TVSquad

It's a question that popped up even before our pals in Dillon had their premiere. What are they going to do when these kids start graduating? Well, we have an answer now, and I'm not sure it's going to be embraced by everyone. EW's Michael Ausiello reports that Gaius Charles (Smash) and Scott Porter (Street) have been moved to recurring status.

Producer Jason Katims released a statement that says both characters will get four episode arcs to move them into the next chapter of their lives. Presumably, those would be chapters that won't be captured by the handheld Friday Night Lights cams. The cynic in me can't help thinking that this has as much to do with the shaky nature of the FNL renewal as it does with being able to work these characters into the show. After all, the idea of budget cuts after the strange Direct TV deal isn't an outlandish one. That being said, the explanation is reasonable. They were going to have to address the graduation dilemma eventually.

I'm disappointed in losing them both, but the loss of Street is the more surprising. Smash heading off to college did present a tougher problem to solve. And it's very similar to one that they already struggled with in Coach Taylor's ill-conceived career change that kicked off season two. Street, however, was already back in Dillon and slowly starting to find his place. He'd moved out on his own... entered the workforce... found a new girlfriend... knocked up that girlfriend... Is there really no more story to tell about Street? Looking back at it, it all seems a little peculiar. From the premiere, it really seemed that Street would be a much bigger part of the show than he ultimately was.

I suppose that this is just the beginning of the fallout from the decision. It most likely means much less of two of my favorite background characters, Mrs. Williams and Herc. Of course, it also means we'll continue to see as little of Mr. and Mrs. Street as we always have.

It's not all doom and gloom though. I still believe that the show sinks or swims with Eric (Kyle Chandler) and Tammy (Connie Britton). The fact that the two of them are still going to be on the screen each week means that the show is still going to be worth making time for. I sat through murdergate to keep watching them. As long as season three doesn't kick off with Saracen's (Zach Gilford) evil identical twin, the one with the goatee, showing up to cause trouble, I think we'll be okay.