Just as Friday Night Lights wrapped up its fourth season on DIRECTV, it was announced the show’s next season will be its last. Sources close to the show say the actors and crew have all been told they can pursue other work after production on Season 5 wraps this summer.

Despite the reports, NBC insists that nothing is official. During a press conference for the new series Parenthood today, producer Jason Katims sounded as if he might be ready to move on though. “If it winds up being the final season of the show, then I will feel very, very lucky and grateful that we were able to do as many episodes of a show that is so dear to my heart,” he said.

NBC saved the show from cancellation in 2008 with a deal that allowed its episodes to air first on DIRECTV. The show’s fourth season wrapped its DIRECTV run Wednesday night to some of its best reviews to date. EW’s Ken Tucker thought the season ended on a high note. “Friday Night Lights” wrapped up its fourth season a big winner: It succeeded in turning the East Dillon Lions into a team to root for, tying story lines for some fan-favorite characters, and introducing key personalities that will carry the series into its next season. And, oh yeah: Somebody kicked a 46-yard field goal to win the big game,” he wrote.

FNL will begin airing on NBC April 30th.

It appears that the partnership between NBC and DirecTV has proven beneficial to everyone involved. Last year the two companies agreed on a deal where DirecTV would air the third season of Friday Night Lights in the fall, with NBC repeating the episodes starting in January 2009.

This week it was officially announced that the partnership will continue for at least two more years. Friday Night Lights was renewed for two additional 13 episode seasons, to be aired in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 TV seasons. Like this season, DirecTV will get the first-run rights with NBC to air the episodes at a later date.

The NBC/DirecTV partnership could signal a new way to save critically acclaimed but low-rated series. Friday Night Lights struggled in the Nielsens for its first two seasons and looked headed for cancellation before the deal was struck. With the arrangement, NBC shares the production costs with DirecTV, DirecTV builds their reputation with original programming, and fans are happy to see their show continue. Everyone wins.

Although nothing has been reported regarding similar deals, NBC may possibly use the success of this model to save other low-rated but beloved and acclaimed shows, such as Chuck or Life. Furthermore, DirecTV, an independent satellite broadcaster, is not owned by NBC Universal, which means it could make similar arrangements with other networks.

It seems Friday Night Lights is the series that just won’t die. EW and Eonline are both reporting the series will most likely be renewed for two more 13-episode seasons. FNL has never done well in the rating but has always received raves from critics and the few viewers they’ve been able to retain.

The show’s star, Kyle Chandler, told E! that they hope to know soon if they’ve been renewed, “Anytime. That’s what we’ve been hearing for a month now, anytime…It’s 50 percent solid that we’re coming back. I think [the show] will be back. My wife and I would like to hear for firm.”

The deal NBC struck with DirecTV might be the show’s saving grace. Last year, NBC gave first-run rights to the current season to DirecTV, generating additional revenue and a larger audience. It was also a good deal for DirecTV who were hoping to cash in on the die-hard fans that would not want to wait for NBC to air new episodes months later.

The bad news is, some of the cast will not be returning for season four. Gaius Charles and Scott Porter graduated, meaning they, along with several other familiar faces at Dillon High, will be moving onto bigger and better things.

If you want to catch up on season three before the start of season four next fall, you can watch full episodes on FanCast.