Other networks could share third season of show

"Friday Night Lights" is done for this season, but the Dillon Panthers could yet live to play another day.

The emphasis there is on "could." NBC is considering ways to bring back the low-rated but fiercely loved series back for a third season, possibly involving sharing the show with another network.

NBC Universal -- which also produces the series -- has approached The CW, TNT and the owner of E! and G4, about sharing a possible third season of "Friday Night Lights," Variety reports. NBC does something similar with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"; new episodes debuted on USA in the fall and are now being repurposed on NBC.

A key difference, though, is that NBC, USA and "Criminal Intent" are all part of the NBC Universal family. None of the networks involved in the "Friday Night Lights" discussions is: TNT is owned by Time Warner, The CW is a joint Time Warner/CBS Corp. venture, and Comcast owns E! and G4.

"Friday Night Lights" averaged about 6.2 million viewers per week over its 15 episodes this season -- up about 250,000 viewers compared to last season -- and a 2.2 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic, which is even with 2006-07. Despite the low overall numbers, however, the show performs well among high-income viewers, which could work in its favor.