Classic Review: Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)

Judd Apatow is undisputedly one of the biggest names in comedy. As a writer, producer, and/or director, he has been a part of countless classics, spawning plenty of careers in the process. With the release of his newest film, The King of Staten Island, this Friday on VOD, KLM will be highlighting some of his best films and other works.

A personal favorite among the works of Judd Apatow is a little series called Freaks and Geeks where he served as an executive producer of the show while directing a handful of episodes and aiding in the creative process alongside series creator Paul Feig. The series has a simple premise, following the misadventures of the Weir family- Lindsey (Linda Cardellini) and Sam (John Francis Daley). Sam is a geek- he gets bullied, is a hopeless romantic and talks to his friends about science fiction. Lindsey, an honor roll student, suddenly decided to reinvent her image and hang out with the freaks or the burnouts who tended to ditch class and smoke weed. The series navigates high school in a smart and introspective way.

The best part of Freaks and Geeks was its authenticity. As much as some may turn to a film like The Breakfast Club– a film that works because of the broad stereotypes they borrow from. However, the series feels like a less polished version. These characters fit in their own categories but the series is rather about going through the same growing pains no matter what. This is shown when Sam has a nice chat with Ken (Seth Rogen) towards the end of the first season. We start to realize that Sam and Lindsey’s experiences, while vastly different share plenty of similarities.

The series was sold by not casting models as its main characters and this choice truly makes it come to life in a unique way as they don’t look like 30 year olds playing students. Many series only look at the bankability of casting and not how it will impact the series as a whole. This is why so many series about high school feel so hollow and manufactured. When casting a series about high schoolers and hire talent that actually look like high schoolers- leads to more favorable results. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen as often as it should.

The reason Freaks and Geeks has attracted such a cult following was because of truly how relatable it is and so self aware of the high school experience. It understands the awkwardness and insecurities we all face growing up and portrays them in a real and honest way. A lot of similar series take the premise of “asking a girl to prom” and make it the dramatic heft of its episode. Feig and Apatow understand that in retrospect, ‘asking someone to prom’ is looked back in a warm way. These elements of these episodes, the petty drama is looked as such. The real dramatic heft of Freaks and Geeks was about things that actually matter. It’s about the longing to be someone else or getting one’s trust betrayed. In depicting these kinds of situations, the series could very well help other teens going through and to relate to these struggles.

Freaks and Geeks the first time around was the perfect reflection of how I saw myself. From being too afraid to get out of my comfort zone and living, from admiring from afar, to sitting at the table and talked about Star Wars with friends while being mocked for it, I was Sam Weir. Though a part of me was Lindsey as well, talking to friends who were a bit more reckless and feeling more alive.

Looking back on Freaks and Geeks years later it is painted in melancholy nostalgia for a greater time. It will always be the exact same series but every new rewatch coincides with a different moment in my life, resonating in an entirely different way. This fact alone makes the series a masterpiece. Not only is it something comforting, it helps prompts deep self-reflection. Apatow and Feig are deserving of praise for making this series, especially for their understanding of the high school experience. This series understood that essentially, we are all awkward shells of human beings trying to figure things out in our own way. Please, if you’ve never seen this series go out and watch it because it is the single best thing Apatow has done in his career (and there’s a lot of credits behind his name).

still courtesy of NBC Universal

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Brett Schutt

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