We can all think of one show that we feel should’ve gone on longer than it did. One of those shows is “Freaks and Geeks,” which ended after one season and was ranked number one on TV Guide’s list of shows that were cancelled too soon in 2013.
The show is set around two kids—Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini, “Scooby-Doo”) and her brother Sam Weir (John Francis Daley, “Bones”)—who are struggling throughout high school to find their place, which is something most, if not all of us, can relate to. And c’mon, a show that has its opening theme song as “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett obviously makes it one of the best of Netflix right off the bat.
The show’s central stand is Lindsay and her struggles that are caused because of her “group”—the burnouts of the school, or the “freaks.” The group consists of Daniel DeSario (James Franco, “This is the End”), Ken Miller (Seth Rogen, “This is the End”), Nick Andopolis (Jason Segal, “How I Met Your Mother”) and Kim Kelly (Busy Philipps, “Cougar Town”). Once she finds her place, the friends she has made cause tension between her family and even within herself, being that she was a mathlete and hung out with the “nerds.” Lindsay basically loses herself after she becomes friends with the freaks, which helps show the struggle of keeping your identity in high school.
Another stand the show takes is the life of Sam and his group that is labeled the “geeks.” The group consists of his friends Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine, “Inglourious Basterds”) and Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr, “Sillicon Valley”). Throughout the show, the “geeks” are trying to find their way through the universe that is high school and trying to find their place. This side of the story also explores Sam and his connection to his crush Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick, “Orange County”)—one of the popular girls in school who is also a cheerleader. The struggle caused by Sam’s crush on Cindy shows the social structure that is prevalent in high school.
“Freaks and Geeks” explores a lot of themes that occur in high school, including love, drugs and alcohol, which helped make the show relatable and real to the viewers. This, in turn, helped make the show such a hit in the short-lived run time that it had on television. The show, throughout its 18 episodes, helped prove to some viewers that everyone can find their place, and maybe the place they were at was their place all along. So if you’re up for watching a show on Netflix that doesn’t need too much binge-watching, go log into your account and check out “Freaks and Geeks.”
rating: 4 out of 5
