Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good something is, you just don’t have the time, knowledge or circumstances to appreciate it when it is new. While it lends a certain amount of geek street cred to say you were on board with something special right from the beginning, the magic of DVD and Blu-Ray means that you needn’t fret if you missed out.
For example, if you were in a coma, ship wrecked on a deserted island, in a drug-induced haze or perhaps just curled up in the fetal position without access to a TV and happened to miss either Arrested Development or The Wire, there is no reason not to rectify the situation. Seriously. Like right now.
I have no idea what I was doing with my free time when Freaks and Geeks first aired on NBC in 1999 and 2000, but I missed it. Honestly, I don’t even have an excuse. I obviously had a TV and was even watching NBC on a weekly basis thanks to the 1999 debut of The West Wing, so I have no idea what happened… maybe I just wasn’t ready for Seth Rogen’s Jew-fro yet. Who knows? Regardless, I am proud I can now mark it off of my official “to-watch” list. You’re next, Mad Men!
Anyway, now that I’ve seen it, I can join in the fairly universal praise it receives and also offer Pop Culture A.D.D.’s Top-Five Reasons Why Freaks and Geeks is Awesome:
5. The Honesty
More often than not, pop culture tends to portray only the most rigid, extreme examples of a social class. Cool characters are cool almost to a fault; geeky characters are rarely more than a one-note caricature. However, in the world of Freaks and Geeks, the characters feel more organic… the cool kids can have a bad day or make an embarrassing decision; the un-cool kids can enjoy an occasional shining moment of triumph. Having had my fair share of both freaky and geeky moments in my life, I appreciated the deft touch shown by creator Paul Feig, producer Judd Apatow and the show’s writers.
4. The Geeks
As promised by the title, the show focuses on both freaks and geeks, with the latter represented by a wonderfully charming trio of social outcasts. John Francis Daley plays Sam Weir, the coolest of the un-cool kids and younger brother of the show’s main heroine; Samm Levine plays Neil Schweiber, who was more-or-less accurately described as looking like a grandpa in the show; and Martin Starr plays Bill Haverchuck, the bespectacled and gangly geek with a peanut allergy. As best friends dealing with that awkward stage between Star Wars and the fairer sex (which, for some of us, never completely goes away), the geeks are spot on.
3. The Parents
I’m trying to think a funnier set of parents than Harold and Jean Weir, as played by Joe Flaherty of SCTV fame and Becky Ann Baker. Harold and Jean are equal parts protective and permissive, realizing they are lucky to have such bright, (mostly) well-adjusted children but lamenting the growing chasm between parent and child. More than anything, the Weir parents are just downright hilarious in their own awkward yet natural way. Suck it, Cindy and Jim Walsh.
2. The Music
Without question, the music is an integral, amazing part of the show and you’d have to be a Nickelback fan not to appreciate it. From Rush to The Who to the fact that the opening credits are set to Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, the music sets the tone for just how awesome and authentic the show is. Sadly, the music is also what makes it hard to find the DVDs in your local Wal-Mart bargain bin. Rather than neuter the show by cutting out the music, Apatow and Co. decided to bite the bullet and pay the royalty fees for the DVD release. The good news? The music is fucking awesome. The bad news? It doesn’t come cheap.
1. The Freaks
Not since the star factories of Welcome Back, Kotter and ER pumped out John Travolta and George Clooney has a TV show spawned such a wealth of big-name talent. Like older, sex-drug-and-rock-and-roll-obsessed versions of the three geeks, the three freaks are portrayed by Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jason Segal. Basically, if you enjoyed the interplay between Rogen and Franco in Pineapple Express or Segal’s character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you’ll dig Freaks and Geeks. To top it all off, as geek-turned-freak Lindsay Weir, actress Linda Cardellini offers a charming glimpse into both worlds.
Sadly, Freaks and Geeks was a brilliant show that never found the audience it deserved. Considering it took me a goddamn decade to track it down and watch it, I can’t help but take some of the blame for its demise. Sorry, everyone. As punishment, I’ll make myself watch an episode of Two and a Half Men or Big Bang Theory.
For example, if you were in a coma, ship wrecked on a deserted island, in a drug-induced haze or perhaps just curled up in the fetal position without access to a TV and happened to miss either Arrested Development or The Wire, there is no reason not to rectify the situation. Seriously. Like right now.
