An even keel for ‘Friday Night Lights’

Anther difference: Unlike Coach Taylor, who tends to be a man of just a few, well-chosen words, Chandler is easygoing, personable, a storyteller — as when he recounts a meeting early on with Peter Berg, the series' executive producer (and the director and co-writer of the 2004 film version).

He recalls Berg asking what he had done the night before.

"I said, `Well, last night was my friend's birthday. I had too much to drink, smoked too many cigarettes and I'm very tired right now. Why?'

"He said, `I like that look. I want you to look old and tired. This coach is stressed out. That's my rule: You need to drink a lot of scotch and smoke a lot of cigarettes. That's how you prepare.'

"So," says Chandler, grinning, "the first thing when I wake up, I drink a tumbler of scotch. And since I don't smoke anymore, I just light 'em and leave 'em laying around the house."

More likely, his transformation from a boyish-looking 41 years old can be explained by acting chops, assisted by the harshening effect of no makeup being applied for the cameras.

Maybe shooting totally on location, liberated from any sound stage, also helps him (and the show overall) get into character.

Making itself at home, "Friday Night Lights" adopted the mascot and school colors (blue, yellow and white) of Austin's nearby Pflugerville Panthers for its fictitious Dillon High, and gave a needed fix-up to an abandoned playing field for the football scenes. The Taylor family's modest residence is a local house the show has leased. Where Jason Street is being "treated" is an actual, functioning hospital.

The realism of the settings is carried over to the production style, Chandler explains.

"We work fast," he says, calling off the steps as if football plays. "You come in with your dialogue. You know it. You say good morning to everyone. Get your mikes on and everything. You start — three to four cameras, hand-held, 16mm — and, organically, you just do the scene.

"No rehearsals. It's the first time the actors have done it. Everything is completely fresh. You have to find a way to communicate with the actor across from you. Which is like life.

"And then, quite often, we won't cut. We'll go right back and shoot the whole scene again.

"But usually," he notes, "it happens on the first take."

After hours, he heads for the apartment he has taken downtown. Across the street is a coffee place he loves. Right next door, a great music place. The Capitol's in sight.

"Austin is a great place to live and to raise a family," says Chandler, whose wife and two daughters (ages 5 and 10) are coming in from Los Angeles one week each month, until the show's fate is clearer.

True, the first week's audience was disappointing. But Chandler isn't the type to be discouraged any quicker than the coach he plays so well. He's got winning in mind.

"Peter Berg said to me, `You've always been under the radar. You've been an actor all this time and no one knows who you are. But that could be over soon.'

"Hopefully, this show will last a long time," says Chandler with a smile. "Then I'll go back to being unknown."

MORE FROM DRAMA

'The Tudors' turns bloodier in season 2

'The Tudors' turns bloodier in season 2 Michael — or is it Kevin — returns to 'Lost' Typo puts 'ER's' Julianna Margulies back on TV 'Wire' creator reflects on show's end Quiz: Is there a true fan in the ‘House’? How well do you know ‘CSI’s’ Gil Grissom?   Add Drama headlines to your news reader: