Rise2018

But as much as its sensibility and focus may dovetail with FNL, Rise is a different show, one that is sensitive, full-to-bursting with heart, and well-acted, but also one whose characters don’t immediately pop in the same way that the residents of Dillon, Texas, did.

Rise is sweet when it watches its teens put on a show. But it falls when it insists the real hero is the guy convincing them to be themselves.

Rise doesn’t elevate to the heights of Friday Night Lights with either its storytelling or performances. But it’s heartfelt from start to finish while also offering an overall feel-good respite from television’s ongoing obsessions with “true crime” and all things Trump.