Freaks and Geeks reviews? (1 Viewer)

[Dane Marvin]

This is going to be a blind buy for me no matter what (the yearbook version perhaps later on, if I really like it), but I was wondering if someone could answer a few questions about the show itself:

--I know it was cancelled even before it completed a full season. That said, was there any sense of closure in the last episode that aired or did it just end as abruptly as its run on network television?

--Some of my favorite shows that might be along these lines are: The Wonder Years, Scrubs, Square Pegs & Malcolm in the Middle. So... am I gonna like this show?

 

[Jay Gunn]

Dane: There was no "last episode"; in fact, NBC yanked the series without even broadcasting the last two (I believe) produced episodes, though they later aired on Fox Family.
Also, I think F&G is better than all of those shows you listed.

 

[Matt Stone]

Actually, NBC did air the remaining episodes well after the cancellation (July 8th, 2000 IIRC). The only episode they didn't air was an early one ("Kim Kelly is my Friend"), and that was eventually shown on Fox Family.

That being said, there is definitely a sense of closure in the last episode.

 

[Don Giro]

 

[ZacharyTait]

I just an e-mail that my order of the yearbook has been shipped. Hopefully, I'll get it today. I can't wait!

 

[Craig S]

Absolutely. The producers saw the writing on the wall fairly early and decided to bump this one up in the production schedule so they had a conclusion in the can in case they got shut down.

All of this from the yearbook, of course.

 

[Dane Marvin]

Thanks Matt & Craig for answering my question about closure in the series. That will make it a little less bittersweet, I suppose -- or maybe more so!

 

[Gwon Chang]

Man, my wife is great. She gave me an early birthday present last night!

Freaks and Geeks Yearbook Edition!

I watched the first two shows, Pilot and Beers & Weirs. I'd forgotten how wonderful this show is/was. I love Alan the bully, Millie the saint, Cindy the cheerleader, etc. What great characters!

When VH started at the intro of the Freaks in the Pilot, I just about wept with joy.

I love this show!

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

This set is amazing.

This package is amazing.

This show is amazing.

There is nothing more that can be said: really the perfect way that this sad story could end-- the show never really lasted on the air (but in all truth, i don't think anyone really expected it to)-- but to have it celebrated in such perfect form is worth every single penny.


BTW- Have you guys seen the charge show up on your cards for the set? Mine arrive via 2nd day UPS yesterday, yet I have never seen the charge go on my acoount...

 

[ThomasC]

Same with me, Vince, I've had two holds on my account, but I haven't been charged yet.

 

[ThomasC]

Bill: She's the kind of woman you could cut the cheese in front of.

Sam: Oh, yeah, Bill, that's what love is all about.

Bill: It is. I mean, you couldn't be in love with someone if you couldn't. Think about it.

Neil: That *is* true. I mean, you have to sleep with your wife every night of your life. If you couldn't blast one in bed, you'd get physically ill.

Sam: Oh, come on, guys. You can't fart in front of a woman.

Bill: What do you think you do, get up and run outside every time you have to let one rip? You'd never get any sleep.

- Carded and Discarded

Life is good.

 

[Albert_M]

I received my deluxe edition this past weekend. I wasn't home so when I got back in town ans saw the package, I wasn't sure what it was and I wasn't expecting the set to arrive yet, but the package is excellent and while I havne't had a chance to watch much yet, I watched some of the extras and they're great. I was just so excited to open up the yearbook and think of all of the great (if not classic) scenes. It appears as thought the regular edition will be a fine set as well. I was just happy to finally be able to own the episodes - to have the extras... well if you enjoyed the show then I can't recomment this enough.

I am glad also that since they realistically knew that the show wasn't going to last long, they made the season like a school year almost.

 

[Jay Gunn]

I got my set today. I never dreamed that this show would get such wonderful treatment on DVD - it's easily the best TV DVD set to date.

 

[Bryn G]

An *extremely* comprehensive review of the 8-disc fan edition of this set has now been posted on dvdtalk.com for anyone interested in finding out exactly what's included. STILL no word on whether the 28-page booklet (to be released with the regular set) will be included in the fan edition (the web site says that the fan edition includes everything that is in the regular set - I take that to mean the booklet as well). It's possible that this material is incorporated into the yearbook. Time will tell I guess.

Also check out the review on dvdverdict.com. It is not nearly as comprehensive in terms of what extras are included and it only covers the 6-disc edition, but it is very well written and covers all aspects of the show from the perspective of someone who is obviously a huge fan.

From what I can see this will be the benchmark by which all other TV box sets will be compared. Now if only they'd issue "The Brady Bunch" season sets like this I'd be a happy happy man.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I don't want to get into spoilers but the talk of "closure" doesn't jibe with my memory of the final episode. I thought it was more like a season-ending cliffhanger. Just to be sure I'm thinking of the right episode......it's the one where Lindsay gets off the bus to join Kim and the other Freaks on their way to follow the Greatful Dead.
It certainly didn't feel like the end of the story to me. Then again, I've only seen that episode once so maybe I missed something subtle.

 

[Marty M]

The one thing
is that Lindsay and her friends had just graduated from high school and this was going to be her summer fling before she went to college, if my memory serves me right.

 

[Craig S]

I don't think that episode was ever meant to be the "end of the story" per se. I think the closure comes from:
Lindsay's decision to get off the bus (think she was going to some summer academic thing) and join Kim is the final symbolic death of the old Lindsay. The whole season was about her struggle to find her way after the death of her grandmother. She's finally broken with the past, and chosen the "Freak" way. One journey is over, a new one is just beginning.

 

[ZacharyTait]

I got my set today! Woohoo! It looks awesome. I can't wait to go through it.

 

[John Berggren]

Where can you order the yearbook version?

 

[Albert_M]

The yearbook edition was only available on the official show website (freaksandgeeks.com) I don't if it still available, but I highly recommend checking it out.