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‘Freaks and Geeks’: 25 years later, its brief but legendary status endures

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'Freaks and Geeks': 25 years later, its brief but legendary status endures

As a passionate fan of great television, I can wholeheartedly say that “Freaks and Geeks” was a gem that came, saw, and all too quickly left us. Having witnessed its brief yet brilliant run, I feel like a time-traveling high school student who had the privilege to attend a secret concert by The Beatles in someone’s garage – an experience that lasted mere hours but left an indelible mark on me forever.

Exactly a quarter of a century ago, on September 25, 1999, NBC premiered the high school comedy “Freaks and Geeks” during their autumn television lineup.

Thus began a saga of independent vision, creative freedom and corporate mishandling that shaped the life and death of this short-lived but long-remembered — and still-discovered — television series. Created by Paul Feig and set in a Michigan suburb over the 1980-81 school year, it centered on high school junior Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini), 16, her-14-year-old brother, Sam (John Francis Daley), and their respective groups of friends — outsiders by temperament, choice or through no choice of their own.

Artworks can sometimes resonate deeply, as if they were a significant aspect of one’s personal experiences, similar to being in an ongoing relationship. “Freaks and Geeks” seems to be interwoven with my life story, not merely because I have revisited it repeatedly for over two decades, but because the characters reflect aspects of myself and my friends, particularly the geeks, although a hint of the freaks is also there.

I’ve had the chance to closely examine it multiple times. While working for another newspaper, Los Angeles Weekly, I wrote an extensive cover story on the series when it first aired, as it hung precariously on the brink of being forgotten. I interviewed Feig, executive producer Judd Apatow, and director Jake Kasdan, who played significant roles in shaping the series’ raw look and feel. The series had already been canceled but was still in post-production for its final episodes – episodes which were among the best, though NBC never broadcast them. Eventually, these episodes found their way to audiences through various means, such as public screenings, what Apatow referred to as “the unofficial distribution system”, and later on home video. My cover story, titled “Too Good and Too Weird”, was even reprinted in a special DVD set that mimicked a high school yearbook.

As a retrospective movie critic, I was tasked anew by Apatow, some years following the legendary rise of the show, to compile an oral history – a chronicle of its creation and impact – for a comedy special edition of Vanity Fair. In this endeavor, I conversed with the principal cast members, supporting players, screenwriters, directors, and executives. Of course, Apatow and Feig were included in these discussions once more. Fast-forward to 2015, when I had the opportunity to interview the dynamic duo on camera, providing exclusive bonus content for the show’s Blu-ray launch.

So it’s about time to dive back in.

'Freaks and Geeks': 25 years later, its brief but legendary status endures

In general, most films and television shows that focus on teenagers can be categorized into four main themes:

In “Freaks and Geeks,” there’s little nostalgia or glamorization of the ’80s. Instead, it offers a raw and vivid portrayal of its characters’ lives, making it feel as relevant today as it did when it was first made. The series doesn’t romanticize the past or present it as a golden age, but rather, shows the complexities and confusion that teenagers experience, regardless of the era they live in. Furthermore, while set in the ’80s, it offers more than just cultural references; it delves deeply into the universal struggles of adolescence, providing solace to those who may feel their experiences are unique, by showing they’re not alone.

The show ‘Freaks and Geeks’ was unlike anything else before it – though not always grounded in reality, it felt authentic. It was a blend of humor, sadness, and beauty. The storyline starts with an existential dilemma as A-student Lindsay loses faith in God, abandons her studies, and joins the free-spirited ‘freaks’: sarcastic Ken (Seth Rogen), bold Kim (Busy Philipps), seemingly delicate Daniel (James Franco), and gentle stoner Nick (Jason Segel). This decision causes worry among her parents (Joe Flaherty and Becky Ann Baker) and bewilderment in her brother, who, along with friends Bill (Martin Starr), sensitive and introspective, and Neal (Samm Levine), a pretentious character, is still grappling with childhood while hurtling towards adulthood. Yet, everyone seems to be navigating their way through unfamiliar territory.

'Freaks and Geeks': 25 years later, its brief but legendary status endures

Feig, an actor-comedian, penned the initial script for a TV series in motel rooms across the Midwest during his film tour titled “Life Sold Separately.” He handed it over to Apatow, a friend from the comedy realm who had a development deal with DreamWorks. Apatow, having learned under Garry Shandling on the innovative “The Larry Sanders Show,” described the production process as akin to a sacred rite, focusing on capturing the moment and allowing one to be themselves genuinely. In his words in 2010, Apatow said of “Freaks and Geeks” that he tricked himself into believing it was still writing for “The Larry Sanders Show,” but instead of a late-night talk show, it was set in high school, maintaining the same levels of truth, humor, and drama. The script swiftly evolved into a pilot, then a series with minimal interference, with Apatow taking care of any interference that did arise. Regrettably, this didn’t save the show from cancellation, but they were ready to sail it together until the end.

The response to the show was overwhelmingly positive, yet NBC felt that its viewership of several million per episode wasn’t sufficient. The creators were telling atypical stories where the wins were so minor they could seem like no victories at all, according to Kasdan in 2013. Despite this unique style, the show’s potential for a larger audience was hindered by NBC frequently shifting its broadcast times and temporarily canceling it for events such as the World Series, November sweeps, December holidays, and February sweeps. The show would air for two weeks, then be off the air for three, on for three, off for eight, on for five, off for four, on for two, and finally, with the episode “Chokin’ and Tokin’,” where Bill falls into a coma due to his peanut allergy and Lindsay becomes paranoid after trying marijuana, it was taken off the air indefinitely.

'Freaks and Geeks': 25 years later, its brief but legendary status endures

The short-lived TV show has had a significant impact, with its legacy continuing to thrive as it’s available on various platforms like Paramount+, Disney+, Hulu, Tubi, and more. In 2013, Cardellini reminisced about the cast, saying, “Everyone was so gifted, yet no one had truly been recognized yet.” Since then, the actors have moved on to larger roles, though not necessarily better ones. Feig, for instance, directed hits like “Bridesmaids,” “Spy,” and the reimagined “Ghostbusters,” produced TV shows (including the charming, now-defunct “Welcome to Flatch”), and continued directing numerous projects. Apatow, who has seen his career as a form of retribution for the cancellation of “Freaks and Geeks,” has since become known as Judd Apatow, the David O. Selznick of 21st-century film comedy.

In 2013, he shared with me that whenever he gets a chance to include any characters from the show ‘Freaks and Geeks’ in his projects, he takes it. This is his way of denying the fact that the series was canceled. For him, movies like ‘Knocked Up’ are just extended episodes of Seth’s character getting a girl pregnant. In his mind, all the films are connected as ongoing adventures of those characters. Even during the show’s production, Apatow advised the young actors to develop their own projects. While on set, the actual high school student Rogen was already writing ‘Superbad,’ claiming he was doing correspondence school from Canada and spent his days writing it instead.

Since the series consistently improved creatively, becoming more nuanced and subtle with each installment, another season was bound to excel; it was highly unlikely that Feig and Apatow would have let their characters down or disappointed the actors portraying them, nor could the cast possibly deliver anything less than outstanding performances in roles they had already mastered. Regardless, we have 18 episodes, each containing multiple stories, along with a finale (filmed ahead of time) that offers more possibilities than conclusions, but is still touching and poignant, leaving us feeling satisfied.

This is a veritable wealth of riches, and just like any other abundant find, it leaves you yearning for even more. Fortunately, it can be enjoyed again and again without end.

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2024-09-25 13:35

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