OPINION: ‘Freaks and Geeks’ No Longer Seen as Freaky or Geeky

OPINION%3A+Freaks+and+Geeks+No+Longer+Seen+as+Freaky+or+Geeky

Kailey McComas, Contributor

 

The television series “Freaks and Geeks” (1999) is a lighthearted, ideal show for everyone, starring Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley. It is the perfect show to watch if one is in need of some brilliant, thoughtful humor. The show tells the story of a brother and sister’s experiences as a freak and a geek in a 1980s high school.

The show has an intriguing and complex, but never confusing storyline, portrayed by the hardships the students face including bullying, temptation, and change. Sam (Daley) and his two best friends are constantly being put down by the “cooler” kids of the school. They have to work together to figure out how to get through their lives and maybe even meet a few girls along the way.This makes the viewer get lost in the story and the reality of it all. Lindsay (Cardellini) used to be the girl with perfect grades, a mathlete, until she befriended a druggie and entered a whole new world of rebellion.

Underlying the double perspective story is multiple well depicted lessons to learn. By watching it, my personal views on the different cliques of high school have changed, especially according to the changes in Lindsay Weir (Cardellini) because of the influences surrounding her. By the end, she found a balance between her geeky side and her radical side by learning what was so important about both groups and how they are treated.

Casting of the show was well done. The acting in the show is exceptional and practically seamless from everyone involved. The “Freaks and Geeks” cast includes many well known actors like James Franco as Daniel, Jason Segel as Nick, Seth Rogan as Ken, Samm Levine as Neal, and Joe Flaherty as Mr. Weir. The writing is successful in causing a hearty laugh one moment and tears the next. In this sense, it is similar to the movie “The Breakfast club” because they both portray the time period well through good writing, acting, and visuals.

There are many similarities and differences between high school in the 1980s and high school in the present day. The show creates a way for viewers of a middle school age all the way to viewers who are middle aged a way to relate to the show and add to the humorous effects through personal experience.

Overall, “Freaks and Geeks” is an awesome and fun show for the whole family. I would most definitely recommend it to anyone. It’s intricate, yet clear story and writing creates an opening for people of all intelligences and ages.