Freaks and Geeks Appreciation Thread

Cafe Society
1

Just watched this this week based on a comment someone made in another thread. I LOVE this show. (Did a search for other threads, found a lot of praise of it, but no individual thread.)

So I had to start one. Am I the only one aching to know what became of these characters? Did Daniel start hanging with the geeks? Did Lindsay drop out to become a deadhead? Did Nick win the disco competition? Whatever became of Neal’s dummy?

There’s just so many little moments in this show that I loved. The awkward, but kind of sweet, bonding between gym teacher Biff and Bill. Neal finding his dad’s car in the garage with the rogue garage opener. Daniel playing D&D with the geek kids. Every scene with Joe Flaherty. Nick watching his friends making out at the laser light show and then looking over awkwardly/longingly at Lindsay.

Now I’m annoyed that not only is there there no more of this show, but there’s nothing else really this good. I did put Undeclared in my Netflix queue. I’ve heard its in the same vein.

2

I watched the entire series (one season) via Netflix about a year ago and absolutely loved it. Best scene: When Joe Flaherty (the dad) dressed up as a vampire for Halloween. Count Floyd lives!

Edit; I also watched Undeclared right after F&G. I really liked that series as well.

3

Fun fact: the kid who played Harris Trinsky also played Dudley in The Royal Tennenbaums.

Great show. I only saw a few episodes of it during the original network run, but I loved what I saw. It was one of the first things that went on the NetFlix queue when I started up our account - mlerose had never seen it, and I knew she would love it. And I was right.

“Undeclared” is fun, too, but doesn’t hit the amazing heights of F&G.

4

I’m almost certain this is my favorite TV show of all time. Perfect in every imaginable way.

5

My favorite show of all time. When we lived with my extended family after Katrina (14 of us in one house), I got all of them hooked. We’d have Freaks and Geeks nights and watch episode after episode.

I like to think that Lindsay ditched the Deadheads and wound up hooking up with Neil’s brother.

(but I was a geek in school, so I guess I would prefer that).

What’s your list of bittersweet moment(s)?

Mine:,
–in the pilot, when Lindsay seems happy that her brother is dancing and enjoying himself at the dance.

–when Lindsay (after Millie has saved her butt by helping her babysit) asks Millie “how come we’re not friends any more?” I felt so bad for Millie, who still thinks they ARE friends.

–when Maureen ditches the geeks to sit at the popular kids’ table at lunch, just as they predicted she would do.

–Sam having to break up with the girl who he’s been enamored with forever, after realizing they are not meant for each other.

–Neil refusing to stop searching for the right garage door.

Um, I could probably go on for a while… so I’ll stop here…

Anyone else?

6

Outstanding show, and probably ties with The Wonder Years in the way it so perfectly captures so many tiny moments and nuances of American adolescence.

7

Best show ever. When I was in grad school, my one escape was the Monday night two-fer of Freaks and Geeks followed by Antiques Roadshow. My oldest was just a couple of months old at the time and we’d pile on the bed and veg out for a couple of hours. Special times.

In a weird sort of way, though, I’m kind of glad it ended. We didn’t have to watch it die a slow and horrible death with characters leaving and being replaced, ridiculous storylines, etc. As it stands, its just this great, great run of high-quality episodes, really memorable and realistic characters, and fantastic story arcs. Hilarious, sad, poignant, bittersweet…just like real life.

8

My favorite moments:

When Sam is just about to slow dance with Cindy, and the fast part of “Come Sail Away” kicks in. Perfect timing, perfect disappointment.

Sam’s jumpsuit.

Halloween. All of it.

Nick singing to Lindsay in his basement. So awkward.

Come to think of it, almost all of the memorable moments are just painfully awkward, but genius anyway.

9

All great.

I thought that gym teacher Mr. Fredericks (is it okay if I just call him Biff?) had some awesome moments. I like that they initially had him as the gym teacher we all hate but gave him some touching moments–like letting Bill pick teams and the episode where he’s dating Bill’s mother. Love the end when they’re watching Dallas. Aww. (Speaking of which, apparently the actor who played Biff is this all around artsy guy–writes, paints, plays guitar–and is said to be super, super nice. I hate to sound like a cliche, but that actually shocked me.)

Also, the look on Nick’s face when Lindsey’s mom inadvertently spills the beans about the planned break up and him just trying to save face by breaking it off with her. And when he says at the light show, “I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t really painful.” Ahh. Nick was so awkward and sweet!

10

His character is a perfect example of why I loved that show. It would’ve been real easy to have him be a total jerk, but they made him a real person. Reminded me a lot of my middle school gym teacher.

11

Exactly! I don’t think I will ever enjoy another series more than I did this one.

12

I also liked a lot of their one off characters who I would’ve loved to see more of in a second season. (SIGH.)

David Krumholtz was great as Neal’s older brother, Barry. Actually, Neal’s dad was also pretty well done. And I loved that Ken found love with Amy (aka, Tammy Metzler from “Election”). Pesky intersex issues aside.

ETA: Ooh! Also, from the fake ID episode, Jason Schwarzman as that guy who gets them the horrible IDs. And the guy from Grounded for Life. And always, Mr. Rosso!

13

Actually, although I would have loved for it to continue, I do have to think that it was a blessing that it ended when it did. It probably could not have maintained the quality that it had.

More bittersweet moments:

–right after Alan the bully almost kills Bill with peanuts, they invite him to join them for the sci-fi convention, and he rides his bike over to the house, but decides against joining them.

–after Lindsay sees Nick at the dance contest and sees that he’s finally clean, right when Groove Line starts up and she walks off.

