10 Worst Ways TV Characters Were Written Out

Friday Night Lights’ second season wasn’t an unmitigated disaster, but it wasn’t far off. The sophomore run of the acclaimed high school football series was hamstrung by the 2007-2008 writers’ strike, meaning a lot of the story arcs embarked upon were dropped by the time season three rolled around.

For the most part this was a blessing, as season two went down some questionable paths: illicit affairs, murder, shark DNA. The loss of Santiago Herrera, however, was a little more disappointing.

Herrera was a promising but troubled teen who joined the Dillon Panthers in an attempt to get his life back on track. He shacked up with Buddy Garrity, a fun odd couple dynamic, and offered the admirably diverse show an opportunity to explore the Hispanic community of West Texas.

Then, normal service resumed, and they just forgot all about Herrera and actor Benny Ciaramello. The tearaway kid whose life is saved by football they would explore more in seasons four and five, but it’s a little disappointing that they just chucked away this story along with the rest of that mess of a season - this one had potential.