Austin, Part 3: Friday Night Lights

Here are a few things you should know about one of TV's top series, "Friday Night Lights."

-Jesse Plemons (Landry) is the spitting image of Matt Damon, albeit with red hair. In fact, he played the younger version of Damon' character in "All The Pretty Horses." He also bears an uncanny resemblance to Glenn Morshower, who was cast as his father on "FNL." "He kind of looks like me more than my real father does," Plemons said with a chuckle.

-Minka Kelly (Lyla) is even more beautiful in person than on TV, which is saying something. She's a combination of a runway model and the girl next door. She wasn't bothered by the negative fan mail she got last season after Lyla had an affair with Tim Riggins. "It's the most rewarding," she said. "Knowing I had that affect on people. It's not frustrating at all. If your pissing someone off, you are doing something right. We're doing OK."

The show is filmed in Austin, and the cast and crew love the location filming, especially trying to capture that small-town feel of the show. Producer Jeffrey Reiner said both the book "Friday Night Lights" and the movie (directed by series producer Peter Berg) influence the series in trying to capture that feel.

The cast and crew say there is a lot more ad-libbing than most TV shows. Actors are given scripts only a few days before shooting (Plemons joked scripts are protected like drugs on the set) and that there is no blocking or marks on the set. The crew uses hand-held cameras to capture the action.

As for the controversial plot twist this season, when Landry and Tyra killed a man then dumped the body, the cast and crew have heard the complaints.

"The storyline is really powerful, really intense," Plemons said. "As an actor, you always want something that will make you uncomfortable. ... I really like the fact that people are upset. It means they really do care. What I've said is to give it a couple of episodes to let it play out, then make up your mind."

By the way, the scenes at the Dairy Queen between Matt and Smash are Reiner's favorites. "We get all this free ice cream," he said.

As for the show's low ratings despite critical acclaim, the cast and crew are taking it in stride, just trying to put out the best product possible. Reiner said NBC has been pretty good about staying hands off with the show, though the first season's promos that focused on the football aspect of the show probably hurt it.

And if this is the last season for "FNL"?

"I'm so proud (of the stories we tell)," Kelly said, "the growth you go through with these characters. If (the show) was done today, I'm so fulfilled and so grateful. I'm probably never going to do work like this again."

AROUND THE DIAL: Serialized shows keep adding names - "Rescue Me's" Andrea Roth will join the cast of "Lost" in a recurring role, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello reports.

And, completing the crew of the USS Enterprise, Aint-It-Cool News is reporting that Karl Urban will be Dr. Leonard McCoy in the new Star Trek movie.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Hopefully, Middle Georgians will be taking one night off to catch "Randy and the Mob" at the Cox Capitol Theatre, but if not, there are some great options on Wednesdays.

First and foremost is "Pushing Daisies," (ABC, 8 p.m.) TV's best new show, which will feature the return of Chuck's (Anna Friel) loopy aunts (Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene). It's followed by "Private Practice," which most "Grey's Anatomy" fans haven't fallen in love with, and the inventive "Dirty Sexy Money."

Maybe if they retooled "Bionic Woman" (NBC, 9 p.m.) around the Sarah character instead of Jamie, it'd be a better show. It's followed by "Life" at 10 p.m.

I've pretty much given up on "Back To You" (Fox, 8 p.m.) despite its pedigree. It's followed by "Til Death" at 8:30 p.m. and "Kitchen Nightmares" at 9 p.m.

CBS is all-new with "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "CSI:NY" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

Finally, the first full-season pick-up among the networks went to "Gossip Girl" (CW, 9 p.m.) which has done very well among the youth market.