Freaks and Geeks has appeared on Netflix!
So it's time for me to push it again. It's about high school in the early 80s from the perspective of a group of freshmen nerds, and an older girl trying to fit in with the stoner bad kids.
OMFG I loved this show. When I met friends Maewitch and Onthatmidnightstreet, learning that each other loved this show was like a by-word for Great Taste. Our friendship was certain. The show starts off as just mild and amusing, but it gets funnier and deeper as it goes along. And the writers knew they were getting canned so they finished the season off with closure, and a brilliant--brilliant--game of Dungeons and Dragons featuring Carlos the Dwarf.
I even lent this show to my (ex) tough-guy Italian boss and he died over the episode where they play murder (dodge) ball in gym class, cause he was that asshole throwing really hard balls at the other kids. You will recognize yourself, your friends, your old schoolmates. You will love these characters. And with the storylines about being a geek, and bullying, it was really before it's time--I don't think it would have been cancelled today.
Also, before there was Napoleon Dynamite and Ellen Page and New Girl, there was another weirdo who accepted himself just as he was: Bill Haverchuck! Any guy who dresses us as the Bionic Woman for Halloween is my kinda guy.
And Jason Segel is painfully excellent as the Rush-loving-wannabe-drummer.
People Who Started Here:
Paul Feig, creator - later wrote for The Office and a bunch of other comedies, and directed Bridesmaids.
Judd Apatow, producer - Later produced/wrote/directed 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, etc. But don't worry, this isn't gross-out-comedy.
