Tonight, NBC begins its run of the final season of 'Friday Night Lights.' The drama -- about so much more than football -- began broadcasting its fifth season on DirecTV's channel 101 late last year.

For your convenience, we've gathered some of our 'Friday Night Lights' stories below to get you ready for the East Dillon Panthers' latest season.

First up, take a look at AOL TV lead critic Maureen Ryan's take on the magic of 'FNL,' Texas Forever: 12 Things Television Can Learn From 'Friday Night Lights.' Why, exactly, was the show so good? Well, there's the realistic portrayal of a healthy marriage, the fact that it told stories about teenagers that weren't dumb, the changing yet always ultra-talented cast ... should we go on?

Well, as Ryan mentioned in Full Hearts: 'Friday Night Lights' Returns for Its Final Season when season 5 premiered on DirecTV in October, "Five years: That's one year more than the amount of time it takes to get through high school (or exactly the amount of time it takes to get through high school, if we choose to forget the Year of Landry and That Thing We Don't Talk About). In that time frame, it almost feels as though America has caught up to 'Friday Night Lights.' It's not as if life was carefree and easy four years ago, but boom has given way to bust and financial setbacks and reduced expectations are the norm."

After tonight's show airs, take a look at Allison Waldman's recap of 'Expectations,' the season 5 premiere: 'Friday Night Lights' Season 5, Episode 1 Recap (Season Premiere)

And of course, remember: Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Tell us: Are you excited for season 5? How long have you been engrossed in the lives of the residents of Dillon, Texas?


'Friday Night Lights' airs Fridays at 8PM ET on NBC.