It seems like whenever we talk about Friday Night Lights, there's always good news and bad news. The good news came last week when it was announced that the Peabody-award winning football drama had escaped cancellation yet again, and will return for a 13-episode third season next year to be broadcast first on DirecTV in the fall, then on NBC in the winter. If the show becomes profitable through this unusual arrangement, we could be following the Dillon Panthers for many seasons to come.

Sounds great, right? Well, here comes the bad news: starting over from scratch in the fall, with an abbreviated season nonetheless, means the resolutions to this year's storylines will be skipped over. Considering the unevenness of the second season in general, I suspect fans will be happy to learn that by the time the new season starts, the Tyra/Landry murder plotline, for example, will be ancient history. But as for some of the more interesting stories, we'll be left to imagine their resolutions for ourselves. If you're too busy to do the imagining yourself, here's how I'd tie up a few of those loose ends:

Unfinished story: Jason Street knocks up a waitress after a one-night stand. Realizing that his ability to impregnate a woman is a medical miracle that may never happen again, Jason begs her to have the baby.

My Resolution: The waitress gives in and reluctantly goes through with the pregnancy, but takes off soon after giving birth. Left alone to support his child, Jason is forced to work longer hours at Buddy Garrity's car dealership, and hires his BFF Tim Riggins as a live-in nanny. Jason's roommate, Herc, is at first annoyed by the new arrival, but later bonds with the tyke, showing us his soft side for the first time. Three Men and a Baby-style hijinks ensue.

Unfinished story: Tami Taylor struggles to hold on to her career as a guidance counselor, without ignoring new baby, Gracie.

My Resolution: There isn't really one for this plot. This is an issue many career-oriented mothers struggle with throughout the raising of their children. Tami may never find the answer, but NBC can keep viewers from getting bored with it by plopping Gracie in the TV Child Insta-Ager! One episode, Tami will drop Gracie off at daycare, and in the next episode a precocious, boy-crazy fifteen-year-old Gracie will be getting a ride home from high school with big sis, Julie.

Unfinished story: Julie and Matt both become hopelessly lost after breaking up.
My Resolution: Just ignore it. Please just let the FNL writers put TV's sweetest teen couple back together in the fall as if The Swede and the South American nurse never happened.

Unfinished story: The Panthers' unfinished football season.
My Resolution: Without Smash, they don't make it into the playoffs. The show would have a hard time sustaining dramatic suspense if they won the state championship every season, but it would be depressing for the fans to watch them lose. This way, we get to root for them as underdogs again next season, without having to end the second season as a downer. This is one case where a loss for the team is a win for the fans.

If you're a fan of great but unfinished TV, Friday Night Lights: The Second Season comes to DVD on April 22.

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