History Series / FreaksAndGeeks

Part of what made ''Freaks and Geeks'' unique was that it was surprisingly immersive in its time period despite ''not'' beating things over the head with such "retro" tropes as ItWillNeverCatchOn; it was even sparing in its use of NothingButHits. The show was praised to heaven and back for its realism (making it onto ''[[Magazine/TimeMagazine Time]]'' magazine's "Top 10 New Shows" list) but [[AcclaimedFlop never quite took off]] in the ratings department, which led to its notorious cancellation after just eighteen episodes.[[note]]It actually topped the ''Magazine/TVGuide'' list of the shows that were cancelled too soon.[[/note]]

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: This series was ''full'' of it. The cast and crew [[LampshadeHanging called it]] the "clean dirty" on the DVD commentaries.

--> '''Daniel:''' Am I a loser?
--> '''Harris:''' Well, you're having sex, so no.

-->'''Lindsay:''' Oh my God...you really like her, don't you!
-->'''Ken:''' ...I feel odd.

* MonochromeCasting: There really are very few people of color with speaking roles, and a grand total of one recurring Hispanic character.

* HiredHelppAsFamily: Ken mentions that his parents are wealthy workaholics and he was "mostly raised by the nanny".

* HalloweenEpisode: "Tricks and Treats"
* HeldBackInSchool: Daniel Desario.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Lindsay and Kim.
* HiddenDepths: Naturally it occurs in the main cast, but recurring characters receive it as well. For example, Gordon Crisp is introduced early as just a fat kid, but he proves himself to be rather intuitive.
* HighSchool
* HighSchoolDance: In the pilot episode.
* HippieTeacher: Mr. Rosso

* InWithTheInCrowd: Sam, in "The Little Things".

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Bill is the gentlest and least confrontational of the Geeks, but he goes absolutely ''ballistic'' when [[spoiler:Fredricks, whom he barely tolerates at the best of times, starts dating his mom]].

* BittersweetEnding: Most episodes. ''Especially'' the finale.

* YokoOhNo: In-universe, Lindsay inadvertently becomes this in "I'm with the Band", where she splits up the freak's band when actually trying to get them to improve. Daniel even calls her Yoko at one point, although they're all back together by the end of the episode. He teases her about it again in a later episode, referring to the time she broke up their band so she could make out with Nick. She doesn't correct him that she actually made out with Nick in part ''because'' she felt bad about breaking up their band.

* FakeOutOpening: The pilot has a small one, with hints of a TakeThat to boot. The camera focuses in on [[TheBeautifulElite a jock and his cheerleader]] sitting in the bleachers during football practice trying to ham up their non-existent melodrama. Soon after, the camera introduces us to the real heroes of the show, conversing underneath the bleachers. Can you say metaphor?

* AdultsAreUseless: Played with. The Weir parents generally give well-meaning and helpful advice to their children. However, generational differences in particular (they are, after all, pre-Boomers while the kids are early Gen-X'ers) [[note]] Lindsay, likely being born after the 50s and before 1965 would be considered a member of Generation Jones (70s and early 80s high school seniors)[[/note]]often make it difficult for them to understand what their children are going through. This is particularly apparent in the episode "Boyfriends And Girlfriends," where the Weir parents' lack of familiarity with post-60's sexual politics makes them extremely paranoid about Lindsay and Nick hooking up. Fortunately, unlike a lot of other teen shows, F&G never goes overboard with this trope. It's actually presented in a very realistic (for its time, at least) manner.

* JustForFun/{{XMeetsY}}: ''Series/MySoCalledLife'' meets ''Series/TheWonderYears'', with a bit of ''Series/That70sShow''.

* XMeetsY: ''Series/MySoCalledLife'' meets ''Series/TheWonderYears'', with a bit of ''Series/That70sShow''.

* JerkassFacade: Alan, as it turns out, in "Chokin' and Tokin'" thanks to some BelatedBackstory.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Most characters, when not subverting the JerkJock and Libby stereotypes, are some form of this.

* PickedLast: Bill had a history of being picked last. This actually drove him to ''prank call his gym teacher!'' After his teacher finds out he was the one who made the call, Bill is awarded [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming the opportunity to captain a team for a day]].

Part of what made ''Freaks and Geeks'' unique was that it was surprisingly immersive in its time period despite ''not'' beating things over the head with such "retro" tropes as ItWillNeverCatchOn and HilariousInHindsight; it was even sparing in its use of NothingButHits. The show was praised to heaven and back for its realism (making it onto ''[[Magazine/TimeMagazine Time]]'' magazine's "Top 10 New Shows" list) but [[AcclaimedFlop never quite took off]] in the ratings department, which led to its notorious cancellation after just eighteen episodes.[[note]]It actually topped the ''Magazine/TVGuide'' list of the shows that were cancelled too soon.[[/note]]

* FakeOutOpening: The pilot has a small one, with hints of a TakeThat to boot. The camera focuses in on [[TheBeautifulPeople a jock and his cheerleader]] sitting in the bleachers during football practice trying to ham up their non-existent melodrama. Soon after, the camera introduces us to the real heroes of the show, conversing underneath the bleachers. Can you say metaphor?

A 1999–2000 {{Dramedy}} created by Paul Feig and Creator/JuddApatow for Creator/{{NBC}}, based on the former's experiences, about two groups of teenagers in the UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}} suburbs circa 1980.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Lindsay and Kim

* LimitedWardrobe: Lindsay's everpresent green Army surplus coat, and Bill's blue-and-white horizontal-striped shirt.

* MostWritersAreAdults: A rare aversion for a show about highschool students. The kids actually act like kids their age, and deal with relatively realistic issues.

* NotNamedInOpeningCredits: Busy Phillips

* SadistTeacher: Mr. Kowchevski.

* VerySpecialEpisode: "Chokin' and Tokin'" deals with marijuana. Probably a StealthParody, as anyone remotely familiar with the effects of marijuana can tell Lindsay is just freaking out because she's not used to it.

* WildTeenParty: Subverted in "Beers and Weirs". The "beer" is actually non-alcoholic. [[spoiler:And yet everyone [[PlaceboEffect still *acts* drunk]]]].

* AuthorTract: "The Little Things" is one long political ad. Somewhat understandable, as it aired a few months before the 2000 election

* VerySpecialEpisode: "Chokin' and Tokin'" deals with marijuana. Probably a StealthParody, as anyone remotely familiar with the effects of marijuana can tell she's just freaking out because she's not used to it.

* FakeOutOpening: The pilot has a small one, with hints of a TakeThat to boot. The camera focuses in on [[TheBeautifulPeople a jock and his cheerleader]] sitting in the bleachers during football practice trying to ham up their non-existent melodrama. Soon after, the camera introduces us to the real heroes of the show, conversing underneath the bleachers.

* FakeOutOpening: The pilot has a small one, with hints of a TakeThat to boot. The camera focuses in on [[TheBeautifulPeople a jock and his cheerleader]] trying to ham up their non-existent melodrama, and soon after, the camera introduces us to the real heroes of the show.