–Nick trying out for the band.

Regarding the Halloween episode, I watch it every year the night before Halloween and my wife can’t watch it. It hits her too close to home with regard to her relationship with her mother during that time in her life.

Some of my favorite lines:

“I haven’t had this much fun since I was pinned down in a foxhole in Korea,” Mr. Weir.

“What are you eating kid? Is that laundry soap,” Kim Kelly to Millie (who was eating Lik-em-ade)

“You look like the freakin’ Tin Man,” the crazy lady who answers the door (referring to Sam’s Gort costume).

“Brown hair… Brown eyes…” The fake ID guy.

“The dance is tomorrow. She’s a cheerleader. You’ve seen Star Wars 47 times. You do the math.” Neal to Sam regarding his chances with Cindy.

“She’s as dumb as a crayon,” Mr. Weir regarding Kim.

" Remember that time in civics when I had to fart, and it came out, well, a poop? And I had to flush my undies down the toilet? Do you think I wanted to tell you that?" Bill.

Who are your favorite secondary characters? I enjoy Mr. Rosso and Millie.

14

Awesome show, start to finish. I popped for the $120 deluxe DVD set that came in a fake “yearbook.” And I watch the whole series beginning to end a couple of times a year.

Some random remarks:

I want to know more about Bill’s mom and Mr. Fredericks. And Daniel’s family (we got only that little glimpse!). And Ken’s.

Bill’s scene in the back seat of Mr. Fredericks’s car: indescribable. Gets me every time.

“Yes, Bill, a turd.”

Bill and Vicki having their Seven Minutes in Heaven: another awesome scene.

Bill after school watching Garry Shandling: at home, in his safe haven, just being himself, enjoying himself, finally freed from another day of hell at school for a few brief hours.

You KNOW that the A.V. teacher was a geek when he was in school. Love his pep talk. “And yes, Mr. Jock-who-cleaned-me-out, I WILL have fries with that.”

Also love the little extra bit of info about Mr. Kowchevsky that you get in the deleted scenes. Sure adds something to all of his regular scenes.

Jean Weir is an awful lot like my mom was back then, and Joe Flaherty was awesome. Loved his Halloween costume. Loved the “quiet anger” when he was chewing Lindsay out for wrecking the car (and she looked like she’d really been bawling; great job). This was SERIOUS TROUBLE.

Ever notice that Mr. Rosso’s little parables usually involve him getting beaten up ("and when I say, ‘the living crap,’ I mean, ‘The Living Crap’) or revealing something really embarrassing (“I have herpes”)?

My only gripe about the show’s authenticity (besides IMDb nitpicks like Dukes of Hazzard not being on a school night) is that hardly any of the girls have feathered hair, on a show set in 1980.

Mr. S just called me on a work break, and I told him I was contributing to the “Freaks and Geeks Appreciation Thread.” He told me to try to keep it under a thousand pages. :smiley: He loves F&G too.

Dang, I had been thinking about launching another F&G marathon. This seals it.

15

I just got this show on DVD about two weeks ago, and I haven’t gotten around to watching more than the first two episodes. Because of that, I’m afraid to read this thread for fear of being spoiled. However, I did want to say that when Neil said, “It’s no walk in the park being Jewish, either. Heck, I was elected school treasurer last year and I didn’t even run” I died laughing. I’m looking forward to watching the rest of this show over the holidays.

16

For all time favorite secondary character, I gotta go with Joe Flaherty. He’s awesomeness personified.

But I do have to give mad props to Harris Trinsky. “Judith is very particular. About the only thing she likes are scented oils and plenty of time with her man.” I adore his delivery.

17

I got the boxed set a few years ago at the urging of a friend. I recently passed it on to another friend who totally dug it. I need to re-watch it again…maybe over Christmas break!

My all-time favorite moment is one of wunderkammer’s, where Nick is singing to Lindsay in the basement. When I first saw that I could not believe it. I burst out in laughter big time!

18

Oh, we ADORE Harris! In the game of “Which freak and/or geek are you?”, I’m a generous helping of Lindsay (the brain part) and a dollop of each of the geeks. Mr. S is Harris all the way: very quiet and deadpan, but with a wicked sense of humor and strange wisdom.

19

Scenes like that are what made me love the show. Not many comedies will take the time to just watch a character being himself for a while.

I missed the show completely when it aired, but watched it on DVD from Netflix; now I think I might have to buy it.

20

Seriously, I’m starting to wonder why the hell I didn’t watch this when it first aired. I thought it seemed stupid for so long, and I’ve done a complete 180. Not only is it not lame, it’s the most unlame teen show I’ve ever seen. It makes me want to go out and destroy every DVD of Dawson’s Creek and Beverly Hills 90210. (Okay, I like those shows as guilty pleasures, but watching them after this is so…empty.)

Baldwin, that scene was brilliant.

Also liked that it wasn’t completely relationship driven. The whole season could’ve been, in someone else’s hands, “Hmm, will Lindsay ever get to date sexy bad boy, Daniel? Or will she go back to Nick?” But it felt like the relationships were a lot more incidental, more high school. Less soulmate stuff. Like obviously Lindsay seems to be crushing on Daniel in the early episodes. But I felt like after he manipulated her in that cheating episode, she got over it. I mean, she might have gone back with Nick at some point if the show had continued, or maybe even Daniel, but the whole show wasn’t about which guy she’d end up with.

Or the Sam/Cindy thing. It was a bit drawn out, but when he actually gets to be with her, it just doesn’t work out, and that’s that. (Whose mother gives a family heirloom to her son’s girlfriend of…er, one week? Love you, Mama Weir, but no!)