I have no idea what I was doing with my free time when Freaks and Geeks first aired on NBC in 1999 and 2000, but I missed it. Honestly, I don’t even have an excuse. I obviously had a TV and was even watching NBC on a weekly basis thanks to the 1999 debut of The West Wing, so I have no idea what happened… maybe I just wasn’t ready for Seth Rogen’s Jew-fro yet. Who knows? Regardless, I am proud I can now mark it off of my official “to-watch” list. You’re next, Mad Men!
Anyway, now that I’ve seen it, I can join in the fairly universal praise it receives and also offer Pop Culture A.D.D.’s Top-Five Reasons Why Freaks and Geeks is Awesome:
5. The Honesty
More often than not, pop culture tends to portray only the most rigid, extreme examples of a social class. Cool characters are cool almost to a fault; geeky characters are rarely more than a one-note caricature. However, in the world of Freaks and Geeks, the characters feel more organic… the cool kids can have a bad day or make an embarrassing decision; the un-cool kids can enjoy an occasional shining moment of triumph. Having had my fair share of both freaky and geeky moments in my life, I appreciated the deft touch shown by creator Paul Feig, producer Judd Apatow and the show’s writers.
4. The Geeks
As promised by the title, the show focuses on both freaks and geeks, with the latter represented by a wonderfully charming trio of social outcasts. John Francis Daley plays Sam Weir, the coolest of the un-cool kids and younger brother of the show’s main heroine; Samm Levine plays Neil Schweiber, who was more-or-less accurately described as looking like a grandpa in the show; and Martin Starr plays Bill Haverchuck, the bespectacled and gangly geek with a peanut allergy. As best friends dealing with that awkward stage between Star Wars and the fairer sex (which, for some of us, never completely goes away), the geeks are spot on.
3. The Parents
I’m trying to think a funnier set of parents than Harold and Jean Weir, as played by Joe Flaherty of SCTV fame and Becky Ann Baker. Harold and Jean are equal parts protective and permissive, realizing they are lucky to have such bright, (mostly) well-adjusted children but lamenting the growing chasm between parent and child. More than anything, the Weir parents are just downright hilarious in their own awkward yet natural way. Suck it, Cindy and Jim Walsh.
2. The Music
Without question, the music is an integral, amazing part of the show and you’d have to be a Nickelback fan not to appreciate it. From Rush to The Who to the fact that the opening credits are set to Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, the music sets the tone for just how awesome and authentic the show is. Sadly, the music is also what makes it hard to find the DVDs in your local Wal-Mart bargain bin. Rather than neuter the show by cutting out the music, Apatow and Co. decided to bite the bullet and pay the royalty fees for the DVD release. The good news? The music is fucking awesome. The bad news? It doesn’t come cheap.
1. The Freaks
Not since the star factories of Welcome Back, Kotter and ER pumped out John Travolta and George Clooney has a TV show spawned such a wealth of big-name talent. Like older, sex-drug-and-rock-and-roll-obsessed versions of the three geeks, the three freaks are portrayed by Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jason Segal. Basically, if you enjoyed the interplay between Rogen and Franco in Pineapple Express or Segal’s character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you’ll dig Freaks and Geeks. To top it all off, as geek-turned-freak Lindsay Weir, actress Linda Cardellini offers a charming glimpse into both worlds.
Sadly, Freaks and Geeks was a brilliant show that never found the audience it deserved. Considering it took me a goddamn decade to track it down and watch it, I can’t help but take some of the blame for its demise. Sorry, everyone. As punishment, I’ll make myself watch an episode of Two and a Half Men or Big Bang Theory.
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4 comments:
This is by far my favourite show for the reasons that you listed and others. It is an unbelievably under appreciated show. That said I just lent my copy of the complete series to my fifth friend in a row and they all love it. So I feel like I'm doing my part in getting this show out there.
I love this show too.. even though I had no idea it existed back in 2000.
Bill is definitely my favourite.. his love of Dallas always made me laugh.
I agree whole-heartedly. Well, except for that jibe at The Big Bang Theory. I love that show. Feel free to take an extra poke at Two and a Half Men though, that one is atrocious.
Genial post and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you on your information.
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