James Franco. Seth Rogen. Jason Segel. Linda Cardellini. Busy Philips. No, this isn’t the cast to a Pineapple Express sequel. It’s the cast of the cult classic TV series "Freaks and Geeks," and it’s this week’s drinking game.
"Freaks and Geeks" was produced by rom-com film god Judd Apatow, who’s also known for films like "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." It aired on NBC in September 1999 and only lasted one season with 18 episodes.
Linda Cardellini stars as Lindsay Weir, a high school student who was once an honors student but decides to change her ways and befriend "freaks" to be cool and rebellious. The series also follows her conventional family, particularly her younger brother Sam, played by John Francis Daley. Sam and his friends are younger and encounter their own adventures; they’re the "geeks" of the show.
The show has a perfect balance of teen angst and comedy, along with a killer soundtrack. The opening sequence features "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett.
Its cancellation was premature compared to its critical acclaim, especially after being cancelled after 12 episodes. Fans were able to persuade NBC to release three more episodes, and FOX later aired the remaining three.
The majority of the actors gained popularity and went on to become successful stars — probably why the show has become such a hit in recent years.
- The show starts
- Neal acts like a 40-year-old
- A currently popular actor/actress in the main cast pops up on the screen
- A really good song comes on
- An awkward encounter between Lindsay and Neal happens
- "Bad Reputation" comes on
- A well-known actor not in the main cast makes an appearance
- During a dancing sequence
- When Lindsay and Nick have a cute moment
- During the school assembly on preventing alcohol-related deaths for ironic purposes
- When it’s over and you ponder on what could’ve been if it hadn’t gotten cancelled
