The series revolves around the Dillon Panthers and their new head coach Eric Taylor as they deal with the pressure of high school football in Texas and everything that comes with it, on and off the field.

Connie Britton played Tami Taylor, Eric's wife and new guidance counselor at Dillon High School.

Supporting characters given expanded appearances throughout the season include: Brad Leland as Lyla's father and head of the Dillon Panthers' Booster Club Buddy Garrity, Derek Phillips as Tim's brother Billy Riggins, Louanne Stephens as Saracen's grandmother Lorraine Saracen, Liz Mikel as Smash's mother Corrina Williams, Kevin Rankin as Herc, and Jae Head as Bo Miller.

The website's critical consensus reads, "Innovative for its time, Friday Night Lights offers a realistic glimpse into small-town life and the social issues that accompany it.

Several critics lauded the series: Virginia Hefferna of The New York Times called it "A fiercely controlled and inventive work of art"; Troy Patterson of Slate named it "The most engrossing new drama of the fall season"; and Tom Shales of The Washington Post said it is "Extraordinary in just about every conceivable way".

Robert Bianco of USA Today praised the series' "rare ability to portray life in small-town America without being condescending or sentimental", and Henry Goldblatt of Entertainment Weekly applauded the series' cinematography, setting, and subject matter, saying: "Lights doesn't look a whole lot like anything else on television right now.