# Freaks and Geeks Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818 "2008-12-18T22:20:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/61 "2008-12-21T04:01:27Z")
It’s an amazing show, outstrips probably anything similar. I don’t like the filmic output of those guys though. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/62 "2008-12-21T07:14:47Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > –Ken correcting Lindsay about The Who song being called “Baba O’Riley” and not “Teenage Wasteland,” indicating what a poseur she is in the freak lifestyle. I love that scene, because it reminds me of myself in high school. I think I was Neil during freshman year, Lindsay during Sophomore and Junior year, and Ken during Senior year. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/63 "2008-12-21T07:39:03Z")
Just got done watching Episode 3 Tricks or Treats again. Memorable moments: “It’s just Lickame (it’s actually fun dip, I’m not sure why she was calling it that), it makes my spit taste like fruit juice.” “When I hit 13, I became a man.” “That’s only in your temple Neil, not in the real world.” The Weirs singing Monster Mash at the dinner table The heroin injecting, Reagen hating, evil hippies. “Looking for Chaplin, only seeing Hitler.” “NO these are not bionic, these are all me!” Actually, the whole Bionic montage. Driving around in a car looking for something to do but never doing it. We did this a lot. Mr Roso having backup pumpkins. And finally, Lindsey throwing the egg at the kid only to realize it’s her brother Sam. Then same saying “Nobody thinks you’re cool, you know” and Lindsey responding “yeah I know.” Which brings me to a question why does she hang out with that group? And why do they let her? I know eventually she grows on them but in the earlier episodes it is clear that she doesn’t fit in at all. Some of my favorite parts in the later episodes are when they start to appreciate her as a friend and encourage her in the “mathlete” competition and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/64 "2008-12-21T15:42:40Z")
The candy is called Lik-m-ade. And it was just like Fun Dip. I think they used a Fun Dip package as the prop though because Lik-m-ade is no longer around. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/65 "2008-12-21T15:47:26Z")
Also, the reason Lindsay starts hanging out with the Freaks is kind of explained in the first episode. She had a traumatic experience during the death of her grandmother, to whom she was very close. I think Lindsay had an epiphany that life is somewhat meaningless and she started to lose interest in the things that she was usually interested in. She was directionless and wanted to find somewhere she could belong and so she latched on to the Freaks. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/66 "2008-12-21T16:16:50Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I’ll never understand how Apatow and his crew went from making this kind of lovely, sweet, slice of life brilliance to making his stupid gross-out sex comedies. OTOH, this lasted one season, and his movies make millions, so I guess that answers that. I don’t like gross for the sake of gross, but I have consistently enjoyed every one of his films. As someone who really loves his movies, I think the answer could be that a lot of the kids who watched _Freaks and Geeks_ turned into college-aged adults, and this kind of humor is pretty popular at that age. It just seems like his works evolved as his audience did. Also keep in mind that those actors, like Seth Rogen, also came into their own–and they have their own brand of humor which is going to influence any work they are included in. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/67 "2008-12-21T19:11:27Z")
Episode 4 Kim Kelly’s My Friend That’s Gary Moss’ seat but he’s sick, he has impetigo. The fight with Lindsey running frantically to the car and speeding off after a bunch of yelling and screaming. Kim driving through the park after seeing Daniel cheating on her. Then the fighting then making out scene in Lindsey’s house. This episode wasn’t as funny but it’s a great episode nonetheless. Between this episode and Tricks or Treats, Sam can now start to mature. Also if my memory serves me correctly, Daniel and Kim get a stronger relationship. I don’t recall them breaking up again in the future episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/68 "2008-12-22T03:14:05Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > This episode wasn’t as funny but it’s a great episode nonetheless. Between this episode and Tricks or Treats, Sam can now start to mature. Also if my memory serves me correctly, Daniel and Kim get a stronger relationship. I don’t recall them breaking up again in the future episodes. They do break up briefly in the episode “Noshing and Moshing” where Daniel tries his luck with a punk rock chick (and Neal’s dad has a dinner party). Daniel doesn’t make out so well at the punk club and ends up going to Kim’s house and they get back together. But it was sweet. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/69 "2008-12-22T21:35:34Z")
I literally just finished watching this show a few minutes ago; I’ve been avoiding this thread until I finished. Was this show on Friday nights when it was on TV? Because I vaguely recall it being around but am surprised I never watched it unless it was on a Friday or Saturday - it was out when I was in junior high and I tended not to watch TV on those nights ever. I’ve also taken way too long to start watching this show. I’ve read at least one of Paul Feig’s books years ago (Kick Me) and thought he was hilarious. I agree with others that is sucks this show was only 18 episodes but at least it ended before it started to be a crappy show. Another few probably obvious things I noticed: If you saw Knocked Up - Bill was the friend that bet Jason Segel that he wouldnt shave If you saw Grandma’s Boy - Lindsey was Samantha Anyone get a kick out of Ben Stiller in the George Bush episode? And I loved seeing the “you suck” guy from Happy Gilmore (Joe Flaherty) Ben Foster (Six Feet Under) was Eli ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/70 "2008-12-23T02:16:17Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > Was this show on Friday nights when it was on TV? Because I vaguely recall it being around but am surprised I never watched it unless it was on a Friday or Saturday - it was out when I was in junior high and I tended not to watch TV on those nights ever. I believe it started on Friday but they moved it around a bit. It ended it’s normal run on Mondays when it wasn’t mysteriously preempted by random and unimportant episodes of Dateline. After weeks of having it in the TV listings only to air Dateline instead, they finally put the final three episodes on all in one Saturday night. I remember when it was airing on Fridays, Linda Cardellini was on the Tonight Show. She said that nobody was watching the show because it was on Friday and young people were out and about on Fridays. But on the plus side, her uncle was a prison warden and he would make the convicts watch it. She then gave a shout out to his cell block ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/71 "2008-12-23T02:21:09Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > Another few probably obvious things I noticed: > If you saw Knocked Up - Bill was the friend that bet Jason Segel that he wouldnt shave > If you saw Grandma’s Boy - Lindsey was Samantha > Anyone get a kick out of Ben Stiller in the George Bush episode? > And I loved seeing the “you suck” guy from Happy Gilmore (Joe Flaherty) > Ben Foster (Six Feet Under) was Eli Also, Tammy Metzler from “Election” played Ken’s girlfriend, the tuba player David Krumholtz was Barry Schweiber (had such a crush on that guy!) Rashida Jones played Karen, the girl who writes on Sam’s locker **interface** , that’s an awesome story. