Throwback : Freaks and Geeks

Freaks and Geeks is a late '90s show that slid under the radar until rather recently. It didn't revolutionize television forever, nor did it alter the face of pop culture. It was just a series about high school, highlighting the trials of adolescence honestly and accurately, without the pomp and circumstance of daily life that many of its competing shows added. Freaks and Geeks was unlike any other show of its time.

Set in a small town in Michigan in 1980, the show follows 16-year-old Lindsay Weir and her group of self-proclaimed "freaks" — grungy denim-clad stoners who cut class to discuss the new Van Halen single. There is also a storyline tracking Weir's younger brother, Sam, and his friends, "geeks," blindly feeling their way through the perilous halls of McKinley High School.

It is a far cry from a sitcom. The show derives humor not from snappy one-liners or convoluted situations but from the mere comedy of day-to-day victories and defeats. It parallels real life as audience members find themselves sympathizing with characters and reacting to situations because they are so familiar. For example, it is more likely in high school to be rejected by a crush, rather than having to choose between two suitors a la Dawson's Creek. Joey didn't realize how lucky she was.

Something the writers really got right was the development of each character. They were multi-faceted but in a realistic way. Each character has a label but easily deviates from it. Bad boy Daniel realizes he has potential, stoner Nick has a poetic streak and pure-hearted Millie, indefatigably innocent, ultimately begins to question her own beliefs after trying so hard to straighten out Lindsay. If Freaks and Geeks had a lesson to teach, it's that everyone is human and ought not to be defined by a stereotype.

If no other reason piques your interest, then you must watch this show for its cast. It's awesome to see stars act in shows before they became famous. James Franco (Spider-Man) plays a bedroom-eyed bad boy, Jason Segal (How I Met Your Mother) is a musician aiming for stardom, Seth Rogan (40-Year-Old Virgin)isa snarky, dry-witted smartass, and Linda Cardellini (ER) is a tormented girl trapped between social classes desperately seeking an identity of her own.

Unfortunately, NBC awarded the show a Saturday time slot (it was the kiss of death) before the show had even begun. On top of that, its main competitor was Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

The show could have easily taken a sentimental route much like The Wonder Years. It also could have been more romantic, more dramatic and more comedic, which would have increased its viewership. The attraction was not because it had an overdramatized plot with never-ending twists, nor was it a show that was uproariously funny in its ridiculousness. Its downfall was inevitable.

Perhaps it's best that Freaks and Geeks didn't last. Like great artists and musicians who die young, the show never got a chance to overstay its welcome. Imagine if the show had prevailed — would it have been more popular in the early years of the new millennium, or would it have conformed to match the shows it competed with? In any case, we'll never know, because the plug was pulled after one season.