I had heard of Freaks and Geeks before, but it wasn't until it was available on Netflix that I had the opportunity to watch it. I was blown away by the show: the characters, the writing, the storylines, the nuanced way they captured that awkward struggle to fit in and find oneself in high school. It was all so above and beyond what I had come to expect from a TV series.
The following article from Vanity Fair is an incredible retelling of the creation of Freaks and Geeks through the people involved.
Initial reaction from the network:
Quote:
DAN McDERMOTT (then head of DreamWorks Television): Within 24 hours, I’d say, we got a pass from Fox, from CBS, from ABC. A day or two later, we heard from Shelley McCrory, a development exec at NBC. She said, “If we don’t make this show, I’m quitting the television business.”
On casting James Franco:
Quote:
JUDD APATOW: We didn’t think of him as handsome. We thought his mouth was too big for his face and he seemed perfect to be a small-town cool guy who wasn’t as cool as he thought he was. When all the women in our office started talking about how gorgeous he was, me and Feig started laughing because we just didn’t see it.
The creator of the series:
Quote:
JUDD APATOW: Paul remembered every detail of everything that had happened to him in high school: every happy moment, every humiliation. The running gag in the writers’ room was that Paul would tell a horrible story and I would say, “How old were you when that happened?” Implying probably 12, and it was always 17. I had seen him as this cool comedian. I hadn’t realized he had all these incredibly funny, dark stories. He was the guy who wore the “Parisian night suit” to school [as Sam does in the episode “Looks and Books”].
PAUL FEIG: There was a store I used to shop in during high school, a disco-flavored men’s clothing store. One day one of the salesmen drags me over. He goes, “This is the hottest thing, man,” and shows me this big denim jumpsuit with the flare pants and the big collar. To this day if I get a new piece of clothing I can’t wait to wear it. So I could not be stopped from wearing it to school, and the minute I walked in the front door I knew I had made a huge mistake. It was fun, on the show, re-creating the most horrific moments of my past.
On its ultimate demise
Quote:
JUDD APATOW: Part of the problem of the show was it should have been on HBO. Everything that’s popular now you might call “independent television.” Mad Men is a little like indie TV. But there was no home for us in 1999. It wasn’t niche television—you were competing against Regis Philbin hosting a game show.
Right now in Comedy it goes 1. Judd Appatow. 2. Everyone else. All his writing comes from such an honest and sincere place, and he's found the best comedic talent in Hollywood right now. What a heart warming article and tribute to one of the greatest shows of all time.
In one of the photo galleries on the Vanity Fair site, they linked to Seth Rogen's audition tape for Freaks and Geeks. In fact, a youtube user uploaded several F&G audition tapes. The few audition tapes I've seen in the past have usually been pretty cringe-worthy, but these are all good. Linda's is unbelievable - just perfect.
I've also been watching this on Netflix. It keeps surprising me when there is an obvious setup to a standard TV trope, and then the writers take into a different, refreshing direction. It scares me sometimes how much I could relate to the geeks back when I was in high school/jr high.
I love the comment about "independent television". I don't think Freaks and Geeks would fit in with today's network tv, but maybe could find a following on cable.
This would be an ideal show for them to make a "reunion" movie for IMO. You could even play off some of the characters they have played in their careers since Freaks and Geeks. For instance Sam's character could be a shrink for the FBI now. Lindsay could be a nurse. Nick could do scores for movies... etc. I dunno maybe that would be too much, but it would have to be a pretty big budget movie to get them all to return as well. But either way I would love to see it.
I loved this showed, i saw it at costco.... Bought it, and it was added to netflix 2 days later.
I think i liked undeclared more, disappointed it was only one season
I love both shows as well. I can watch Undeclared episodes one after another. Freaks and Geeks was just so good, and struck such a cord, that I can only watch one episode because they're so heavy, so awkward and just engage the viewer so much. I think the two shows would have gone so well together, airing back to back. (Ignoring the fact that the shows featured some of the same actors) The shows compliment each other really well in how honest the storytelling is, but Undeclared would've been so perfect to come down from after an episode of Freaks and Geeks.
So far two of my favorite Netflix shows have come from suggestions on CP: IT Crowd and Freaks and Geeks. I will be checking out Undeclared next. Thanks guys!
I watched it when it was on tv got hooked quickly was very disappointed to see it only last one season, couldn't understand why it wasn't given a chance. Never got into a tv series again until Arrested Development.
This is such a happier story and one that can be looked back on fondly, with all the success of the cast. This would be quite a depressing look back had all of them bottomed out into hollywood obscurity.
Man I loved that show. Everything from the young all-star cast, to the hilarious awkward encounters. I really wish it would have lasted at least a couple more seasons. Hard to believe its over a decade old!
And it was one of the few wins for Haverchuck. Can't help but love that guy.
Martin Starr was on the Indoor Kids podcast this week and talked about filming that scene. He had a huge crush on that girl in real life, but he had a cold that day, and snot was running down his nose while they kissed, grossing her out. What should have been the greatest moment in his young life was actually a nightmare.
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Freaks and Geeks - An Oral History