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/72 "2008-12-23T02:27:04Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Rashida Jones played Karen, the girl who writes on Sam’s locker That’s one of the others I noticed but forgot when I made my little list - I watched the first 12 eps of this show a month or two ago then got sidetracked and finished the rest today so saw that ep w/her a while back. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/73 "2008-12-23T02:40:37Z")
Am I correct that Lizzy Caplan, the girl who played Nick’s disco-loving girlfriend Sara, was Amy on True Blood? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/74 "2008-12-23T03:00:53Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Am I correct that Lizzy Caplan, the girl who played Nick’s disco-loving girlfriend Sara, was Amy on True Blood? I didn’t know she was on True Blood (checked that on IMDb, she was), but you’re right. She was also in Cloverfield and played Janis in “Mean Girls.” I didn’t recognize her at first, but it was awesome once I realized who it was. I liked Sara…felt bad that Nick was clearly still into Lindsay. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/75 "2008-12-23T03:24:12Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > played Janis in “Mean Girls.” . Yessss thank you, it was bugging me bad when I was watching who she was! I KNEW but didn’t pay enough attention to piece it together. I love Mean Girls 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/76 "2008-12-23T06:40:18Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I liked Sara…felt bad that Nick was clearly still into Lindsay. What do you guys think: did Lindsay ever really like Nick, or was she just dating him to be part of the freak clique? Not that she coldly or calculatedly decided to date him, just that she seemed to go along with dating him for social reasons. However, once he started dating Sara, she seemed a bit wistful. I was never quite sure what she really felt for him, and the show ended before we could find out how that plot would develop. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/77 "2008-12-23T22:27:24Z")
Yeah, I loved this show. It’s a crime that it got cancelled. I’m kind of surprised because the show had heart. Usually it’s the really cynical, self-aware-of-cleverness shows that hang by a thread (30 Rock, Arrested Development…don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan). I think I remember that they got a really crap timeslot to start off and it just went downhill from there. The best part was that while they picked actors that were cute (Busy Phillips and Linda Cardinelli are both pretty), I wouldn’t say they were movie star glam like the people on Gossip Girl or the new Beverly Hills 90210. I don’t actually watch either of those but they always seem to be on the cover of US Weekly when I’m at the supermarket. But the Freaks and Geeks crowd actually LOOKED like average high school students. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/78 "2008-12-23T22:37:46Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > What do you guys think: did Lindsay ever really like Nick, or was she just dating him to be part of the freak clique? Not that she coldly or calculatedly decided to date him, just that she seemed to go along with dating him for social reasons. However, once he started dating Sara, she seemed a bit wistful. I was never quite sure what she really felt for him, and the show ended before we could find out how that plot would develop. I think she had a crush on Daniel at first, and wasn’t as into Nick. (The second ep where she walks in on Daniel with Kim and then Nick tries to kiss her right afterward–I don’t think he was ever her number one.) I think she did care about him in later eps, but not as much as he liked her. And I don’t think he helped matters by coming on super strong to her. I did wonder if she would start liking him more now that he was with Sara. I felt bad for Sara, too, though–she was adorable. (What can I say? I love ABBA, too.) Lindsay also seemed to be kind of all, discovering herself, so I don’t know that she wanted to be so invested in someone, the way Nick did. Nick seemed like the kind of guy who just wanted one girl, though. He was so sweet, too, though. **anu-la** , you’re right about that. They also didn’t put them in super glam clothes or make them look all made up. Also the lighting wasn’t super flattering. They did feel like real kids, not like WB stars. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/79 "2008-12-23T22:42:36Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > What do you guys think: did Lindsay ever really like Nick, or was she just dating him to be part of the freak clique? Not that she coldly or calculatedly decided to date him, just that she seemed to go along with dating him for social reasons. However, once he started dating Sara, she seemed a bit wistful. I was never quite sure what she really felt for him, and the show ended before we could find out how that plot would develop. Well you remember how surprised Lindsay got when Nick told her he quit smoking pot in that last episode? I think she liked him because he was sweet but all his pot smoking and laziness etc. really turned her off. I think she was kinda like “damn” when he told her he was cleaning up his act, because she missed out on being with him when he was like that. The way he was with Sara is the way Lindsay wished he was when he was with her (maybe minus the disco though). I do also think he was too serious/fast for her and that played a part too. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818/80 "2008-12-24T00:17:33Z")
myskepticsight, I agree with your assessment of Lindsay and Nick’s relationship. I think that Lindsay did grow to like him, but that his heavy reliance on pot smoking was a turnoff for her. One of the bittersweet moments I mentioned earlier was right after she leaves him that night and the opening bars of Groove Line starts playing. It’s almost as if she’s thinking about what might have been. My wife gets upset at that scene because of the relationships in her past that just didn’t line up right at the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks-and-geeks-appreciation-thread/477818.md?page=5)