On July 15, Friday Night Lights ends its five-year run. And recently, the folks behind the Emmy Awards announced four nominations garnered by the cast and crew: Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and Best Drama Series. So well deserved.

This television show is one of my favorites. Drawn to it initially by the fantastic cast headlined by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, I’ve been introduced to so many talented actors, all playing characters I’ve come to love. Life –and football- in Dillon, Texas are pretty interesting to me because of them.

Friday Night Lights is the sort of show you can’t help but record because you want to watch it slowly –watch parts again, really savor the work. You can save up a few episodes to watch together –”serious TV time,” I call it. It’s a joy, a learning experience, moments of appreciation that television could be that good.

Few shows make it to my “serious TV time” … Picket Fences, The Sopranos and Northern Exposure are in there. Of course, now there’s On Demand and Hulu and all sorts of ways to watch your favorite shows, but this Friday night, I’ll be doing my serious TV time, watching several saved up FNL episodes in honor of Peter Berg and everyone associated with it – including the series finale.

And as far as the Emmys are concerned, I watch several of the shows nominated for Best Drama Series … but I hope Friday Night Lights wins this year. It would be proper thanks for the inspired storytelling.