Freaks and Geeks Review: Part One, Episodes 1-3

What do you get when you take one of the biggest stoners in Hollywood, Velma Dinkley, Marshall from How I Met Your Mother, and Harry Osbourne? Freaks and Geeks, the one season cult classic from the mind of Paul Feig and produced by one of the funniest writers of the 21st century, Judd Apatow. In this series, I am going to review three episodes at a time, and give you a fun breakdown of the episode, talk about some behind the scenes stuff and whatever else I think of.

Let me start by actually, telling you what the show is about. It’s about the Weir family. Older sister Lindsay (played by Linda Cardellini) a mathlete and perfect student and daughter who struggles to find her way in life and eventually ditches her normal life to start hanging out with the freaks. It also stars her brother Sam (John Francis Daley) who is a Geek. He likes Sci-Fi and SNL and basically everything nerdy (So basically it’s a younger tv version of me).

Episode One is conveniently named “Pilot”, which obviously most Pilot’s are. The plot of the episode is simple, Lindsay after being invited to hangs out with the Freaks by Daniel (James Franco), starts rebelling. She ends up quitting the mathletes and doing things like cutting class. This obviously disappoints her family and friends, especially my vote for most bland tv character of all time, Millie. We soon meet the rest of the Freaks, the cool burnout and leader of the group Daniel Desario (James Franco), his on again-off again girlfriend Kim Kelly (played by Busy Phillipps) who immediately becomes jealous of Lindsay, who we find out has a crush on Daniel. Kim reminds me a lot of Missy Meany from Ned’s Declassified. There is also Nick Andopolis (Jason Seagal), the “straight-man” of the group. He constantly goes to bat defending Lindsay when she doesn’t want to do something or when she buts heads with Kim. Nick is part of the “love square” that I am referring to as Lindsay, Daniel, Kim, and Nick). Rounding out our group of freaks is Ken Miller (Seth Rogan). He’s the wise guy of the group. The one that always makes the jokes. Basically Seth plays himself in real life.

The B plot of this episode involves Sam and his friends Bill and Neal who are confronted by school bully Alan, played by The Sandlot alum Chauncey Leopardi (better known as Squints). The boys plan to get Alan to stop bullying him by fighting him three on one. Which is honestly a great idea until Sam gets distracted talking to his crush Cindy, which causes Bill and Neal to end up getting beatdown by Alan and his bully friends. Overall this was a good episode. A great introduction to the series. The episode ends with everyone at the homecoming dance and Lindsay, still being the kind soul that she is decides to dance with a special needs kid because no one else will.

Episode Two is title Beers and Weirs and the main plot is Lindsay’s parents go out of town for the weekend and her new friends convince her to throw a party. Mr. Weir is great in this episode, thinking that his teenage children are going to eat candy for breakfast and color all over the walls. Which sounds like a fun idea for the next time I’m home alone. The freaks decide to get a kegger for the party and everybody chips in. But after seeing one of those stupid plays about drunk driving, hosted by Mr. Rosso, the guidance counselor, Sam and his friends decide to switch out the keg with a keg of non alcoholic beer. Which, I don’t know if you have ever had non alcoholic beer before, but you can tell the difference. These kids not knowing the difference get hit by the placebo affect and start acting drunk.

The party seems to be going well until Lindsay discovers Daniel and Kim (who had announced earlier that they had broken up, giving Lindsay a gleam of hope) back together and making out in her bed. Which to be fair, if I found the person I was crushing on making out with someone else in my bed I’d be pissed too. I have two thoughts I want to point out about this episode. I know it is supposed to take place in 1980, but besides a few references here and there, you couldn’t convince me the show didn’t take place when it aired in 1999. Also, Millie is by far the most annoying in this episode. Like I legit hate her character. Lindsay was smart for ditching her for the Freaks.

After Lindsay ends up having a breakdown because she thinks she’s drunk and ruined her life, because she tried to go to Nick for comfort and he tried to feel her up then blamed it on him being drunk. Which, I was a big fan of shipping those two until this moment. Lindsay goes to cry in her parents room and is comforted by Neal, who ends up admitting that he was in love with her which makes her cry more. We wrap up the episode with Neal calling the cops on the party as a favor to Lindsay. At the end Ken, in the most Seth Rogen moment ever, admits he knew the alcohol was fake, and that he won 87 dollars playing quarters, so this was the best party ever. Another great episode. Honestly, I think this episode was the first one that made me think “wow, I can’t wait to watch more of this show.

It’s time for our Halloween episode as the title of episode three is “Tricks or Treats” and the plots are pretty simple. Lindsay, who is getting older decides she doesn’t want to help her mom with handing out candy and instead goes out gallivanting with Daniel, Kim, Nick, and Ken. After some convincing from their mother, Sam decides after some convincing from his mom that he wants to go trick or treating one last time and invites Bill, Neal, and their friend Harris to go with them. You know what kind of bothers me about this episode? The fact that in the last episode Nick tries to take advantage of Lindsay, but then in this episode suddenly they are friends again? Like what gives? I mean I guess it makes sense as this episode did take place a month later. The Freaks spend this episode vandalizing stuff, destroying pumpkins, breaking mailboxes with baseball bats and egging people. Eventually Lindsay decides she wants to throw an egg and it hits her brother in the face after he and his friends were robbed by Alan and his crew. I think this was my least favorite episode of the three so far, but to be honest, I am not usually a fan of themed episodes.

I enjoyed the first three episodes so far, I am very excited to watch more this week. Up next we are getting another movie review and then probably episodes four through six of F&G. Until next time, please help spread the word. It helps a lot. Thanks. Donegan Out!