree with you more!
Exclusive? I read this days ago on another site. I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Uhhh…IMDB says he appeared on one episode of 90210. His character: “waiter.”
He IS super hot, and I’ll watch the show no matter what, because it’s just so damn good, but I can’t say my heart will be fully invested. Each of the three guys you mentioned is taking a little piece of it with them……
There is only one Tim Riggins…
could not agree with you more
FNLFan confirmed this 4 days ago. You’re slacking Michael!
Spring break. hehehe
You can never replace Riggins. This guy doesn’t even come close!
Last season, I felt the new characters (especially Jess) often got short shrift. I don’t want FNL to introduce “several” new main characters: I would rather they just give more screen time to last years newbies.
There will never ever be another Tim Riggins but this guy might be a nice distraction…
Exactly my thinking. He sure is pretty. Besides, as others have pointed out, FNL has rarely (if ever?) had a serious casting misstep. They know what they’re doing, and I can’t wait to watch next season.
This is one main reason why I don’t consider the TV version of FNL to be in the same league as The Wire. Just look at the description of the casting. The TV version of FNL has always cared too much in casting pretty people for these roles of poor to lower middle class characters from small towns. As a result they end up getting actors/actresses who look as if they just walked off a fashion shoot. Hell, just look at the guy who plays the coach. The movie version was more realistic and stayed truer to the book’s gritty themes. But the TV show seems to want to be nothing more than a CW show with smarts.
You’re entitled to your opinion. I’d like to give a different one. Kyle Chandler has done a magnificent job in creating the character of Eric Taylor … not at all the same role as Coach Gaines in the movie. It wasn’t supposed to be. Even Connie Britton’s role is much, much different than Sharon Gainer in the movie. And it’s for the better. Connie Britton was not interested in re-creating the role of Sharon Gainer.
I loved the movie, too, but its adaptation had to translate to a wider appeal for television. The casting folks have done a fantastic job … as has been constantly noted in the press and by the critics. I can live with the differences. In fact, I can love both the movie and the TV series.
It’s just as silly to consider less attractive people as automatically more real. The first thing I notice on FNL has never been what the actors look like. It has always been their skill level. I didn’t even fully realize how good looking the cast was until a friend pointed it out. I’d say that’s a pretty good mark of genius – masking the surface beauty and opting to place their talent in higher regard. I’m a die-hard fan of The Wire and Friday Night Lights IS in its league.
I think there is a very believalbe mix of great looking people (Street, Riggins, Lyla, Tyra, Smash) and regular looking people (Matt, Landry, the kids in Landry’s band, Mindy, JD, etc)…
While I agree with you that the FNL cast is extremely good-looking, I also think they acknowledged it in part. Tim Riggins would not have been able to get away with anything if he didn’t look the way he did, and the show explicitly points this out. And his looks didn’t solve any of his problems. Similarly, Landry was self-aware that he couldn’t compare to someone like Tim. I like the movie very much, but I vastly prefer the TV show and I think it is on par with The Wire.
Agreed!
I live in a small town, there are attractive people here like anywhere else. The character of Tim Riggins NEEDED to be hot, and Taylor Kitsch is not just a pretty face with washboard abs. His acting was truly impressive this season.
I liked the movie, but actually think the TV series is much better.
I miss Riggins too, but give this guy a chance. FNLs has been absolutely AWESOME in the area of casting … I’m just stayin’. I think it is the best cast show on television … bar none.
Yes, I’ve really enjoyed the addition of the new characters, particularly Vince, this season. (And I suppose I may be biased since Michael B. Jordan was a Wire alum…)
I keep hoping that they’ll announce another 2-season extension. We’re still getting to know this season’s new characters, I’d like to see them develop over time. And of course it would be nice to occasionally see the original cast.