June 30, 2009

• Freaks and Geeks- Pilot

  

  Freaks and Geeks is one of my all-time favorite TV series.  Although there were only 18 episodes, it was such a powerful show that was a launching pad for some of today’s major players in Hollywood.

  Freaks and Geeks gave us Linda Cardellini (ER, Scooby Doo movies, Brokeback Mountain, Grandma’s Boy), John Frances Daly (Waiting… and recently has been in the TV series Bones), Samm Levine(numerous TV credits and will be in the upcoming Inglorious Basterds), James Franco (Spiderman franchise, Annapolis, Flyboys, Milk), Busy Phillips (ER, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Mean Girls, White Chicks), Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother, SLC Punk, Slackers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You Man), Seth Rogen (40 Yr. Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Observe and Report, Funny People) and Tom Wilson (OK so he hasn’t made much but he was Biff in the Back to the Future series).

  Freaks and Geeks was created by Paul Feig, one of my favorite authors, and was produced by Judd Apatow.  This was their creative launching pad.  Many of the stories in Freaks and Geeks came from some of Feig’s life.

  The pilot episode was written by Paul Feig and directed by Jake Kasdan.  Here is a brief description of the episode: Lindsay Weir, seemingly losing interest in her more academically minded-friends, begins hanging out with a crowd of burnouts, courtesy of an invitation from Daniel Desario. Her affiliation with this gang of freaks worries her family and her once best-friend Millie. Meanwhile, Sam Weir struggles to find the courage not only to confront his bully Alan, but to ask cheerleader Cindy Sanders to the homecoming dance.

  What makes Freaks and Geeks so enjoyable for me is that the show could be set in any time period.  So many of the characters and happenings seem straight out of my school daze.  Then we had a kid much like Eli.  Our special kid at my school was convinced he was a superhero who went by the name Checkerman.  He even made a t-shirt with checkers on it and would run around the halls with a cape with checkers taped to it.  I also enjoy all the references to other shows and movies.  Neil does a Captain Kirk imitation and they mention going to see Monty Python and the Holy Grail as well as Star Wars.  Also, who here did not fear playing dodgeball with a sadistic P.E. teacher in high school?  I had a Vietnam vet that was my P.E. teacher and he had flashbacks to combat.  P.E. was an interesting class.

  I also love quoting this show.  Whenever I get the religious folks knocking on my door and asking if I have found Jesus, I answer, “Yes, I’ve found God and his name is John Bohnam and he played drums for Led Zeppelin.”  My other favorite quote in this episode is when Nick is talking to Lindsay, “Look, these teachers…these teachers want us to work, you know? And I say fine…I’ll work. But you gotta let me do the kind of work that I wanna do. And for me, Lindsay, it’s my- it’s my drum kit, man. This my passion, you know? This is- this is the essence of who I am now. But before I had this, I was lost too. You see what I’m saying? You need to find…your reason for- for living, man. You’ve got to find, your big, just gigantic drum kit, you know”  One quote that isn’t included in the episode but it is in a deleted scene is of the guidance counselor, whose role gets more laughable as the series progresses, says at the dance, “Sometimes I have the greatest job in the world.”

  Anyway, I hope you have some free time and can give this show a view.  I will try to upload each episode every Monday evening.

  And who can’t resist that theme song…
  

  • 1:07 AM
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