Another season for ‘Friday Night Lights’?

March 21, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

LOS ANGELES — “Friday Night Lights” just may score another season. Executive producer Jason Katims said he’s “incredibly optimistic” about a third season for the drama, which has been in limbo since the writers strike ended. “There’s no deal yet for the show,” Katims said Wednesday at the William S. Paley Television Festival. “But we are being incredibly optimistic that’s going to happen and happen soon.” Although a critical hit, ratings were low for the show, which depicts small-town Texas life where high school football is king. When viewers last saw the Dillon Panthers, the team was gearing up for the playoffs. Because of the writers strike, which halted most TV production, seven of the 22 episodes NBC ordered for season two weren’t produced. Fans have fought to keep the show on the air, launching www.SaveFridayNightLights.tv and asking viewers to send donations to fill NBC entertainment chief Ben Silverman’s mailbox with miniature plastic footballs. “I think the answer is going to be pretty soon,” Katims said. “I have a feeling we’re two or three weeks away from knowing.” Katims said a third season would likely pick up after the planned events of season two. However, the series would integrate unused story lines into the new season, which he said could begin filming as soon as July.

Today’s birthdays

Violinist-conductor Joseph Silverstein is 76. Actor Al Freeman Jr. is 74. Actress Kathleen Widdoes is 69. Singer Solomon Burke is 68. Actress Marie-Christine Barrault is 64. Singer-musician Rose Stone (Sly and the Family Stone) is 63. Actor Timothy Dalton is 62. Singer Eddie Money is 59. Rock singer-musician Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) is 58. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson is 57. Rock musician Conrad Lozano (Los Lobos) is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer Russell Thompkins Jr. (The Stylistics) is 57. Comedy writer-performer Brad Hall is 50. Actress Sabrina LeBeauf is 50. Actor Gary Oldman is 50. Actor Matthew Broderick is 46. Comedian-talk show host Rosie O’Donnell is 46. Rock musician Jonas “Joker” Berggren (Ace of Base) is 41. Rock MC Maxim (Prodigy) is 41. Rock musician Andrew Copeland (Sister Hazel) is 40. “Hip-hop DJ” DJ Premier (Gang Starr) is 39. Actress Laura Allen is 34. Rapper-TV personality Kevin Federline is 30.