Freaks and Geeks
Posted by tjparsons on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 3:59pm
Category: Classic Cult Television
TITLE: Freaks and Geeks
DATE: Air Dates- September 1999 to July 2000, re-released April 2004
GENRE: Comedy Drama
RUNNING TIME:
RATING: Not Rated
FORMAT: Boxset DVD
SCRIPT: Paul Feig
DIRECTOR: Various
STARRING: Linda Cardellini, Busy Phillips, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Joe Flaherty
Produced for NBC this cult gem had a very short run between 1999 and 2000 but that did not impair it from having a large and loyal cult following that pressured a DVD release for fans to sink their teeth into. Many times a good TV show that does not apply to an insanely wide demographic gets pulled way before its time and I believe this was another one of those instances. This however, did not keep it from getting noticed in Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly that put it on a couple of high ranking lists (100 greatest shows of all time and number 13 on a list of the best shows in the past 25 years respectively). The show takes place in a suburban highschool with emphasis on two particular social groups- The freaks: consisting of mischievous band of slacker outsiders with a newly indoctrinated mathelete. The second group is a tight friendship between 3 awkward boys that try to duck and hurdle the pains of puberty while striving to get girls and in a lesser way be accepted from peers and a seemingly unempathetic gym teacher played by Thomas F. Wilson (Bif, from Back to the Future).
Comedic, yes; Dark?, at moments , but real and earnest like The Wonder Years with some light highlights. It's just not so obviously face and picture perfect - characteristic of most 80-90's sitcoms that were "formula-ed" to death. Sometimes that makes something stick to your ribs better. Take all of this and recall some of your own personal moments from highschool then add some wonderfully nostalgic music and you just might find yourself a favorite new Television show.
I believe that Freaks and Geeks' charm is present because of the nature of its believable and relatable stories. Its great to go back watch this, and get a break from all the perfect people airbrushed on the cover of invasive grocery store magazines. This series crystallizes the essence of maturing while dealing almost exclusively with outsiders (no preps here thanks). These are real people that you can't help but to have feelings or empathy for, because you know people like that or you may have been a veteran of similar tour through highschool yourself. It encapsulates the feeling of being too bad (against the grain) to be in with the good crowd but too "good" to hang with the bad crowd - hence in the example of Lindsay Weir (main character's case) growing together with the crowd that was perceived as the bad crowd (Freaks) showing the outsiders often a new way of looking at the surburbiascape and its pitfalls.
Freaks and Geeks illustrates very well the simple tiers of social life in a late 80's highschool. Sometimes these illustrations can become so vivid that you actually "smell" whats going on , and that's a good thing. Much like olfactory cues can take you back to your grandmother's kitchen when you were a kid, This show triggers a brain response that breaks right through simple nostalgia and actually puts you there. The well placed cameos and minor characters are never overpronounced - subtle and well played enough to make you gush. Jason Swartzman, Joel Hodson (mst 3000), and the guidance counselor played by none other than "the naked trucker himself" David Allen. Freaks and Geeks shows is a perfect show to show you the beauty and grace of learning life lessons the hard way.
DATE: Air Dates- September 1999 to July 2000, re-released April 2004
GENRE: Comedy Drama
RUNNING TIME:
RATING: Not Rated
FORMAT: Boxset DVD
SCRIPT: Paul Feig
DIRECTOR: Various
STARRING: Linda Cardellini, Busy Phillips, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Joe Flaherty
Produced for NBC this cult gem had a very short run between 1999 and 2000 but that did not impair it from having a large and loyal cult following that pressured a DVD release for fans to sink their teeth into. Many times a good TV show that does not apply to an insanely wide demographic gets pulled way before its time and I believe this was another one of those instances. This however, did not keep it from getting noticed in Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly that put it on a couple of high ranking lists (100 greatest shows of all time and number 13 on a list of the best shows in the past 25 years respectively). The show takes place in a suburban highschool with emphasis on two particular social groups- The freaks: consisting of mischievous band of slacker outsiders with a newly indoctrinated mathelete. The second group is a tight friendship between 3 awkward boys that try to duck and hurdle the pains of puberty while striving to get girls and in a lesser way be accepted from peers and a seemingly unempathetic gym teacher played by Thomas F. Wilson (Bif, from Back to the Future).
Comedic, yes; Dark?, at moments , but real and earnest like The Wonder Years with some light highlights. It's just not so obviously face and picture perfect - characteristic of most 80-90's sitcoms that were "formula-ed" to death. Sometimes that makes something stick to your ribs better. Take all of this and recall some of your own personal moments from highschool then add some wonderfully nostalgic music and you just might find yourself a favorite new Television show.
I believe that Freaks and Geeks' charm is present because of the nature of its believable and relatable stories. Its great to go back watch this, and get a break from all the perfect people airbrushed on the cover of invasive grocery store magazines. This series crystallizes the essence of maturing while dealing almost exclusively with outsiders (no preps here thanks). These are real people that you can't help but to have feelings or empathy for, because you know people like that or you may have been a veteran of similar tour through highschool yourself. It encapsulates the feeling of being too bad (against the grain) to be in with the good crowd but too "good" to hang with the bad crowd - hence in the example of Lindsay Weir (main character's case) growing together with the crowd that was perceived as the bad crowd (Freaks) showing the outsiders often a new way of looking at the surburbiascape and its pitfalls.
Freaks and Geeks illustrates very well the simple tiers of social life in a late 80's highschool. Sometimes these illustrations can become so vivid that you actually "smell" whats going on , and that's a good thing. Much like olfactory cues can take you back to your grandmother's kitchen when you were a kid, This show triggers a brain response that breaks right through simple nostalgia and actually puts you there. The well placed cameos and minor characters are never overpronounced - subtle and well played enough to make you gush. Jason Swartzman, Joel Hodson (mst 3000), and the guidance counselor played by none other than "the naked trucker himself" David Allen. Freaks and Geeks shows is a perfect show to show you the beauty and grace of learning life lessons the hard way.
I hope you enjoy the Program,
TJPARSONS