Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000) This is another Apatow creation, and it will go down as one of the most mishandled series in the history of network TV (granted, it’s a long list). There is no way there should only be 18 episodes of this wonderfully sweet, genuine, funny and moving comedy/drama. But, since that’s all there is, and there ain’t no more, I tend to watch it like an 18-hour movie. The show is set in 1980 in Michigan, but it could be set anytime, anywhere. The time period is just an added bonus for those of us that remember it fondly. The central character is Lindsay Weir, an extremely bright but somewhat confused sophomore at McKinley High who doesn’t really know if she’s still a ‘Mathlete’ or a ‘Freak’ (which at my school were known as burnouts). Lindsay’s brother Sam is a freshman who, with his best friends Sam and Bill, represent the “Geeks” of the title. The other characters, from the rest of Sam and Lindsay’s friends, to their parents and teachers, are both written and cast in such a way that I defy anyone not to see a little (or a lot) of their own high school experience represented in one or more of them. The show even won a Best Casting Emmy for their efforts. Look closely and you’ll see about half the cast of Knocked Up (Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, Martin Starr), a Spider Man villian (James Franco) and an SCTV Legend (Joe Flaherty). The star power combined here, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, is tremendous. And F & G was clearly a labor of love for all involved. It shows in the DVD set, which features a complete guide to the series, multiple commentary tracks on every episode, audition tapes, bloopers and all of the perfectly selected original music, which in and of itself is no small feat (I also own the show’s soundtrack, which is outstanding). If you’re a dork like me you’ll spot guest appearances from Jason Schwartzman, David Krumholtz, Shia LeBeouf, Ben Stiller and numerous others. I could go on and on about this one. Just get the set, and watch it from start to finish. You can thank me later.
