Freaks and Geeks thread.

I'm watching it on DVD from Netflix on the recommendation of many in chat. I'm mixed so far, I like it but do not love it. So I decided to start a thread.

Mostly this is for all to talk about the show and what they loved about it but I will also ask some questions I guess or make boring comments.

BTW: I was watching the episode "Tests and Breasts" and looking at the Coach I kept thinking, "man he looks really familiar". Then finally I realized he looks like Biff from "Back to the Future". I just checked and Coach Ben Fredricks was indeed Biff played by Thomas F. Wilson.

An aside but you should check out Thomas Wilson's songs.



I loved the show but haven't seen it in years. The one about porn was hilarious and the guy doing the try out for the band was really poignant. I wasn't around then but it seems to evoke a time and place quite well.

I love this show a lot. I feel like it really captures my own experience of going to High School in the Midwest. And it's refreshing that the actors are age-appropriate and look like actual kids.

Jim - what is it that's putting you off so far?

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Originally posted by Myrnalene

I love this show a lot. I feel like it really captures my own experience of going to High School in the Midwest. And it's refreshing that the actors are age-appropriate and look like actual kids.

Jim - what is it that's putting you off so far?

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I'm not sure, I don't think it is as much putting me off and it just doesn't seem to click.

One possibility, the younger brother and his friends are exactly my age. They are class of '84 as best as I can tell but their experiences and even geekdom is so different from mine. I find I have a little more in common with the freaks (stoners is what they were really called in my school.) I hung with both crowds though my best friends were among the geeks.

Oh, that damn guidance counselor is really off-putting and unrealistic to me, I don't know why.

Finally, it is more drama than comedy so far. I am more of a sitcom person. So far the father has the best humor.

I think there's a good example of a hit-or-miss show. If it connects with you because you recognize the situation or feeling exactly, you'll love it. Otherwise, it's just a mildly amusing/dramatic series that doesn't have much to offer.

I also don't think it's necessarily tied to the time period, but I could be wrong about that. Certainly some of the cultural references are not exactly explained, so you'd probably need some familiarity to understand those bits, but I'd expect there's a wide range of potential fans (with a small number of actual fans).

Have you listened to any of the commentary tracks? One of them has one of the actors father on it, and he sounds exactly like James Lileks.

Well I made it through the second DVD. This ends with the band episode and streaking. I don't think I will continue. The show really is not compelling to me outside of the great music.

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Originally posted by Myrnalene

And it's refreshing that the actors are age-appropriate and look like actual kids.

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Off-topic, I know, but during the Oscars I was watching the John Hughes tribute and was reminded how egregious he used to be about this. Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club looked ridiculous.

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Originally posted by OneCentStamp

Off-topic, I know, but during the Oscars I was watching the John Hughes tribute and was reminded how egregious he used to be about this. Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club looked ridiculous.

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Off topic is fine.

I did not think Ally Sheedy looked that ridiculous. Judd yes.

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Originally posted by What Exit?

I did not think Ally Sheedy looked that ridiculous. Judd yes.

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Well I think they both did. Do...I...stutter? :Shake:



















;)

In 1984, when the film was set and shot, their ages (per Wikipedia) were:

Judd Nelson 25
Emilio Estevez 22
Molly Ringwald 16
Ally Sheedy 22
Anthony Michael Hall 16

I actually though Estevez was the worst for being outside his age range, and I'm suprised Molly Ringwald was that young.


Just to make this relevant; in 1999 (when F&G aired) ...
Linda Cardellini 24
John Francis Daley 14 (yes, 10 years younger than his TV sister)
James Franco 21
Samm Levine 17
Seth Rogen 17 (he's a month younger than Levine)
Jason Segel 19
Martin Starr 17
Busy Philipps 20

On edit: Also, Sarah Hagan (Millie) was born in 1984, making her 15. No wonder Lindsay didn't hang out with her anymore.

I'm not nor have I ever been an American teen but I felt that the Ghost World comic really evoked teendom, especially hipstery teendom. Although, thinking about it now the girls may have been finished highschool.